Udeskole[1]is a broad term referring to curriculum-based teaching outside of school in natural as well as cultural settings on a regular basis. From a few udeskole classes in year 2000, the number has increased to more than 290 schools in Denmark (app. 14% of all schools) involving this teaching method (Bentsen, Søndergaard Jensen, Mygind, & Barfoed Randrup, 2010). Teaching outside the classroom in udeskole one day every week has in case studies been observed to influence children’s physical activity, learning, social relations, and attitudes to school positively and Danish policy-makers have shown increasing interest in udeskole.

However, evidence and knowledge about how udeskole influences pupils is still lacking, as Danish research in udeskole is a rather new phenomenon and limited to small case studies of the pupils’ use of language, physical activity levels (Mygind, 2005; 2007), social relations (Mygind, 2009), as well as the extent and dissemination of udeskole (Bentsen et al., 2010), and how teachers prefer and use the cultural or natural settings outside the classroom (Bentsen, Schipperijn & Jensen, 2013). Therefore, larger quantitative studies about the impacts and outcomes of udeskole are needed, supplemented with qualitative studies, in order to provide the necessary basis of evidence and in-depth insight on which future policy decisions about teaching and learning can be based.

Udeskole is an illustrative area for further research on the interdependencies between physical activity, learning and social relations. Therefore, the research questions raised in the TEACHOUT research project 2014-2017 are not independent from one another, and we expect the project to produce a much needed elaborated understanding of the associations between the school setting, social relations, physical activity, and attitude to school and learning.

A number of recent national and international studies have e.g. identified positive associations

between physical moderate and vigorous aerobic activity and learning which supports the

hypothesis that udeskole, through its combination of academic learning and physical activity might bring new learning and teaching perspectives to the Danish Folkeskole (Biddle & Asare, 2011; (Åberg et al., 2009). Increasing physiological evidence points to a direct causal effect of physical activity on cognitive performance as research indicate that during physical activity a brain-derived neurotrophic factor is produced which affect neuronal growth in hippocampus, which may improve cognitive function (Pilc & Zoladz, 2010). However, physical activity may also facilitate learning through other pathways when learning is done in physically active ways as in udeskole, as this may provide more concrete or engaging experiences of the constructs being taught/ learned.  

A review conducted by Rickinson, Council, & Britain, 2004 concluded that teaching in the field /outdoor settings has a positive impact on long-term memory and points to emotional and cognitive benefits that mutually help to create a bridge to increase the learning abilities. In the Scandinavian countries, several studies emphasize the special role of nature in the education of children and adolescents (Bentsen et al., 2010; Dahlgren, 2007; Mygind, 2005; 2007, 2009; O'Brien & Murray, 2007).

The aim of the proposed TEACHOUT research project is to achieve reliable evidence about the strengths/ weaknesses in udeskole. The main question is: Do the alternative teaching practices of udeskole increase and improve children’s physical activity, academic learning, social interaction and attitudes to school? And if so how?

[1]It is hard to find a suitable equivalent word in English, but udeskole could be understood as ‘outdoor schooling’ or ‘out-of-school-teaching’. The concept of out-of-school-teaching originates from Norway where teachers and pupils also use natural surroundings or a cultural setting, e.g. museums, corporations, factories, and churches as ‘outdoor’ classrooms on a regular basis.

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