Increased provision of udeskole in Danish schools: An updated national population survey

TY - JOUR

T1 - Increased provision of udeskole in Danish schools

T2 - An updated national population survey

AU - Barfod, Karen Seierøe

AU - Ejbye-Ernst, Niels

AU - Mygind, Lærke

AU - Bentsen, Peter

N1 - CURIS 2016 NEXS 392

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Education outside the classroom (EOtC) has the potential to increase children's learning, physical activity, social relations, school motivation, and well-being. In Denmark, EOtC has undergone a rapid development from a grassroots movement to part of a top-down reform in public schools. It is therefore pertinent to provide an update of the survey conducted by Bentsen et al. (2010) and a baseline to serve as the basis for evaluating future effects of policy intervention on EOtC. Based on a nationwide telephone survey of school leaders, this study shows an increase in Danish school classes practicing EOtC on a weekly or biweekly basis, from at least 14% of public and private/independent schools in 2007 to at least 17.9% of all public schools and 19.4% of all independent and private schools today. While the new school act appears to promote EOtC, we believe that teachers who are not familiar with this practice may lack the necessary competence to practice it. We argue that the widespread use of green space and nearby environment in teaching should be reflected in initial teacher training, connecting educational planning and green space management.

AB - Education outside the classroom (EOtC) has the potential to increase children's learning, physical activity, social relations, school motivation, and well-being. In Denmark, EOtC has undergone a rapid development from a grassroots movement to part of a top-down reform in public schools. It is therefore pertinent to provide an update of the survey conducted by Bentsen et al. (2010) and a baseline to serve as the basis for evaluating future effects of policy intervention on EOtC. Based on a nationwide telephone survey of school leaders, this study shows an increase in Danish school classes practicing EOtC on a weekly or biweekly basis, from at least 14% of public and private/independent schools in 2007 to at least 17.9% of all public schools and 19.4% of all independent and private schools today. While the new school act appears to promote EOtC, we believe that teachers who are not familiar with this practice may lack the necessary competence to practice it. We argue that the widespread use of green space and nearby environment in teaching should be reflected in initial teacher training, connecting educational planning and green space management.

KW - Education outside the classroom

KW - Green space management

KW - Policy

KW - Teacher training

KW - Teaching and learning outside the classroom

U2 - 10.1016/j.ufug.2016.09.012

DO - 10.1016/j.ufug.2016.09.012

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84989916940

SN - 1618-8667

VL - 20

SP - 277

EP - 281

JO - Urban Forestry & Urban Greening

JF - Urban Forestry & Urban Greening

ER -