Browsing by Subject "experiential learning"

The aim of this study. Outdoor education refers to moving lessons outdoors to a natural environment more than once a week. The aim of this study is to investigate is it beneficial to occasionally move classes outdoors. In this study I examined literature on how an outdoor learning environment affects the well-being and learning of pupils. This study will act as a theoretical base for my future master’s thesis, in which I will further study the use of outdoor learning environments in practice. Environmental awareness and green thinking have increased clearly during the past years. Therefore it is important to find out if teaching could be organized more frequently outdoors. The new Finnish curriculum (2014) encourages experiential learning and recognizes the student’s active role in the learning process. These aims of the curriculum can also be reached in an outdoor environment. Methods. In this literature review I studied different articles and used them to answer the research question. I chose to examine this theme from the pupil’s point of view. In the analytic phase I chose to divide the results into psychological, physical and social effects. Results. The results indicated that there are positive effects of learning in an outdoor environment, especially on the physiological well-being of a pupil, as an outdoor environment decreases for example stress. Having a healthy relationship with nature can also help prevent depression. Pupils who participate in outdoor lessons also have better concentration than their peers. During outdoor lessons pupils are physically more active than during traditional classroom lessons. The positive effects on the physical well-being of pupils are clear. Physical well-being and experiential learning are linked to improved memory. The social effects of outdoor education can be seen through the improved group atmosphere and cohesion of the class. Not all the examined studies stated that there are any notable differences between outdoor and indoor environment to the activity.