Description
The main purpose of our project is to enable a more integrated inclusion of environmental factors into the learning process of a student. The project aims to build on and continue with the development of the learning model Outdoor Learning, which in recent years has been conducted in cooperation with the Institute of Education of the Republic of Slovenia as an innovative project at our school. We will now expand our cooperation and present it to the wider community - the local community, local schools and kindergartens, and state institutions. The responsibilities of the Norwegian partner, Borge skole - Before and after school activitites department are organising: the exchanges in Norway, and providing Zavod sv. Stanislava with timely information of the incoming guests in order for them to organize transfers with greater ease and economic value. The partnership will strengthen bilateral relations.
Summary of project results
It was to strengthen both schools’ focus on outdoor learning, and to strengthen the connection between schools and scouts and other outdoor learning organisations. The hypothesis was of course that by having similar perspective and goals on this matter, we would be more people to stimulate, encourage and learn from each other underway. The results will be sustained by both schools’ own new or upgraded “outdoor learning curriculum”, by sharing the experiences and the knowledge we have gained with our colleagues at school, at other schools in our countries and abroad. The objective was to increase both staff’s interest and understanding of the value of “outdoor pedagogy” in itself, and how it totally increases the pupils’ possibilities to learn more holistically. It has made a significant impact, as all classes at the two schools now are participating on a regular basis every term in outdoor learning. The output was really amazing. All three project partners connected really strongly with each other and with other outdoor learning organisations. Many more teachers at both schools are now interested in outdoor learning and are practising it and learning about it at the seminars, the partners in the project have organized two seminars, one national and one international, so we have really become promotors, stimulators and the teachers of outdoor living. The output were new outdoor learning curriculum at both partner schools, tools and new playground equipment, different products, science boxes used for outdoor classes and workshops with handouts, scout’s day at primary school. The beneficiaries were involved by mobilities consisting of two visits to each school, by teachers and pupils, during the two-year period. We have been involved also via emails, social networks, telephone conversations and by doing one national seminar and the international conference together. Apart from the obvious increased teaching and learning advantage, we have made really sustainable friendship!
Summary of bilateral results
Donor project’s partner contributions were: letting observe their model of outdoor education, planning the project, giving and sharing ideas about the methods and paths we should follow, executing outdoor lessons, evaluating the project and the activities within, organising and co-organizing and executing the programme of the exchanges, motivating and inspiring the participants, booking the transport, organizing meals for the participants of the project in the donor’s country, letting to get to know their culture, school system and way of life. We have achieved many outputs and outcomes. Besides the friendship we have and the same direction we want to go with our outdoor learning pedagogy, we have also created new lesson plans, science boxes for teaching outdoors, different equipment and tools, playground tools, planted many trees and other plants, made different products like kites, dreamcatchers, pencils, steam boats, made a lot of food outdoors, etc. The teachers more often prepare their lessons outdoors and do other activities outdoors and the pupils and their parents love that. We have also organized two main events, one a national seminar and an international conference on outdoor learning. We’re planning to write some articles about our work and we have already sent an open invitation to our new international seminar on outdoor learning around Europe. It will be executed in August 2016.WE have connected really well with other outdoor education organizations and individuals and are planning to present our project and our work at EOE Network international conference in September 2016, in Salzburg. The partnership built between the Norwegian and Slovenian school was such a contribution. We have already started working on several ideas for the continuation and development of this project and initiation of several new ones. Along with this project and partly due to our activities in Norway another partnership on entrepreneurship between the secondary school in the beneficiary institution and a Norwegian secondary school from Oslo was initiated in the course of KA2 Erasmus+ projects. The pupils have a much better understanding and knowledge of the two countries respectively as all the exchanges were organized in a manner that the entire school took some part in the exchange or preparatory activities.