Naturen som læringsarena i norsk grunnskole

Many international review studies show that outdoor education can have positive effects on social relationships, physical and mental health, and learning. However, research from Norway is rarely included in these review studies. In addition, there is great variation as what is meant by outdoor education, which means that outdoor education can, but does not necessarily, refer to nature being used as a learning arena. The aim of this study is to gain an overview and insight into research-based knowledge about how nature has been used as a learning arena in Norwegian schools and what benefits this can have for the students. First, relevant studies were identified through a literature search before they were analyzed using content analysis. The studies that have been included are published research studies where nature has been used as a learning arena in primary or lower secondary schools (compulsory school) in Norway during the 2000-2023 period. The literature search revealed challenges with regard to terminology use, and that the limited number of published Norwegian studies is limited. Furthermore, the content analysis shows that many of the included studies have vague context descriptions, more specifically of the outdoor areas that have been used as learning arenas. Despite these challenges, the study has provided a research-based overview and insight into how nature has been used as a learning environment in Norwegian schools, and of the benefits it can provide to the students.