deutsch.info/olgea: Outdoor Learning of German and rising Environmental Awareness
▶Summary
The deutsch.info OLGEA project addressed a significant gap in language education: the lack of structured, accessible resources for outdoor-based language learning, especially for teaching German as a foreign language. While the benefits of outdoor learning, such as improved health, motivation, and environmental awareness, are widely acknowledged, few tools effectively integrate it with language instruction. At the same time, concerns about sedentary lifestyles and their impact on student well-being and learning have grown. Schools are seeking ways to better connect education with real-life experiences and make the learning more relevant to everyday life. OLGEA meets this need by providing a complete set of ready-to-use materials and a clear framework that supports teachers in taking language learning outdoors. The project empowers educators with practical tools to offer engaging, movement-rich, and sensory-based lessons that are easy to implement and meet the evolving needs of today’s learners.
▶Objectives
The main objective of the deutsch.info OLGEA project was to promote a holistic, learner-centred approach to language education by moving German lessons beyond the classroom and into natural or urban settings. More specifically, the aim was to: (1) strengthen teacher competences in outdoor language learning (OLL) by providing practical, accessible resources; (2) increase pupils’ German language proficiency and environmental awareness through hands-on, movement-based learning; and (3) improve the availability of didactic tools for OLL across the EU. The goal was to empower educators to implement sustainable, interdisciplinary methods that support both cognitive and personal development while advancing the integration of outdoor language learning into mainstream educational discourse and practice. Given the limited research in this area, the project also aimed to contribute knowledge through evaluation, documentation, and dialogue - making a contribution to the groundwork for future curricular and policy developments.
▶Activities
A central activity of the project was the development of the Guidelines for teachers on outdoor language learning: a practical, freely accessible resource introducing teachers to the principles and methods of outdoor language learning. The Guidelines offer self-paced learning and encourage reflection on teaching practices. To help teachers implement outdoor lessons, a set of fully developed, ready-to-use lesson plans was created, adapted to a variety of outdoor settings. These lessons were piloted in three partner schools in Slovenia, Croatia, and Lithuania, involving 99 pupils. The piloting enabled a comprehensive impact evaluation using tests and questionnaires (on language skills, motivation, and environmental awareness) as well as teacher interviews. Additionally, one lesson was tested by teachers in three more schools, involving 77 more pupils. Another key activity was the expansion of the deutsch.info Teachers’ Portal, adding a dedicated section for outdoor learning where all materials are openly available. Dissemination was carried out intensively through teacher workshops, university lectures, educational conferences, social media campaigns, and professional networks.
▶Impact
The main outcome of the deutsch.info OLGEA project is the new outdoor language learning section on the deutsch.info Teachers’ Portal. It provides German teachers with comprehensive Guidelines on outdoor learning and 48 fully developed, ready-to-use lesson plans across 11 themes. The Guidelines not only introduce the fundamentals of outdoor learning but also support teachers in designing and adapting their own outdoor lessons. All materials are illustrated, downloadable, and structured to suit both novice and experienced educators as well as different natural and urban environments that might be accessible from different schools. An online version of the Guidelines is optimized for mobile use, allowing teachers to access content on the go. The resources were tested in real classes and improved based on teacher feedback. The project has raised awareness about the benefits of outdoor language learning, built teacher capacity, and enhanced student motivation, language engagement, and environmental awareness. Teachers from across Europe have already begun using the materials.