Outdoor learning: people, nature, & the environment - EDU00130M

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Module summary

This module provides students with an opportunity to learn about, experience, design, deliver, and evaluate outdoor learning activities aimed at developing the connections between people, nature and the environment. This module will be of interest to students who want to learn more about, and raise awareness of, environmental and sustainability issues through an outdoor learning approach.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 2 2025-26

Module aims

This experiential learning module aims to:

• provide students with an opportunity to learn about and experience different approaches to outdoor learning

• allow students to explore and critically analyse how outdoor learning can be used to develop connections between people, nature and the environment

• enable students to design, deliver and evaluate outdoor learning activities for sustainability education

• help students to develop a broad range of transferable skills

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will be able to:

• Identify, explain and apply a range of theories and philosophies linked to outdoor learning

• Critically analyse the role of outdoor learning for developing connections between people, nature and the environment

• Design, deliver, and evaluate an outdoor learning activity

Graduate attributes that will be developed during this module include:

• communication skills

• group working skills

• project management

• digital literacy

• critical analysis

• research

• self-reflection

• creativity and innovation

Module content

Students will be supported in their learning through a combination of lectures, workshops and outdoor learning activities. Student participation in these activities is crucial to the learning and teaching strategy, and will help students understand the experiential learning approaches used in outdoor learning. Students should be prepared to spend time outdoors during this module, whatever the weather.

The module will be taught through practical outdoor learning experiences, workshops with skill development activities, and student-led activities. These applied learning activities will be important for developing the skills and confidence students need to deliver outdoor learning activities to their peers. Group work will be employed at times during these sessions.

Indicative content:

• International perspectives on people’s relationships with nature and the environment

• Theories of learning and development relevant to outdoor learning

• Outdoor learning for sustainability awareness and environmental education

• Experiential learning opportunities – participation in a range of outdoor learning activities

• Different types of outdoor learning, for example: Forest School, Friluftsliv, environmental education, field studies

• Group management and risk-benefit analysis

• Equality, diversity and inclusion in outdoor learning

• Outdoor learning design, delivery and evaluation

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Module feedback

Individual written feedback reports, with follow-up tutor meeting if necessary. The feedback is returned to students in line with university policy. Please check the Guide to Assessment, Standards, Marking and Feedback for more information

Indicative reading

Books

Cree, J. and Robb, M. (2021). The essential guide to forest school and nature pedagogy. London: Routledge.

Glantz, Matz ; Sandell, Klas ; Lundqvist Jones, Therese ; Andersson, Per ; Brügge, Britta ; Szczepanski, Anders. (2021). Friluftsliv explored. https://doi.org/10.3384/9789179290665

Grindheim, L. T., Sorensen, H. V., & Rekers, A. (2021). Outdoor Learning and Play (1st ed.). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72595-2

Humberstone, B., Prince, H., & Henderson, K.A. (Eds.). (2015). Routledge International Handbook of Outdoor Studies (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315768465

Jucker, R., von Au, Jakob. (Editors). (2022). High-Quality Outdoor Learning : Evidence-based Education Outside the Classroom for Children, Teachers and Society / edited by Rolf Jucker, Jakob von Au. (1st ed.). Cham : Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Springer.

Learning through Landscapes (2022). Teaching the primary curriculum outdoors. London: Corwin SAGE Publications.

Robertson, J. (2014). Dirty teaching : a beginner's guide to learning outdoors. Bancyfelin : Independent Thinking.

Sobel, D., Bailie, P., Finch, K., Kenny, E., & Stires, A. (2015). Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens (1st ed.). St Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Wong Blonder, B. et al. (2023). Place-Based Scientific Inquiry. A practical handbook for teaching outside. Taylor & Francis. [Online]. Available at: doi:10.4324/9781003367192.

Journals

Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning

Journal of Environmental Education