1. The Belgian point of view Danielle Cools Gorik Van Helleputte
Outdoor Learning
The Belgian point of view
Danielle Cools
Gorik Van Helleputte

2. Overview of the presentation
Gorik and Danielle: Who are we ?
Outdoor Learning in Belgium
OutdAre Teaching: our approach to Outdoor learning

3. Who are we ?
Gorik Van Helleputte
Danielle Cools

4. ?! EDUCATION FOR THE 21st CENTURY
Onderwijs voor de 21ste = nadenken over betekenisvol onderwijs = nadenken over betekenisvol leren
! = Doet goesting krijgen = we worden uitgedaagd
? = Wat moeten/mogen we verwachten = we worden onzeker
Onze rode draad binnen deze presentatie = LEREN -> vrij tijdens de speeltijd, maar ook geleid tijdens de lestijd

5. The world changes rapidly …
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
World Economic Forum en OECD -> onderstrepen:
de economische noden uit onze maatschappij (! Let op: Gevaar om onderwijs te bekijken vanuit economische bril!)
De snelheid waarmee de noden veranderen (Op 5 jaar tijd al snel trendveranderingen)

6. “… rethink education in the current context of
“… rethink education in the current context of
change, complexity, and uncertainty” (Unesco)
Bekommernissen over onderwijs GLOBAAL/universeel -> UNESCO biedt o.a. een overzicht van strategieën (onafhankelijk van cultuur, religie, economie, …)

7. Outdoor Education in Belgium

8. ‘Outdoor’ in Belgium …
Satelliet (Gorik toevoegen)

9. The outdoors … Urbanised Flanders -> no ‘hardcore nature’
Fragmented ->‘patchwork-green’
Considered ‘free time space’
Considered ‘good weather space’

10. Education in Belgium Education is …
A cultural thing -> 2 systems (Vlaanderen/Wallonië)
Obligatory 6->18y
Education is “FREE” (delivery)
No central exams, only governmental standardised goals
“Trust in Teachers, Trust in Output”
FREE => great potential for ‘Outdoor Learning’
Education is “FOR FREE” (financial)
Registration = 0 euro
Financial limits set for expenses for parents
FOR FREE => great potential for local oportunities

11. Outdoor Education in Belgium
Abroad
Belgium
Terminology
Outdoor Learning
Outdoor Education
Learning Outside the Classroom
Adventure Education
Adventurous Learning
Friluftsliv …. -
(no terminology)
Definition
Ambiguous definition
(no definition)
Content
Different content – many initiatives
Outdoor Learning is a means to attain a specific goal
Health, PE, social skills, (non-curricular) learning, …
Outdoor Learning is not a common means to something, but a personal approach
CPD
Many possibilities for training, networking, exchange, …
(no network, platform, trainings, …)

12. Outdoor Education in Belgium
Going out of the door …

13. Outdoor Education in Belgium
Parental involvement in ‘greening up’ playgrounds

14. Outdoor Education in Belgium
Going out of the playground and winning time by taking time …

15. Outdoor Education in Belgium
Small …
… is big time learning.

16. Outdoor Education in Belgium
Starting to see an abundance of opportunities for the curriculum outdoors

17. OutdAre Teaching
Our approach to Outdoor Learning

18. OutdAre Teaching = OL+
Considerations to take into account as teachter trainers :
Often too far, too expensive, too “nature”
External experts: lack of transfer to schools/curriculum
Underutilisation of curricular learning possibilities in the direct environment
Lack of Competence and confidence of teachers
Fear of inspection/pressure to prove results
Trend of cours-mind thinking instead of competence-mind thinking
Outdoor Learning as a top-down policy has not enough power …
DANIELLE COOLS
Gorik Van Helleputte
2014
Challenge/change
outdoor learning
Meaningful education
Outdoor Learning
Teaching & Learning
“… rethink OUTDOOR education in the current context of
change, complexity, and uncertainty” (Unesco)
ATTITUDE of the teacher to make education meaningful
OutdAre Teaching

19. OutdAre Teaching = OL+ 3-B Model Belevingsrijk (experiencing)
Bewogenheid (moving)
Betekenisrijk (meaningful)
Terug van het station

20. OutdAre Teaching = OL+ 3-B Model Child approach:
“Growth Mindset” (Carol Dweck)
The ‘environment’ is a physical space (Pete Higgins) and this demands outdoor didactics (Sue Waite)
Curriculum approach:
4 pillars of adventurous learning(Simon Beames)
Terug van het station
The teacher makes the difference (John Hattie)

21. Challenge for teachers !
The environment as physical space
School grounds
Local neighbourhood
Day excursions
Residentials
Challenge for teachers !
Beames, S., Higgins, P. and Nicol R. Learning outside the classroom Routledge

22. Project OutdAre Teaching
Our Mission:
To challenge teachers to use the direct environment of a child to make learning & teaching meaningful, to stimulate 21st century skills, …..
How ?
Education
Research
Training
Networking & Exchange

23. Education Teacher training is a 3-year Bacchelor Degree in Belgium
Gorik: teaching PE
Danielle: teaching life skills
Together: Course on Outdoor Learning for 3th-year students in teacher training
UCLL is in proces of merger
Course on Outdoor Learning is programmed in the new curriculum for 2nd-year student!
Opportunity for specialising in 3rd Year

24. Research Survey of Flemisch schools in november 2015
Case-study in ‘De Ark’
Survey of students before/after the course
Erasmus + KA2 project GOaL
Start-up of website en
(at this moment

25. A look at the research results
Survey of Flemisch schools
We ed more than 2400 scholen
104 respondents !
71 schools say they use OL
33 schools say they don’t use OL
309 respondents answered: “why didn’t you react on the survey request ?”
226 schools: lack of time (although interested)
48 schools: no priority (although interesting)
11 schools: technical problems
9 schools: not interested
15 schools: other reason

26. A look at the research results
All respondents are geograficaly well divided: ‘rural school’ (58), ‘urban school’ (22) and ‘suburban school’ (24)
All respondents find the access to green space rather important (36/104) to very important (68/104)
Schools without OL:
The attitude of Head towards OL is positive to very positive (25/33)
Managing board is not well aware of the attitude of the teachers towards OL
Schools with OL :
The attitude of Head towards OL is positive to very positive (69/71)
Managing board attributes a positive to very positive attitude to its teachers (61/71)

27. A look at the research results
Schools without OL indicate to have less proper school grounds compared to schools with OL
Alle respondents dispose of as many natural area within less than 10 minutes walking (91/104) and at more than 10 minutes walking (89/104)
Schools with OL:
Don’t go often outside on dayly or weekly basis with children (3-12y)
Organise repeatedly (several times a year) a single outdoor activity on the schoolgrounds.
Go repeatedly on (half)day trips
Organise more residentials for primary children (62/65) but less for pre-primary children (27/40)

28. A look at the research results
Activities outside the classroom are organised/planned.
Top 3 curricular areas for OL in pre-primary PE
Social science
Science & Technology
Top 3 curricular areas for OL in primary
Least mentioned curricular areas: maths & language (pre-primary), foreign language & ICT (primary)

29. A look at the research results
Schools dispose of helpers ‘occasionally’ to ‘regular’ during schooltime: unpaid volunteers (50/71) or trainees (56/71)
Schools indicate to find support important to very important (62/70) during activites outside the classroom
More than 2/3rd of the teachers (48/69) had no training on OL
1/3de (19/71) of schools with OL have a policy about OL

30. Continuation of our Research
A look at the research results
Needs of respondents:
General seminar on benefits of OL for education  11 respondents
Seminar with practical tools for OL at school  32 respondents
Extra support in the development of an outdoor learning policy at school  18 respondents
Internetplatform for Outdoor Learning in Belgium  27 respondents
Exchange with schools in Belgium/abroad  10 respondents
Continuation of our Research

31. A look at the research results
Case-study
Suburban
3 units
Pre-primary & Primary (+/- 800 pupils)
Started with ‘Outdoor Teachers’ for pre-primary & 1 primary (3-7 y)
Outdoor Education is complementary with whole school approach

32. A look at the research results
Case-study DE ARK
Initial situation: survey of involved parents, all teachers, management board
Final situation: survey of involved parents, all teachers, management board
Folow-up of Outdoor Teachers during the schoolyear with a log

33. A look at the research results
The teachers
Primary teachers are 75% positive and Pre-primary teachers are 75% very positive towards OL at school
Both teachers estimate OL suited to very suited for all ages (3-12y)
Different perception of suitability: teachers find OL just a bit more suited for other age groups than the ones at which they are teaching
Most important reasons to go outside: opportunity to move, opportunity to meaningful learning and fresh air
Almost no concerns: toilet and joined forces of all teachers (variable in function of time- investment & enthusiasm)
40 leerkrachten hebben geantwoord

34. A look at the research results
The parents
Most parents are positive to very positive (93,7%) to the initiative of the school
Most important reasons to let children go outdoors: opportunities to move and fresh air (together 60%)
Suited for all age groups
Access to green space is estimated very important (65%)
Concerns:
Safety
Learning
Weather conditions
40 leerkrachten hebben geantwoord

35. Thank you!