Conference Agenda for Classroom Teachers
OFFSEAS 2024 has a whole strand of content for classroom teachers – so not just a conference for outdoor education specialists.
Crafting Transformative Experiential Learning Programs
In this comprehensive workshop, we will guide you through creating transformative experiential learning programs. We will look at how you can integrate these programs with academic subjects, establish strong connections between service activities, and cultivate partnerships with your local community. Experiential learning can truly be an immersive educational experience that students not only enjoy but also find profoundly enriching, offering them the opportunity to develop critical life skills, broaden their horizons, and make a meaningful impact on their communities and beyond
Heidi Oxley-Whitnell
Service Learning & CAS Coordinator, United World College Thailand
Educating in the Wild; the Power of Forest School Integration
A brief presentation on how we are integrating weekly Forest School sessions into our PYP Units of Inquiry at St. Andrews, Green Valley. Following this we will divide into small groups and “brain storm” how we could integrate Forest School/outdoor education into a unit of inquiry/curriculum topic to enhance learning. To end the session I will share what a unit of inquiry might look like with weekly Forest School sessions and the benefits of this approach.
Our aim is for participants to develop ways of using Forest School sessions to provide learning opportunities that meet the objectives of outdoor education, primary and secondary curriculums. This is also a way to justify the benefits of Forest School and outdoor education in general.
Ben Shield
Head of Place Based Learning, St Andrews Green Valley
UWC Thailand Student Experience - Panel Discussion
Hear from a group of UWC Thailand students as they share how outdoor learning experiences are woven into the fabric of the learning experience.
Rob Carmichael
Director of Outdoor Education, UWC Thailand
On the Power of Students to Change the World: Safe Water and Sanitation for Every Tropical Village Family
In this presentation, we’re thrilled to showcase (and share with our fellow educators) the incredible power of individual student action to change the world:
We will share how, thanks to ongoing efforts by students, our organisation was able to design the world’s cheapest sanitation system, the Safe Water Garden (SWG), which holds the promise of lifelong life-saving sanitation for < US$ 200 per family. Impressed by the educational rollout model –and the role that schools and communities are playing in this model!– the UN invited SWG to exhibit at the 2023 UN Water Conference in New York as only one of 6 examples of a "scalable nature-based WASH innovation".
We will then share how students –as we speak– are once again leading the next phase in this project: Transforming villages into vibrant sustainable communities. They do so by working directly with local families to jointly figure out to leverage WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) to have healthy and sustainable livelihoods. This includes the co-design of local eco-tourism businesses run by village women.
Our aim is for all participants to (re)discover that students love big visions, get really dug in, make lasting differences, and will display natural passion and ownership if schools help them by simply opening the door to big-ideas opportunities.
Marc Van Loo
Founder and CEO, LooLa & Safe Water Gardens
Ecoliteracy and Outdoor Education: A Holistic Curriculum Integration
A short presentation modeling how St Andrews School Green Valley are working to combine the core strands of ecoliteracy and outdoor education into an adaptable whole school framework.
Followed by collaborative scenarios that draw on a practical tool kit.
Our aim is for participants to develop the skills and resources required to create meaningful, learning opportunities that meet the objectives of outdoor education and ecoliteracy whilst aligning with primary and secondary curriculums.
Jo Clark
Outdoor Education Lead, St Andrews International School Green Valley
Rosie Giordano
Ecoliteracy Coordinator, St Andrews International School Green Valley
Breaking Out! - Taking the Indoor Curriculum Outdoors
This session will look at a number of different ways in which we have approached the Grade 1 curriculum in an outdoor setting to help children to realize that learning can happen absolutely anywhere, provided you are comfortable in your surroundings. We will look at actual samples taken from our journey of learning how to teach more outdoors with a ‘split-screen’ focus of hitting curriculum outcomes while also developing comfort within and a sense of stewardship for the natural world that surrounds us. We hope to open the workshop to others sharing their experiences as well so at the end of the session, attendees will hopefully walk away with a toolbox of ideas with which they can encourage their colleagues to ‘Break Out’ more often.
Jeff Morey
Primary Teacher, UWC Thailand
Emma Wilson
Primary Teacher, UWC Thailand
The Power of Storytelling and Podcasting
Using the power of storytelling to connect people with the outdoors and grow deep connections to the environment is extremely effective. Learn how the power of storytelling can be shared with students, educators, and other stakeholders through podcasting. Educator and podcast host Kevin O’Shea shares his own story of how he created a platform for environmental educators to share their passions with the Nature Talks Podcast. He also gives some “How to” about creating your own podcast to empower the students you teach to share their actions and stories related to SDGs and more.
Kevin O’Shea
Year 3 Teacher, The International School of Penang
What if the Outdoors becomes the Class?
In the subject I currently teach (World Arts and Cultures –WAC, a subject that it’ll be discontinued by 2026), what I strive to do is to implement experiential learning as much as I can. This spans from creating artefacts based on far away (for some) cultures, to first-hand experiences with works of art and material cultures found in the region around us. I have always wondered why none of my teachers at school saw their subjects in such a way, outside of the classroom.
Now that I became an educator, I not only value experiential learning as one of the most effective tools for learning, but I truly believe that the involvement of the body and the senses in the learning environment are the components that will make that learning indelible through time.
In this sense, what I propose for this presentation is the tentative outline of what I would like to implement at UWC Adriatic, which is the creation of an Outdoor Educational Programme encompassing the majority, if not all, of the subjects that we teach here at Adriatic. In this sense, I would like to present some ideas of how I intend to develop this programme in our local Karst, an area that is very much rich in terms of both nature and culture. What I envision for this session consists of a practical workshop to explore the ways in which each subject might (or might not) be connected to the outdoor and come up with creative ideas on how to harmonise experiential learning with the overarching structure implemented by the course of study.
Enea Zaramella
Teacher and OE, UWC Adriatic
Growing Global Citizens- Why it’s crucial we teach and learn outdoors for a sustainable future
If students don’t EXPERIENCE Nature then they won’t KNOW it. If they don’t KNOW Nature then they won’t LOVE it. If students don’t LOVE Nature then they ill not be MOTIVATED TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
The KEY to a Sustainable Future is people (kids, parents, teachers, leaders & communities) that have a deep CONNECTION and RESPECT for Nature.
During this workshop we’ll explore why It’s crucial we teach and learn outdoors to discover and cultivate our personal relationship with the Natural World so we can Grow Global Citizens for a Sustainable future. Come prepared to spend the entire time outdoors being active!
Kenny Peavy
Educator, Green school Bali
Experience Thai Farming Culture: Realtime Demonstrations of Authentic Thai Rice, Craftwork and Creative Drink
Farmer’s Pack Lunch Demonstration and Sales
- Local Fried Rice with Superfood Workshop and Sales
- Handmade Local Pattern Workshop (Small-Bag Key Chain)
- Farmer’s Mocktail Workshop and Sales
Experience the authentic flavours, craftsmanship, and creativity of these communities firsthand. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in diverse cultures of a local community in Thailand and enrich your conference experience!
Choose to have a traditional Thai village experience in the exhibition area during any of the workshop blocks.
