Outdoor and nature-based education - TENERIFE

You can find more information at www.tenerifecourses.com and by email at tenerifecourses@gmail.com

Learning in nature, in the real world has happened ever since humans exist. The small boxes called classrooms/training rooms have been invented only few centuries ago. During the last decades, outdoor and nature-based education have become more and more popular as edult educators and teachers worldwide could see its benefits for the motivation, involvement and development of their learners.

This course will teach active learning and experiential learning methodologies in the context of ¨out-of-classroom¨ education. Through group exercises and practical workshops, the participants will be able to reflect on the versatility of outdoor education and how they can adapt formal learning in outdoor settings such as parks, gardens, squares and plazas, on the street, in the forests, mountains, beach etc. For example, the participants will learn about environmental education and garden-based learning by visiting a permaculture ecological garden, that forsters reconnection with nature and ecological food.

Adult educators and teachers will reflect and experience how to teach language skills, interculturality, personal and social skills through games, drama and improvisation theater techniques in outdoor settings. Each teacher or educator will have the opportunity to reflect on how they can apply the learnt methodologies to their local settings. For example, how to organize biology or geography field trips in the school garden or nearby park, biology and maths activities in a local shop or visiting a museum etc.

COMPETENCES TO BE ACQUIRED:
Knowledge about outdoor education, nature-based learning and garden-based learning
Knowledge and skills on how to apply experiential and active learning methodologies in outdoor settings
Knowledge and skills on how to use games, drama and improvisation theatre in outdoor settings
Competences on how to improve the motivation and involvement of students by applying outdoor education in different formal settings (language and literature, biology, maths, history, geography etc.)
Competences on how to develop social skills and emotional intelligence through outdoor activities and games
Skills and knowledge on how to develop a classroom/center plan on non-formal indoor and outdoor educational activities
Knowledge on how to teach about ethics and risks in outdoor education
Intercultural competences and enhanced cultural awareness
Ability to create a stimulating and open learning environment and foster collective learning.
Ability to do networking and create professional and personal relations with teachers from other countries.

DAILY PROGRAMME
DAY 1 - Outdoor education
 Introduction to the course
 Ice breaking: getting out of our comfort zone
 Indoors and outdoors games to build group cohesion
 Exchanging good practices on outdoor/nature-based/environmental education
 Approaches to outdoor education: fear-based/risk discourse vs positive approach
 Practical work in groups: Designing educational activities in the nearby streets, square, park, local shop.
 Practical activities in a museum
 Reflection exercises: How can I adapt outdoor education in my work?

DAY 2 - Social and emotional skills in outdoor education
 Warm-up and teambuilding exercises
 How to use drama, improvisation theater techniques to teach social skills and emotional intelligence
 Developing spontaneity, intuition and active listening
 Exercise in pairs: The importance of eye-contact and expressing emotions
 Theater as a tool to teach languages (vocabulary, improving phonetic competences and narrative abilities)
 Exchange of good practices on integrating drama methodology in other subjects
 Reflection exercises: How can I adapt drama techniques in my work?

DAY 3 – Visit and garden-based learning
 Guided visit and workshop in a Permaculture ecological garden. Ecological and regenerative approach to producing food.
 The connection of outdoor education and garden-based learning methodology in environmental education
 Teaching different subject in a garden through observation techniques and group work
 Reflection exercises: How can I use garden-based learning and observation techniques in my work? (environmental education, nutrition, biology, science, geography, sports etc.)
 Informal learning

DAY 4 – Non-formal education in nature
 Warm up and group division exercises
 Experiential and active learning methodologies and non-formal education
 Introduction to Kolb’s Experiential learning cycles
 Think-Pair-Share: Experiential learning for stimulating and engaging environments
 Games and non-formal education exercises in nature
 Practical workshops
 Reflecion exercises: How can I apply experiential and active learning methodologies in my work outdoors?

DAY 5 – Field trip to Teide National Park
 Guided visit to Teide National Park to see Teide Volcano of over 3700m
 Ethics in nature
 Pratical tips when organizing field trips
 Open discussion on possible future collaborations and planning follow up activities
 Summary of key learning points
 Final course evaluation and feedback
 Validation of learning outcomes and handling certificates
 Informal learning