Let’s Get Outside Now: Be, Learn, Grow Outdoors

Many educational institutions, particularly in the Nordic countries, Germany, Switzerland, and increasingly in other parts of Europe and around the world, have embraced Forest Pedagogy and Outdoor...

The project aims to promote outdoor learning and forest pedagogy by establishing “schools of nature” to facilitate mutual learning and the exchange of ideas on environmental education. It emphasizes learner- centered processes to support the holistic development of students, fostering characteristics such as curiosity, self- awareness, self-regulation, autonomy, intrinsic motivation, and creativity. The objectives of the project were to increase understanding of the interconnection of learning and meaningful experiences, strengthen children’s learning and connection with nature, enhance collaboration between schools across Europe, support teachers and schools through the developed methodology, and promote the efforts for the adoption of outdoor education-related policies. The aim was to develop an action framework that would guide the content and the structure of the learning activities for the teachers, design and develop a pedagogical methodology for learning, create a repository of learning activities, form a network learning communities, prepare a best practices report and a policy paper.

There are some large outcome/results in the GLOW project Outcome/result R1 - Action Framework and Final Report - conducted information from focus group interview; describing needs, tasks, caps and challenges for educators Learning Communities for teachers and educators in each partner country and across Europe - sharing best practice and networking Ambassadors network for educators working with nature outdoor educational approach implementation of the methodology and support from mentors Outcome/result R2 - Pedagogical Methodology, describing a new methodology in outdoor nature pedagogy and provide ideas for nature sustainability and environmental activities Outcome/result R3 - Best Practice Benchmark Report best practices for the integration of formal, informal, and non-formal learning in the GLOW pilot partner countries and other EU countries by comparing performance data obtained through evidence-based critical appraisal of national, regional, and local initiatives. Outcome/result R4 - Policy Paper, recommendation for policy makers and stakeholders regarding outdoor education, nature outdoor pedagogical approach, free play, support for educators etc.