Charlotte Megret, MSc Outdoor Environmental and Sustainability Education 2020

'The combination of academic courses and practical courses (especially residential ones) created plenty of opportunities to observe and reflect on different teaching practices. The courses were all very different, and I thoroughly enjoyed that diversity as I believed they helped me reflect and improve my own practice.'

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Charlotte Megret
Charlotte Megret

What were you doing before you started your studies at the University of Edinburgh?

I graduated with an undergraduate degree in language Education from Canada in 2014 and taught around the world in various educational settings. I worked with language schools, with a Japanese NGO on a cruise ship and with summer camps in France and the US. I was quite happy to go from a seasonal opportunity to the next but was also starting to question the next step.

Why did you choose to study at the University of Edinburgh?

I'm French, and as a European citizen, I wanted the opportunity to return and study in that part of the world. There are very few master’s degrees in Outdoor Environmental Education in Europe, and none sounded as exciting at the University of Edinburgh one, especially regarding the combination of academic and practical courses.

Why did you choose to study this degree?

Working at a summer camp in the US, I realised that there were opportunities for me to combine my passion for languages and the outdoors. Although I enjoyed teaching languages, I found something was lacking. I had always loved spending time in nature doing both adventurous activities and learning about different environments, but I wanted to further my knowledge on how to weave that into my teaching practices. I was also eager to learn about different educational perspectives and to discover the world of outdoor education.

What did you enjoy most about the programme?

The strong community that was built between students and staff was one of the reasons this programme exceeded my expectations. It was an intense 15 months where I learned as much from the courses as I did from the people. The combination of academic courses and practical courses (especially residential ones) created plenty of opportunities to observe and reflect on different teaching practices. The courses were all very different, and I thoroughly enjoyed that diversity as I believed they helped me reflect and improve my own practice.

What specific skills did you develop?

The academic courses encouraged me to critically reflect on current practices in mainstream education and to develop creative ways to teach in, through, for and about nature. I also learned a great deal about academic writing and researching, something I was not sure I was ready to get back into. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the teaching staff provided ample support throughout the programme. On the practical courses, I developed outdoor skills both in terms of hard skills such as improving my paddle stroke, but also in terms of group management. Although not always facilitated, the programme is full of opportunities to reflect on teaching practices, and I would recommend seizing those opportunities to get the most from the practical courses.

What was the most useful thing you learned in your lectures, workshops and tutorials?

It is not easy to choose one item, but something I am certainly bringing to my practice is how to combine outdoor activities with environmental education. This point was sometimes skillfully demonstrated by the teaching staff (for instance when canoeing down the river while learning about the ecology of the place). Other times, it was absent but there were many opportunities to debate how environmental education could be woven into adventurous activities. This point ties in with the concept of 'place-based education', a theme which runs throughout most courses and which strongly resonated with me.

Why would you recommend the programme to others?

I would highly recommend this programme if you are looking to question and improve your current practice. Whether you are already in the field of outdoor education or not, this programme can really make you change the way you think.

In what way do you think the degree will contribute to your career?

The programme does a good job connecting students with the world of outdoor education in Scotland. They use their alumni network well and I met interesting people and organisations in the past 15 months. My decision to stay in Scotland after finishing my dissertation was a result of the bonds I created with the people on my course, but also with the place. Many students decided to work somewhere other than the UK after the course, but many also decided to stay. I believe the course prepares you for both but personally, it gave me the tools and desire to stay in Scotland.

What advice would you give to someone considering studying this programme at Edinburgh?

You should not expect to get UK governing bodies certifications. The course provides opportunities to experience the outdoors through various activities and courses, but they do not only aim at teaching ‘hard skills’. I believe that the most important thing is to seize opportunities to learn and reflect on teaching practices, even when it is not facilitated. I would also recommend fully committing to the community that will be created on your course as it tends to attract very interesting and inspiring people, both students and staff.