Outdoor Life in autumn 10OUTL

Forkunnskaper

For Norwegian students: general admission requirements.

For foreign students: approval from the student’s home institution.

Læringsmål

Students will develop their personal skills, gain insight into the interdependency between man and nature and increase their ecological awareness by hiking and camping in natural surroundings. The students will study the role outdoor life plays in Norwegian culture, and how to use outdoor activities as a pedagogic method.

Innhold

The course emphasises the importance of a thorough knowledge of various basic skills associated with different forms of camping and natural environments. Outdoor life as a phenomenon and its role in the Norwegian culture will be analysed. International approaches to outdoor life will also be discussed.

The course covers the following topics:

Theoretical topics:

• The history of Outdoor Life in Norwegian primary schools, and the subject as it is described in the national curriculum, "Knowledge Promotion" (Kunnskapsløftet KL-06).
• The Norwegian Outdoor Recreation Act (Friluftsloven).
• The distinctive characteristics and values of traditional Norwegian outdoor life
• The development of "modern" outdoor life

Topics related to excursions:

• Tour-planning and follow-up
• Group processes
• Orienteering and choice of routes
• Shelter and camping
• Plant and animal life
• Clothing and equipment
• Safety- and consequence-analysis
• Outdoor experiences and respect for the environment

Organisering

This course will include both practical and theoretical aspects, but the instruction and the learning experiences will take place outdoors whenever possible. The course is organised around three excursions: a two-tour hike in the vicinity of the school, an autumn trip lasting three days in the forests and mountains and a solo three-day trip.

The practical aspects of the course will revolve around using guiding as a tool for achieving understanding and learning experiences among the students. Tour guiding is the pedagogical working method in outdoor activities, and students will become more aware of the requirements of this role. This will demand engagement, initiative and maturity on the part of each student.

Vurderingsformer

All the instruction on this course is obligatory. This includes preparation and follow up tasks related to the excursions and other teaching arrangements. The course is assessed with a letter grade and the assessment comprises the following elements:

• Tours and tour-reports.
• An individual assessment based on the student’s participation in the course. Factors such as skills, knowledge and effort will be taken into consideration.
• An individual coursework journal in which various topics are analysed and evaluated.

Pensum