Post on 11-Apr-2017
Going beyond these four
walls
Ideas for outdoor learning
Alan ParkinsonGeography Dept.
“Man is most nearly himself when he
achieves the seriousness of a
child at play.”Herodotus, Greek
historian
Field Studies Council Research• Substantial evidence exists to indicate thatfieldwork, properly conceived, adequately planned,well taught and effectively followed up, offerslearners opportunities to develop their knowledgeand skills in ways that add value to their everydayexperiences in the classroom.• Specifically, fieldwork can have a positive impact onlong-term memory due to the memorable nature of thefieldwork setting. Effective fieldwork, and residentialexperience in particular, can lead to individual growthand improvements in social skills. More importantly,there can be reinforcement between the affective andthe cognitive, with each influencing the other andproviding a bridge to higher order learning.
#kebeyond4walls• 78% of parents are concerned that children
don’t spend enough time interacting with nature
• 57% of parents say their children spend a little or a lot less time outdoors than they did
Wildlife Trust Research
“We will be physically, mentally and spiritually impoverished if
our children are deprived of contact with the natural
world.”
A: Sue FreestoneB: David AttenboroughC: Steve Backshall
“We will be physically, mentally and spiritually impoverished if
our children are deprived of contact with the natural
world.”
A: Sue FreestoneB: David AttenboroughC: Steve Backshall
Previous experience of working in and writing about the outdoors
Winner Hay Festival / National Trust Outdoor Book of the Year 2012Runner up Education Writer of the Year twiceShortlisted for Learning outside the Classroom Award 2013
Living Geographyhttp://livinggeography.blogspot.com
RiskMinimised in the classroom…Check out the work of West Rise Primary Schoolhttps://www.channel4.com/news/buffalo-shotguns-and-quad-bikes-at-school
Let’s get outside…
Elements of the outdoors
Prepare in the classroomGo outsideExploreThink and discussReturn to the classroom
Elements of the outdoors
Preparation and activities
Stephen Pickering
“In an English school, teachers can teach their
children anything at all as long as it is legal and safe..”
Mick Waters
Going your own way…
15 + 45 + 15
Colour – colour spectrum cardsDouble sided tape
Colour charts from B&Q
App: Freeze Paint
Poetry
Write a poem
Wordfoto App
Shape hunter
Look up…
Sound CDs
Use an App?
Crafty ExplorersDesign Council project I was involved in for funding
StoryMap – use your smartphone to add something to the map – it will be geolocated and added…http://arcg.is/2nH837P
#kebeyond4walls
8-Way Thinking
Dérive…
Sharon Witt, University of WinchesterWays of Walking
Uncertain and emergent journeys across places taking the opportunity to ‘pause and dwell in
places for more than a fleeting moment‘ (Payne and Wattchow, 2009, p.16).
A
B
HERE BE DRAGONS
!
!
Wilderness walks
UNCHARTED TERRITORYUnplanned paths
Time to stop & stare
Imagining spots
IdeasConversations & chats
Risk
Wonder
Emotional encounters
! Accident Black Spot
Checkpoint
Superhighway
Jam
Timed Tasks
! Paula Owens
Place“a meaningful
segment of geographical
space”
Comfort Zone
Pedagogy:
“leading students to a place where they can
learn”
Your challenge
•Select an activity•Add a subject context•Create a curriculum artefact
curriculum artefacts
What is curriculum making ?
“the creation of interesting, engaging and challenging educational experiences which draw upon teacher knowledge and skills, the experiences of students and the subject resource..”
The use of curriculum artefacts is important when planning lessons. You may have returned from the Easter break with a range of new items which could be used in a lesson. These could include:
ClothingStones or sand from a beach
MapsLeaflets and other ephemera including tickets
ImagesSound clips
Video materialSouvenirs that you have bought
Memories
By themselves these remain simply ‘things’ but in the hands of a teacher they come to life. This happens for three reasons, which are to do with the skill of the teacher, as described by Professor David Lambert.
“First, using this resource requires specialist subject knowledge to realise the educational benefits of using it. Secondly, it requires the teacher to decide on a sound way to use the resource. Thirdly, it requires the teacher to able to 'place' the resource really effectively - thinking about what prior knowledge would be helpful and how to follow it through and build on the understanding gained through its use.”
Choose your activitiesMission:Explore
Cloud-spotting
Go for a walk
Colour palette
Write a poem
Make a map Record sounds
Capture the place
8-way thinking
Capture textures
Be a pigeon Mini-National
Park
Shape hunter
Haiku5-7-5
Interview someone
??
Your challenge
•Select an activity•Add a subject context•Create a curriculum artefact
Be back here in 45 minutes please… and be ready to share…#kebeyond4walls
Feedback / forward
• What did you learn about the place(s) that you visited?
• How could you use the outdoors in your own subject area?
• What ONE thing are you going to try during the summer term?
#kebeyond4walls
References
FSC Research Report (2004)https://www.field-studies-council.org/media/268859/2004_a_review_of_research_on_outdoor_learning.pdfStephen Pickering: “Teaching Outdoors Creatively: Learning to teach in the Primary School” – Routledge (April 2017) – next weekSharon WittDr. Paula Owens
References
Sound mapping: http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Fieldwork+techniques/Fieldwork+technology/Soundscapes.htm Keri Smith: “How to be an Explorer of the World”