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Section 4
Learning beyond the classroom
Learning about the environment takes place both inside and outside the school. An important aspect of learning in social subjects is the use of the environment in its widest sense, to enrich learning. The world beyond the classroom has many rich contexts for learning and teaching that allow teachers and pupils to draw upon a wide range of evidence and a variety of first-hand experiences. The development of informed attitudes to contemporary and future environmental issues can be enhanced when pupils gain direct access to the world outside school. Learning beyond the classroom offers pupils the opportunity to confront the real world and gather real evidence allowing them to enjoy and interact with their environment in a controlled way. Providing pupils with genuine personal experiences of natural habitats, historical buildings, civic buildings or institutions as well as opportunities to engage in activities or pursuits in an outdoor environment results in highly motivating and often memorable learning experiences. These experiences should form the basis of best practice in environmental studies.
Main areas for developing learning beyond the classroom
There are four main areas of potential. |
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Within the school or school grounds This is relatively easy to organise and may avoid some of the organisational and safety issues associated with travelling further afield. Some examples of studies that can be pursued within the school and its grounds include characteristics of site and location; mapping and orienteering; boundaries - walls, fences and gates; weather observations; studies of birds and other animals; habitats. There may also be opportunities to extend these studies into projects such as the improvement of school grounds through tree and bulb planting. |
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Within the vicinity of the school This will require more careful planning and might include activities such as walking a neighbourhood trail, carrying out a survey in the community, investigations of land and building use, gap sites, shops and houses, industries, occupations, street furniture, essential services, traffic patterns, problems of litter and vandalism and examples of community use or aid. |
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Within a day's reach This will require transport but will provide a wider range of opportunities such as visiting a museum, a historical site, a farm, a river or stream, beach or coastline, hill, woodland, a village - for urban pupils and a town or city - for country or village children. |
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A residential experience This allows pupils to take part in more extensive explorations of the environment. However the use of residential stays should be regarded as a supplement and not as an alternative to other opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. The selection of the location should be planned to complement studies in the classroom. Most residential centres offer courses that are well equipped and staffed, thus reducing preparation time for teachers while providing valuable support for them. The kinds of learning experiences that pupils will undertake have often been planned to place an emphasis on the development of social skills and on promoting growth in self-esteem and confidence. Children are encouraged to work cooperatively but also to increase their capacity to work independently. |
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A range of organisations, agencies, museums, galleries, heritage and conservation centres is also helpful in providing learning experiences outside the classroom. [RETURN TO 5-14 ONLINE] [BACK] [INDEX] [NEXT] |
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