Out of the Classroom – Innovative learning environments (2024)

Call for Papers

LUMAT invites researchers, practitioners, and educators to contribute to the upcoming special issue on "Out of the Classroom – Innovative learning environments".

Description

Schoolwork stereotypically occurs in and is centered on the classroom where students sit by their desks and teacher teaches by the chalkboard. Nevertheless, the learning happens also in other settings, in informal and non-formal learning situations (also virtual) – which are by definition something outside of the formal classroom – but also formal learning can be taken outside of the classroom. In addition studying at nature it can be collaboration with universities, museum, science centers etc.

Science, math, and technology education has been in the forefront of this out-of-classroom education as natural world and technological applications can in many cases only be experienced outside of the school buildings. At the same time in both material and mental sense science, math and technology education is bound to physical classrooms and their equipment.

We invite all scholars to contribute on the new imaginations what can be achieved, experimentations on the different approaches and proven educational practices outside of the classroom. For example, these contributions can relate to material surroundings of teaching and learning, interpersonal relations among teachers, students or other relevant parties, larger collaboration around socio scientific issues or students’ relation to their own near-environment, student learning and motivation in short trips outside or during week-long school camps.  We welcome both empirical and theoretical approaches for the out of the classroom education.

Deadlines and special issue timetable:

  • Submission due date: DL is extended to 7 January 2024.
  • Continuous publication model.

We welcome both empirical as well as theoretical manuscripts in English, Finnish and Swedish.

Acceptance criteria for the manuscripts are that they:

  • Are research-based and have not been previously published.
  • Contain the following subsections:
    • Context/relevance of the study: Why the research was conducted.
    • Aim/research questions: What guided the research.
    • Theoretical framework/conceptual rationale/pragmatic grounding: How the current research is connected to the earlier studies.
    • Research methods and research design: How the research was conducted (both empirical and theoretical manuscripts are welcome).
    • Results (in theoretical manuscripts, the discussion on how the manuscript contributes to the earlier research can be combined with the discussion section and Result section might be omitted.
    • Discussion/Conclusions/Implications: How the research questions were answered, how the research results contribute to the field.
    • References in APA 7 style: Use the template on the journal website.
  • Follow the academic research guidelines for ethical and professional academic publishing, such as: publishing original work, accurate and detailed findings and methodology, including those writers as authors that have contributed to the work significantly; including all the permissions to publish previously published content from the copyright holders; adhering to (personal) data protection legislation (confidential information, identifying individuals, etc.)
  • Are clearly written - English clarity and correct grammar are expected. If necessary, the authors are asked to proofread, and copy edit the manuscripts prior to the submission.

General paper submission guidelines can be found here.

Editors

Docent Tuomas Aivelo, University of Helsinki, Finland
Professor Maija Aksela, University of Helsinki, Finland