<p>&nbsp / </p> <div style="line-height: 150% / margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt"><span style="line-height: 150% / font-size: 12pt"><span style="line-height: 115% / font-family: &quot / Calibri&quot / ,&quot / sans-serif&quot / font-size: 12pt / mso-ansi-language: EN-US / mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri / mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman' / mso-fareast-language: EN-US / mso-bidi-language: AR-SA" lang="EN-US"> <div style="line-height: 150% / margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt"><span style="line-height: 150% / font-size: 12pt">This study looks at the effects of a dialogical argumentation instructional model (DAIM) on grade 9 learners understanding of selected meteorological concepts: Cold fronts in the Western Cape of South Africa. Using a quasi-experimental research design model, the study employed both quantitative and qualitative (so-called &lsquo / mixed methods&rsquo / ) to collect data in a public secondary school in Cape Town, in the Western Cape Province. A survey questionnaire on attitudes and perceptions towards high school as well as conceptions of weather was administered before the main study to give the researcher baseline information and to develop pilot instruments to use in the main study.</span></div> <div style="line-height: 150% / margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt"><span style="line-height: 150% / font-size: 12pt">&nbsp / The study employed a dialogical instructional model (DAIM) with an experimental group of learners exposed to the intervention, and recorded differences from a control group which had no intervention. Learners from the two groups were exposed to a meteorological literacy test evaluation before and after the DAIM intervention. The results from the two groups were then compared and analysed according to the two theoretical frameworks that underpin the study namely: Toulmin&rsquo / s Argumentation Pattern - TAP (Toulmin, 1958) and Contiguity Argumentation Theory - CAT (Ogunniyi, 1997).</span></div> <span style="line-height: 115% / font-size: 12pt">&nbsp / Further analyses were conducted on learners&rsquo / beliefs and indigenous knowledge, according to their conceptual understanding of weather related concepts used in the current NCS (National Curriculum Statement).&nbsp / After completing the study some interesting findings were made and based on these findings certain recommendations were suggested on how to implement a DAIM-model into classroom teaching using Indigenous Knowledge (IK). These recommendations are suggestions to plot the way towards developing a science&ndash / IK curriculum for the Natural Sciences subjects in South African schools. </span></span></span></div>

This study evaluated two extracurricular leadership development programs offered by one urban high school. The programs were evaluated through an examination of the ways in which students understood their experiences in the programs in terms of their own leadership abilities, their leadership role with others and their perception of good leadership. The six study participants were observed facilitating groups of their peers through interactive activities at the programs' multiple-day events. In the three months following the programs, the participants were interviewed twice. The participants reported that their experience in a leadership development program helped them to feel confident in their leadership abilities. Also, the participants valued their relationships with their peers in their roles as leaders. Finally, the participants believed that good leaders exhibit caring behaviour towards others. This study provides information to assist the improvement of youth leadership development programs.

The term ‘education for sustainable development’ is recently used and discussed in Germany, even though, to many people it is an abstract idea. The development of schoolyards can be seen as a practical project in order to teach and experience education for sustainable development in everyday school life. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how the development of a schoolyard offers possibilities for education for sustainable development. Additionally, some challenges that have to be taken into consideration are pointed out. An extended literature review of education for sustainable development and schoolyard development serves as the basis for the thematic analysis. In order to approach the research question, the five themes that emerged through the thematic analysis, are discussed.  The present research shows that schoolyard development has the potential to support a holistic approach to learning, to offer possibilities for ‘progressive’ teaching strategies, to enhance ecological literacy, to foster the participation of students and to provide equal opportunities. Although there are basic framework conditions that need to be considered, the research indicates that schoolyard development can make an important contribution to education for sustainable development.

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This paper is a study about outdoor education in pre- school. The main purpose is to look over if outdoor education in pre- school is a restraint or a resource. The study is based on two questionnaires, one to personnel in pre- school and one to parents who have children in pre- school. The study showed that outdoor education is mostly viewed to be a resource but there can be some problems in how to use it. Time, planning and knowledge were problems that were often mentioned by teachers. Parents often thought that outdoor education was important, but they didn’t choose pre- school because of the outdoor education orientation. It showed that location was more important. / Arbetet beskriver utomhuspedagogik i förskolan. Syftet med studien var att se om utomhuspedagogik i förskolan var ett tvång eller en tillgång. Studien är baserad på två enkäter, en till personal på förskolan och en till föräldrar som har barn på förskolan. Resultatet visade att utomhuspedagogik i förskolan oftast var en tillgång, men det fanns problem i hur man använde det. Tid, planering och kunskap var problem som ofta nämndes av lärarna. Föräldrar tyckte oftast att utomhuspedagogik var viktigt,  men de valde inte förskola på grund av utomhuspedagoik som inriktning, läget var viktigare.

I den här kvalitativa intervjustudien har vi haft som utgångspunkt att studera pedagogers syfte med förskolans gård, samt att studera vilka yttre och inre faktorer som påverkar pedagogernas möjligheter att skapa den miljö de önskar. Med de yttre och inre villkoren menar vi förutsättningar som finns för pedagoger, så som ekonomi, tid och engagemang. En del förutsättningar är svårare att styra över än andra. Hur kommer det sig?I bakgrunden behandlar vi ämnet utomhuspedagogik ur olika aspekter för att få kunskap om ämnet och varför det har blivit ett växande intresse inom förskolan. För att nå ytterligare kunskap om ämnet har vi valt att intervjua nio förskolepedagoger på tre olika förskolor i södra Sverige. Dessa förskolor består av både kommunal och privat ledning.Resultatet i vår studie visar att samtliga pedagoger är eniga om att förskolans gård är av vikt för barns lärande och att den därför behöver vara rikt utrustad, fördelaktigt med många, små och innehållsrika rum, som stimulerar barns alla sinnen. Det framkommer att pedagogerna anser att deras roll är lika betydelsefull utomhus som inomhus och de benämner sig själva som medforskande pedagoger, alltså att de tillsammans med barnen utforskar omvärlden. Pedagogernas tankar gällande villkoren för att skapa en önskvärd gård skiljer sig åt på de kommunala och privata förskolorna. Varför? / In this qualitative interview study, we have had as a starting point to study teachers' purpose with the preschool yard, as well as study the possible external and internal factors that affect preschool teachers' ability to create the environment they desire. With the external and internal conditions we mean the conditions that exist for preschool teachers, such as finance, time and commitment. Some conditions are more difficult to govern than others. How is that?In the background, we treat the topic outdoor education from different aspects in order to gain knowledge about the subject, and why there has been an increasing interest in preschool. To achieve further knowledge on the topic, we have chosen to interview nine preschool teachers in three different preschool in southern Sweden. These preschools are controlled by both municipal and private managements.The results of our study show that all teachers agree that the preschool yard is important for childrens’ learning and therefore need to be richly equipped, beneficial with many, small and rich rooms, which stimulate children senses. It appears that the teachers’ thinking their role is just as important outdoors as indoors, and they call themselves exploring educators. This because of that they together with the children they explore the outside world. The teachers' thinking about the conditions to create a desirable yard differs between the municipal and private preschools. How come?

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka lärares upplevelser av utomhuspedagogikens påverkan på elever i koncentrationssvårigheter och vilka positiva samt negativa effekter de ansåg vara mest framträdande. Studien utgår från det kommunikativa relationsinriktade perspektivet (KoRP) i synen på elevers olikheter. Datainsamlingen skedde genom semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer med fem lärare i grundskolan (f-9) från tre olika skolor i södra Sverige. Studiens resultat visar på en övervägande positiv upplevelse av utomhuspedagogikens effekter på eleverna, där inte enbart koncentrationsförmågan upplevdes öka utan också andra viktiga faktorer. Slutsatsen är att koncentrationsförmågan är en viktig del i de upplevda effekterna men att inkluderingsaspekten upplevdes vara minst lika viktig. Dock kräver utomhuspedagogiken med elever i koncentrationssvårigheter ett konsekvent arbete över längre tid med tydlig planering och struktur. / The aim of this study was to examine how teachers perceived outdoor education could impact pupils in concentrations difficulties and which positive, but also negative effects seemed the most prominent. The study is based on the communicative relationsbased perspective (KoRP) in how pupils differences are viewed. The data was gathered through semi-structured qualitative interviews with five teachers in elementary school from three different schools located in southern Sweden. The result of the study indicates a predominant positive experience of outdoor educations effects on the pupils, where not only the ability to concentrate was  perceived to improve but also other major factors. The conclusion is that the ability to concentrate is an important part of the perceived effects, but that the inclusion side was perceived just as important. Outdoor education for pupils in concentrations difficulties does however require consistent work over a longer period of time with a distinct planning and framework.

This thesis deals with the aspect of outdoor education of chemistry in the context of the natural science literacy concept. This concept is approximated here in association with the curricula documents for secondary education level and the Contextual model of learning. Based on the description of individual contexts of the aforementioned model, an alternative variant of an excursion to the Prague Waterworks Museum in Podolí is proposed. The practical part focuses on the comparison of the efficiency of the "classic" conception of a museum excursion and the alternative approach mentioned previously. The whole concept adheres to the pedagogical experimental scheme. The comparison is achieved through three testings in two groups. The first, control group, had a standard excursion led by a museum guide. The second, experimental group, had an excursion led in the proposed alternative approach. Based on the first tests - the pretests, the starting knowledge of the pupils is analyzed. The second testing is executed as posttests right after finishing each excursion. The third testing is a retention test one month after the excursion. Test results were analyzed using statistical methods. The results of the analysis point to the considerable importance of the way the excursion is led and to the great benefit of...

Samtidigt som barn blir allt mer stillasittande är inte heller förskolläraresundervisningsuppdrag tydligt i den naturbaserade närmiljön. Trots kunskap omutevistelsens positiva aspekter på barns utveckling saknas det en bild av hur svenskaförskollärare applicerar denna kunskap i praktiken. Med syftet att undersöka hurförskollärare nyttjar sin naturbaserade närmiljö genomfördes en enkätstudie där hundrasvenska förskollärare besvarade frågor om hur ofta och hur länge de nyttjade närmiljön,samt varför, vad de gjorde och vilka hinder de såg. Även de didaktiska frågorna när ochvar berördes i enkäten samt hur lång yrkeserfarenhet förskollärarna hade. Resultatetvisade att förskollärare skulle vilja lämna förskolan för att bedriva utomhusundervisningmer frekvent än de gör och att de använder sig av den naturbaserade närmiljön för att fåen varierad lärmiljö. Det framkom en bild av en bred variation på ämnesområden därförskollärare bedriver utomhusundervisning och naturkunskap var det högst frekventasvaret. Det framkom också att personalbrist var en vanlig barriär för att bedrivautomhusundervisning. Studiens slutsats är att det ges uttryck för en didaktisk tankebakom den undervisning förskollärarna bedriver i den naturbaserade närmiljön.Förskollärare tycks ha intresse och kunskap för att bedriva utomhusundervisning menförutsättningarna tillåter inte alltid det, inte minst som följd av den brist på förskollärareoch annan förskolepersonal som finns i Sverige idag. Vidare forskning som fokuserar påatt upptäcka och motverka hinder för att vistas i förskolans naturbaserade närmiljöskulle vara en intressant utveckling.

Den här studien belyser hur fritidslärare definierar, uppfattar och arbetar med utomhuspedagogik. Vi upplever en viss otydlighet vad gäller utomhuspedagogiken - handlar det om styrda eller ostyrda aktiviteter eller kanske både ock? Syftet med studien är att nå en förståelse för hur fritidslärare arbetar med utomhuspedagogik och därigenom synliggöra deras uppfattningar om lärandet både vad gäller styrd och ostyrd verksamhet ute. Vi har intervjuat sex fritidslärare. Studiens resultat visar att fritidslärarna har liknande arbetsmetoder och definitioner av utomhuspedagogik. Detta tror vi beror på att de alla gått samma utbildning på universitet, vid olika år, och ett kollegialt samarbete där samma metoder används. Fritidslärarnas uppfattningar är att både i de styrda och ostyrda aktiviteterna utomhus finns ett lärande. I de styrda aktiviteterna finns planerade mål med verksamheten som eleverna ska uppnå medans de ostyrda aktiviteterna ger måluppfyllelse och utveckling utan att det är planerat. Genom den oplanerade utomhusvistelsen gäller det att fritidslärare fångar upp de tillfällen som ges till lärande utan att detta planerats i förväg. / This study illustrates how teachers define, perceive and work with outdoor education. We are experiencing some uncertainty regarding outdoor education - is it about planned or unplanned activities or a combination of both? The purpose of the study is to clarify the understanding of how teachers work with outdoor education and thereby visualize there opinion about learning by planned or unplanned activities. We have interviewed six teachers. The study's results show that teachers have similar working methods and definitions of outdoor education. This we believe is due to the fact that they all have had the same education at universities, at different years, and collegial cooperation using the same methods. Teachers' perceptions are that both planned and unplanned outdoor activities are positive for learning. In the planned activities there are certained goals wich the students will achieve while the unplanned activities also provide goal fulfillment and development although not being planned. Through the unplanned outdoor activity, it is important that the teachers capture the upcoming opportunities and guide the student without this being planned in advance.