Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
2EMB067Out of School Learning Environments2+0+02431.10.2026
Course Details
Language of Instruction English
Level of Course Unit Bachelor's Degree
Department / Program Pre-School Teaching
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Elective
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course The general aim of this course is to enable pre-service early childhood teachers to recognize out-of-school learning environments that can be used in early childhood, to evaluate the contribution of these environments to children’s developmental domains (cognitive, social-emotional, language, motor), and to gain competence in planning, implementing and evaluating out-of-school learning in line with the early childhood education program.
Course Content The place and importance of out-of-school learning environments in early childhood education; theoretical foundations and practical dimensions of out-of-school learning approaches; museums, science centres and planetariums, libraries, natural areas, school gardens, botanical gardens, zoos, art centres, local government and community-based learning spaces; contributions of these environments to children’s cognitive, social-emotional, language and motor development; out-of-school teaching materials and developing learning environments; out-of-school learning and alternative education practices; the teacher’s role in planning, implementing and evaluating out-of-school learning activities; setting objectives and outcomes, designing activities, safety and risk management, family involvement, observation and documentation techniques.
Course Methods and Techniques Lecture, question-answer, group work, brainstorming, case study, interview, observation and in-group discussion. Each class begins with an introduction to the weekly content; therefore, students are required to prepare for each topic before class.
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator Asist Prof.Dr. Zeliha Damla Kalyenci
Name of Lecturers Asist Prof.Dr. Zeliha Damla Kalyenci zdamla.kalyenci@hku.edu.tr
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Kaya, M. (Ed.). (2023). Okul Dışı Öğrenme Ortamları (1. bs.). Pegem Akademi.
Bozdoğan, A. E. (2016). Okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarının fen eğitiminde kullanılmasına yönelik öğretmen görüşleri. Kastamonu Eğitim Dergisi, 24(4), 1909–1926.
Bozdoğan, A. E. (2007). Okul dışı fen etkinliklerinin öğretmen adaylarının fen öğretimine yönelik tutumlarına etkisi. Gazi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 27(1), 83–100.
Küçükoğlu, A. ve Kaya, H. İ. (Ed.). (2022). Kuramdan Uygulamaya Okul Dışı Öğrenme Ortamları (3. bs., e-kitap). Pegem Akademi.
Tatar, N. ve Bağrıyanık, K. E. (2012). Fen ve teknoloji dersinde okul dışı öğrenme ortamları: Alan gezileri. İlköğretim Online, 11(4), 883–896.
Ay, Y., Anagün, Ş. S. ve Demir, Z. M. (2015). Okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarının fen eğitiminde kullanılmasına ilişkin öğretmen görüşleri. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 16(2), 55–72.
Kıyıcı, F. B. ve Yumuşak, A. (2005). Fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarına yönelik görüşleri. Marmara Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 21, 185–197.
Karakaya, F. ve Yılmaz, M. (2017). Okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarında gerçekleştirilen etkinliklerin öğrenmeye etkisi: Bir derleme. Uluslararası Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 5(8), 1–15.
Şahin, F. ve Sağlam, M. (2015). Okul öncesinde doğa temelli öğrenme uygulamalarına ilişkin öğretmen görüşleri. Erken Çocukluk Çalışmaları Dergisi, 1(1), 1–20.
Yıldırım, H. İ. ve Şensoy, Ö. (2016). Okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarının öğrencilerin akademik başarısına etkisi. Eğitim ve Bilim, 41(185), 1–16.
Course Notes Course textbooks and supplementary articles will be used. Each student is expected to keep a method notebook and to bring their textbooks to class. Course materials will be shared in a Google Classroom virtual classroom; the instructor is not obliged to share course presentations.
Documents Ders kaynak kitapları, yardımcı makaleler ve Google Classroom sanal sınıfında paylaşılan materyaller.
Assignments Yok
Exams 1 ara sınav ve 1 yarıyıl sonu sınavı

Course Category
Mathematics and Basic Sciences %0
Engineering %0
Engineering Design %0
Social Sciences %0
Education %100
Science %0
Health %0
Field %0

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Mid-terms 1 % 40
Final examination 1 % 60
Total
2
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 14 2 28
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 14 3 42
Mid-terms 1 20 20
Final examination 1 30 30
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 4 120

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Bilgi 
1 Knows the basic concepts, aims and theoretical approaches related to out-of-school learning environments.
2 Recognizes the out-of-school learning environments that can be used in the preschool period (museums, libraries, science centers, school gardens, parks, natural areas, etc.) and classifies them according to their educational characteristics.
3 Explains the contributions of out-of-school learning environments to preschool children’s developmental domains (cognitive, social-emotional, language and motor) and evaluates them pedagogically.
4 Knows the teaching methods, techniques and strategies that can be used in out-of-school learning processes (play-based, project-based, discovery learning, stations/learning centers, drama and story-based learning, etc.) and selects them appropriately.
Beceri 
5 Designs activity plans for out-of-school learning environments by taking into account preschool children’s age and developmental characteristics, interests and needs, and manages the learning process.
7 Prepares and uses observation, documentation (photo/video, product file/portfolio, etc.) and assessment tools to monitor children’s learning processes in out-of-school learning activities.
Yetkinlik 
6 Structures the learning environment by taking into account key elements such as safety–risk management, child protection principles and family involvement in the planning, implementation and evaluation of out-of-school learning activities.

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Sharing the Course Syllabus and Course Rules Reviewing the course syllabus; writing personal learning goals in the method notebook
2 Introduction to Out-of-School Learning Environments: Basic concepts; the place and importance of out-of-school learning in early childhood education; an overview of out-of-school learning environments in Gaziantep Reading the relevant chapter
3 Out-of-School Education and Learning Reading the relevant chapter
4 Teaching in Out-of-School Settings Reading the relevant chapter
5 Out-of-School Teaching Materials Reading the relevant chapter
6 Developing Out-of-School Learning Environments Reading the relevant chapter
7 Out-of-School Learning Activities Reading the relevant chapter
8 Midterm Exam: covering the topics of weeks 1-7 Exam week
9 Library Week: The class will not be held in the classroom this week; students review resources on out-of-school learning environments in Gaziantep at the library during class hours Library search (during class hours)
10 Planning Out-of-School Learning Activities Reading the relevant chapter
11 Out-of-School Learning and Alternative Education Practices Reading the relevant chapter
12 Museums: Museum education and learning in museums; types of museums; constructivist museum approach and the contextual model of learning (Falk and Dierking); object-based learning; examples of pre-visit, during-visit and post-visit activities suitable for the preschool period. Examples from Gaziantep: Zeugma Mosaic Museum, Panorama 25 December Museum, Gaziantep Toy Museum, Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum, Hasan Süzer Ethnography Museum Reading the relevant chapter
13 Science Museums and Planetarium: Informal science learning in science centres; interactive (hands-on, minds-on) exhibits; inquiry- and discovery-based learning; addressing sky and space concepts in early childhood in the planetarium; teacher guidance that supports children’s curiosity during science centre visits. Example from Gaziantep: Müzeyyen Erkul Gaziantep Science Center (exhibition areas, science shows and workshops) Reading the relevant chapter
14 Botanical Gardens / Agro Park / National Thematic Parks and Gardens: Nature-based education and environmental education; sustainability education; garden- and agriculture-based learning; children’s connection with nature (biophilia); sensory exploration, observation and classification activities in natural areas; safety and risk management. Examples from Gaziantep: AGRO Park (Ibrahimli), the botanical garden and tropical butterfly garden within Gaziantep Natural Life Park, Burç Nature Park Reading the relevant chapter
15 Zoo / Children’s Library: Respect for living things, animal welfare and nature conservation education in zoos; early literacy, interactive reading and library-use skills in children’s libraries; visits and reading activities supported by family involvement. Examples from Gaziantep: Gaziantep Natural Life Park (the largest zoo in Türkiye); Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality children’s libraries (Gaziantep Children’s Library, Güvenevler, Prof. Alâeddin Yavaşca and Hasan Celal Güzel Children’s Libraries, Gaziantep Baby Library) Reading the relevant chapter
16 Final Exam: covering the topics of weeks 1-15 Exam week

 
Sustainable Development Goals
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13 P14
All 4 4 4 3 4 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3
In1 3 3 5 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 4 2 2 2
In2 3 2 5 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 4 2 3 2
In3 5 3 4 3 3 3 1 2 1 2 3 2 2 3
In4 3 5 4 4 5 3 3 2 3 1 3 3 2 2
Sk5 5 4 3 5 5 3 3 3 4 2 2 4 3 3
Sk7 4 5 3 3 5 4 4 4 2 3 3 4 2 4
Co6 5 3 3 4 4 4 1 2 3 5 2 3 4 5

  Contribution: 1: Very Slight 2:Slight 3:Moderate 4:Significant 5:Very Significant