Syftet med uppsatsen Utomhuspedagogik som en arena för praktisk kunskap äratt undersöka fritidshemslärarnas uppfattning om på vilket sätt utomhuspedagogik bidrar till barns lärande. Resultatet avundersökningen visar att utomhuspedagogik kan vara ett lärande komplement till inomhusundervisning och ett sätt för fritidshemslärarna att komplettera skolan. Undervisningen utomhus bidrar till att öka elevernas lärande, sociala utveckling och hälsa. Jaghar i uppsatsen använt mig av semistrukturerade intervjuer med praktiserande fritidshemslärare. Jag har analyserat intervjuerna genom filosofen John Deweys syn på praktisk kunskap där handling, teori och reflektion binds samman. / The purpose with this thesis is to investigate how leisure-time teachers perceive outdoor teaching and how it contributes to the learning process amongst primary school students. The findings indicate that outdoor teaching can be a useful complement to traditional classroom teaching and it also enables leisure-time teachers to be involved in the educational process. Outdoor teaching has been proven to have a positive effect on student’s cognitive learning, social development and general health. In my thesis I have used semi-structured interviews with practicing leisure-time teachers. The thesis uses John Deweys views on practical knowledge to analyze the interviews.

Forskning visar på att barn i dag är ute och leker i allt mindre omfattning än för 20 år sedan. I läroplanen för förskolan står det att förskolan skall främja barnens hälsa och välmående genom att locka till den lek och rörelse som krävs för att barnen ska kunna utveckla sin koordinationsförmåga och motorik. Lärandet skall ske i såväl inom- som i utomhusmiljöer, och i utomhusvistelsen skall barnen ges möjlighet att växla mellan planerad miljö och naturmiljö. I hur stor omfattning barnen på en förskola får vistas ute och i vilken typ av miljö skiljer sig nämnvärt mellan olika förskolor. Denna studie ämnar lyfta vilka olika faktorer det är som påverkar i hur stor utsträckning barnen på förskolor kommer ut under den dagliga verksamheten genom att svara på frågan: Vilka faktorer är det som påverkar förskolors utomhus- och naturvistelse? För att uppnå studiens syfte intervjuades sex stycken verksamhetsansvariga på sex olika förskolor angående deras uppfattningar och erfarenheter av detta fenomen. Undersökningen har utgått från den empirinära fenomenologin genom kvalitativa intervjuer med låg grad av strukturering som transkriberats och analyserats efter en fenomenologisk analysmodell. Resultatet av analysen visade att förskollärares syn på placeringen av förskolorna har betydelse för utomhus- och naturvistelsen omfattning, men det är inte den tyngsta faktorn. Vad för sorts gård förskolan har, hur den är placerad och utformad, samt vilken storlek den har spelar också in, då det visade sig att förskolor som har tillgång till bättre gårdar nyttjar dem oftare. Även förskolans tillgång till naturområden att besöka spelar in. Hinder som genomsyrar hela materialet är bristen på personal och stora barngrupper samt personalens utbildning. De faktorerna som identifierades som de med störst påverkan var dock personalens egna intressen och erfarenheter och huruvida det fanns någon så kallad "eldsjäl" som brann för naturen och utomhusvistelse, samt om förskolan i sig arbetade efter en särskild naturinriktning.

Place-based learning can be facilitated via mobile digital devices. This is relevant both from the perspective of the educational objectives of schools and the aim of creating a greater range of differentiated learning environments. This study is part of a larger project that explores more focused study of the use of digital devices within the context of outdoor learning.    The study was carried out using mainly an abductive approach, leading to results of four categories and a graphic model. Thus new insights have been gained into the ways that modern information and communication technology can facilitate the interface between student and place.    The research results are discussed in relation to experiential learning, affordance, learning object, context and place. The study demonstrates that digital tools can bring new qualities to place-based learning. The interface between humans and natural/urban environments can be developed both cognitively and affectively. There is potential here to both strengthen and transform experiences in the space where virtual and authentic learning environments meet. The conclusion to the study examines the need for further development of both technology and teaching. A holistic perspective that takes into consideration both collaboration and the contexts of different places is necessary when using digital media.

This thesis interweaves two strands of inquiry, one educational, the other philosophical. The educational inquiry is seeded by the need to understand both embodiment and learning within experiences of place in education. The second strand is prompted by Evernden’s insight that the environmental crisis is a ‘crisis of being’ (1985). Evernden argues that our perceived separation from the world is at the root of the environmental issues we face. Highlighting the role that ‘place’ might have in both these inquiries, I examine the educational and philosophical debates around place, drawing especially on place-based education (Gruenewald & Smith, 2008), and phenomenology (Merleau-Ponty, 1968). Arguments from within these literatures indicate that experiences of, and in, place hold the potential to reexamine what it means to be part of the world, here, now. Three key research questions emerge from my examination of the literature: 1 – what role do experiences of place have in education? 2 – what is the ontology of place? and 3 – how does place affect thinking and learning? This third question is the meeting point of the philosophical and educational threads of the inquiry, and also reflects back on the process of the inquiry itself. Given the focus of these questions on the lived experience of place, phenomenology is chosen as a suitable methodology. However, I argue that the full potential of phenomenological research can only be met through a more participative and experiential approach. Drawing on literature on participative research, grouped under the term ‘action research,’ (Reason & Bradbury, 2001), a series of collaborative phenomenological research workshops were run in 2009 and 2010 with two groups of practicing educators. Descriptions of experiences of place and place-based education, from within the workshops and the participants’ workplaces, were distilled into themes by the groups. These themes served two purposes: the first was to explore the possibilities of place-based education in various working contexts, an inquiry which was completed during the workshops. The second was to seed a phenomenological investigation into the ontology of place, exploring questions from the philosophical debate on place. This second part of the inquiry was completed by myself. Both groups felt place-based education revealed aspects of place taken for granted or un-explored. This was summed up by one participant in the phrase ‘bringing place to life.’ The participants’ understandings of the different aspects of placebased education including the pedagogy involved, and the possible outcomes, show how place-based education was understood and applied in different contexts. The phenomenological analysis which builds on the participants’ understandings, describes a contrast between un-examined place and the intimate and immersive experience that can occur when place is ‘brought to life.’ The final part of the thesis explores in further depth the role of the mind in ‘bringing place to life,’ putting forward the idea of mind as a phenomenon which can adopt different scales. When learning and thinking on the same scale as the body, the mind is brought to place, and the dualism between mind and body breaks down. ‘Thinking in place’ is put forward as a way of understanding both the experience of learning in context, and the phenomenological immersion of both body and mind in place. The conclusions explore the implications of this research for the various fields touched on in the study: educational approaches such as environmental education, philosophical approaches to place, and research methodologies.

This thesis is an exploratory case study that investigates a 'successful' pupil referral unit (PRU) for key stage 3 secondary school pupils located in the semi-rural southwest of England. The achievement of the PRU was externally acknowledged by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) with a recently reported overall grade of 1 or ‘Outstanding’. This exploratory study took a social constructionist approach and was informed by the methodology of illuminative evaluation. This study explored the stories and experiences of pupils and staff using interviews, a focus group and video diaries for the pupils. The analysis of these data was from a socio-cultural theoretical perspective. The research data suggested that success was in a state of flux for all in the PRU. For pupils there were personal transformations in their attitudes, behaviours and values. Pupils’ social and emotional capital was increased by the ‘deep relationships’ that developed between pupils and staff. The innovative approach to the curriculum allowed pupils to engage positively with education and featured lessons that were routinely based upon experiential learning. This included weekly outdoor learning lessons which provided a rich context for informal learning to take place alongside the formal objectives. Leadership and management appeared to be the keystone of the PRU success. There was a clear well founded educational philosophy that was successfully articulated through the operational systems of the PRU. All of these parts contributed to the holistic success of the PRU. Findings from this case study are not generalisable due to its specificity to one particular setting and small number of participants. However, ‘naturalistic generalisations’ may be arrived at by the reader. For example, the reader may be able to apply some aspects of good practice, such as developing deep relationships, to their own context when working with those pupils who are, or have the potential to be, disaffected.

This research examines the perceptions of program alumni from Class Afloat – a particular tall ship sailing study school – with a view for perceived personal and social development during the experience and since, through an Aristotelian virtue lens. Set at the disciplinary intersection of Aristotelian virtue theory and experiential education, self-reporting through survey and interview are analyzed to understand how program alumni perceive the experience as catalyzing or accelerating personal growth (including self-determination, responsibility, attentional flexibility, discipline, courage, moderate self-awareness, perspective, and realistic optimism) and social growth (including friendship, care for the other, empathy, humility, and loyalty) in a deeper attempt to assess perceived growth in practical wisdom, or phronesis, the practice of which mediates over and is constituted by these personal and social virtues. Program alumni are drawn from a large chronological range of cohorts (1985-2012) to best appreciate Aristotle’s notion that a flourishing life (one with developed and active practical wisdom) must be measured across a full life. In the end, the data suggests participation was significant in paradigmatic ways, leading to personal and social growth which extends far beyond the experience itself, impacting participant value commitments, personal identity, and ability to make practical wise decisions.

BakgrundUnder vistelsen på förskolan tillbringar barnen mycket tid ute på gården och i skogen, utevistelsen bör förses med betydelsefullt innehåll av varierande inslag för att barn ska lära och utvecklas. Utomhuspedagogik står för den okonstlade upptäckten av att erfara här och nu. För att lärande ska ske på ett för barnen meningsfullt sätt bör både gården och naturen erbjuda en miljö som skapar nyfikna, upptäckarlystna barn som vill. Utemiljön bör vara ett komplement till innemiljön.SyfteSyftet med undersökningen är att ta reda på pedagogers uppfattningar av utomhuspedagogik. Syftet är vidare att undersöka hur de menar att de arbetar med utomhuspedagogik och vad de tror det innebär för barns lärande och utveckling.MetodEn fenomenografisk studie med kvalitativa intervjuer för att få reda på pedagogers uppfattningar av fenomenet utomhuspedagogik och vilken betydelse den har för barns lärande och utveckling. Sex pedagoger har intervjuats på två förskolor.ResultatPedagogerna uppfattar utomhuspedagogik som ett utrymme för den fria leken samt att den medför frihet för barns egna tankar och intressen. Pedagogerna beskriver att de vägleder, stödjer och utmanar barnen i deras lärande och utveckling och att utemiljön har en stor betydelse för barns lärande och utveckling. Under utevistelsen får barn utlopp för rörelsebehovet samt utforska och undersöka sin omvärld. Utemiljön ger andra förutsättningar för fantasi, sinnen samt att leken får en annan dimension än i inomhusmiljön är vad pedagogerna också uttalar. / Program: Lärarutbildningen

More than 59 million children are out of schools across the globe (UNESCO Institute for Statistics and UNICEF, 2015), despite the promise of education for all children by the year 2015. The situation is more pronounced in developing countries particularly in Africa and South Asia. Strategies adopted globally to attract children towards schools rarely considered improving the existing physical environments, despite evidence that primary school aged children (five to 12 years) learn more effectively when their education is incorporated with surrounding environments (Khan & Islam, 2014; Lieberman & Hoody, 1998; Mygind, 2009). This study investigated the potential of a primary school ground to be an effective learning environment and explores how the design of an outdoor environment can contribute to children’s learning. This interdisciplinary project is underpinned by classic psychological theories of child development (e.g. Piaget, 1964 and Vygotsky et al., 1978), while Gibson’s (1979) ‘Concept of Affordance’ and Barker’s (1976) ‘Theory of Behaviour Settings’ have provided the framework for exploring the relationship between the school ground and children’s learning. A quasi-experimental action research project was carried out in a Government primary school in Bangladesh, which included the design and development of the school ground, with the direct participation of children, teachers and parents. Another primary school (with no change to the outdoor environment) was used as a control school to compare the outcomes. A mixed methods approach to conduct this quasi-experiment included data from existing exam scores, questionnaire survey, observation and behaviour-mapping, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. The key findings from this study indicate an overall positive influence of the designed outdoor environment on children’s academic performance and their motivation to learn. An increase in children’s cognitive, social and physical activities in the school ground is also evidenced by the study. The analysis of the data likewise reveals that different behaviour settings of the school ground offered opportunities for different teaching and learning activities. Both natural settings and settings with built features afforded more focused activities (e.g. gardens afforded exploration and connection with nature, while the play area afforded more functional play). Additionally, settings comprised of both natural and built elements (e.g. the area with loose materials and huts) and areas in close proximity with natural ones (i.e. the open yard) accommodated diverse and multiple teaching and learning activities (e.g. measuring, building/constructing and exploring). The findings further suggest that the design and use of the school ground had a surprising and unintended positive effect on teachers’ motivation and pedagogy. Through reflecting on the use of different landscape elements and settings in the school ground during formal outdoor classes and informal play times, the study has further come to propose some design recommendations for other new school grounds as well as the redesign of existing ones.

This thesis examines the ways in which outdoor environmental education can be understood in the context of relational-environmental encounters. The study focuses on residential learning programmes with secondary school students in the UK. The research aims to explore the extent to which current educational practices, structures and pedagogies in two case study locations can be said to occur as continuous lived experiences; invoking relational ontologies. Furthermore, this research examines the environmental encounters of students and considers how these encounters shape and challenge environmental narratives consisting social and cultural norms. Making use of developments within behaviour change theory, ecological ethics and environmental pedagogy, this thesis brings together ways of understanding environmental and sustainability education, notions of relational ways of being, and models for transformative societal change. The research methodology makes use of ethnographic encounters in two case locations comprising residential education centers in South Devon, UK, chosen for their representation of instrumental and emancipatory pedagogies. Participating in fifteen outdoor environmental education programmes over ten months, participant observation, focus groups, interviews and photo elicitation were deployed. In-field and subsequent thematic analysis, using structured coding elicited four central themes: structure, choice, relationships and discomfort. These themes formed the core empirical analysis and enabled an exploration of relational practices occurring across the spectrum of contemporary environmental education. The research therefore provides a narrative of residential experiences in a subjective, emergent and reciprocal environment, whereby both lived and learning experiences provide space for instrumental and emancipatory learning. Consequently, contributions are made to geography and education in four key areas; firstly, the articulation of a pedagogy of discomfort deployed explicitly and implicitly within environmental education; secondly, an advancement of relational connotations of place-making within environmental education as being emergent of agency, structure and the setting itself; thirdly, through the ecotheraputic ‘performance’ of other-than-human material and ecological environments in education discourses; and finally, through an advancement of a blended approach to environmental education, understood from an ecological-ethical, as well as a behavioural-practice perspective.

Learning beyond classrooms is becoming more common in formal and non-formal education internationally. Research on outdoor learning and education has focussed on barriers, outcomes, and equity rather than processes or teachers' practice. Despite claims around the importance of natural and outdoor places in education, the ways in which teachers consider and use particular places in preparing for and teaching outdoors is not well understood. Despite calls to do so, non-anthropocentric, posthumanist, and new materialist place theories remain under-utilised in empirical research in this area. Notably, there are only a handful of studies that include any reference to teachers' views or practices with respect to the role of more-than-human elements. The aim of this thesis was to find out from teachers themselves when and how more-than-human elements became harnessed into the planning and enactment of curricula for outdoor learning. A multicase study was employed to inquire into the practice of five in-service school teachers based on place-responsive methods, namely, walking interviews and memory-box interviews. Drawing on postqualitative orientations to analysis, Deleuzoguattarian inspired vignettes produced four findings. In different ways, these teachers' practice emerged through (1) their ability to notice the more-than-human, (2) attending to how their learners noticed and responded to the more-than-human in educational experiences, (3) seeking to become more attuned to the places visited, and (4) supporting the assembling of material, discursive, human, and more-than-human elements together in curriculum making. Implications for teacher education and in-service practice that encourage consideration of the more-than-human in educational practice are signposted. The thesis' contribution provokes new considerations of how outdoor educational provision can be re-oriented to include more-than-human elements. These contributions may be significant in supporting education that could improve human environment relations and address environmental concerns.