Dr Michael Down

Lecturer
PhD, BOR (Hons)

Email: michael.down@nd.edu.au
Phone: (08) 9433 0901
Google Scholar
ORCID

  • Biography

    Michael Down is a Lecturer in the School of Education (Fremantle campus). He teaches into the Bachelor of Health and Physical Education program, primarily focusing on outdoor education. His research interests include outdoor education for health promotion, risky play, and nature-based health outcomes across the lifespan. He is a current Executive Committee member of Outdoor Education Australia, and co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education.

  • Teaching areas

    • Outdoor education, academic writing and research skills

  • Research expertise and supervision

      • Supervised one BHPE (Hons) project to completion (2023); current Associate Supervisor for four HDR candidates (2024-2029); current Principal Supervisor for one BHPE (Hons) student (2025-2026).
      • Examiner of several HDR research theses.

  • Journal articles and proceedings

      • Down, M. J. A., Charlton, V., Freeman, B., Skoglys, E., Gray, T., Mola, R., Drury, S., Picknoll, D., & Farringdon, F. (2026). In or out? The role of classroom setting location on child executive function. Acta Psychologica, 267, 107207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107207
      • Down, M. J. A., Lowe, E., Cripps, A., Piggott, B., Sortwell, A., & Freeman, B. (2026). Are they ready? A narrative literature review of pre-program physical and social-emotional preparation for adolescent outdoor education participants. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education. Advance online publication, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-026-00244-9
      • Lee, E.-Y., Park, S., Jerebine, A., Down, M. J. A., Kim, U., Cheng, J., Saravanan, S., Abungin, L., Kim, Y.-B., de Lannoy, L., Manyanga, T., Ross-White, A., Vanderloo, L., Yi, K. J. & Tremblay, M. (2026). Systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis on social capital and active outdoor play: Relationships and impacts. Wellbeing, Space and Society, 10, 100410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wss.2026.100410
      • Down, M. J. A., Hills, D., Munge, B., & Jukes, S. (2026). Some contemporary perspectives on social capital building in outdoor education. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2026.2653250
      • Cripps, A., Freeman, B., Merrells, R., Piggott, B., Sortwell, A., Picknoll, D., & Down, M. J. A. (2026). The preparation priorities and challenges faced by teachers before outdoor education programs. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2025.2600977
      • Gray, T., Down, M. J. A., Mann, J., Barnes, J., Sturges, M., Eager, D., Pigott, F., Harper, A., Hespos, S., Miller, R. M. & Reis, A. (2025). Investigating the benefits of outdoor risky play and nature-based adventure education for children and adolescents: A scoping review. Behavioral Sciences, 15(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16010005
      • de Lannoy, L., James, M. E., Badruddin, Z., Thankarajah, A., Bakalár, P., Barnett, L. M., Bentsen, P., Brazo-Sayavera, J., Carson, V., Down, M. J. A., Duncan, S., Fahey, R., Harper, N. J., Johnstone, A., Lang, J. J., Larouche, R., Lee, E.-Y., Lopes, O., Manyanga, T... & Tremblay, M. S. (2025). Association between active outdoor play and health among children, adolescents, and adults: An umbrella review. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 23(4), 452-467. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2025-0391.
      • Lee, E.-Y., de Lannoy, L., Kim, Y.-B., Rathod, A., James, M. E., Lopes, O., Nasrallah, B., Thankarajah, A., Boadi, D. A., Barros, M. A., Duncan, S., Miller, R. M., Mygind, L., Vanderloo, L. M., Wang, P.-Y., Tremblay, M. S., & AOP10 Steering Committee Group* (*Down, M. J. A.). (2025). 2025 Position statement on active outdoor play. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 22(117), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01813-9
      • Down, M. J. A., Picknoll, D., Piggott, B., Bulsara, C., & Hoyne, G. (2025). A mixed-methods research synthesis to impact the wellbeing of adolescents: The Wellbeing in Outdoor Adventure Education Model (WOAEM). International Journal of Wellbeing, 15(4), 4585, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v15i4.4585
      • Down, M. J. A., Baldock, Z., Picknoll, D., Bulsara, C. (2025). Seeking consensus: An e-Delphi study exploring the concept of success in Australian outdoor education. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-025-00206-7
      • Down, M. J. A., Picknoll, D., Edwards, T., Farringdon, F., Hoyne, G., Piggott, B., & Murphy, M. C. (2025). Outdoor adventure education programs for the wellbeing of adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 25(4), 869-898. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2024.2386350
      • Down, M. J. A., Picknoll, D., Piggott, B., Hoyne, G., & Bulsara, C. (2024). “When the real stuff happens": A qualitative descriptive study of the psychosocial outcomes of outdoor adventure education for adolescents. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 28(1), 43-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-023-00151-3
      • Down, M. J. A., Picknoll, D., Hoyne, G., Piggott, B., & Bulsara, C. (2024). e-Delphi in the outdoors: Stakeholder contributions to the development of a wellbeing-focused outdoor adventure education intervention. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 35(2), 470-480. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.777
      • Picknoll, D., Down, M. J. A., & Hands, B. (2023). The nature and scope of Outdoor Education in Western Australia. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, (26), 268-282. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-023-00129-1
      • Down, M. J. A., Picknoll, D., Hoyne, G., Piggott, B., & Bulsara, C. (2023). “I love being in the outdoors”: A qualitative descriptive study of student and teacher perspectives of outdoor adventure education programs for adolescent wellbeing. Journal of Adolescence, 95(6), 1232-1244. https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12197
      • Down, M. J. A., Chivers, P., Kirsch, P., & Picknoll, D. (2022). Wellbeing and nature connectedness for emerging adult undergraduates after a short expedition: A small pilot study. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33(3), 912-919. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.555

  • Conference papers

      • Reis, A., Gray, T., Down, M. J. A., Sturges, M., & Eager, D. (2026, June). Outdoor adventurous play and learning to promote risk literacy, resilience and wellbeing. [Paper presentation]. International Outdoor Education Research Conference (IOERC) 2026, Oslo, Norway.
      • Down, M. J. A. (2026, June). The wellbeing in outdoor adventure education model: A new approach to adventurous outdoor learning program structure for wellbeing. [Paper presentation]. International Outdoor Education Research Conference (IOERC) 2026, Oslo, Norway.
      • Down, M. J. A., Ritchie, S., & Priest, S. (2026, June). Influencing factors of adventurous outdoor learning. [Paper presentation]. International Outdoor Education Research Conference (IOERC) 2026, Oslo, Norway.
      • Down, M. J. A. (2025, December). Active outdoor play: The role of risk for the promotion of health and wellbeing in young people. [Paper presentation]. Institute of Outdoor Learning Play to Thrive Conference 2025 [online], Cumbria, United Kingdom.
      • Down, M. J. A. (2025, September). Being OK with risk & failure: The role of camps for the promotion of wellbeing and self-confidence in campers. [Paper presentation]. Australian Camps Association Conference 2025, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
      • Down, M. J. A. (2025, August). Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education - insights, updates, new article type. [Paper presentation]. Outdoors Victoria Conference 2025, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
      • Down, M. J. A. (2025, August). The wellbeing in outdoor adventure education model (WOAEM). [Paper presentation]. Outdoors Victoria Conference 2025, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
      • Ambrosy, J., Down, M. J. A., Polley, S., Gray, T., Allen-Craig, S., Tomas, R., Morse, M., Kent, P., & Quay, J. (2024, December). What is the 'state of play' for outdoor education curriculum across Australia? [Paper presentation]. National Outdoor Education Conference (NOEC) 2024, Churchill, Victoria, Australia.

  • Professional affiliations

    • Executive Committee Member, Outdoor Education Australia
    • Steering Committee member, Outdoor Play Canada, PLaTO-Net (Play Learn and Teach Outdoors Network)
    • Deputy Editor, Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education

  • Original creative works

    • Down, M. J. A. (2023). Wellbeing in the outdoors: Exploring the impact of an outdoor adventure education program for the social and emotional wellbeing of Western Australian adolescents from selected independent schools (Doctor of Philosophy (Health Sciences)). University of Notre Dame Australia. https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/theses/407

  • In the media

    • The Age (Melbourne). ‘I started to rethink what I want to do’: The women discovering their adventurous spirit, published online 21 August 2025. https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/i-started-to-rethink-what-i-want-to-do-the-women-discovering-their-adventurous-spirit-20250815-p5mnaa.html
    • The Catholic Weekly (Sydney). Outdoor adventure education boosts adolescents’ mental health, published online 11 August 2025. https://catholicweekly.com.au/unda-study-outdoor-adventure-impacts-mental-health/
    • The University of Notre Dame Australia. Notre Dame research reveals outdoor adventure education boosts confidence and connection in young Australians, published online June 30, 2025. https://www.notredame.edu.au/news-items/notre-dame-research-reveals-outdoor-adventure-education-boosts-confidence-and-connection-in-young-australians
    • Post Newspapers (Perth). Hale and hearty: Exmouth experience a winner, published June 26, 2021 [Vol. 38, No. 26])

  • Professional affiliations

    • Outdoors WA
    • Outdoor Education Australia

  • Community engagement

    • co-Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education
    • Executive Committee Member, Outdoor Education Australia
    • International Steering Committee Member, Outdoor Play Canada, PLaTO-Net (Play Learn and Teach Outdoors Network)
    • Contributing Member, Australian Tertiary Outdoor Educators Network

  • Awards

    • Wiley Publishing Certificate of Achievement, top-cited article 2022-2023 (2024), Health Promotion Journal of Australia
    • The University of Notre Dame Australia Vice Chancellor's Award for the Promotion of Excellence in Learning and Teaching (VC PELT) (2022)

  • Other

    60+ peer reviews for 28 journals (in alphabetical order): Acta Psychologica, Annals of Leisure Research, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, BMC Public Health, BMC Psychology, Ecosystems and People, Educational Research Review, Environmental Education Research, European Physical Education Review, International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, Journal of Adolescence, Journal of Adolescent Health, Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, Journal of Experiential Education, Journal of Interprofessional Care, Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, Journal of Physical Activity & Health, Journal of School Health, Learning and Instruction, New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, Quest, Review of Education, Wellbeing Space and Society, World Leisure Journal.