Places as Learning Environments, 7.5 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• International master's programme in Outdoor and sustainability education

Entry requirements

• A Teacher or Pre-school Teacher Degree of at least 180 ECTS credits 
  or 
  Bachelor's Degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, with a major in one of the following subjects Education, Pedagogy, Pedagogical work, Biology,  Ecology, Geography or Sustainable development 
  or
  Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, and additional clearly documented work experience of at least one year, full time, in outdoor or sustainability education or the equivalent
• English corresponding to the level of English in Swedish upper secondary education (Engelska 6 eller Engelska nivå 2)
  Exemption from Swedish

Intended learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student should be able to

• account for theories about the importance of place for learning and teaching
• analyse and assess places in school's immediate environment based on their opportunities to support different forms of teaching and learning
• apply strategies for planning and implementing teaching in outdoor environments with regard to didactic goals, the needs of the student group and sustainability aspects
• document and communicate site-based teaching arrangements in relation to governing documents and pedagogical theory
• reflect on how place-based learning can contribute to inclusion, transformative learning and sustainability competences
• take a reflective and research-informed approach to the use of outdoor environments as learning environments. 

Course content

The course focuses on exploring the educational potential of places in school's immediate environment. Through a place-based learning perspective, we investigate how different outdoor environments – such as schoolyards, parks, forests and urban places – can support different forms of teaching and learning. The course explores theories about the importance of place for learning, relational pedagogy and ecological awareness, as well as how the physical, social and cultural characteristics of place affect the learning environment. The course deepens strategies for identifying, analysing and using places as pedagogical resources, taking into account didactic goals, the needs of the student group and sustainability aspects. A special focus is devoted to the ability to create, direct and maintain students' attention. The course also highlights organizational and practical conditions for outdoor teaching, such as safety, accessibility, collaboration with the local community and connection to governing documents. Through a transformative learning perspective, reflection on how place-based learning can contribute to changing ways of looking at nature, society and education is encouraged. 

Teaching and working methods

The teaching takes place both individually and in groups through excursions, seminars, didactic analysis tasks as well as individual studies. 

Examination

The course is assessed through oral and written presentations.

Applies to all courses regardless of grading scale.

• Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course two times are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

If the course has a three-graded grading scale (U - VG), following applies:

• Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

The following applies to courses that include a compulsory component:

• If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.

If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.  

An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaining the objectives of the course.

Grades

Department