Topic / Theme
Outdoor education, experiential and place-based learning, environmental awareness, learner engagement, well-being, inclusion, and non-formal methods for transforming learning through direct interaction with nature and real environments.
Course description
Nature’s Classroom: Transforming Learning through Outdoor Experiences is a hands-on training course designed for teachers, trainers, and education professionals who want to use outdoor environments as powerful learning spaces.
The course explores how nature, local communities, and everyday outdoor settings can support meaningful learning, learner engagement, inclusion, and well-being. Participants experience outdoor education methods firsthand and learn how to design safe, purposeful, and curriculum-linked outdoor activities that can be implemented in different educational contexts.
The training combines non-formal education, experiential learning, and reflection, helping educators reconnect learning with real life while fostering curiosity, collaboration, and environmental responsibility.
Objectives
- To introduce outdoor education principles and their pedagogical value
- To develop competences for designing and facilitating outdoor learning activities
- To increase learner motivation, participation, and well-being through experiential learning
- To support inclusion and active participation using outdoor and non-formal methods
- To promote environmental awareness and sustainable attitudes through education
- To strengthen teachers’ confidence in using outdoor spaces as learning environments
- To encourage reflective practice and innovation in teaching
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will:
- Understand the principles and benefits of outdoor and experiential education
- Be able to plan, implement, and evaluate outdoor learning activities
- Use outdoor environments to foster collaboration, inclusion, and learner engagement
- Integrate outdoor learning into formal curricula and non-formal education settings
- Apply methods that support learner well-being, creativity, and active participation
- Promote environmental awareness and responsible attitudes among learners
- Develop an action plan for using outdoor education in their own institutions
Detailed programme of the mobility period
Day 1 – Foundations of Outdoor Education
Module content:
- Principles and pedagogy of outdoor and experiential learning
- Formal, non-formal, and informal learning in outdoor contexts
- Learning through nature: curiosity, observation, and reflection
- Safety, risk management, and ethical considerations in outdoor education
Day 2 – Experiential Learning and Learner Engagement Outdoors
Module content:
- Learning by doing: experiential learning cycles in outdoor settings
- Outdoor games, challenges, and cooperative activities
- Using movement, senses, and emotions to support learning
- Adapting outdoor activities to different ages and learning needs
Day 3 – Inclusion, Well-Being & Outdoor Learning
Module content:
- Outdoor education as a tool for inclusion and equal participation
- Supporting learners with fewer opportunities through outdoor activities
- Well-being, stress reduction, and social-emotional learning in nature
- Group dynamics and team-building in outdoor environments
Day 4 – Place-Based Learning and Environmental Awareness
Module content:
- Place-based education: using local environments as learning resources
- Environmental education and sustainability through outdoor experiences
- Connecting curriculum objectives with real-life and community contexts
- Designing interdisciplinary outdoor learning scenarios
Day 5 – Transfer to Practice, Action Planning & Dissemination
Module content:
- Integrating outdoor education into school and institutional practices
- Designing outdoor learning plans adapted to participants’ contexts
- Dissemination of results and sharing good practices
- Reflection, evaluation of learning outcomes, and certification
Methodology
The course is based on non-formal and experiential learning methods. Participants actively engage in outdoor activities, simulations, group challenges, reflection sessions, and collaborative design workshops. Each learning experience follows a cycle of action, reflection, and transfer to practice, ensuring relevance and applicability in real educational settings.
Target group
Teachers (all levels), trainers, adult educators, VET professionals, school leaders, and education staff interested in outdoor learning, experiential education, and innovative teaching approaches.
Pedagoplus 