Movement, outdoor learning and well-being at school
Our research
The LärMiljö study contributes knowledge that can be used to promote learning and well-being in school, both among students and teachers, and support schools and teachers in their work.
The results from the study provide a basis for identifying which factors related to health and a good learning environment are important among schoolchildren.
The new national core curriculum for primary education in Finland, which came into effect in 2016, emphasizes the use of diverse learning environments. There is a lack of knowledge in Finland regarding the extent to which teaching in primary schools takes place outside the school building and the significance of the use of outdoor learning environments on students' learning, physical activity, health and well-being and nature connectedness, as well as what opportunities and challenges teachers experience in relation to this.
The sub-areas and objectives of the LärMiljö study
The LärMiljö study consists of a) a survey of the use of learning environments outside the school building, where the research material is used to clarify to what extent different learning environments are used in the Swedish-language primary schools and which factors (including perceived benefits and obstacles, the experience of self-determination and support) are related to this; and b) the student study, where questionnaire material, results from academic tests and measurements with accelerometers are used to examine students’ physical activity, health and well-being, school performance and nature connectedness, as well as how the class teacher's use of different learning environments and other factors are related to these. Before the two sub-studies, a pilot study was carried out in the autumn of 2021, aimed at testing the feasibility and suitability of the data collection methods planned for the studies.
Data and methods
Data collection for the study began in late 2021 with a national survey in Swedish-language primary schools among teachers and principals, and in the spring of 2022 in grades 3-6 of Swedish-language primary schools among students, guardians and class teachers. The data collection continued during the school year 2022–2023. Data was collected with electronic web surveys and students’ physical activity was measured with accelerometers over a week during which a diary was also kept. Academic tests were conducted during lesson time.
Publications
Conference abstracts and presentations
Simonsen et al. 2024. School-based outdoor education and teacher well-being: the LärMiljö (Learning Environment) study. Results were presented at the “17th European Public Health Conference” in Lisbon, Portugal, 12–15 November 2024.
Wackström et al. 2023. The use of outdoor education to support physical activity during the school day in Swedish-language primary schools in Finland. Results were presented at the ISBNPA conference in Uppsala, Sweden on June 14–17, 2023.
Simonsen et al. 2022. LärMiljö (Learning Environment) -study protocol: movement, outdoor learning and well-being in school. The study protocol was presenteed at the “15th European Public Health Conference” in Berlin, Germany, 9-12 November 2022.
Master's Thesis
Ray, J. 2024. Opettajien kokemat ulkoilmaopetuksen terveyteen liittyviä hyötyjä oppilailla ja sen käyttö: Artikkeli pro gradu -tutkielma osana LärMiljö-tutkimusta, Jyväskylän yliopisto, Terveyden edistäminen pro gradu -tutkielma.
[Teachers’ perceptions of health benefits by outdoor education for pupils and use of it: Folkhälsan LärMiljö-study article master thesis, University of Jyväskylä, Master’s thesis in health promotion.]
- The LärMiljö (Learning Environment) project, in cooperation with the Folkhälsan Förbund, organized a webinar 'Movement, outdoor learning and well-being in schools' on May 3, 2023. You can watch the webinar recording (in Swedish) here. During the webinar, outdoor learning was addressed and discussed from different perspectives. Different actors presented their activities related to outdoor education and results from the LärMiljö study were presented.
- Infographics with results from the study (in Swedish) for schools, 2023.
- Article (in Swedish) on website Lärorikt: Gå ut och hitta nya lärmiljöer – rörelsen ökar oftast på köpet.
- The research project has published a literature review (in Swedish) on outdoor education and its effects on school children's well-being and learning, 2020.
- The LärMiljö (Learning Environment) study was presented at the "Ulos-Ut-Out" Conference in Finland on June 15-17, 2021.
Kort om studien på svenska
Det finns knappt om kunskap i Finland gällande i vilken mån undervisningen i grundskolan sker utanför det traditionella klassrummet och vilka effekter användningen av lärmiljöer utomhus kan ha på elevers lärande, på deras fysiska aktivitet, hälsa och välbefinnande samt naturrelation, och vilka möjligheter och utmaningar lärarna upplever i relation till detta. Folkhälsans LärMiljö-studie söker svar på dessa frågor.
Read more
Scientist
Nina Simonsen
Visiting Scientist
Nanna Wackström
Literature review in Swedish. Litteraturöversikt om Utomhuspedagogik (PDF).
Report in Swedish. Folkhälsans LärMiljö-studie – Rörelse, utomhuslärande och välmående i grundskolans lägre årskurser, 2023. (PDF)
Master's Thesis
Ray, J. 2024. Opettajien kokemat ulkoilmaopetuksen terveyteen liittyviä hyötyjä oppilailla ja sen käyttö: Artikkeli pro gradu -tutkielma osana LärMiljö-tutkimusta, Jyväskylän yliopisto, Terveyden edistäminen pro gradu -tutkielma.
[Teachers’ perceptions of health benefits by outdoor education for pupils and use of it: Folkhälsan LärMiljö-study article master thesis, University of Jyväskylä, Master’s thesis in health promotion.]
Folkhälsan association in Åboland
Svenska kulturfonden
Foundation of Eschnerska Frilasarettet
Johanna och G. A. Petrelius foundation
Contact us
Nina Simonsen
Scientist
Nanna Wackström
Visiting Scientist, Doctoral Researcher