There is strong research evidence for learning from well-structured field trips. Research constantly concludes that such field trips complement the in-school curriculum (Rennie 2007, Favre & Metzger 2010). Rose (2001) indicates that we need do open the box in science education and spread contexts around. This means that ways must be found to situate science in its sociocultural context. In this context the presented case study describes an ongoing collaboration between a National Park and a school. The National Park (NP) Hohe Tauern in Austria’s central Alps has, in addition to working on nature preservation, research and tourism, also an educational mission. A public middle school (grades 5-8-), called “Nationalparkhauptschule Winklern” (National Park School Winklern), located in the Mölltal region in Carinthia/Southern Austria, works together with the NP for the past ten years.
The school included tasks relating to the NP at the center of their educational work. The following measures are taken: cross-curricular integration (especially the subjects biology, geology, physics and geography) of a range of topics in lessons (i.e. plants, animals, humans and living spaces in the NP and the future of the NP, etc.) (Tengg 2007). The inclusion of social dimensions in learning about nature shows pupils the relevance of environmental education in everyday life and in their own region. With the program „Nature-Sports-Fun” students should improve and expand on topics learnt in class, recognize the possibilities offered by alpine living spaces, strengthen their own ideas concerning nature. In order to meet these objectives, students, in addition to their regular lessons, take part in four three-day courses in cabins in the NP, as well as six day-long excursions in cooperation with the NP (park rangers) over the course of four years. The learning environment created covers a) the learning in the classroom and in the school and b) the practical, inquiry oriented approach in the NP (an extra-school learning environment).
The Mölltal region, with Winklern and its surrounding communities, can be regarded as a remote area where the emigration of the young generation is considered as an important issue. Through the specialisation of the NP School it was also expected to make the school more attractive and stop the loss of middle-school students who prefer to attend secondary grammar schools (Gymnasium) in larger towns.
