Abstract:

Outdoor education in rural and agricultural surroundings offers many possibilities for learning and studying different school subjects as well as teaching. This study aims to explore the development of an educational rural camp school, Eco Learn, and to investigate pupils’ expectations and experiences and teachers’ experiences of carrying out the developed programmes. The development of programmes was a participatory process that included representatives from all parties that were involved (e.g. teachers, farmers, pupils). A mixed methods approach was used; quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (interviews, observation, open questions) methods that support each other. Analysis was done by inductive content analysis. A general increase in positive attitudes towards learning and studying in rural settings amongst the pupils after participation was found. The urban pupils expected more romantic countryside values and the rural pupils learning processes and products. Outdoor education in rural settings combined with preparatory activities was found as a positive experience for pupils’ learning by both the pupils (about 80%) and the teachers (about 70%), and it was evaluated as a better learning environment than an ordinary classroom. In general, results reveal many positive educational values of outdoor education in rural settings and a linkage between affective and cognitive values. Finnish teacher training is urged to take this type of education more effectively into the curriculum for teacher studies.

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