Programme and abstracts - GIH

In this paper I present results from a longitudinal PhD project on outdoor teaching and learningin Sweden and Australia. Participants have been secondary school teachers andenvironmental education center officers. Semi-structured interviews have been analyzed withthematic analysis (Boyatzis, 1998).The results revealed that dimensions of place were givenmore attention than dimensions of space when discussing rationales behind outdoor teachingbefore the project. However, the physical and social space played a much more important rolein students’ engagement than expected. Dimensions such as place attachment and identitywere considered important but teachers’ objectives often contradicted with students’experience of nature as unfamiliar and scary.Title:Inclusion of outdoor education in the new physical and health curriculum in Singapore.Author/s:Susanna Ho, Ministry of Education, Singapore.Abstract:In my study in 2011, it was found that outdoor education can provide students with authenticexperiences that can engage them actively and holistically. Drawing on a survey conducted atthe second MOE outdoor education conference in 2006 and views from outdoor educators,Martin and Ho (2009) propose visions of outdoor education to encompass threecomplementary and multivalent foci: (1) ecological literacy, (2) resilience and (3) criticalthinking. In my thesis in 2011, I subsequently argued for outdoor education in Singapore togive high priority to serving three educational purposes, namely, building resilience, buildingemotional bonds with the place that constitutes Singapore, and building ecological literacy.From local research, outdoor education has a critical role to play in the school education ofSingapore, especially in developing students’ traits and competencies that are in line with thecurrent goals set by the education ministry. This presentation discusses the potential ofoutdoor education and argues for outdoor education to be included in the new Physical andHealth Education (PHE) curriculum to be implemented in 2014. The discussion also highlightsthe role of nature in children’s health and well-being and proposes how outdoor educationshould be situated in Singapore’s education curriculum.Title:Adventurous activities, embodiment and nature: Spiritual, sensual and sustainable?Embodying environmental justice.Author/s:Barbara Humberstone, Bucks New University, UK.Abstract:In this presentation, I examine research on adventurous physical activity in nature from theperspective of the sentient body. Drawing upon ethnographic research, I examine what hasbeen termed ‘peak’ happenings which many who practise such activities claim to experiencethrough their whole body. I consider insightful mobile and social understanding of therelationships between body, emotions and the elements, where on occasions the adventurousactivity is experienced and interpreted as oneness with nature or expressed as ‘spiritual’experiences. I then consider if and in what ways these knowledges may bring about greaterunderstanding and action in relation to social and environmental justice.Title:The significance of a curiosity-promoting environment; Children, Curiosity and Urban OutdoorAdventureAuthor/s:Jostein R Sanderud, Sogn og Fjordane University College, Norway.23