Monday, March 4, 2013
Using Nature as a Tool to Learn?
As I've probably stated before, i am in Literature of the Environment with Dr. Dimarco. Today we just finished reading the novel Into the Wild which I will admit is now one of my favorite books. I'm not going to get real specific here, I just wanted to know some of your thoughts about this idea. I took a lot from the main character's (Chris McCandless) actions and motives and words. I was wondering if taking a class actually outside, maybe on a field trip to a national park or reservation or something like that and have them write about the experience in any form they desire would be a good education tool. I mean of course this field trip would take place around the same time the class might be reading about transcendentalism or reading literature concerning the environment. I just feel like though to truly get a glimpse of the idea behind these stories they have to be physically experienced.
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I haven't read Into the Wild, but now I am a bit intrigued. I agree that there is value in field trips and education "outside" the classroom. I remember taking many field trips in elementary school...but that kind of stopped after that. I'm going to use the word "multimodal", yet again, because these field trips offer information that comes in many modes. For example, I remember walking along nature trails with my parents when I was younger and my parents would always stop to read the plaques about the various trees, creeks, land formations...what have you. While I dreaded it then, I came to realize that it's a great tool, because you see it in front of you, both in text and in product or element.
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