Outdoor education in Slovenia and its connections with school curriculum
Irena Kokalj and Matej Mlakar, Centre for School and Outdoor Education, Slovenia
Abstract
In Slovenia out-of-school classes were introduced in 1963. According to Elementary School Act from 1996 out-of school classes became a component of the extended elementary school curriculum. With this Act, out-of-school classes became a compulsory part of the annual work of all schools and one of the quality indicators in education. The Elementary School Act requires school to offer out-of-school classes to pupils at least twice during their compulsory education. Children attend on voluntary basis. In agreement with parents, each elementary school designs its own model of out-of-school classes taking into account pupils’ needs.
Centre for School and Outdoor Education (CSOE) is an institution that carries out out-of-school classes and other outdoor programs. CSOE is a constituent part of Ministry of Education.
CSOE now comprises 23 residential centres and 10 day centres throughout Slovenia. In every centre, beside technical staff, there are two teachers of science and two sport teachers, who facilitate the program.
Program is taking into account the school curriculum. CSOE offers interdisciplinary program that integrates culture, nature sciences, social sciences and sport activities.
Keywords
Slovenia, out-of-school classes, Centre for School and Outdoor Education
Introduction
Slovenia is a two million inhabitant country, bordering Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. Historically, it was a part of Austria (Austro-Hungarian empire), until its dissolution after the First World War, when it became a part of Yugoslavia. During the period of Yugoslav statehood (1918-1991), Slovenia was considered the most economically and generally developed part of that state. It may not be an overstatement, if one claimed that as to many economic and cultural indicators (literacy, scholarization, per capita income, productivity, possibly even the economic ethics), Slovenia gained independence being structurally more similar to its western neighbours than to parts of the former state. In every way, Slovenia matured during Yugoslavia, and this enabled it to join the EU without much friction and difficulty. Slovenia declared and attained independence in 1991, being established as a parliamentary republic, invoking the rule of law and welfare state. The state organization is fundamentally in line with the traditions of European liberal democracy. Slovenia has joined the European Union in 2004.
The Slovenian education system
Slovenia has a rather complex structure of all levels of education, from the pre-school to post-graduate levels.
Higher education still contains a specific model of grades and degrees, which are now being channelled into the Bologna model.
The guiding statement on educational policy in Slovenia is the »White Paper on Education in Slovenia« presented in 1995 by the then Ministry of Education as its basic long term policy statement.
Pursuing from findings on the pluralist nature of modern culture, worldviews and educational philosophies and models, it sets no school model as superior. The principles it affirms are of a very general nature: universal right to education, pay-free basic education; full development of personality and honouring of human rights as directing education; parents' right to choose type of education for children, equality of chances.
The Slovenian education system can be comprehended as consisting of:
1. Pre-school education
2. Elementary education (single structure of elementary and lower secondary education)
3. (Upper) secondary education:
- Vocational and technical education
- Secondary general education
4. Post-secondary vocational education
5. Higher education:
- Undergraduate academic and professional education
- Post-graduate education:
- Specialization and master's studies
- Doctoral studies
This hierarchic framework is supplemented by:
6. Adult education
7. Music and dance education
8. Special needs education
9. Modified programs and programs in ethnically and linguistically mixed areas
Elementary (basic, primary) education has been extended from eight years to nine. This has been done gradually. The implementation of the nine-year basic education began in the 1999/2000 school year. Children that reach the age of 6 in a particular calendar year enter the first class in that year. A tenth year of education has been planned for pupils who fail or who wish to improve their results in the external knowledge assessment.
Nine-year basic education is divided into 3 three-year cycles. Elementary schools provide the compulsory and extended curriculum. The compulsory curriculum must be provided by school and studied by all pupils. It consists of compulsory subjects, electives, home-room periods and activity days (culture, science, sports and technology).
Successful completion of basic education enables pupils to proceed to secondary school education of their choice. Pupils who fulfil the legal compulsory education requirement and successfully complete at least six classes in the eight-year elementary school or at least seven classes in the nine-year elementary school may continue their education in a short-term vocational education program. Success at that level opens doors to other more demanding secondary school programs.
Out-of-school classes are a part of extended (optional) curriculum
The optional elementary school curriculum must be provided by the school, but pupils are free to decide whether they will participate in it or not. It includes educational assistance for children with special needs, remedial classes, additional classes, after-school care and other forms of care for pupils, interest activities and out-of-school classes.
As to extra-curricular educational provision, in Slovenia out-of-school classes were introduced in 1963, therefore they exist already for 45 years. At first only swimming and skiing were taught, for pupils attending the fourth and the fifth grade, respectively. Due to the modern way of living and development of society, the need to include more contents to out-of-school classes emerged. Schools were adding more and more nature science and sociology contents to skiing and swimming classes.
The Elementary School Act of 1996 was a milestone in the development of this concept. According to this Act, out-of-school classes became a component of the extended elementary school curriculum and became a compulsory part of the annual work plan of all schools and one of the quality indicators in education.
Out-of-school classes have been defined as a didactic system – a form of educational provision that, thanks to its special organization, enables the achievement of certain goals, execution of activities and delivery of contents of individual syllabi which are difficult to carry out in regular classes.
Out-of-school classes became a valuable aid to the classroom learning at all school subjects and necessary supplement to school programs.
The Elementary School Act requires schools to offer out-of-school classes to pupils at least twice during their compulsory education. Children attend on voluntary basis.
Out-of-school classes can be offered more than twice during the compulsory education – a lot of schools organize out-of-school classes six or even eight times, so each pupil participates at out-of-school classes almost every year.
With out-of-school classes becoming part of the extended elementary school program, a wider spectrum of goals and contents, related to various fields of education (culture, science, sports, engineering), can be realized. In agreement with parents, each elementary school designs its own model of out-of-school classes taking into account pupils' needs. The model depends on the goals, contents, time, and place of provision. When designing the model, schools take into account all pupils' financial positions and other circumstances.
During out-of-school classes the following requirements have to be met:
− Because out-of-school classes are provided within the scope of periods earmarked for the regular program, they must include objectives contained in syllabi.
− All classes beyond the mandatory provision are financed entirely by the participants themselves. Schools have to ensure that also socially disadvantaged pupils can participate.
− Because out-of-school classes are provided within the scope of the periods earmarked for the regular program and because objectives from syllabi must be attained, schools are required to concurrently provide a comparable program with the same objectives for pupils not taking part in out-of-school classes.
− Majority of parents must agree to send their children to out-of-school classes.
− All teams of subject teachers must agree with the organization of additional out-of-school classes.
Centre for School and Outdoor Education
Government of the Republic of Slovenia responded to the needs of society and educational institutions in 1992 by establishing the Centre for School and Outdoor Education, which specializes in carrying out out-of-school classes and other outdoor programs. CSOE is a constituent part of Ministry of Education.
The main purpose of the Centre for School and Outdoor Education is to educate in outdoors using specific methods, by which objectives stated in school curricula can be met.
After the independence of the Republic of Slovenia was declared in 1991, few military buildings near the state border and some village schools that were no longer in use were assigned to the CSOE. These were later reconstructed and are now used as outdoor education centres. Lately, CSOE started to build new objects which are fundamentally designed to meet the needs of out-of-school classes.
CSOE currently comprises 23 residential centres and 10 day centres that are scattered throughout Slovenia.
As CSOE is a part of Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Ministry provides the funding for its functioning (salaries, equipment, maintenance, constructions and reconstructions), expenses for accommodation that are covered by parents are affordable. This fact allows pupils to attend out-of school classes even every year. Currently, expenses covering accommodation, meals and program (Monday until Friday) amount to 54.80 € per pupil.
Out-of-school classes last from Monday until Friday during the school terms – from September 1 until June 25. Pupils attend these classes throughout the school term, regardless of season and weather conditions, as the program and equipment provided can accommodate (almost) any circumstance.
Facilities of CSOE are used by pre-primary, primary and secondary schools. They are also used by faculties and other organized groups especially during weekends and holidays. About 40.000 pupils per year (60% of pupils that attend out-of-school classes) do their obligatory week of out–of-school activities in Centre for School and Outdoor Education.
The program in Centre for School and Outdoor Education
CSOE does not assist schools only in terms of organizing out-of school classes, but also in the terms of contents. The program offered to schools already encompasses the learning objectives in specific school subjects.
The interdisciplinary program is developed by CSOE in co-operation with experts from the National Education Institute, Faculty of Education and Faculty of Sport. Usually, nature science, cultural and sport topics that need to be explained from different perspectives are chosen for out-of-school classes. The choice of learning methods is within teacher's discretion. Usually contemporary active learning methods are used.
Schools can choose from different interdisciplinary programs:
a. Out-of-school classes with emphasis on nature science. The emphasis is on objectives and activities from school curricula of nature science subjects (nature science, technical science, biology, physics, chemistry and environmental education). Schools are free to choose from different themes. Part of the program is dedicated to different sport activities, depending on the season and location of the Centre.
b. Out-of-school classes with emphasis on social science. The emphasis is on school subjects such as: society, history, geography, ethnology. The program also includes creative workshops and sport activities.
c. Out-of-school classes with emphasis on sport - skiing. The emphasis is on learning of alpine skiing, cross country skiing, ski touring and snowboarding. These classes are organized in centres close to ski resorts.
d. Out-of-school classes with emphasis on sport – swimming. One of the centres is equipped with a swimming pool, where children can get elementary swimming skills.
e. Activity days. Day centres carry out various activity days: nature science days, cultural days or technical days. They last between 4 and 6 hours.
The great advantage of CSOE is the pedagogical staff. In every centre there are, beside technical staff, two teachers of nature science and two sport teachers, who facilitate the program. Teachers have the same extent of learning obligation, the same working conditions and the same salary as the teachers working in common schools. Teachers, employed at CSOE are proficient in their respective field of expertise and are well acquainted with the surroundings of the Centres, where activities are taking place.
Centres are equipped with didactic tools and technology:
- Equipment for sport activities (e.g. rock climbing, swimming, kayaking and canoeing, rafting, biking, alpine and cross country skiing, horseback riding…)
- Equipment for field research and experimental work (e.g. chemicals, thermometers, wind-gauges, microscopes, magnifying glasses…)
- Equipment for astronomy and geology.
Slovenia is small (20.272 km2), but geographically and culturally very diverse country with high biodiversity. The country lies on the contact of four different geographical regions: the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea, the Pannonia basin and the Dinaric Mountains. As CSOE locations are scattered throughout the country participants can experience completely different surroundings from the one that they live in.
Conclusion
It is of particular interest that the system of out-of-school education system in Slovenia is one of the most developed systems in Europe – complete integration in the school system and specialized organization under the auspices of Ministry of Education and Sport, with highly proficient specialized teachers and instructors.
It needs to be mentioned though that in some countries (e.g. Sweden, UK) students can study out-of-class education at faculties or faculty departments, which is not the case in Slovenia. Therefore teachers, working in CSOE need to gain their knowledge during their basic studies (biology, physics, chemistry, sports…) and later upgrade it at various post-graduate courses and internal educational courses organized by CSOE. But the need for specialized under-graduate study programme is becoming more and more pronounced.
Literature
Flere, Sergej (2004). Equity in Education Thematic Review, Country analytical report, Slovenia. University of Maribor, Maribor.
Gros, Gabrijel (2002). V naravo z glavo. Ljubljana: Center šolskih in obšolskih dejavnosti, Ljubljana.
