BLH3340 Play, movement, nature and outdoor education – Nordic Childhoods Course description

The Nordic countries have a long tradition of outdoor education. This course focuses on play and movement, and experimental work related to a variety of environments in educational contexts. The course will have a theoretical and practical approach to the topics. The students’ own experiences from acting, moving and living in nature are a key element in the course. Field trips and hiking tours are embedded in the course. 

The course content is based on the two disciplines natural science and physical education. With kindergartens and schools as the target area, the course seeks to provide insight into and competency in outdoor education, play and movement and how to organise didactic courses and activities for children. Furthermore, the students will compare the knowledge they acquire with the pedagogical traditions in their own country. The pedagogical project has a problem-based focus on play, movement, nature and/or outdoor education.

Joint events with the other Nordic Childhoods courses are integrated as overnight trips and outdoor excursions. The courses focus on play, learning by doing, experience and workshops and also visits to schools, kindergartens and other institutions.

A list of reference aids allowed will be published on our website.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge

The student has developed knowledge of

• outdoor activities and environmental ethics in different aspects of pedagogical work

• physical literacy

• motor development and learning

• different approaches to outdoor didactics

• sustainable development

• foodliteracy

• in-depthstudy of the topics presented

Skills

The student has developed

• basic skills in outdoor life (friluftsliv)

• practical skills in (working with different approaches to) outdoor didactics

• skills in working with play and bodily movement in different environments

General competence

The student has developed

• an awareness of and reflections on education and child welfare - values and practices in

in a Nordic and comparative perspective

• competencies to analyse and communicate gender-related professional issues related

to outdoor education

• knowledge about cultural and comparative pedagogical approaches in different

educational programmes

• knowledge about writing an academic paper

Different teaching methods will be used, such as lectures, dialogue in the classroom, activities, and

hands -on training, reflective practice, self-directed work in groups, individual work, text

reading, field study, paper writing and presentations. English is the language of instruction in

lectures.

This course aims to provide students with an understanding of how data and statistical analysis can improve economic, managerial and business decision making. Students will learn how to develop empirical questions, collect and organize relevant quantitative data, apply appropriate statistical methods, and ultimately, make better business and policy decisions. The course will draw on a wide range of business and economic applications, such as finance, advertising, internet retailing, and human resources.

The tuition is in English.

No prerequisites.

After completing the course, students will acquired the learning outcomes defined in knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student has

• a theoretical understanding of quantitative methods for analyzing data
• an understanding of the role of empirical evidence in evaluating economic, managerial, and business problems
• an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different statistical methods

Skills

The student can

• formulate empirical questions
• gather, obtain, and organize quantitative data
• conduct statistical analysis using software
• interpret statistical results

General Competence

The student can

• think critically and understand the role of assumptions in arguments
• communicate effectively about economic, managerial, and business issues
• develop a well-organized argument that states assumptions and hypothesis, which are supported by evidence
• use and appropriately cite different data sources

Part 1 The grade scale will be in accordance with the ECTS grading scale, with A - E as pass grades and F as a fail grade.

Part 2 The grade scale will be pass/fail.

Part one: The exam is evaluated by two internal examiners. Overall exam procedures will be reviewed and approved by an external examiner. 

Part two: The exam is evaluated by two internal examiners.