In recent years, researches have shown that children grow weaker as computers have replaced most outdoor activities. It has become a challenge for teachers to increase students’ learning motivation. According to numerous researches outdoor education programs have been found to be moderately effective in influencing typically measured outcomes, such as self-esteem and teamwork. Outside classroom learning and especially outdoor education contributes to delivering the each European Governments’ overarching strategic objectives towards ‘creating a more successful society’: smarter, healthier, safer and stronger, greener, wealthier and fairer. The aim of the project is to promote the potential of outdoor education by using the natural and cultural environment as an integrating context for learning as well as to share experiences in the European perspective.The objectives are the following: to identify current outdoor education practices, exploring pedagogical approaches, methods and models, to engage students and teachers in outdoor learning activities, to engage students and teachers in outdoor learning activities, to raise the profile of learning outside the classroom and promoting the benefits. This project is a great opportunity for students and teachers to enjoy first-hand experience outdoors, whether within the school grounds, in urban green spaces, in the countryside or in wilder environments.The project involves exchange and presentation of good practices, as well as the development of tools and the methods of outdoor education.The core values of this project resonate with long-standing key concepts of outdoor learning. Challenge, enjoyment, relevance, depth, development of the whole person and an adventurous approach to learning are at the core of outdoor pedagogy. The outdoor environment encourages staff and students to see each other in a different light, building positive relationships and improving self-awareness and understanding of others.Partnerships between staff in schools, other educational settings and with other organisations will create working relationships that contribute to professional development for teachers and educators and construct clear pathways for integrating outdoor education to curriculum. Realising this vision will contribute to the wellbeing of our children and young people and enable them to become resilient, responsible citizens and successful lifelong learners, who value our landscape and culture and contribute effectively to our local and global society.New approach integrated learning and new traditions in partner institutions will be created. The project will produce a comprehensive set of methodological tools for outdoor education: methodological guide with lesson plans, videos promoting outdoor education, Methodological guide and handbooks.As part of the project the international conference on the theme of the outdoor education will be organized. About 28 teachers will participate in three partners’ meetings, and 100 students together with their teachers take part in 4 thematic training sessions, which are an opportunity for new inspiration and exchange of experience.The project was developed in partnership with the schools from Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Greece. Each of them brings to the project a unique experience enriching its scope and dimension.
The project was developed in partnership with the schools from Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania. Unfortunately, the school from Greece wasn't approved by the NA in Greece and didn't take part in the project. Each of partner schools brought to the project a unique experience enriching its scope and dimension. Within the project we organised a lot of activities which not only connected the youth with the natural world, with their heritage and culture, but also encouraged lifelong learning through the challenge, enjoyment, relevance, depth and adventurous approach to teaching/learning in the setting of the natural or cultural environment. At the beginning, each school established a project team who was responsible for uploading the information on the school website, for monitoring the project management and budget. We also selected students' group involved in the project according to the age agreed on with partners at the time of preparing application form and organised the competition for the logo of the project. We also applied the questionnaires to teachers, students and parents to know what the initial opinions and attitudes were. During the two years of the project, most of the teachers working inpartner schools were involved in organising lessons out of classroom. The activities promoted the potential of outdoor education. We organised outdoor activities according to the planned topics on the schedule: Language Days (integrated native and foreign language activities outdoors in the cultural environment), STEAM programme outdoors in the cultural environment, Arts and Crafts (integrated art, technologies and crafts activities in the outdoor cultural environment), Geography and History (integrated outdoor activities in the cultural environment)t, Eco Days – Holding the Future in my Hands, Outdoor Games in the natural environment, “Follow me” (one day school trips, hikes), Sports Days in the natural environment, The wheels of the Bike go Round and Round” (trips by bike in the town and the surrounding areas), Re-discovering treasures: trips to famous local places, Arts and Crafts outdoor activities in the cultural environment, The Way we Were (history re-enacted), Eco Days in the natural environment “Each one, Reach one!", STEAM programme outdoors in the natural environment. During the period of the project two international meetings were organised (in Macedonia and Lithuania) and four short-term group exchanges of students: in Lithuania, Romania, Poland and Macedonia. During these meetings, the teachers reviewed the progress of the project in comparison with the plan. These meetings and student learning/training sessions resulted in developing key competences, broadening students' knowledge, sharing experiences by the teachers and students and making new friends. Thanks to such meetings all the participants became more open towards others and their teamwork skills improved. They also learnt new culture and customs. At the meetings partner school teachers presented local activities, the results of the questionnaires, discussed the project details. The lessons of the host schools were observed, teachers shared experience in outdoor learning and planned the details of the next meetings. The final meeting in Lithuania included conclusions, evaluation and the international conference "LEARNING THROUGH OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE", where our methodological guide "VALUES AND BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR LEARNING" was presented. Further cooperation was also discussed. The completed project has had a great impact not only on our schools but also local communities. Our teachers have changed their attitude towards teaching process and engaged students in outdoor activities. According to the project evaluation questionnaire results, students had an opportunity to enjoy first-hand experience outdoor, in natural or cultural environment. They also became more engaged, their learning motivation increased. Moreover, they improved their self-esteem and teamwork skills. The students have become successful lifelong learners, smarter, healthier, stronger citizens who are more environmentally friendly and more aware of natural and cultural heritage. Thanks to taking part in international learning,teaching and training activities, teachers as well as students shared their experiences in the European perspective, exchanged and presented good practices, methods of outdoor education. Partnerships between staff in schools and with other organisations contributed to professional development for teachers who have decided to continue organising outdoor lessons in the future. In cooperation with our partners, we created a methodological guide with lesson plans, videos promoting the project. The project had also positive influence on the local communities and various institutions who helped in organising outdoor activities, worked with teenagers from our schools which extended their scope of work and let them gain more experience.