The aim of the course is to develop students’ competence and knowledge about outdoor pedagogy, how it can be used pedagogically in different subjects with focus on sustainability issues.

The course covers theory and practice of outdoor education. During the course, students will experience, explore, plan and organize various kinds of outdoor learning activities. The course offers the students the possibility to develop their skills in planning outdoor education. Further, students will become acquainted with and learn to evaluate research in outdoor education. The course requires active participation in seminars and outdoor activities.

After completing the course the student will be able to

1. Lead and organize outdoor education in an interdisciplinary context with focus on sustainability

2. Discuss how environment and school surroundings can be used as pedagogical resources

3. Reflect on ecological issues, context of natural environment and relations between nature and society from sustainability perspectives

4. Reflect and problematize how outdoor pedagogy can be used for pupils’ learning and development.

Different outdoor places/perspectives will be explored during workshops, seminars, lectures, study visits and fieldwork. Both individual and group works are part of the course.

Exam 1: Portfolio (7,5 credits)

This examination will assess learning outcome 1 and 2.

Exam 2: Oral and written Examination (7,5 credits)

This examination will assess learning outcome 3 and 4.

Grading criteria for the course are announced by the course coordinator at the start of the course.

The basis for all assessments must be such that individual performance can be distinguished.

Henderson, Bob & Vikander, Nils (2007). Nature first. Outdoor life the friluftsliv way. Toronto: Natural Heritages Books (chapters are chosen in consultation with teacher, about 50 pages)

Mikaels, Jonas (2017). Becoming-place (Re)conceptualising friluftsliv in the Swedish physical education and health curriculum. Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, GIH, Department of Sport and Health Sciences (chapters are chosen in consultation with teacher, about 20 pages)

Sandell, Klas; Öhman, Johan & Östman, Leif (2005). Education for Sustainable Development. Nature, school and Democracy. Lund: Studentlitteratur (chapters are chosen in consultation with teachers, about 50 pages)

Sandell, Klas & Öhman, Johan (2013) An educational tool for outdoor education and environmental concern, Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 13:1, 36-55, DOI: 10.1080/14729679.2012.675146 (9 pages)

Articles will be added during the course (200 pages)

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that applied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented.

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format.

The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.