Developing competences or promoting sustainable development? What French and Norwegian curriculum in PE through outdoor education tells us about their respective school's policy engagement

School systems around the world take the responsibility of carving the future of their next generations. To take up the challenge of employability, competency-based approach has been promoted in Europe in general. The... [ view full abstract ]

School systems around the world take the responsibility of carving the future of their next generations. To take up the challenge of employability, competency-based approach has been promoted in Europe in general. The philosophical roots of this approach can be traced up to an old western philosophical tradition that promotes an anthropocentric view of the human-nature relationships. It has led humankind to dominate all other species. But a raising number of scientific evidences show that the consequences of this line of thoughts could pose a real threat to our own survival. To combat this danger, visions offering eco-centered conceptions of the relationship between human and nature should also be promoted at school, through the implementation of subjects related to sustainable development. In Physical Education (PE), outdoor education seems to be at crossroads on these two different views of human-nature relationship, one anthropo-centered, the other eco-centered. Our historical analysis of the French system shows that until the early 1960’, both views of human-nature relationship were promoted in PE in France. After, PE started to be more and more focused on anthropo-centered views which ultimately led to competence-based approach. This trend resulted in distorting outdoor education by implementing them in shut-off and aseptic environments. A comparison with outdoor education in Norway shows that in contrast this nation chose, through outdoor education in PE, to promote both anthropo- and eco-centered visions of the world: both competence approach and contemplative practices are promoted and implemented at school. This mixed approach seems to be a relevant one to tackle both employability and environmental challenges, therefore craving the path to create a “thriving and sustainable future”.