Outdoor Education
Outdoor Education (OE) is a study subject in schooling that focuses on learning about self, others and the environment.
- incorporates a number of learning outcomes from other subjects such as Health and Physical Education, Geography, History, Science, Mathematics, English and Art
- is uniquely placed to teach cross-disciplinary components of the curriculum such as Aboriginal perspectives of land and country, conservation and sustainability
- is the subject which is best placed to teach self-reliance, interdependence and leadership, the development of an adventurous spirit, managing personal risks, safe journeys in nature, the value of life-long outdoor recreation for enjoyment, health and well-being, understanding nature through direct experience and studying, and for developing deeper human-nature relationships.
Useful Resources for Educators & Practicioners
The Outdoor Education Podcast with Rob Carmichael
Trial Exam Marking Service
A reminder about the trial exam marking by Jarrod Paine for your VCE OES students. JP is an experienced assessor and long-time teacher who offers flexible, professional marking services for trial exams in OES, with feedback tailored to your needs (from quick summaries to detailed responses). A great way to give your students an extra layer of expert insight without adding to your own workload. To enquire, contact Jarrod Paine at pobox281@icloud.com
RESEARCH ARTICLE
The Silence Is Deafening: Exploring the Impacts of Serious Incidents on Practitioners Across the Outdoor and Adventure Programs Work System
Build Your Hiking Skills for a Better Outdoor Experience
This series of articles offer a comprehensive guide to various hiking skills and safety practices, discussing the importance of matching hikes to personal ability levels and continuous learning to enhance outdoor experiences. They provide practical advice for navigating diverse terrains like sand, snow, scree, and mud, including tips for rock scrambling and river crossings. The collective content advocates for responsible hiking practices to protect both the individual and the natural environment. Check them out here: trailhiking.com.au/hiking-skills/
Parks Victoria Education Newsletter
Sign up here to the Parks Victoria Education Newsletter to receive quarterly emails for: Invitations to curriculum-aligned webinars, Insights from Parks Victoria Rangers, New Teaching and learning resources, Practical tips for planning safe & engaging excursions
Headstart Resources for Units 1 and 3
Belinda Dalziel and Adam Hipwell will be releasing a new offering to schools to support VCE OES teachers in launching their 2026 academic year. These Headstart resources will be available from late October. Cost is $150 per unit, or $250 for both Units 1 and 3 and each unit will include:
- A suggested timeline for the year
- PowerPoint presentations for the first two key knowledge points
- Supporting worksheets from the OES Solutions Resource Library for the first two key knowledge points
- A student booklet featuring summary tables and consolidation questions for the first two key knowledge points
- A practice SAC with sample answers, ideal for setting as holiday homework
If you are interested in purchasing these resources, please begin the booking process by using the following link: https://forms.gle/bsjpnugmsRtrdf378
A Teachers Guide to Outdoor Education Curriculum: Victorian Edition
This book provides practical advice and guidance to pre-service teachers and teachers who are teaching outdoor education in Victoria. It has been written as a handbook to support the development and delivery of school programs that align to both the Victorian Curriculum F-10 and those who deliver VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies. https://www.outdoorsvictoria.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/A-Teachers-Guide-to-Outdoor-Education-Curriculum-Victorian-Edition-1760933063.pdf
Logbook Template for Outdoor Practitioners
Outdoor Risk Intelligence- ORI
DETAILED HEAT FORECASTING TO ENABLE INFORMED DECISION MAKING IN THE OUTDOORS
With hotter, drier conditions expected across Australia, those who work, teach, or guide outdoors face growing challenges in predicting and managing heat. ORI HEAT provides a web-based planning tool that delivers a 7-day heat stress forecast, tailored activity recommendations, and specific guidance for outdoor programs. Designed for educators, event organisers, and leaders, it helps users adapt schedules, modify workloads, and protect participants from heat-related risks.
NatCORR Risk & Resilience Symposium Content
https://outdoors.kartra.com/checkout/NatCORR25 After the success of our Outdoor Risk & Resilience Symposium in July, we are excited to share the recording of the whole day, making the content accessible to all. The recording is hosted on our event partners’ website – Outdoors NSW & ACT – and can be accessed for a modest fee to recoup the cost of the recording. A quick recap of the day:
Speakers: Featuring experts from NatCORR, Bureau of Meteorology, NEMA, AIDR, University of Sydney, Risk Resolve, Outdoors NSW & ACT, Parks Victoria and others.
Key Topics:
State of outdoor readiness panel discussion
Weather readiness micro-workshop
Organisational resilience and incident response micro-workshop
Keynote speech – “Protecting People, not just Places: Managing Heat Stress Risk in the Outdoor Industry” from Dr Grant Lynch from the University of Sydney
Case studies on severe climate events (bushfires, floods, landslides, erosion)
Collaboration for climate change readiness panel
Journal of Outdoor & Environmental Education
https://link.springer.com/journal/42322
Outdoors Victoria Affiliate Supporters are welcome to a complimentary Access code for the JOEE. Please contact info@outdoorsvictoria.org.au or review your welcome/activation email.
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VCAA Teacher and leader guide
The Teacher and Leader Guide supports Victorian teachers and leaders to familiarise themselves with the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 and plan for implementation using a whole-school curriculum approach.
The guidance enables you and your team to meaningfully engage with the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0, at whatever stage you are at in your curriculum implementation journey. It outlines the many VCAA supporting resources, from the glossary and scope and sequence charts to the curriculum mapping and planning templates.
It offers prompts and suggested thinking routines that help you to consider the resources and contextualise your thinking.
Use the Teacher and Leader Guide for your own professional learning or when leading professional learning in your setting.
VCAA F-10 Teacher & Leader Guide_13/11-2025
VCAA F–10 thinking routine – See, Think, Me, We_13-11-2025
VCAA F–10 thinking routine – Connect, Extend, Challenge_13-11-2025
VCAA F–10 thinking routine – Access, Consider, Read, Act_13-11-2025
VCAA F–10 thinking routine – Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results_13-11-2025
VCAA F–10 Teacher and Leader Guide_accessible version_13-11-2025
VCAA Examination specifications and sample materials
Examination specifications, past examinations and examination reports
Earthwatch Lesson Plans
https://earthwatch.org.au/education/teacher-development/teacher-resources
Health and Physical Education Teaching Resources
Learning resources to support your teaching of the health and physical education curriculum. A range of fun and engaging exercises to keep your students actively learning about health. https://cool.org/subject/health-and-physical-education?page=1
Reconciliation in Education: Walking the Talk
About This Webinar
Reconciliation in Education: Walking the Talk – the third webinar in the three-part Reconciliation in Education webinar series, explores how to take practical and informed action towards reconciliation in education. It tackles the question of “tokenism”, and how and why it is important to develop respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members to support sustainable, whole-scale change. Participants are guided through the Narragunnawali Reconciliation Action Planning process on the Narragunnawali platform, as well as the Narragunnawali Awards which highlights examples of exceptional commitment to reconciliation within in schools and early learning services across Australia.
Register here: https://www.bigmarker.com/conferences/b0167e060564/registration_modal?auto_play_recording=true
Please consider engaging with the Reconciliation in Education: Walking the Talk Professional Learning Resource (https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/professional-learning/115/reconciliation-in-education-part-3-walking-the-talk) before you view the webinar.
Who can view: Everyone
Webinar Price: Free
Reconciliation in Education: An Introduction
About This Webinar
Reconciliation in Education: An Introduction – the first webinar in the three-part Reconciliation in Education webinar series, provides an introduction to the concept and context of reconciliation in Australia, and an overview of the important relationship between reconciliation and education. It explores some key messages about reconciliation in education, and will equip participants with the knowledge and skills required to understand how reconciliation can be respectfully embedded in the classroom, around the school and with the community. Participants are encouraged to critically reflect on their current attitudes and actions towards reconciliation in education, and to recognise the importance of ongoing personal and professional learning, unlearning and relearning about diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions.
Register here: https://www.bigmarker.com/conferences/53f79cc5614f/registration_modal?auto_play_recording=true
Please consider engaging with the Reconciliation in Education: An Introduction Professional Learning Resource (https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/professional-learning/113/reconciliation-in-education-part-1-an-introduction) before you view the webinar.
Who can view: Everyone
Webinar Price: Free
Active Education Australia – Anywhere PD
Access Flexible, Curriculum-Aligned Professional Learning – Anytime, Anywhere!
Explore a taste of our free introductory Anywhere PD videos – designed to spark inspiration and support your professional learning. These short, practical sessions give you immediate, classroom-ready ideas you can use straight away, whether you’re teaching F–6, 7–10, Senior Secondary or leading whole-school initiatives.
All Anywhere PD resources are now searchable directly from our Resources Home Page.
Click here to explore then select “Anywhere PD” in the search filter on the left-hand side
Reconciliation in Education: Talking the Walk
About This Webinar
Reconciliation in Education: Talking the Walk – the second webinar in the three-part Reconciliation in Education webinar series, explores the importance of using respectful and inclusive language and terminology as a key part of engaging in reconciliation. Participants will be introduced to some terminology guidelines, as well as some guiding principles for how to respectfully be part of community-level conversations about First Languages. Participants will learn how to carefully evaluate resources as part of curriculum planning to ensure that the resources being used are meaningful and appropriate, and how to actively embed the language of reconciliation across all subject/learning areas.
Register here: https://www.bigmarker.com/conferences/89133b73fef0/registration_modal?auto_play_recording=true
Please consider engaging with the Reconciliation in Education: Talking the Walk Professional Learning Resource (https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/professional-learning/114/reconciliation-in-education-part-2-talking-the-walk) before you view the webinar.
Who can view: Everyone
Webinar Price: Free
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