Från klassrum till verklighet : Gymnasieelevers perspektiv på utomhusundervisningens betydelse för hållbar utveckling

Sammanfattning

This qualitative study researches upper secondary school students’ perspective on outdoor education in biology, related to education for sustainable development. It also explores students’ motivation to take action for sustainable development, based on the Swedish curriculum that emphasizes the importance of creating responsible citizens. The study is conducted from a pragmatic theoretical perspective, focusing on giving students the possibility to acquire knowledge by hands-on experiences and real-life situations. Semistructured interviews with five students in grade 12, from two different schools in average-sized cities, were made. Results show that students’ have a positive approach to outdoor education, especially emphasizing the relationship between outdoor education and practical, real-life observations. The results also point out that outdoor education, and especially being able to observe environmental problems in real-life context, increases the students’ motivation to take action and contribute to a more sustainable development. The findings also show that the students’ view of the teacher’s role is central, and not only outdoor education itself. In addition, outdoor education in sustainable development gets the students’ more well-informed and engaged in the world around them, and also more environmentally responsible.