In recent years there has been a cultural shift in our society that has resulted in reduced access to the outdoors for children due to different factors, including technological advances leading to more
sedentary activities.

There is evidence that increased physical activity is associated with improved brain structure and function in children. Therefore, we believe outdoor education for everyone, in an inclusive environment, is fundamental for children’s learning.
However, technology has a positive benefit as well, and we want to teach the students to incorporate it into their lives in a healthier way. In addition, cooperative learning should play a significant role in our schools, since it helps provide experiences that develop both good learning and social skills. It helps to build positive relationships among students, which is important for creating a learning community that values diversity.
Our project LO-VE will promote inclusive education, counteract students’ sedentary lifestyle while
promoting positive use of technology, and make a long term and more vivid impression on their learning through the use of international, outdoor education.

Our main objectives are:
-Foster social inclusion through innovative and cooperative methods.
-Make learning outdoors an integral part of daily learning activities.
-Share this experience with other countries in order to build international connections.
-Teach the students how to use technologies wisely.
-Train teachers in innovative methodologies.

We are six schools from Spain, Finland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Portugal.
The groups who will take part in this project are: 1650 pupils from 6 to 15 years old, with 92 students
from 10 to 15 years old attending the short-term international exchanges; 100 teachers per school,
including tutors, English, and ICT teachers; families; and local authorities.

We will include the following activities:
·Outdoor gymkhanas based on problem-solving learning.
·Workshops, including yoga and meditation in nature, gardening and photography.
·Outdoor projects using Phenomenon and Project Based Learning (PBL): student will research their
environment, process the information, and share it with project partners. Examples of products are
touristic guides and video documentaries.
·Performances, which will be carried out during the meetings.
·Outdoor assemblies about project topics.
·An international club (eTwinning) that will help build international connections.

There will be transnational learning meetings, where we will develop many of the activities listed above. Host schools will also offer teachers teaching observing, good practices exchange and
training about innovative methodologies.
Teachers will design different materials for the project, the final product being the LO-VE book: a compilation of outdoor activities grouped by competencies carried out throughout the two-year
project.
By actively taking part in many of our activities, all families will be given the chance to be involved in their children's education.
We will use many innovative methodologies and tools focused on inclusion, including PBL, cooperative learning, gamification, and ICT, so they can offer a high quality education that
compensates for social inequalities.

Students will use cooperative learning strategies and the project will share the same approach establishing norms and protocols that allows teachers to: contribute, help and encourage each other,
share, solve problems and give and accept feedback.

The results and impact envisaged are:
-Students will: have learnt to use technologies wisely, be able to work in teams, spend more time
outside, have built international connections, and have developed the key competencies, particularly
the social competence.
-Teachers will be more knowledgeable and satisfied with their jobs: they will be able to implement
innovative methodologies thus provide a higher quality education.
-Families will become more involved in school education. They will be aware of the sedentary lifestyle
risks and the importance of spending time outdoors.
This project will promote long-term benefits, since:
-Both students and teachers will make life-long friends, develop deeper understanding of other
cultures and school systems.
-Teachers will be able to offer modern methodologies and thus influencing new student generations.
-Our schools will become sharing environments where teachers, students and families regardless
their social background will be able to work together towards a common goal: the welfare of children.
Why LO-VE? Because we know that when children have time to play outside they develop all of the
basic skills that people everywhere must acquire: physical, social, emotional, and constructive skills,
creativity and logic. Why LO-VE? Because sharing experiences with people from all around the world makes the moment more intense and memorable and helps forge emotional connections that transcend all barriers.