Nature, freedom and discovery in Physical Education - Analysis of the implementation of free exploration in nature in PE classes

Abstract

Nowadays, Environmental Education (EE) programs primarily provide opportunities for organized teaching and studying strictly controlled by educators. As far as free explorational experiences in nature are concerned, their positive effects on the development of environmental consciousness are often overlooked. Based on Csonka and Varga (2019), these experiences should be made a very important part of children’s life so that they can later develop a strong ecological identity. Interestingly, the firmly structured EE programs are more likely to trigger negative emotions towards nature. Furthermore, the Physical Education (PE) framework for primary schools of the 2012 Hungarian National Core Curriculum requires indirectly the mandatory implementation of free exploration in nature in PE classes (Csonka, 2019). Based on previous findings, the main focus of the present study is the PE Framework Curricula related to the 2020 Hungarian National Core Curriculum in terms of the prevalence of free exploration in nature. As part of a pilot research, the implementation of free exploration in nature was also analyzed regarding grade 1-4 PE classes, sporting events and camps. It can be considered a novel result that the 2020 PE Framework Curricula do not involve the implementation of free exploration in nature, and there have been differences between the previous teaching practices and the 2012 PE Framework Curriculum.