Skit i boken! Var ÄR lupparna? : En fenomenografisk studie om pedagogers uppfattningar av utomhuspedagogik

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how preschool teachers in seven preschools from different pedagogical perspectives in Sweden think about outdoor pedagogy and whether their perspectives influence their work and how they teach. Three research questions have been formulated in order to investigate the purpose: What are the pedagogues’ perceptions of outdoor pedagogy? What are the pedagogues’ perceptions of the differences between teaching indoors and outdoors? What are the pedagogues’ main perceptions of outdoor teaching? A qualitative method has been used in this study, the data were collected through interviews and observations using a phenomenographical approach. The study was carried out in seven preschools in Sweden, with a total of sixteen informants agreeing to participate in the study. A phenomenographical, variational theoretical method has been used to interpret the collected data from the interviews, and the analysis of the data from the observations was conducted from John Dewey’s progressivism perspective and “learning by doing”. This study came to the conclusion that the participating pedagogues show positive insights on the benefits of outdoor pedagogy regardless of pedagogical approach. The study also showed that the conditions for a good quality of an outdoor pedagogy depends on the pedagogues’ interest, experience, and role as a child’s co-discoverer and co-player. The variation in answers from the group of informants showed a great difference between personal opinions and experiences. Knowledge and a willingness to learn and to implement teaching outdoors set high demands on the pedagogues in the need for innovation, spontaneity and flexibility. Demanding factors prone to affect outdoor pedagogy are considered to be a workforce shortage in preschool, fluctuating weather conditions, and other factors affecting the child’s personal equipment, for example their clothing