Investigating preservice teachers' perspectives on out-of-school learning

The purpose of this study is to investigate preservice teachers' (PSTs) perspectives on out-of-school learning (OOSL). A total of 100 PSTs studying at a faculty of education in Turkey voluntarily participated in the main research. The study was conducted as a descriptive qualitative inquiry, with study data generated from two online surveys plus an interview. The findings revealed that the PSTs expressed mostly positive effects of OOSL. The PSTs mentioned additional OOSL environments such as beaches. As stakeholders, a students family, teachers, the school, official guides, and learners were mentioned as having active roles in the OOSL process. The expectation of an OOSL environment having been professionally designed was perceived the most by the PSTs. Most of the PSTs favored using OOSL during the pandemic period. Based on the study's results, teacher education programs operating outside of the classroom teaching environment can be organized according to the PST perspective.