PE teachers’ experiences with teaching outdoor swimming, self-rescue and lifesaving: A context for skill development or Bildung?

Outdoor swimming, self-rescue and lifesaving (OSSL) has gained increased attention in physical education, largely driven by concerns for safety and drowning prevention. However, this emphasis on risk management often narrows OSSL to technical instruction, overlooking its broader educational potential. While previous research has focused on skill acquisition, the wider pedagogical value of OSSL remains underexplored. This study investigates how physical education teachers experience OSSL and whether – and how – they see it as a context for promoting holistic learning, in line with Klafki's concept of Bildung (Klafki, 1975, 2007), which emphasizes self-determination, co-determination and solidarity. We conducted qualitative interviews with six lower secondary school teachers in Norway. Through thematic analysis, we generated four key themes: (1) engagement and emotional intensity in OSSL, (2) challenges and enabling conditions, (3) facets of general Bildung and (4) dialectical moments as potential facilitators of categorial Bildung. The findings suggest that outdoor environments offer rich, real-world learning contexts that may support both skill development and deeper educational aims. Despite barriers such as limited training and resources, teachers integrated OSSL in varied ways and emphasized its formative potential. This study highlights the need for stronger institutional support and teacher preparation to realize OSSL's potential as a context for holistic education. Future research should explore how teacher education and school structures can better align OSSL practice with the broader aims of Bildung.