KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY
Department of Elementary Education
EDU 518 - Strategies For Outdoor Education
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed for elementary and middle school teachers who wish to extend
their teaching into the outdoor environment. Strategies, programs and resources for
utilizing natural and man-made environments will be explored. School grounds, local
communities, nature centers, museums and historical areas will be analyzed as potential
learning sites. 3 s.h. 3 c.h.
RATIONALE
This course evolved from interest and non-credit course work offered to in-service
teachers in Kutztown's service area. The state curriculum requirement to address
environment citizenship and family living in the elementary curriculum is met in this
course. As a multi-disciplinary, non-grade specific course it provides a necessary
program elective for students.
OBJECTIVES
After completing this course, the student will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
define outdoor education
explain the nature of outdoor education as a multi-disciplinary
teaching strategy
develop a historical perspective for outdoor education
explain the rationale for using outdoor education activities with
elementary children
identify the curricular areas that could be enhanced through
outdoor education activities
identify, locate and evaluate curriculum materials to supplement
outdoor education experiences
model or demonstrate appropriate instructional strategies for
outdoor education experiences
give a rationale for, locate, evaluate and explain the utilization of
the school site for various learning experiences
give a rationale for, identify sites and explain the utilization of the
local community for various learning experiences
give a rationale for, locate, evaluate and explain the utilization of
museums and historical sites for various learning experiences
give a rationale for, locate, evaluate and explain the utilization of
nature centers for various learning experiences
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12.
give a rationale for, locate and evaluate sites and explain the
programming for a residential outdoor education experience
ASSESSMENT
Assessment of each teacher candidate’s level of accomplishment with reference to the
course objectives will be based upon a subset of the following:
Lesson Plans
1. Successful development of lesson plans in content. (Environment and ecology,
history, and the social sciences that integrate the Pennsylvania State Academic
Standards).
2. Grade level demographics and corresponds to classroom in which they teach
3. Location based on visits to local outdoor resources which can be used by the
school districts in the Kutztown University service area.
COURSE OUTLINE
I.
The Nature and Scope of Outdoor Education
A.
Definitions
B.
Characteristics
1.
a strategy
2.
a content discipline
II.
A Historical Perspective
A.
Origins
B.
Development
C.
Trends
III.
Rationale for Outdoor Education
A.
Inspiration
B.
Skill development
1.
observation
2.
problem solving
3.
critical thinking
4.
research
5.
socialization
6.
communication
C.
Factual and conceptual knowledge
1.
Arts and literature
2.
Social sciences
3.
Philosophy, ethics and values
4.
Science and technology
IV.
Curriculum Implications for Outdoor Education
A.
Multidisciplinary
2
B.
Across grade levels
V.
Methods and Materials for Outdoor Education
A.
Methods
1.
inquiry
2.
guided discovery
3.
cooperative learning
4.
laboratory
5.
field trip
6.
computer simulation
7.
problem solving
B.
Materials
1.
commercial publishing programs
a.
print
b.
non-print
c.
computer software
2.
teacher made
a.
print
b.
non-print
c.
computer software
3.
free materials
a.
print
b.
non-print
VI.
Utilization's of the School Site
A.
Site surveying
B.
Criteria for evaluation of site usability
C.
Integration of site and curriculum
VII.
Community Studies
A.
Strategies for identifying resources
B.
Criteria for evaluation of community resources
C.
Implementation models
VIII.
Utilization of Museums and Historical Sites
A.
Strategies to locate resources
B.
Criteria for evaluation of resources
C.
Procedures for integration of resources and curriculum
IX.
Utilization of Nature Centers and Wildlife Sanctuaries
A.
Strategies to locate resources
B.
Criteria for evaluation of resources
C.
Procedures for integration of resources and curriculum
X.
Residential Outdoor Education
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A.
B.
Outdoor Schools
1.
strategies to locate resources
2.
criteria for evaluation of resources
3.
procedure for integration of resources and curriculum
School Camping
1.
planning
2.
staffing
3.
financing
4.
operating
5.
evaluating
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