Journal profile · Social Sciences-Education
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education
ISSN 2206-3110 · eISSN 2522-879X · Springer Nature · 3 issues per year
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education: CAS Zone 4 · Education (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.1 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,090; median 203 days to acceptance (50 articles, last 24 months); 49 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education is published by Springer Nature and is in Zone 4 of Education in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Outdoor and Experiential Education, Adventure Sports and Sensation Seeking and Environmental Education and Sustainability, together about 50.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Social Psychology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education (JOEE) is a double-blind, peer-reviewed journal devoted to the scholarly examination of issues in outdoor environmental education. JOEE provides a forum in which outdoor and environmental education professionals from all settings can exchange and discuss ideas and practices relevant to their work. Outdoor and environmental education is a broad and diverse field (including, for example, indigenous views and knowledge, personal and social development, sustainability, place-based learning, ecological concepts, environmental systems, conservation principles, relationships between nature and humans, and education outside the classroom [EOTC]), interpreted in various ways across different contexts world-wide. Authors should be guided by the key words ‘outdoor’ and ‘environmental’ and ‘education’ regarding the kinds of submissions that would be accepted. For example, submissions that do not involve research, discussion, or exploration of the outdoor environment (such as indoor environmental science classes) are not suited to this journal. We encourage prospective authors to read published JOEE articles to gain a further sense of suitability for the journal. JOEE invites submissions of papers for academic peer review of between 4000 and 8000 words (excluding reference list and abstract) that focus on enhancing understanding of outdoor and environmental education issues through balanced and in-depth investigation of practices and theories. Short-form essays and discussion pieces of 1000 to 2000 words on topical issues relating to practice are also welcomed from academics and practitioners (e.g., schoolteachers or outdoor educators). Shorter book or document reviews are also welcomed. The editorial team retains the right to refuse articles which do not meet inclusion, equity, diversity, or social justice standards, and/or the scope and intention of the journal. Prospective authors should note that JOEE expects manuscript submissions to meet strict American Psychological Association (APA) 7th edition style guidelines (available via https://apastyle.apa.org/). Manuscripts that do not meet these guidelines will be desk rejected, and authors will be directed to resubmit their manuscript once APA 7th edition style guidelines are met. JOEE does not privilege any particular methodology or theory and welcomes contributions from various standpoints. However, the editorial team will prioritise papers that take into considerat
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Social Sciences-Education
Editor-in-chief Michael DownPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Australia 29, United Kingdom 6, New Zealand 5, United States 3, Canada 2 (51 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Outdoor and Experiential EducationPsychology29.7%
- Adventure Sports and Sensation SeekingPsychology12.3%
- Environmental Education and SustainabilityEnvironmental Science8.4%
- Indigenous and Place-Based EducationSocial Sciences7.5%
- Diverse Educational Innovations StudiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences7.3%
- Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness ManagementPsychology5.9%
- Urban Green Space and HealthEnvironmental Science5.8%
- Youth Development and Social SupportSocial Sciences5.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Education Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Education | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Education & Educational Research | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Education Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Education | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Education & Educational Research | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
Database indexing
ESCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
ERICPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.3LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.57LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.33LetPub ·
- h-index
- 43OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 218OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.49OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 28.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 56.6%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 47LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher)
- 2,025Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 203,400Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 663 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 33 | 17 | 4 |
| 2025 | 49 | 32 | 117 |
| 2024 | 33 | 19 | 165 |
| 2023 | 32 | 15 | 239 |
| 2022 | 31 | 20 | 319 |
| 2021 | 16 | 5 | 218 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
203 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 130 days – 276 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 39 days (86 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 239 days
- Sample
- 50 articles with submission and acceptance dates (91 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Submission to first decision
- 11 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,090 / EUR 2,490 / GBP 2,190 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers3, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 8,000 words
- Reference style
- APA
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted2, with length limits
- editorialDouble-blind peer review This journal follows a double-blind reviewing procedure. This means that the author will remain anonymous to the reviewers throughout p…Length not stated
- reviewtion of up to 6 keywords. Book/Document Review The journal accepts book/document reviews of up to 2000 words, including reference list. Publishers or authors wh…main text ≤ 2,000 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Competing Interests
Authors are requested to disclose interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Interests within the last 3 years of beginning the work (conducting the research and preparing the work for submission) should be reported. Interests outside the 3-year time frame must be disclosed if they could reasonably be perceived as influencing the submitted work. Disclo…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Double-blind peer review
This journal follows a double-blind reviewing procedure. This means that the author will remain anonymous to the reviewers throughout peer review. It is the responsibility of the author to anonymize the manuscript and any associated materials. Author names, affiliations and any other potentially identifying information should be removed from the manuscript text and any accompanying files (such as …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Frequency
- 3 issues per year
- ISSN
- 2206-3110
- Electronic ISSN
- 2522-879X
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 29, Issue 2 (June 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education
What CAS zone is Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education is in Zone 4 of Education, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Education & Educational Research. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Education. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education?
The journal's website gives an impact factor of 2.1 (2025); this is the journal's own figure, as LetPub lists none for it; CiteScore 3.3, h-index 43.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education?
Based on the dates recorded on 50 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 203 days (interquartile range 130–276 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Manuscript length: ≤ 8,000 words; Reference style: APA; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education based?
Of the 51 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Australia (29), United Kingdom (6) and New Zealand (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education is indexed in ESCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists ERIC; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,090.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .