Children's Outdoor Environment in Icelandic Educational Policy

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate what characterizes the discourse on the role of the outdoor environment in young children's learning in educational policy documents in Iceland. Policy documents, laws and regulations, national curriculum guides for pre- and compulsory school levels, and documents from municipalities were analyzed. A six-step approach to discourse analysis was utilized. The main findings are that the outdoor environment is not highlighted in these documents, but is rather seen as a benefit to children's learning, health, and play and the fostering of children's positive environmental attitudes. Two types of contradictions were found: Silence about the outdoors versus emphasis on it, and discussion on risk versus learning opportunities.

Keywords:

• outdoor environment
• discourse
• children's learning
• educational policy

The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of The Nature conservation Fund of Pálmi Jónsson (Náttúruverndarsjóður Pálma Jónssonar) and the Environmental and Energy Research Fund (Umhverfis- og orkurannsóknasjóðurinn) owned by Reykjavík Energy (Orkuveita Reykjavíkur), the municipal energy company of Reykjavík. The first author wishes to thank the University of Iceland for a sabbatical that enabled her to work on this article.

Notes

¹Other communities are: In the capital city area, Mosfellsbær (a town of 8500 with a medium-sized farming area) and Álftanes (a community of 2500); in West Iceland, Akranes (a town of 6600) and Stykkishólmur (a village of 1100); and in the West fjords, along with Tálknafjörður village, mentioned earlier, Ísafjörður (a small town of 2600). In North West Iceland are Skagafjörður (an area with a central municipality of 4000, including a town of 2600, a couple of small villages, and a large rural farming area) and Blönduósbær (a village of 800); in North East Iceland, Akureyri (the fourth largest town in Iceland and two small island villages; total population 17,500) and Hörgárbyggð (a rural farming area together with two small villages; total population 400); in East Iceland, Fjarðabyggð (a municipality totalling 4500 and comprising five towns and villages and a rural farming area) and Djúpavogshreppur (a village and a small farming area; total population 350). In South Iceland are Árborg (a municipality of 7800 comprising one town, two villages, and a rural farming area) and Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur (a rural farming area of 500). In the Reykjanes Peninsula are Reykjanesbær (a municipality of 14,000 consisting of one town and a tiny village) and Grindavík (a small town of 2800).

²In Icelandic: Útiumhverfi, úti, náttúra, nágrenni, skólalóð, leikvöllur, útikennsla, útileikur.

³In one of the studies we referred to in the introduction, the authors (Kernan & Devine, 2010) talk about dominant discourses in the same way as we talk about legitimating principles in the discourse.