Learning through Outdoor Experience Erasmus Project

Project Title

Learning through Outdoor Experience

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The project was developed in partnership with the schools from Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania. Unfortunately, the school from Greece wasn’t approved by the NA in Greece and didn’t take part in the project. Each of partner schools brought to the project a unique experience enriching its scope and dimension.
Within the project we organised a lot of activities which not only connected the youth with the natural world, with their heritage and culture, but also encouraged lifelong learning through the challenge, enjoyment, relevance, depth and adventurous approach to teaching/learning in the setting of the natural or cultural environment.
At the beginning, each school established a project team who was responsible for uploading the information on the school website, for monitoring the project management and budget. We also selected students’ group involved in the project according to the age agreed on with partners at the time of preparing application form and organised the competition for the logo of the project. We also applied the questionnaires to teachers, students and parents to know what the initial opinions and attitudes were.
During the two years of the project, most of the teachers working inpartner schools were involved in organising lessons out of classroom. The activities promoted the potential of outdoor education. We organised outdoor activities according to the planned topics on the schedule: Language Days (integrated native and foreign language activities outdoors in the cultural environment), STEAM programme outdoors in the cultural environment, Arts and Crafts (integrated art, technologies and crafts activities in the outdoor cultural environment), Geography and History (integrated outdoor activities in the cultural environment)t, Eco Days – Holding the Future in my Hands, Outdoor Games in the natural environment, “Follow me” (one day school trips, hikes), Sports Days in the natural environment, The wheels of the Bike go Round and Round” (trips by bike in the town and the surrounding areas), Re-discovering treasures: trips to famous local places, Arts and Crafts outdoor activities in the cultural environment, The Way we Were (history re-enacted), Eco Days in the natural environment “Each one, Reach one!”, STEAM programme outdoors in the natural environment.
During the period of the project two international meetings were organised (in Macedonia and Lithuania) and four short-term group exchanges of students: in Lithuania, Romania, Poland and Macedonia. During these meetings, the teachers reviewed the progress of the project in comparison with the plan.
These meetings and student learning/training sessions resulted in developing key competences, broadening students’ knowledge, sharing experiences by the teachers and students and making new friends. Thanks to such meetings all the participants became more open towards others and their teamwork skills improved. They also learnt new culture and customs.
At the meetings partner school teachers presented local activities, the results of the questionnaires, discussed the project details. The lessons of the host schools were observed, teachers shared experience in outdoor learning and planned the details of the next meetings. The final meeting in Lithuania included conclusions, evaluation and the international conference “LEARNING THROUGH OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE”, where our methodological guide “VALUES AND BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR LEARNING” was presented. Further cooperation was also discussed.
The completed project has had a great impact not only on our schools but also local communities. Our teachers have changed their attitude towards teaching process and engaged students in outdoor activities. According to the project evaluation questionnaire results, students had an opportunity to enjoy first-hand experience outdoor, in natural or cultural environment. They also became more engaged, their learning motivation increased. Moreover, they improved their self-esteem and teamwork skills. The students have become successful lifelong learners, smarter, healthier, stronger citizens who are more environmentally friendly and more aware of natural and cultural heritage. Thanks to taking part in international learning,teaching and training activities, teachers as well as students shared their experiences in the European perspective, exchanged and presented good practices, methods of outdoor education.
Partnerships between staff in schools and with other organisations contributed to professional development for teachers who have decided to continue organising outdoor lessons in the future. In cooperation with our partners, we created a methodological guide with lesson plans, videos promoting the project. The project had also positive influence on the local communities and various institutions who helped in organising outdoor activities, worked with teenagers from our schools which extended their scope of work and let them gain more experience.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 60335 Eur

Project Coordinator

Plunges Senamiescio mokykla & Country: LT

Project Partners

• LICEUL TEORETIC “PAVEL DAN”
• Gimnazjum Swietego Wojciecha
• Sredno opstinsko uciliste Pero Nakov