Sustainability and outdoor education
XPLOR Madeira – Outdoor Education, Sustainability, Citizenship, Leadership & Positive School
6 days
André
EXPLOR Madeira is an immersive course designed for teachers to combine outdoor learning with sustainability, citizenship, leadership, and positive school practices. Using Madeira’s diverse natural and cultural landscapes, participants engage in hands-on, experiential learning activities that foster environmental responsibility, teamwork, leadership skills, and a positive school culture.
The course provides educators with practical tools to integrate outdoor education, sustainability projects, civic engagement, and positive education practices into their teaching.
Learning Outcomes
Participants to the course will learn to:
Apply principles of outdoor and experiential education in diverse learning contexts.
Promote environmental sustainability and citizenship among students.
Develop leadership skills through collaborative and outdoor activities.
Foster a positive school culture (“happy school”) by integrating wellbeing and social-emotional learning.
Plan and implement experiential learning projects that link classroom learning with real-life experiences.
Programme
XPLOR Madeira – Outdoor Education, Sustainability, Citizenship, Leadership & Positive School
Monday – Outdoor Education & Positive Schools (Classroom, EB 2,3 do Louro, Funchal)
Introduction to experiential learning, outdoor education, and “happy school” principles.
Workshop on sustainability, citizenship, and leadership in education.
Planning outdoor activities with wellbeing and engagement in mind.
Tuesday – Experiential Learning & Sustainability: Levada Walk (Easy Levada outside Funchal)
Guided levada hike with observation of local ecosystems.
Activities on environmental sustainability and responsible outdoor behavior.
Reflection on linking sustainability to outdoor education.
Wednesday – Citizenship and Leadership in Eastern Madeira (Machico / Santana)
Outdoor workshops on civic engagement and teamwork.
Leadership challenges and problem-solving exercises in natural and cultural sites.
Reflection on applying citizenship and leadership principles in schools.
Thursday – Positive School & Outdoor Collaboration in Northern Madeira (São Vicente / Seixal / Porto Moniz)
Experiential activities to enhance collaboration, social skills, and group cohesion.
Workshops on wellbeing, inclusion, and creating a “happy school” environment.
Reflection on integrating positive education into outdoor learning projects.
Friday – Catamaran Experience: Teamwork, Sustainability, and Reflection
Sailing along Madeira’s coast to observe marine biodiversity and ecosystems.
Team-based challenges emphasizing leadership, collaboration, and sustainable practices.
Reflection on experiential learning, citizenship, and positive school principles.
Saturday – Synthesis and Certificate Ceremony (Funchal, Outdoor)
Presentation of participants’ mini-projects or outdoor lesson plans.
Discussion on strategies to implement sustainability, citizenship, leadership, and wellbeing in schools.
Outdoor certificate ceremony and networking.
Materials, digital tools & other learning resources
Course participants will receive training and engage in exercises designed to develop their skills as trainers. The provision of additional materials or resources will be determined based on the course structure and the instructor’s approach to meeting the learning objectives
Course package content:
Services and activities included in the course package are those described above. Please note that accommodation, transport, and meals are not provided.
Cancellation & changes:
Common sense prevails when it comes to cancellations, which are analyzed on a case-by-case basis.