Forest Education 2300-MEA2-EL

The course focuses on the importance of direct contact with nature – specifically with the forest ecosystem – for the holistic development of the child in cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions. It presents the forest as an educational, therapeutic, and social space that fosters well-being, prevents the consequences of the so-called "nature deficit" in childhood, and builds a lasting bond between humans and the natural environment.
Forest pedagogy is presented as an interdisciplinary field of educational reflection and practice developed at the intersection of pedagogy, ecophilosophy, anthropology, environmental education, and contemporary ecological humanities. Here, the forest is not merely a passive backdrop for educational activities, but functions as an autonomous pedagogical medium and a fully-fledged educational environment. The course offers an alternative to the dominant educational monoculture propagated by the traditional classroom-based model and transmissive didactics, which reduce cognitive experience to an informational and instrumental dimension.
The course – largely conducted in field conditions – begins with a critical analysis of the limitations of institutional education, proposing a pedagogical expansion of human experience. It introduces the anthropological, philosophical, ontological, epistemological, and axiological foundations of the human-nature relationship in the context of the contemporary climate crisis and the concept of sustainable development. A key element is reflection on the status of humans in a "more-than-human world", moving beyond narrow anthropocentrism toward relationality, responsibility, and co-presence, as well as a critical review of globalized biodiversity narratives (often dominated by Global North perspectives). The curriculum incorporates decolonial perspectives on nature, accounting for local knowledge, indigenous wisdom, and environmental justice.
The practical dimension includes field class blocks utilizing methods such as observation and mapping. Students acquire skills necessary to design inclusive and safe educational environments (within formal, non-formal, outdoor, and experiential pedagogy) that counteract alienation from nature, strengthen ethical sensitivity, and promote mature human participation in the natural world.
Course Objectives
- Deepening knowledge regarding biological diversity (species, ecosystem, landscape) and its crucial importance for human development and well-being.
- Understanding the mechanisms and consequences of the "nature deficit" phenomenon among children and youth from the perspective of individual development and social relations.
- Developing practical skills in designing and implementing inclusive educational activities in the natural environment (utilizing experiential pedagogy and outdoor education).
- Critical analysis of dominant, globalized narratives concerning biodiversity, natural resources, and methods of "using" the forest and conducting environmental education.
- Familiarization with decolonial and relational perspectives on nature, with a specific focus on local knowledge, indigenous wisdom, and the idea of environmental justice.
- Fostering ethical sensitivity and reflexivity in organizing educational spaces in the forest, encompassing care for the ecosystem, safety of participants, and building a responsible human-nature relationship.