Outdoor Education: Perspectives of Teachers and Students in the Context of School in Nature as an Innovative Approach in Education

Abstract

This research analyzed the opinions of primary school teachers and students regarding the benefits of outdoor education, using the example of School in Nature, for the organization of educational activities within the instruction process. It explored educational, social, recreational, and ecological aspects, as well as the existing differences in their opinions. The research was conducted on a sample of elementary school teachers and fourth-grade students in the Bor District in the Republic of Serbia. The research involved 223 participants (elementary school teachers N=73, and fourth-grade students N=150). A questionnaire was designed for the purposes of this research to assess the opinions of teachers and students towards the learning environment and the effectiveness of implementing outdoor education in the context of School in Nature. The research results indicate a compliance between teachers’ opinions about the significance of outdoor education, especially through School in Nature, and its benefits to the educational aspect of the teaching process. Students displayed positive attitudes related to social interaction in learning, emphasizing the development of positive social relationships and skills. Differences in opinions between teachers and students regarding the learning environment and the effectiveness of outdoor education in meeting learning objectives represent a significant starting point for better understanding the quality of the teaching process.