Benefits of teaching outside the classroom and effects on knowledge retention

Abstract

Natural and social environments provide excellent opportunities for the application of integrated and constructivist approach to teaching and practicing of a variety of teaching and learning strategies. In this sense, the objective of this study was to examine how a programme of integrated learning outside the classroom “The Danube – a classroom on the water “ effects immediate short-term and long-term retention of the presented content. The survey was conducted on a sample of 120 third grade primary school pupils who were divided into the experimental (N=60) and control group (N=60). Pupils of the experimental group participated in the outdoor learning project “The Danube – a classroom on the waterâ€, whereas pupils of the control group were taught the same content in the classroom through regular teaching methods – lecturing and presentation. The results of this study demonstrate the benefits of integrated outdoor teaching in respect to knowledge retention. Thus, the necessity to increase teaching hours outside the classroom in schools in Serbia is recommended in order to improve the quality of students’ knowledge retention.

Keywords: Integrated approach, constructivist approach, integrated outdoor teaching, knowledge retention.