outdoor learning experiences with children Hanin Hussain, PhD - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Designing and enacting

• utdoor learning

experiences with children

Hanin Hussain, PhD Early Childhood and Special Needs Education

Our itinerary for today

Introducing our imaginary practice-based inquiry Phase 1: Inquiring into our starting points Phase 2: Preparing to start Phase 3: Let’s go outdoors Phase 4: Looking back, looking around and looking forward Let’s stop here … for now

Introducing our imaginary practice- based inquiry

What is our overall inquiry question?

How can we, as EC educators and centres, design and enact outdoor learning experiences (OLE) with children in ways that (1) are meaningful to everyone involved, and (2) promote risk-taking and safety for everyone involved?

Identifies who are involved in the practice-based exploration/inquiry Identifies the goal we are striving for in

• ur exploration/inquiry

Identifies the criteria by which we know we have achieved our goal

Our assumption today We know that OLE is worthwhile doing with children but we’re not so confident about how to make a start

How are we doing our inquiry?

By taking a complexity thinking approach with these features

• Seeking to understand multiple and interacting factors and perspectives that

can influence our practice

• Generating possibilities in ideas and actions based on above

understandings

• Selecting and justifying a course of action from the above

possibilities

How are we doing our inquiry?

By using an imaginary scenario that

• Includes situations that are recognizable in ECE in Singapore
• Can enable us to envision possibilities together
• Can prompt you to reflect on your own centre and teaching contexts and craft

your own ways to foster outdoor learning

How are we doing our inquiry?

Let’s clarify our imaginary scenario

• Our imaginary centre
• Our understandings of outdoor learning

Imagining our scenario

• Childcare centre located in void deck of HDB

heartland

• Does not have its own outdoor play area
• Children from infants to K2
• Teacher-child ratio as per ECDA regulations
• EL and MT teachers co-teach in each class
• Staff
• Teachers with range of teaching experiences

and qualifications

• Non-teaching staff include cook, cleaning

aunty, administrator

• Principal as centre leader
• Student-teachers on practicum

The centre

Imagining our scenario

Our understanding of outdoor learning

• Outdoors as a context and an environment for learning
• 3 inter-weaving aspects of OLE

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interweave#other-words

The Mobius ring Learning in the outdoors Learning about the outdoors Learning through the outdoors

http://mobius-llc.com

Imagining our scenario

Our understanding of outdoor learning

• Outdoors as a context and an environment for learning
• 3 inter-weaving aspects of OLE
• Learning in the outdoors
• Bringing children to the outdoors, using outdoors as a physical setting for activities
• Potential benefits include …
• Learning through the outdoors
• Taking advantage of the unique characteristics of the outdoors to support children’s

holistic development

• Potential benefits include …
• Learning about the outdoors
• Exploring and finding out about the outdoor environments while being outdoor
• Potential benefits include …

Phase 1: Inquiring into

• ur starting points

What are the perspectives of the centre community, the centre and the organisation in relation to OLE?

Inquiring into our starting points

• Our personal starting points
• Colleagues’ starting points
• Children’s starting points
• Parents’ starting points
• Centre’s starting points
• Organisation’s starting points

Inquiring into our starting points

• Our personal starting points
• Colleagues’ starting points
• Children’s starting points
• Parents’ starting points
• Centre’s starting points
• Organisation’s starting points

Opportunity for self-reflection

• What are/have been your experiences in

the outdoors?

• Do you like being outdoors? Why/Why

not?

• Would you like to spend more time
• utdoors? Why/why not?
• How confident do you feel about engaging

children in OLE?

• How much experience &/ knowledge do

you have about engaging children in OLE?

• What are some the benefits of OLE for

children?

• What are some of your concerns about

engaging children in OLE?

Personal Professional You cannot understand the teacher or their teaching without understanding the person the teacher is Andy Hargreaves

http://andyhargreaves.weebly.com/100-quotes-to-teach-and-lead-by-1-25.html

Let’s imagine the following starting points for today’s inquiry/adventure: Teachers’ starting points

• Varying levels of experience

& comfort in outdoors

• Generally understand

benefits of OLE & many have concerns about safety issues

• Varying levels of confidence

to bring children outdoors

• Generally good relationships

among teachers

Inquiring into our starting points

Let’s imagine the following starting points for today’s inquiry/adventure: Teachers’ starting points Children’s starting points

• Many children live in this precinct
• Varying levels of outdoor

experience with families

• Those who spend more time
• utdoors more enthusiastic about

being outdoors & know the neighbourhood more

Inquiring into our starting points

Let’s imagine the following starting points for today’s inquiry/adventure: Teachers’ starting points Children’s starting points Parents’ starting points

• Varying levels of experience &

comfort in outdoors

• Have concerns about safety &

hygiene issues

• Those who spend more time
• utdoors more enthusiastic about

OLE for children

• Some unsure of benefits

Inquiring into our starting points

Let’s imagine the following starting points for today’s inquiry/adventure: Teachers’ starting points Children’s starting points Parents’ starting points Centre’s starting points

• OLE not (yet) a regular part of the curriculum, only

ad-hoc OLE

• No shared guidelines for OLE among teachers
• Centre leader supportive of regular OLE

Inquiring into our starting points

Let’s imagine the following starting points for today’s inquiry/adventure: Teachers’ starting points Children’s starting points Parents’ starting points Centre’s starting points

Inquiring into our starting points

Organisation’s starting points

• Provides central curriculum to centres and allow

centres/teachers to modify to suit children’s and centre’s needs and interests

• No explicit requirement to provide regular OLE
• pportunities (yet)

Let’s imagine the following starting points for today’s inquiry/adventure: Teachers’ starting points Children’s starting points Parents’ starting points Centre’s starting points Organisation’s starting points

• Varying levels of experience

& comfort in outdoors

• Generally understand

benefits of OLE & many have concerns about safety issues

• Varying levels of confidence

to bring children outdoors

• Generally good relationships

among teachers

• Many children live in this precinct
• Varying levels of outdoor

experience with families

• Those who spend more time
• utdoors more enthusiastic about

being outdoors & know the neighbourhood more

• Varying levels of experience &

comfort in outdoors

• Have concerns about safety &

hygiene issues

• Those who spend more time
• utdoors (with or without children)

more enthusiastic about OLE for children

• Some unsure of benefits
• OLE not (yet) a regular part of the curriculum, only

ad-hoc OLE

• No shared guidelines for OLE among teachers
• Centre leader supportive of regular OLE
• Provides central curriculum to centres and allow

centres/teachers to modify to suit children’s and centre’s needs and interests

• No explicit requirement to provide regular OLE
• pportunities (yet)

Inquiring into our starting points

Phase 2: Preparing to start

What are some important preparations to enable meaningful and safe OLE that also foster risk-taking?

To enable meaningful learning and risk- taking

• Generate possible OL spaces &

activities in the neighbourhood

• Develop meaningful routines for OLE

To enable safety and address concerns

• Develop centre procedures
• Foster communication & sharing with

parents

Inquiring into our preparations

Two types of preparations What else can we do to enable meaningful learning and risk-taking? What else can we do to enable safety & address concerns?

To enable meaningful learning and risk- taking

• Generate possible OL spaces &

activities in the neighbourhood

• Develop meaningful routines for OLE

To enable safety and address concerns

• Develop centre procedures
• Foster communication & sharing with

parents

Inquiring into our preparations

Two types of preparations What else can we do to enable meaningful learning and risk-taking? What else can we do to enable safety & address concerns?

Generating possible outdoor learning spaces & activities

To enable meaningful learning and risk-taking

Some possible spaces

• Precinct park
• Void deck spaces

Let’s …

• have a look at the above spaces, and
• imagine some possible learning experiences we

can engage with children in each space

Precinct park

Precinct park

What are some possible activities/ experiences we can engage with children in each of the space?

Void deck spaces

What are some possible activities/experiences we can engage with children in each of the space?

Generating possible outdoor learning spaces & activities

Possible space Grassy area at the precinct part Void deck area Possible quiet experiences & with whom Reading, singing, circle games, picnic with infants to kindergarten Reading, singing, circle games, picnic with infants to kindergarten Possible physically active experiences & with whom Running & ball games for nursery to kindergarten Running & ball games for nursery to kindergarten Possible exploration experiences & with whom Exploring plants and nature for nursery to kindergarten Moving and exploring the environment for toddler to nursery

To enable meaningful learning and risk- taking

• Generate possible OL spaces &

activities in the neighbourhood

• Develop meaningful routines for OLE

To enable safety and address concerns

• Develop centre procedures
• Foster communication & sharing with

parents

Inquiring into our preparations

Two types of preparations What else can we do to enable meaningful learning and risk-taking? What else can we do to enable safety & address concerns?

Developing meaningful routines for OLE

To enable meaningful learning and risk-taking

What are some possible routines to develop for OLE?

• Going out routine = Routine when going out and about in the neighbourhood
• Coming back routine = Routine after returning from out and about in the neighbourhood

Different routines for different groups of children according to developmental needs? E.g., 0-2, 3-4, 5-6?

Developing meaningful routines for OLE

To enable meaningful learning and risk-taking

Possible ‘going out routine’ with K1 & K2 children (5 & 6 year old)

• Purpose of routine: to enable children to be physically, mentally and emotionally ready to go
• ut in the neighbourhood as a group
• How can we link routine to NEL learning outcomes?
• Foster engagement (disposition)
• Manage their own emotions and behaviours (SEL)
• Take responsibility for their actions (SEL)
• Develop healthy habits and safety awareness at home, in school

and at public places (MSD)

Developing meaningful routines for OLE

To enable meaningful learning and risk-taking

Possible ‘going out routine’ with K1 & K2 children (5 & 6 year old)

• Purpose of routine: to enable children to be physically, mentally and emotionally ready to go
• ut in the neighbourhood as a group

Prompt children to be aware of reasons/purpose for different parts of routine

• What can the routine look like? (Routine=Practice & purpose/reason)
• Talk with the children about the OLE to prepare them for the OLE,
• Go the toilet if you need to go so you can enjoy your OLE,
• Bring along your water bottle so you can drink when you’re thirsty
• Put on your shoes to protect your feet when walking outside
• Find a partner to walk with outdoors to keep everyone safe
• How can we link routine to NEL learning outcomes?

To enable meaningful learning and risk- taking

• Generate possible OL spaces &

activities in the neighbourhood

• Develop meaningful routines for OLE

To enable safety and address concerns

• Develop centre procedures (SOPs)
• Foster communication & sharing with

parents

Inquiring into our preparations

Two types of preparations What else can we do to enable meaningful learning and risk-taking? What else can we do to enable safety & address concerns?

Developing centre procedures (or SOPs)

To enable safety and address concerns

What are some OLE-related procedures that centres can develop to enable safety and address concerns?

• Procedures for analyzing and managing issues, concerns & hazards
• Procedures for taking children out of centre
• Procedures for managing accidents and injuries
• Any others?

Developing centre procedures

To enable safety and address concerns

Procedures for analyzing and managing issues, concerns & hazards

• Using the PEEP model to identify and manage issues, concerns,

existing and potential hazards in OLE related to

• People
• Equipment
• Environment
• Process

For a particular OLE, what issues, concerns and hazards (existing & potential) can we identify? How can we manage the issues, concerns and hazards we have identified?

Information gathered from Phase 1 & Phase 2 so far

To enable meaningful learning and risk- taking

• Generate possible OL spaces &

activities in the neighbourhood

• Develop meaningful routines for OLE

To enable safety and address concerns

• Develop centre procedures
• Foster communication & sharing with

parents

Inquiring into our preparations

Two types of preparations What else can we do to enable meaningful learning and risk-taking? What else can we do to enable safety & address concerns?

Fostering communications & sharing with parents

To enable safety and address concerns

▸ Demonstrating awareness of parents’ concerns and possible issues even as we explain reasons for our decisions/practices ⇒ listening to their concerns = Unanswered questions ▸ Make routines & procedures visible to parents regularly ⇒ remind parents that you have thought through ways to enable safety during OLE

Working on the preparations should give us confidence to get started & address concerns and issues

To enable meaningful learning and risk- taking

• Generate possible OL spaces &

activities

• Develop meaningful routines for OLE

What we will do with children

To enable safety and address concerns

• Develop centre procedures
• Foster communication & sharing with

parents

What we will do with others Two types of preparations

Phase 3: Let’s go

• utdoors

What do we choose to start with and how do we enact

• ur choices?

Let’s go outdoors …

• … with N1-K2 children
• … with infants & toddlers

Designing and enacting our first OLE with N1-K2 children

What’s the overall plan? Keeping it simple and meaningful for all

• Familiarise children with going out routine (for specific group)
• Walk to selected space for activity
• Return to centre & familiarize children with coming back routine
• Reflect on & talk about experience, people, places, things (at centre? at void deck?)

Enact plan so that it is aligned with centre procedures

Designing and enacting our first OLE with N1-K2 children

Selected space Why select this space?

• Near centre & easy to

move to and from centre

• Clear enough boundaries

for children to recognize

• Reasonably easy to

supervise

Designing and enacting our first OLE with N1-K2 children

How will we organise the activity? Teacher-directed play What are games? Why games? Activity What will we do here & why? Play a simple game & some variations so that children have opportunities to

• follow instructions when in the outdoors,
• recognise the boundaries for play,
• learn that games have rules which players abide

by & we can vary the rules

• contribute to rules of the game & enjoy playing

Intended learning

• utcomes

Designing and enacting our first OLE with N1-K2 children

What’s the overall plan? Keeping it simple and meaningful for all

• Familiarise children with going out routine (for specific group)
• Walk to selected space for activity
• Return to centre & familiarize children with coming back routine
• Reflect on & talk about experience, people, places, things (at centre? at void deck?)

Selected space Why select this space?

• Near centre & easy to

move to and from centre

• Clear enough boundaries

for children to recognize

• Reasonably easy to

supervise How will we organise the activity? Teacher-directed play Enact plan so that it is aligned with centre procedures What are games? Why games? Activity What will we do here & why? Play a simple game & some variations so that children have opportunities to

• follow instructions when in the outdoors,
• recognise the boundaries for play,
• learn that games have rules which players abide

by & we can vary the rules

• contribute to rules of the game & enjoy playing

Intended learning

• utcomes

Designing and enacting subsequent OLEs with N1-K2 children

What’s the overall plan? Keeping it simple and meaningful for all

• Familiarise children with going out routine (for specific group)
• Walk to selected space for activity
• Return to centre & familiarize children with coming back routine
• Reflect on & talk about experience, people, places, things (at centre? At void deck?)

Activity Consider varying some aspects of the game &/ intended learning outcomes What will we do here & why? Play a simple game & some variations so that children have opportunities to

• follow instructions when in the outdoors,
• recognise the boundaries for play,
• learn that games have rules which players abide

with & we can vary the rules

• contribute to rules of the game & enjoy playing

Enact plan so that it is aligned with centre procedures Selected space Consider changing the space for playing before selecting Why select this space? Teacher-directed play Child & teacher-directed play Child-directed play How will we organise the activity? Consider varying the way we

• rganise play

Designing and enacting our first OLE with infants & toddlers

What’s the overall plan? Keeping it simple and meaningful for all

• Familiarise children with going out routine (for specific group)
• Walk to selected space for activity
• Return to centre & familiarize children with coming back routine
• Interact with children to share about experience, people, places, things

Selected space Why select this space?

• Very near centre & easy to move

to and from centre

• Clear enough boundaries for

children to learn to recognize

• Reasonably easy to supervise

Enact plan so that it is aligned with centre procedures Activity What will we do here & why? Consider what the children are familiar with & generate possibilities from these Examples:

• Let children move around to explore space
• Read some familiar books with children
• Sing familiar songs and rhymes with children

EYDF links

How will we organise the activity? Child & teacher-directed play Child-directed play

Designing and enacting subsequent OLE with infants & toddlers

What’s the overall plan? Keeping it simple and meaningful for all

• Familiarise children with going out routine (for specific group)
• Walk to selected space for activity
• Return to centre & familiarize children with coming back routine
• Reflect on & talk about experience, people, places, things

Selected space Consider changing the space for playing before selecting Why select this space?

• Near/very near centre & easy to

move to and from centre

• Clear enough boundaries for

children to learn to recognize

• Reasonably easy to supervise

Enact plan so that it is aligned with centre procedures Activity What will we do here & why? Consider varying some aspects of past OLEs & generate possibilities from these Examples:

• Let children move differently around to explore space
• Read some familiar &/ new books with children
• Sing familiar &/ new songs and rhymes with children

EYDF links

How will we organise the activity? Child & teacher-directed play Child-directed play

Developing a strong rhythm in OLE with children

Develop an overall plan for OLE that

• Is simple and meaningful for children and teachers
• Addresses safety issues as well as teachers’ and parents’ concerns
• Enables children to recognize similarities and fosters a sense of

familiarity/stability in OLE Vary some aspects of OLE design regularly that

• Can include selected space, ways to organise play, activities, intended

learning outcome

• Enables children to experience and recognize variations and fosters a

sense of difference/excitement in OLE

• Has uncertainty embedded in OLE to foster the capacity for risk-taking

Rhythm = pattern with familiarity & differences

Different rhythms for different children/ groups of children

Phase 4: Looking back, looking around and looking forward

How have our OLE so far been meaningful/not meaningful for children, us and parents? How are our routines & procedures helpful/not helpful so far? How far have we come in our OL adventure as a centre and where do we go next?

How can we, as EC educators and centres, design and enact outdoor learning experiences (OLE) with children in ways that (1) are meaningful to everyone involved, and (2) promote risk-taking and safety for everyone involved?

Identifies who are involved in the practice-based exploration/inquiry Identifies the goal we are striving for in

• ur exploration/inquiry

Identifies the criteria by which we know we have achieved our goal

Looking around & looking forward …

Reviewing the inquiry question and what next?

Phase 1: Inquiring into our starting points

• Our personal starting points
• Colleagues’ starting points
• Children’s starting points
• Parents’ starting points
• Centre’s starting points
• Organisation’s starting points

Looking back, looking around & looking forward …

Phase 2: Preparing to start To enable meaningful learning and risk-taking

• Generate possible OL

spaces & activities

• Develop meaningful routines

for OLE To enable safety and address concerns

• Develop centre procedures
• Foster communication &

sharing with parents Phase 3: Let’s go outdoors

• Create a strong rhythm in OLE by

simultaneously having a sense of regularity & variations

• Sense of regularity through overall

plan that’s simple & meaningful for all and can be kept consistent for most OLE

• Sense of variation by modifying

some aspects of OLE with children

• Seek children’s voices and

contributions Reviewing what we’ve done so far and what next? What, if anything, has changed for any of the above? What, if anything, needs to be changed for any of the above? How have the OLE so far been meaningful and not meaningful for children & teachers?

Let’s stop here … for now

Advocating for a practice-based inquiry & a complexity thinking approach

Advocating for a practice-based inquiry approach

"Genuine inquiry needs space to take risks, make mistakes and try again – and again." Timperley, Kaser & Halbert (2014) “(E)ducational research and educational practice might be considered aspects of the same project – namely, expanding the space of human possibility by exploring the space of the existing possible.” (own emphasis) Davis & Sumara (2006)

Advocating for a complexity thinking approach

Available on ECDA website