Course Objectives

The course aims to provide practical examples of outdoor-life activities in Norway, particularly practices which might be considered typical, cultural or national in character. Students will gain insight into both traditional Norwegian winter outdoor activities as well as modern trends. They will also learn basic skills which will enable them to go on short trips in the winter mountains, as well as learning how the winter mountains may be used in a pedagogical context (outdoor-days in schools and camp schools etc).

The course attempts to throw light on Norwegian winter life by considering various ways of using and approaching nature; from ‘Sunday outings’ to mountain hikes with rucksacks.

Course Description

Practical-pedagogical perspectives:

• Sunday cross-country skiing trip with campfire and sausages, ski games etc
• Winter outdoor activities in the forest; various types of how to overnight outdoors, activities on the ski slopes
• Hunting and fishing in the wintertime
• Winter outdoor activities in the high mountains
• Traditional activities
• Pedagogical uses of the winter mountains – why and how
• Practical skills – orientation, choice of route, shelter and camp
• Experiencing nature

Theory seminar

• Winter outdoor life in Norway: the traditional, the typical and modern trends
• Participation and change in Norwegian outdoor life: extent, pattern and social differences, consequences of social processes
• Construction of meaning: identity, gender and culture
• Use of the outdoors in pedagogical and political contexts
• Guiding in the outdoors
• The management of outdoor life and nature (planning and organising, right of access, Government White Papers, official perspectives and purposes of outdoor life)

Learning Methods

The course includes lectures, group work, outdoor instruction in the form of activities and trips in small groups with a guide.

Assessment Methods

Individual written 5-day home examination.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean