Outdoor education – a Norwegian speciality

The course consists of three modules within culture, nature and social sciences, explains Kari-Anne Jørgensen, Assistant Professor at the VUC and responsible for the program.

In Norway we have a long tradition for using nature. We go for a walk, we admire the view from a mountain top, children play in the snow, in the forest, and teacher students learn how to explore nature together with their pupils.

Among the subjects in the course are ecophilosophy, outdoor culture, history, geography and social sciences on the outdoor arena. The course will be comparative, meaning w shall work with the students’ own experience from home and compare it to what they experience here in Vestfold.

17 students from India, Spain, Ireland, Peru, Norway, USA, Germany and Austria have already been accepted for the course. Some of them are training to become teachers, but some have other background.

Some of the students stay on in Vestfold after having finished A Norwegian Cultural Journey in 2009, and some come for this new course.

This morning we met approximately half the grooup enjoyning their salmon breakfast in the forest near the VUC.