Browsing by Subject "elvyttävyys"

Previous studies have shown that nature enhances well-being in several ways: being in nature decreases heart rate and the feeling of stress, restores attention and increases positive thoughts and feelings. The aim of this study is to find out how environmental studies as a school subject can promote the restorative effects of nature during school days. This study aims to find out what kind of meanings does the educational material of environmental studies associate with nature, and how these materials meet the objectives related to learning environments and working methods set in the national core curriculum for basic studies (2014). Additionally, the objective of this study is to examine what kind of tools do the teacher guides of environmental studies provide for utilizing nature in teaching. This study represents the field of qualitative research. The material used in this study consisted of two compendium series of environmental studies, Tutkimusmatka of Otava Pub-lishing and Pisara of Sanoma Pro, and included their textbooks and teacher guides for grades 1 to 6. The material was analysed by using directed and conventional content analysis. The textbooks and teacher guides of environmental studies associated several meanings with nature. Above all the nature was seen as a place where to do things. The restorative effects of nature appeared in the materials of Tutkimusmatka but not in the ones of Pisara. Both compediums series emphasized the meaning themes of ‘being away from the every-day life’, ‘observation’ and ‘outdoor recreation and exercise’. The examined textbooks and teacher guides coincided with the objectives about learning environments and working methods set in the curriculum for environmental studies. In this study the curriculum objective about pupils enhancing their own well-being was examined out of nature perspective and seen as such this curriculum objective was realized only in some of the materials of Tutkimusmatka. Furthermore, the teacher guides of both compendium series provided with dif-ferent tools for using nature environments in teaching. These included exercises, excursions, events, teaching materials as well as additional information and instructions.