Finding the Relationship between Nature and Education: Analyzing the Experiences of Nature Schools in Iran from the Perspective of  Foundations of Education and Curriculum

Ram, Somayyeh

doi:10.30497/esi.2025.247788.1907

Finding the Relationship between Nature and Education: Analyzing the Experiences of Nature Schools in Iran from the Perspective of Foundations of Education and Curriculum

Document Type : Scholarly Article

Author

Somayyeh Ram

Assistant Professor of curriculum studies Farhangian University (Teacher Education University of Iran ) Tehran-Iran

10.30497/esi.2025.247788.1907

Abstract

The present study aims to describe the foundations of education and curriculum of the first nature schools in Iran. This study was conducted with a qualitative approach and a case study method; data were collected through interviews and observations of existing and active examples of schools, as well as studying available documents. Data analysis was conducted using interpretive analysis. The findings of the present study about curriculum include the categories of logic, goal, content, location, materials, learning activities, grouping of learners, the role of the teacher, and evaluation. The findings about the foundations of education also include two categories of cosmology and anthropology and show that based on biophilia and emphasizing the evolutionary approach as the basic theory in these schools, the elements of logic and goal in the curriculum of the first nature schools in Iran are: understanding the evolutionary perspective by the child and interacting and touching nature as an ancient and millions of years old habitat of humans, and consequently considering oneself as a part of nature. In terms of other elements of the curriculum, the findings show that the curriculum of the first nature schools, in practice, is mainly focused on learning based on experience and free play in order to promote self-learning ability and better development of children's cognitive, emotional, motor and social areas, as well as establishing a peaceful relationship with nature and based on environmental protection. Based on these findings, the proposal of the present study is to review the educational foundations of nature schools with an emphasis on a precise explanation of the relationship between nature and education in accordance with Islamic-Iranian culture, especially Islamic ontology and anthropology, in order to enrich the curriculum of these schools and prevent the consequences and possible harms resulting from adopting inappropriate foundations.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Educational sciences

پژوهش حاضر با حمایت هسته پژوهشی مدارس جریان‌ساز دانشگاه امام‌صادق (ع) انجام شده ‌است.

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