Vol. 15 (2024)

Michelle Wrede
Hildesheim: Universitätsverlag Hildesheim, 2024. - 200 p.
Zugl. Hildesheim, Univ., Diss., 2024

Despite its potential for education for sustainable development and the interdisciplinary competence of selfdetermined learning, which is important for the lifelong learning of all learners, the educational trail currently takes a back seat in the research discourse. The present work is dedicated to this desideratum with the primary research objectives of recording and systematizing the Lower Saxony educational trail jungle as well as the implementation of the educational trail as an extracurricular place of learning for education for sustainable development for self-determined learning of different socio-economic statuses. For this purpose, the work follows the buttom-up principle, whereby the sequential mixed-methods design with the quantitative cross-sectional study for the first-time Lower Saxony educational trail inventory and systematization as well as the subsequent qualitative-criterial potential analysis on the measure of potentials for education for sustainable development of a specifically selected educational trail sample is fundamental. Ultimately, the analysis aims to identify a educational trail as an example of good practice. The cross-sectional study highlights the 426 educational trails recorded as a nationwide informal educational tool. The educational trails are concentrated inside and outside of large protected areas on the one hand, and on the other hand are occasionally found in urban centers or near cities. The prevalence of classic educational trails can be seen, which, with a few exceptions, continues at the district level. As a result, the descriptive form of communication dominates the educational trails. In addition, there are mainly botanicalzoological and nature-related trail themes as well as forest and woodland themes. The degree of potential for education for sustainable development assigns the educational trails examined the role of a useful educational tool for education for sustainable development. The Zweidorfer Holz forest adventure trail is an example of good practice in this respect and differs from the other educational trails mainly in terms of ist outstanding educational presentation. Some educational trails show little potential in terms of regional products and trail information content. Furthermore, all of the educational trails examined have some catching up to do in terms of the linguistic complexity of information preparation and the provision of trail information.

This baseline study is followed by the qualitative observational study with semi-structured participant observation of the subject groups of low, medium and high socioeconomic status, exemplified on the Zweidorfer Holz forest adventure trail. This aims to highlight the existence and extent of self-determined learning of test persons with different socio-economic status as well as the similarities and differences of socio-economic status in self-determined learning on the forest adventure trail. For this purpose, observation protocols are analyzed with the qualitative structuring content analysis according and an evaluative category-based comparison of the self-determined learning of the different socioeconomic statuses is carried out via case presentations. This resulted in the key finding that the low socioeconomic status clearly differentiates itself from the medium and high socioeconomic statuses, particularly in the organizational strategy of the cognitive component and the planning strategy of the metacognitive component of self-determined learning, via non-observable or only minimal observable procedural strategy knowledge. This results in the central finding that the low socioeconomic status clearly differentiates itself from the medium and high socioeconomic statuses, particularly in the organizational strategy of the cognitive component and the planning strategy of the metacognitive component of self-determined learning, through non-observable or only slightly observable procedural strategy knowledge. This results in recommendations for action for the implementation of the educational trail as an extracurricular learning venue for Education for Sustainable Development for self-determined learning of all socio-economic statuses, such as the creation of a common knowledge base for self-determined learning and conceptual knowledge, the adaptation of the instructional part in the introductory phase of the trail walk, the direct stimulation of the use of learning strategies and the internal differentiation of the learning material, the cooperation as well as the feedback and the formative assessments of the use of learning strategies in the context of the learning process on the Zweidorfer Holz forest adventure trail, which address the teacher level, the learner level and the didactic-methodical learning environment design with the trail design level.