The Outdoor Classroom

In the outdoor classroom, you can reflect on the differences between outdoor and indoor learning.

Challenge

Experience a tree with your senses. Go to a tree and gently examine it by smelling its leaves or needles, feeling its trunk with your fingertips, looking at some small detail of the tree you haven’t noticed before.

Embrace the tree in a hug with your whole body, be silent and listen to the wind in the canopy. What do you feel?

Food for thought

What is the difference between learning about nature by physically experiencing it outdoors compared to reading about it in a book or listening to a lecture indoors?

From a sustainability perspective, why do you think it can be particularly important to learn by physically experiencing things outdoors?

The benefits of outdoor education

Outdoor education assumes that learning is a process that involves the whole person – body, mind and emotions – and that different types of outdoor environments can stimulate this in concrete and positive ways. Through reflection, sensory and bodily experiences can help to create meaning and longer lasting knowledge in a deeper way.

Learning that involves multiple senses lasts longer over time and you will remember better when your whole body has been involved.

Read research on the benefits of outdoor education: Perspectives on outdoor teaching and learning

The next physical movement challenge is not far away:

Map over stations for the physical literate campus

The various movement challenges challenge you to move and contemplate. The challenges are located around the campus pond and in the forest behind SLU.

What is physical literacy?

Physical literacy, or ‘rörelserikedom’ in Swedish, takes a holistic view of each individual’s ability to move.

Physical literacy is not the same as physical activity or fitness; it includes motivation, self-confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding. It allows each individual to develop their mobility skills and feel motivated and excited about movement.

The more daring and willing a person is to be physically active in different social contexts and physical environments, the better their chances of having an active, healthy life and to grow and flourish as a human being.

Latest update: 2023-09-08