Highlighting Urban Green Spaces For Education

<< Background >>Research has shown that outdoor learning can improve academic performance, including for students with learning difficulties such as ASD. It also allows students to develop personally and socially by increasing their confidence. The benefits of outdoor learning are not limited to the students; for teachers it also allows for building better relationships between them and the students themselves, as well as a new perspective on teaching the curriculum. On the other hand, it helps to promote teamwork by facilitating real-world learning. It is also an opportunity to educate about flora, fauna and climate.In the Covid era, when schools closed and social distancing became primordial, many schools experimented with outdoor classes.All participating organisations, on a professional level, come into daily contact with teachers who can benefit from the project in various ways. This will increase the capacity of schools to promote outdoor education as part of their educational approach. This project is part of this interest in improving teaching methods.<< Objectives >>- Increase the use of outdoor education in urban green and blue spaces for the benefit of teachers, pupils and the environment.- To provide knowledge on how to make urban outdoor education maps.- To equip teachers with the skills and confidence to manage groups in outdoor environments.- To ensure that outdoor education follows a safety protocol.<< Implementation >>The following activities have been developed in the project:1. Outdoor Education Guide Work Party. A mobility activity was carried out in Zaragoza.2. Green City Maps Work Party. A mobility activity was carried out in Dublin.3. Lesson Materials Work Party. A mobility activity was carried out in Denizli/Acipayam.<< Results >>The main result has been an Outdoor Education Guide that can be downloaded from the project website (https://www.hugserasmus.eu/outdoor-education-guide/) in all partner languages (English, Spanish, and Turkish).In the green space mapping workshop the participants learned what are the best features of a green space map for educational purposes, to produce their maps in their cities.The teachers who participated in the working group on didactic resources got to know the Guide produced, as well as didactic materials (designed in English as it is the common working language of the partners) to be used by the teachers who attended the mobility in Turkey when they organize outdoor educational activities in their countries (https://www.hugserasmus.eu/lesson-materials-work-party/).Moreover, participants and partner organizations have improved their skills and competencies in outdoor education through their participation in the activities developed in the project. Networks with other organizations have also been created to facilitate the realization of different activities and projects related to outdoor education.