Nature as a Classroom: Integrating Outdoor Learning into Everyday Teaching

Step outside and bring learning to life!

This hands-on course shows educators how to turn schoolyards, parks, or beaches into dynamic classrooms that foster curiosity, creativity, and environmental awareness across all subjects.

Description

This course empowers teachers and educators to make learning vivid, meaningful, and connected to the natural world.

Drawing on experiential and non-formal education approaches, participants will explore how nearby outdoor spaces — a schoolyard, park, or beach — can become dynamic classrooms for any subject.

Through field trips, observation walks, and playful group activities, they will discover how to link lessons with real-world phenomena and foster curiosity and creativity across disciplines.

Participants will return home with a toolkit of ready-to-use field-based lessons and a renewed sense of how joyful exploration can deepen understanding and environmental responsibility.

Methods Used

The course is based on non-formal learning methodologies:

• Fieldwork and outdoor experiential learning
• Observation, exploration, and journaling
• Collaborative lesson design workshops
• Group reflection and peer-to-peer learning
• Nature-based mindfulness and creative expression

These participatory tools ensure a balance between theory, hands-on practice, and personal insight.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Design outdoor learning experiences that connect theory to real-world observation
• Apply experiential and inquiry-based learning methods
• Integrate environmental and sustainability concepts into curricula
• Enhance student engagement and curiosity through exploration
• Build confidence in leading safe, inclusive outdoor learning activities

Target Group

Educators and professionals across all levels of education, including:

• Primary and secondary school teachers
• Vocational and adult education trainers
• School leaders, headmasters, and administrative staff
• Educators working in training centres, NGOs, and community organisations

This course welcomes participants from diverse educational backgrounds, creating a rich environment for exchange of ideas and practices.