BLH3340 Play, movement, nature and outdoor education – Nordic Childhoods Emneplan

The Nordic countries have a long tradition of outdoor education. This course focuses on play, movement, and experimental work related to various environments in educational contexts. The course will adopt both a theoretical and practical approach to these topics. The students' own experiences of being in and interacting with nature are key elements of the course. Field trips and hiking tours are also part of the course.  

The course content is rooted in two disciplines: natural science and physical education. With kindergartens and schools as its primary focus, the course aims to offer insights into and competence in outdoor education, play, and movement. Moreover, the course addresses the organization of didactic courses and activities for children and other participant groups. The pedagogical approach emphasizes problem-solving in the context of play, movement, nature, and outdoor education. Students will integrate the knowledge they acquire with the pedagogical traditions in their respective countries.

The course includes joint events with other Nordic Childhoods courses, as well as overnight trips and outdoor excursions. It integrates practical and theoretical approaches to outdoor education, play, and movement. Learning-by-doing experiences, workshops, and visits to schools, kindergartens, and other institutions are fundamental components of the course.

The language of all teaching and supervision is English, and the students should therefore

have a working knowledge of both spoken and written English.

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

• food literacy

• in-depth study 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 and orally presenting knowledge related to the course content

The topics of study are:

Play, movement, nature and outdoor education.

• Outdoor education in different natural environments

• Play and movement in nature and outdoor environments

• Sustainability in outdoor education

• Practical work on natural science, food literacy and physical education

• Practical work in selected biotopes

• Motor behaviour, physical activity, play and risk-taking

• Role model, gender awareness, and social inclusion in pedagogical work outdoors

• The Nordic concept of "friluftsliv" (outdoor life)

• A more in-depth study of a chosen topic

Childhood in a Nordic welfare system.

• Education, cultural formation and childhood

• Critical reflective work on play, movement and outdoor education

• Physical literacy and motor development

• Different cultural traditions and pedagogical approaches to outdoor activities

• Focus on the relevant target group in the student`s educational system 

Field experience, reflective practice and didactics regarding play, movement, nature, food and

outdoor education.

• Different approaches to outdoor didactics and sustainable development

• Development work related to institutional work

• Comparative approaches to cultural and pedagogical traditions

Different teaching methods will be used, such as lectures, dialogue in the classroom, physical 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.

The following coursework requirements must be met before the student can sit the exam:

• Carry out a one-day hike or overnight stay in the outdoors and an oral presentation of experiences from the hike or overnight stay.
• Group work: A written paper (2000 words +-10%) based on a subject addressed in the course in agreement with the teacher.
• Make a poster in groups on a selected topic in agreement with the teacher. The poster will be presented at a presentation day with the class. Each group has to give a presentation of the poster to the class (approx. 10 minutes).

Coursework requirements must be met by the deadlines. Coursework requirements are evaluated as pass/fail. Valid absence documented by a medical certificate or similar is not an excuse for not meeting the coursework requirements. Students who, due to illness or other valid and documented reasons, do not meet the coursework requirements by the deadlines, may be given longer deadlines. A new deadline for meeting the coursework requirements is agreed with the relevant teacher in each case. 

Coursework requirements are evaluated with a pass/fail. Students who meet the coursework requirements by the deadline, but are awarded a fail grade, shall be given another attempt to meet the coursework requirements. A new deadline for meeting the coursework requirements is agreed with the relevant teacher in each case. 

The final assessment is based on two parts.

1. Individual oral exam (up to 30 minutes). Each student has to prepare an individual presentation from one of the listed topics (maximum 12 minutes). The exam is evaluated by two internal examiners.
2. An individual paper on a chosen subject addressed in the course in agreement with the teacher (2,500 - 3,000 words).

           The individual paper should

• have an individually chosen topic from the subject areas presented in the course
• be a more in-depth study of this individually chosen subject
• focus on the target group relevant to the student’s own educational system

       The paper can

• be a purely theoretical study/analysis
• include practical studies
• test out educational ideas linked to the subject

      The topic must be approved by the student’s supervisor.

Resit/rescheduled exams

Resit/rescheduled exams shall take place within reasonable time after the ordinary exam. The regulations on sitting a resit/rescheduled exam are set out in the ‘Regulations relating to studies and examinations at Oslo Metropolitan University’. For the resit/rescheduled oral exam there will be a digital exam. The resit/rescheduled written exam will be organised in the same manner as the ordinary written exam. The student is responsible for registering for a resit/rescheduled exam.

Part two: Examination support materials are permitted. However, sources musts be stated in accordance with applicable rules for source references. Artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be used as idea- or content-generating application within the exam. 

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

The final grade will be a weighted grade: 50/50 based on the two parts.The overall result is rounded towards the best result. 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 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.

The target groups are:

• Students in the third year of the fulltime/seventh semester of the part time Bachelor

Programme in Early Childhood Education at Oslo Metropolitan University.

• International exchange students at the Faculty of Education and International Studies from

preschool and primary school teacher education institutions. Students from other

academic areas may also be accepted.

Students must be prepared to participate in various outdoor activities.

The course is designed to offer a fulltime studyprogramme in English for students of Early

Childhood and Primary School Teacher Education. The period of study will be for four months.

The course may be taken as an elective in-depth programme by students in their final year

of the Bachelor Programme in Early Childhood Education at Oslo Metropolitan University.

Admission

For students at the Department of Early Childhood Education:

• Students in the third year of the full-time/seventh semester of the part-time Bachelor Programme in Early Childhood Education at Oslo Metropolitan University.
• International exchange students at the Faculty of Education and International Studies from preschool and primary school teacher education institutions. Students from other academic areas may also be accepted. 

For international exchange students:

• Admission as an international student at the Faculty of Education and International Studies. Students from other academic areas may also be accepted. Students must have completed at least two years of their undergraduate degree studies at their home institution in order to be accepted.