“Open the doors” A study of teachers' experiences after participating in a place-based education course

Abstract

Outdoor education is not compulsory in school education in Iceland and outdoor settings are used to a small extent as part of teaching and learning methods. The aim of this study has been to explore teachers' experiences after participating in a place-based education course in higher education and how these teachers describe their ways of transforming course knowledge into their own teaching practice. Based on a purposeful sample, two focus group interviews with nine schoolteachers working in compulsory school formed were conducted. The teachers had all participated in the course Place-based outdoor education at the-University of Iceland. As theoretical framework the perspective of pragmatism and experiential learning have been used, together with a thematic analysis for the data processing.

Findings indicate the importance of the embodied experiencing when participating in the course. Several of the teachers had been able to transform knowledge into own practice and used the tenets of experiential learning. This approach inspired and supported the teachers’ ways of working including finding possibilities for subject integration. The local environment, the use of history and sense of place also lead to utilizing diverse approaches that aligns well with the National Curriculum Guide. Furthermore, the results indicate that those teachers who have the support and understanding of co-teachers are better able to implement aspects of experiential teaching and learning in the form of place-based education methods in their work.