Outdoor LearningPaul Kelba

Calgary Board of Education2014

…not simply the development of arelationship between the student and nature, a key is their relationship of teachers they are with

An absolutely critical aspect of learning experiences

Learning across the Curriculum

Developing a plan to take learning

outdoors:

• E.S.D.??

• Local Landscapes

• Harnessing Student Curiosity

• Enabling Student Responsibilities

• Risk Management

• Leadership, Legacy and Community Stakeholders

Learning outside the classroom builds

children's confidence and can transform their relationships with

teachers

Field trips gave children the opportunity to

acquire greater confidence and leadership skills

So how can schools be encouraged to organize more outdoor activities?

Step 1 Outdoor Games aka: Joy

Step 2 Field Studies aka: Learning

Step 3-Education for Sustainable Development-aka Depth

A seemingly simple outdoor

adventure…

…can be filled with content

filled intensity

with key questioning and documentation

E.S.D.?

= Education for Sustainable Development

Proper framework and resources at: Learning for a Sustainable Future: http://www.lsf-lst.ca/

Whole-child centered

Teaching and learning can become:

inherently spontaneous and

student-centered

…when moved from the confines of the classroom into the world at largeENVOE foundational program of studies-Alberta Learning http://education.alberta.ca/media/768718/eoed.pdf

A 2012 OFSTED Report looked at a sample of schools

providing opportunities

to learn outside the classroom found that, when implemented

well, those opportunities

contributed to benefits in almost all areas on

students development

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report

Variables predicting student achievement

motivation are

“significantly influenced”

by environmental and outdoor based school

programming

"contributed significantly to

raising standards and improving pupils'

personal, social and emotional

development”

2012 OFSED Report http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report

Intangible of E.S.D. is in its ability to

provide a framework

for otherwise isolated issues

http://www.lsf-lst.ca/en/projects/teacher-resources/professional-development/pd-tools/modules

Studies released soon on impact on students'

learning afterwards:

memorable learning experiences

teachers can feed off that for weeks back at

school

Paul Kelba

Calgary Board of Education

http://www.cbe.ab.ca/

@PaulKelba

http://thefreshclassroom.blogspot.ca/