Outdoor Education: Nature as a Learning Space

Education is changing — and so are learning environments. Schools across Europe are increasingly seeking to move beyond traditional classrooms, exploring the outdoors as a powerful space for learning, creativity, collaboration, and personal development.

This course invites teachers, school leaders and educators to reimagine their teaching practices by using nature as a dynamic, inclusive and stimulating learning environment. Outdoor Education is much more than taking lessons outside — it is about integrating the natural world into the learning process to foster curiosity, active participation, sustainability awareness, and emotional engagement.

Throughout this Erasmus+ training, participants will discover methodologies, tools and ideas to plan and deliver outdoor learning activities adapted to their students and school context — whether in urban, rural or mixed settings.

The methodology of this course is based on experiential learning and active participation. Participants will engage in outdoor workshops, nature-based challenges, collaborative problem-solving, sensory activities, and project-based learning outdoors. They will explore strategies for teaching different subjects in outdoor settings.

Emphasis will also be placed on sustainability education, reconnecting students with local environments, and promoting environmental responsibility through hands-on projects like school gardens, eco-friendly initiatives, and nature-based storytelling.

By the end of the course, teachers will feel prepared to create learning experiences that go beyond the classroom walls — using their local environment as a resource for creativity, engagement, and meaningful learning.