Studiens syfte är att undersöka förskollärares definition, erfarenheter och tankar om utomhuspedagogik. Vilka möjligheter och hinder anser lärarna att det finns med pedagogiken och vilken påverkan deras syn kan ha för barns meningsskapande. Studien bygger på kvalitativa intervjuer med fem förskollärare från tre förskolor och dokumenteras med ljudinspelning. Studien utgår från ett postmodernistiskt perspektiv med John Deweys teori om learning by doing. Resultatet analyseras för att tydliggöra vilken betydelse utomhuspedagogikens aspekter kan ha för barns meningsskapande. Studien visar att förskollärarna har en bredare syn på utomhuspedagogik i jämförelse med hur de definierar begreppet. En möjlig slutsats är att lärarna kan bidra till ett bredare meningsskapande hos barnen om de arbetar med pedagogiken på det sätt som resultatet visar om möjligheter och hinder. Studien visar att lärarna anser att det finns både möjligheter och hinder med utomhuspedagogik och en möjlig slutsats är att lärarnas förhållningssätt till utomhuspedagogik har stor betydelse för hur pedagogiken används och vilket meningsskapande det blir för barnen. En övergripande slutsats av studien är att om barn får kunskap och möjlighet att reflektera om de positiva effekterna av utevistelse kan de ha relevans för barnens förhållningssätt i framtiden.

This is a case study in a Norwegian junior high school where pupils and teachers have been interviewed about the pupils’ school motivation. The purpose of this study is to find out how the pupils and the teachers experience how the pupils’ motivation for learning is affected by moving the education and teaching from the school building to a farm nearby. The recorded interviews were analyzed by qualitative thematic analysis. The pupils express that their motivation mostly is promoted by external motivational factors, such as the farm itself, supportive relations and practical work. Teachers’ experience show that pupils’ motivation is affected by both external and internal factors and they mean that the biggest outcome is the fact that it helps the pupils strengthen their school identity, personal development and become better citizens in the future. Important effects that promote motivation are adapting the education to the students’ proximal development zone, scaffolding support at the farm and close holistic collaboration around the pupils. Challenges with using a farm are financial and organizational. The results show that pupils and teachers are over all convinced that the farm as an alternative educational arena promotes pupils’ motivation for learning.

Abstract The background of this study issues from an investigation report written by the Swedish national agency for Education 2018, concerning the subject physical education and health. It is written in the report that the subject area outdoor education is given much limited space on the schools that were investigated. The Swedish Schools inspectorate identifies that outdoor education is an area in need of development in all schools that were a part of the study. The purpose of my study is to get a view of principals’ interpretation of conditions and resources for outdoor education to be able to carry it out in accordance with the knowledge requirements for the subject physical education and health. The study is based on the factors time, outdoor environment and economy. Since the study aims to look at principals’ understanding and view on outdoor education, I chose a qualitative approach for my study. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. The overall pattern in principals’ opinions is that the outdoor environment surrounding central situated schools is good. They don’t see a need to extend time for outdoor education and are of the general idea that outdoor focused days are a good opportunity for students to be outside. The content during these days vary much and often concerns physical activities outdoor such as football, rounders and ultimate frisbee. The result of my study coheres well with the result in the inspection that was written by the Swedish school inspectorate in 2018.   Outdoor education is put aside for the benefit of the area concerning physical movement. Outdoor days in school becomes activity focused days with competition as the main purpose. Principals’ views on the content greatly affects what type of activities students participates in and is educated about in their school. The discussion emphasized that outdoor education is a field of knowledge that the whole school benefits from. My study turns to future PE teachers and Principals and underlines the importance of planning for outdoor education. The fact that students receive positive experiences in and knowledge about outdoor education leads to consisting values. School leaders need to reflect upon outdoor education. Keywords: Economy, Outdoor education, Time, Outdoor environment

Syfte Syftet med studien är att undersöka vad som ligger till grund för hur lärare i idrott och hälsa (åk 7-9) väljer ut sitt innehåll, organiserar sin undervisning samt vad de värderar som kunskap i friluftsliv i skolan. Studien avser besvara följande frågeställningar: · Hur väljer lärare ut sitt innehåll i friluftsliv i skolan? · Hur organiserar lärare undervisningen i friluftsliv i skolan? · Vad värderar lärare som viktig kunskap i friluftsliv i skolan?   Metod Sex högstadielärare i idrott och hälsa (tre kvinnor och tre män) intervjuades mellan 25-35 minuter genom semistrukturerade intervjuer via ett digitalt mötesrum. Intervjuerna kodades via en innehållsanalys och därigenom samlades svaren i olika teman. Läroplansteorin utgör det teoretiska ramverket och användes i diskussionen för att tolka resultatet. Resultat Vad gäller lärarnas val av innehåll, präglade det centrala innehållet undervisningen i stor utsträckning, samt faktorer som egna erfarenheter av friluftsliv, bedömningsstöd etc. Idrottslärarna i denna studie organiserar sin undervisning med en stark koppling mot idrottslogiken där orientering genomförs ofta samt andra idrottsaktiviteter utomhus. Resultaten påvisade även en aktivitetsdiskurs vilket karaktäriseras av att sin undervisning ska förbereda eleverna för turfriluftsliv. Vad lärarna värderar som viktig kunskap stämmer överens med hur de väljer ut sitt innehåll samt organiserar sin undervisning. Slutsats Undervisningen verkar präglas av en tradition och kultur där strävan efter turfriluftsliv framträder starkt i lärarutbildningar, i bedömningsstödet samt lärares syn på friluftsliv. Att skilja på friluftsliv som skolämne och samhällsfenomen har aktualiserats nu då internationella influenser skapat intresse för hur lärandesituationer kan skapas genom exempelvis platsresponsiv pedagogik. Dessa lärandesituationer ställer lägre krav på material och tid vilket denna studies lärare nämnde som begränsande faktorer. / Aim The aim of the study is to investigate what is the basis for how teachers in sports and health (years 7-9) choose their content, organize their teaching and what they value as knowledge in outdoor education in school. The study intends to answer these questions: • How teachers choose their content in outdoor education in school? • How do teachers organize the teaching of outdoor education in the school? • What do teachers’ value as important knowledge in outdoor education in school? Methods 6 high school teachers in sports and health (3 woman and 3 men) were interviewed between 25-35 minutes through semi-structured interviews via a digital meeting room. The interviews were coded via a content analysis and thereby the answers were collected in different themes. Results Regarding the teachers' choice of content, the central content characterized the teaching to a large extent, as well as factors such as own experiences of outdoor life, assessment support, etc. The PE teachers in this study organize their teaching with a strong connection to the sports logic where orienteering is often implemented and other outdoor sports activities. The results also showed an activity discourse which characterizes by the teacher preparing students for tur-free-air-life. What teachers value as important knowledge is consistent with how they select their content and organize their teaching. Conclusion The teaching is characterized by a tradition and culture where the pursuit of outdoor adventure is strong in PE-teacher education, assessment support and also what the teachers consider to be free-air-life. Distinguishing between free-air-life as a school subject and societal phenomena has been updated now since international influences have created interest in how learning situations can be created through for example place-responsive pedagogy. This type of learning situation creates low demands on material and time, which the teachers of this study mentioned as limiting factors.

The study investigates preschool teachers’ individual perceptions towards outdoor learning in Swedish preschools. The aim is to understand how preschool teachers describe outdoor learning and which effects on children´s behavior are recognized. Furthermore, the study aims to highlight children particularly benefiting from learning outdoors. Therefore, semi-structured interviews following a qualitative research approach are hold in order to outline and evaluate the perceptions of seven preschool teachers working in southern Sweden. A literature review should allow a contextual location focusing on outdoor education and outdoor learning, the Swedish preschool curriculum, nature´s influence on human’s health and well-being and children with special needs. The interviews show that preschool teachers mainly recognize positive effects of learning outdoors regarding children´s social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. Outdoor learning offers children possibilities to play in bigger groups and seems to cause less conflicts. Little attention is put on negative effects only regarding outdoor surroundings. Preschool teachers identify two main character traits of children certainly benefiting from learning outdoors, referring to children needing increased movement and children indoors appearing shy and introverted. As possible explanations for positive effects of outdoor learning on children the preschool teachers mainly relate to larger space and increased feelings of freedom. Nature seems to provide possibilities for a lower distraction of the senses, allowing a clearer perception. Children´s ability to concentrate seems to increase through nature. Additionally, outdoors the opportunity of taking a timeout increases in order to allow children spending time alone.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur utomhusundervisning bedrivs på skolor och hur förutsättningarna ser ut för denna typ av verksamhet enligt rektorer. Forskningsfrågorna för arbetet var; ”Vilka möjligheter till lärande ser rektorer med utomhusundervisning?”, ”På vilka sätt sker utomhusundervisning på grundskolor i Jönköpings län enligt rektorer?” samt ”Vilka inre och yttre faktorer påverkar, enligt rektorer, möjligheten att organisera utomhusundervisning?”. Deweys, Vygotskijs och Kolbs teorier om ett praktiskt, erfarenhetsbaserat lärande presenterades och sattes i relation till resultat för studien. Likaså ramfaktorteorin användes i studien. Tillvägagångssättet var en empirisk studie där datamaterialet samlades in genom enkätundersökningar. Den insamlade datan bearbetades och analyserades sedan genom metoderna univariat dataanalys eller tematisk analys beroende på frågans karaktär. Den slutsats som drogs från resultatet av studien var att rektorerna generellt såg många positiva effekter av utomhusundervisning, exempelvis att det bidrar till mer variation i undervisningen och en ökad koppling till verkligheten. Det finns skolor som redan har satsningar i gång på utomhusundervisning, men på merparten av skolorna sker det i en liten skala bland ett fåtal lärare. Ramfaktorer så som tidsbrist, avsaknad av anpassat material för utomhusundervisning och bristande kunskap bland lärarna om hur utomhusundervisning bör bedrivas är några exempel på hinder som påverkar möjligheten att bedriva undervisning utomhus i större omfattning. / The purpose of the study was to investigate how outdoor education is done in schools and what the conditions for it looks like according to principals. The questions of the research were; “What opportunities for learning does the principals see in outdoor teaching?”, “In which ways are outdoor education done at elementary schools in Jönköping County according to its principals?” and “Which inner and outer factors effect, according to principals, the possibility to organize outdoor teaching?”. Dewey´s, Vygotskij´s and Kolb´s theories of a practical, experience-based teaching was presented and compared to the results of the study. Likewise, the frame factor theory was used in the study. The approach was an empirical study where data was collected through surveys. The data collected was processed and then analyzed with the methods of univariate data analysis or thematic analysis depending on the nature of the question. Conclusions drawn from the results of the study showed that the principals generally saw many positive effects of outdoor education, for example that it contributes to more variation in teaching and in an increased connection to reality. There are schools that are already investing in outdoor education, but in most of the schools it is done on a small scale among a few teachers. Frame factors such as lack of time, lack of adapted material for outdoor teaching and lack of knowledge among teachers about how outdoor education should be conducted are some examples of obstacles that affect the possibility of conducting outdoor education on a greater scale.

The purpose of this degree study it to fill the research gap of outdoor education in Gaza Strip-Palestine. It explored the perspective of Elementary English language teachers on what they understand outdoor education and explained the lack of research on outdoor education in this region. The study adapted a qualitative research method by conducting semi-structed interviews with 11 teachers from both private and UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) schools in the Gaza-Strip. The data was analyzed by employing inductive content analysis. The result has provided that the teachers have heard of outdoor education, but yet they lack awareness regarding the actual term and what it means. Adding to this, they responded positively on considering implementing outdoor English language lesson. However, they illustrated limitation that they would face to conduct them. The research evoked that these limitation are the same reasons which why outdoor education and learning is not common in the Gaza-Strip. Thus, they stand behind the main causes of the lake of research in this field in that certain region.

Research highlights that outdoor education have positive impacts on students learning, socialdevelopment and academic performance. Despite the fact that outdoor education has a numberof positive impacts on students, we currently don’t know much about teachers view onoutdoor education in upper secondary school. This essay examines the experiences of teachersin social studies and their view of outdoor education. The empirical material comprises sixinterviews with upper secondary teachers in social studies. The theoretical frames in thisessay are pragmatism and theory of place. The empirical data collection was analyzed throughthe thematic analytical method. The findings reveal that teachers define outdoor education ina variety of ways. Although its sporadically implemented in the social studies course. Outdooreducation promotes teaching in reality-based environments where students can learn throughall their senses. However, teachers highlight that outdoor education also includes a number ofchallenges like lack of time, schedules and physical aspects. In addition, the results suggestthat teachers who have a thematic way of work can overcome some of these challenges.

This study investigates outdoor educators’ spiritual experiences in wilderness from a retrospective point of view. The aim is to understand their meaning-making and the role of such experiences in their life and career as well as to draw out possible implications for outdoor education (OE) with special regards to a sustainable future of our planet. For that purpose, qualitative, semi-structured interviews were held with six American OE professionals aged 28 to 53, and analyzed in the manner of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The paper examines the concepts of wilderness, nature-based spirituality and OE, describes a number of relevant studies, and dedicates a critical chapter to the philosophical foundations of IPA. Due to participants’ varying comfort levels with spirituality, the paper suggests to refer to awe-inspiring experiences rather than spiritual experiences. The interviews show the significance of such experiences for the individual, and stress the importance of understanding them as part of a personal story, set in a framework in which participants make meaning. The paper identifies a number of elements that foster the awe- inspiring experiences reported in this study, and presents five ways they inspire the beholder on an intra-, inter- and extrapersonal level. In regards to OE, the paper emphasizes the crucial role awe-inspiring experiences may play in a perpetuating positive cycle towards environmental care and stewardship.

The aim of our study is to investigate what possibilities and challenges Ghanaian teacher students express regarding outdoor pedagogy, in order to find out their view on using it as a method when teaching natural science in primary school. The teacher education in Ghana has not yet a course in outdoor pedagogy to offer their students. The view of outdoor pedagogy that is presented in this paper shows a learning situation where the learning context is moved to the natural landscape, which opens up for practical learning and the interaction between the senses of the pupils and the environment. Furthermore, reflection and concrete experiences in authentic situations are highlighted. The research took place at the University of Education, Winneba and the method consisted of qualitative interviews and a workshop with 20 teacher students of the department of basic education. We gathered our data before, during and after the workshop, therefore our result is divided as such. The results of the analysis show three main themes of the teacher students’ view on outdoor pedagogy; the learning context, teacher’s and student’s role. In the results section, each of these themes are categorized in possibilities and challenges expressed by the teacher students.Possibilities that can be found in the results is the fact that the learning will become practical and hands-on, it will involve the senses and therefore lead to deeper memories. Furthermore, the teacher students express a possibility for the pupils as they get an opportunity to take control of their own learning when sharing their knowledge with their peers. This affects the teacher's role which becomes more guiding than authoritarian.Difficulties the students expressed includes issues on behalf of the teacher in keeping control of the class due to the great number of pupils in the classes and the safety aspect with dangerous animals. Another category that recurred was the challenge with placebound prerequisites; to find a safe place suitable for the topic to teach. A difficulty on behalf of the students might be a fear of contributing to the teaching due to the lack of experience in sharing and talking in the classroom environment.