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In this editorial introduction, we outline recent debates on geographies of education, specifically on themes of nature, place, and outdoor landscapes. We argue for the need to extend these discussions due to the rising popularity and politicisation of educational encounters in outdoor landscapes, as well as their long‐standing relationship to a series of moral geographies. We introduce the main focus of the five papers in this themed collection, and show how together, they add to our understanding of the spatialities and experiences of both formal and informal educational sites, through both historical and contemporary perspectives. We reflect on some of the themes that tie these papers together, the UK‐based focus of this collection, and its wider geographical contributions. In this editorial introduction, we outline recent debates on geographies of education, specifically on themes of nature, place and outdoor landscapes. We introduce the main focus of the five papers in this themed collection, and show how together, they add to our understanding of the spatialities and experiences of both formal and informal educational sites, through both historical and contemporary perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how students invoked different conceptions of ‘nature’ in eight socio-scientific group discussions about human gene therapy. The paper illustrates and discusses how the students articulated nature and to what extent they elicited science factual content in the process. While the students in this study invoked nature at key places in a variety of dialectical contexts in the discussions, these invocations were often uncritical appeals and rarely involved science factual content. Even when an argument from nature was challenged, the author of that argument would often shift the sense of nature rather than elaborate upon the argumentation. It is argued that if students were properly introduced to the evaluative character of the term ‘nature’ it would not just be conducive to the quality of their argumentation, but also invite them to foreground science factual content at key places in their discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, I shall discuss Danish perspectives on nature, showing the interdependence of conceptions of ‘nature’ and ‘nationhood’ in the formations of a particular cultural community. Nature, thus construed, is never innocent of culture and cannot therefore simply be ‘restored’ to some pristine, pre-lapsarian state. On the other hand, invocations of nature are effectively calls to action, often of a sort that involves a degree of (limited) restoration and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a multidisciplinary action research project that aimed to develop a theoretical framework and four exemplary teaching modules for elementary and secondary school that promote a pluralistic view on nature. In a 2-year study, researchers from three disciplines (pedagogy, sociology and philosophy) collaborated with curriculum developers and textbook authors. This paper presents the theoretical framework that was developed during the project. The teaching modules are described, and one of the modules is delineated. Finally, the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]