Definitions and explanations are always simplifications. Gregory Bateson would have said: ‘The map is not the territory’. And SILVIVA works primarily in the field…
And yet you will find terms on our website, in our newsletters, media products and publications that we use regularly. Here we explain what SILVIVA means by them:
Outdoor learning is a broadly understood concept that refers to all learning outside school or formal learning buildings or in virtual settings. It is a concept that has been used for years in Northern Europe. Another term we use almost synonymously at SILVIVA is real-world learning.
We mostly use the definition from Bentsen et al, 2021, p. 1:
For a more in-depth look at the concept it is worth taking a look at our research volume:
Young and old alike, we are spending more and more time on our screens. More and more of our professional and private activities and interactions take place in virtual worlds or within four walls.
Phrases such as ‘alienation from nature’, ‘changing-baseline-syndrome’ and ‘nature-deficit-disorder’ circulate with increasing frequency in the media. But do these refer to real phenomena?
SILVIVA does not wish to play nature and technology or the indoors and the outdoors off against each other. Both are important aspects of the human experience and society.
However, we recognise that scientific findings and experience both show ever more clearly that learning experiences which include all the senses in outdoor, natural spaces are incredibly important. Contact with and experience of the natural world seems to be an important aspect of a healthy, contented life: to go out and touch grass.
That is why we promote learning in and with nature as widely as possible. This concept is in turn part of outdoor learning, simply in natural spaces.
We have a broad understanding of learning in nature: there is no one right form, but rather a variety of possibilities that should be adapted to the situation and to the learning objectives. Just being outside can help, even if the lesson is otherwise unchanged.
Whether nature is used as a learning context, to deepen knowledge of natural phenomena, or as a place for experimentation to understand complex issues such as climate change, any form of interaction is useful as long as it has a positive impact on learning.
Experiential learning is fundamental to SILVIVAs educational approach. Active, hands-on experiences in the real world – preferably in natural settings – are the ideal conditions for effective learning. Interaction with the environment, other learners and educators creates meaning and stimulates motivation to learn.
See also: Learning in and with the natural world (above).
We use the terms ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ interchangeably.
The Brundtland Commission (1987) defined the core idea of sustainable development as follows: ‘Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’
The guiding principle of sustainability is to strive for long term, future-proof and generationally fair development. Sustainable development is not a static vision, but a guiding concept that encourages people to collaboratively address societal challenges such as poverty, peace, social conflicts, harmonious coexistence, overconsumption and shared use of natural resources. It involves seeking existing solutions and developing new ones as well as being prepared to implement them. This applies to individual lifestyles as well as to broader social decisions. It combines the economic principle of sustainable yield (‘living off the interest, not the capital’) with the ethical principles of justice and solidarity.
SILVIVA uses the strong sustainability model: without nature, no people, without people, no economy. The concept of strong sustainability assumes that natural capital cannot be replaced by any other capital (social or economic) and therefore prioritises the preservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
This understanding of sustainability has been further developed into the ‘Stockholm Wedding Cake model’ including the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN Sustainable Development Goals for Agenda 2030) (see graphic on the right, below).
Nature-based environmental education and learning in and with the natural world are part of outdoor learning.
Outdoor learning in nature teaches environmental and nature-related topics in an experiential and action-oriented way, using the natural world as an example. It provides the tools needed to understand natural phenomena and aims to promote understanding of and connection to the non-human environment. This in turn supports the development of sustainable behaviour.
Environmental education deals with the relationship between humans and the environment. Its main focus is to promote a willingness to take action and to empower individuals to treat natural resources with respect, balancing individual, societal, economic, and ecological interests. This requires environmental education to enable personal experiences and perceptions, and foster the ability to navigate conflct and complex situations.
The central elements of environmental education are a systemic, contextualised and authentic approach to learning, experiences in and with the natural world, the acquisition of knowledge and action strategies, and the ability and the willingness to play an active and self-determined part in shaping their own environment.
Without an intact biosphere, there can be no sustainable economic or social development (see the concept of strong sustainability above). Sustainability cannot exist without the preservation of natural resources.
Environmental education focuses precisely on this point and thus makes a fundamental contribution to education for sustainability.
