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Course Syllabus
Educ 5165
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Class meeting time: |
Fridays - 2-6 pm (@ UMD); 1-5
pm (@ WRELC) |
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Class meeting dates: |
Oct.3;
Oct. 17
; Oct. 24;
Oct. 31; Nov. 7 |
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Class meeting location: |
A.B.Anderson H 225; or, WRELC
Science Bldg. |
| Assignments: |
Oct.3;
Oct. 17
; Oct. 24;
Oct. 31; Nov. 7 |
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Instructor: |
Dr. Ken Gilbertson |
| Phone |
726-6258 |
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Email: |
kgilbert@d.umn.edu |
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Course web url: |
http://www.d.umn.edu/~kgilbert/Educ5165/ |
Introduction
September 26, 2003
To: Students enrolled in Theories and Models in Outdoor Education
- Educ 5165
From: Ken Gilbertson
Re: Course layout
Up to this point in time, your UMD &/or ELC learning has
been mostly directed toward learning HOW to
teach environmental education to various kinds of students.
I want to welcome you to this next phase of your learning
- Theories and Models in Outdoor Education. This course is intended
to guide you toward an understanding of WHY we
do what we do when we teach in, about, and for the environment.
In addition, it's purpose is to UNDERSTAND THE STUDENT.
Why do people learn the way they do, and when are they most receptive
to being taught about the natural environment?
So, the primary premise of this course will be to understand
the construct of "Start where the student is at,
not where you want them to be".
Following is the course outline. First, I want to present
some expectations that I have of you and that I have of myself.
You can share your expectations of me and this course when we
first meet.
Expectations
First, I have found this course to be a very challenging,
stimulating, and exciting opportunity to learn about our field
of Outdoor Education. It is challenging because it will likely
influence your current thoughts and understanding toward your
craft. Sometimes that will be exciting. Sometimes you may be
unsure, and sometimes you will downright dislike something. That
is just fine - there's most likely a theoretical explanation
why.
One of our first tasks will be to understand what a theory
and model are. To begin, if the theory does not adequately explain
a behavior, then it may not be a very strong theory. If the theory
is not connected to practice, then it will likely be incomplete.
Likewise, a person providing an educational experience without
adequate theoretical understanding runs a high risk of becoming
dogmatic (doing it "just because.."), throwing darts,
and/or simply supervising a non-educative experience - however
the student perceives it.
Thus, this course is an opportunity to connect practice with
theory; To connect rhyme and reason. It doesn't get any better
than that!
I expect you to:
- Be prepared before class. I expect the same of myself.
- Come ready to challenge what YOU do as an educator. (You
will often hear me ask, "So what?", or, "How do
you know?", or, "Why did that work so well?")
- Be open to new or different definitions, hierarchies, or
perspectives.
- Reflect upon your previous practice and experience as
a learner and as an educator. This is the type of course that
can not be experiential by being out in the field. Rather, it
draws upon your previous experiences as a means to apply what
is learned in class.
- Arrive to class on time ready to collaborate from 2 pm through
6 pm. I appreciate that running a class for 4 hours on a Friday
evening is asking a lot of all of us. Because of that, let's
work together to make this the best learning experience possible.
Course Syllabus
Course Description
This course is intended to provide a general overview toward
an understanding of the theoretical foundations of outdoor education.
You will be presented with definitions of terms related to outdoor
education, historical antecedents, and theories of learning,
environmental education, and adventure education. This course
will also present perspectives on the social and psychological
benefits of outdoor education. Ultimately, the goal is to better
understand the learner so that you, the educator, can be most
deliberate in applying your craft.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
1)Define the terms: Outdoor Education; Adventure Education;
Environmental Education; Interpretation; Environmental Literacy;
and Experiential Education.
2)Explain when each of the above is best used for what audience/learner.
3) Describe the current and/or primary models and theories
surrounding outdoor education including environmental education
and adventure education.
4) Critically analyze each model/theory for its applicability,
strengths, and weaknesses.
5) Develop a comprehensive and academically defendable model
useful for the outdoor educational setting.
Course Requirements
1) Complete reading assignments
2) Take an active part in class discussions
3) Two assignments will be made. They are:
a. Write your own definitions of key terms in outdoor education,
drawing upon those terms in the literature.
Your definitions must have their basis from accepted literature/definitions
in our field.
b. Present each assigned article in a 7 minute time
period. (There is a rhyme and reason for this structure).
c. Write a synthesis paper following the weekend discussions.
The synthesis paper is a 4-8 page (double spaced & typed)
overview of what you gained professionally from this course -
how the theories and models learned have influenced your approach
to being an environmental/outdoor educator.
You must cite your statements, unless they are your own. (Learn
how & when to do citations)
I encourage you to present them with applications. It is acceptable
to focus on a few rather than try to cover "all" of
them. Also, feel free to utilize theories from other disciplines
as long as you present those theories as to their relevance directly
to our field.
Note: The synopsis is not so open ended that
anything you may feel or think is acceptable. I will be looking
for indications that show me how you have gained an understanding
of the theoretical foundations of our field. That is what is
meant by "comprehensive and academically defensible".
Grading
Class presentation: 10 pts.x 5
Definitions: 20 pts.
Synthesis paper: 50 pts.
Total = 120 pts.
90% = A
80% = B
70% = C
Text Materials
•Readings packet - Please be familiar with this material before
class. To access the readings packet, WRELC students can
get it from Joe, or you can download it by clicking on "Class
Readings".
•Ewert, A. (1989). Outdoor Adventure Pursuits: Foundations,
Models, and Theories.Publishing Horizons.
*Gass, M. (1993). Adventure Therapy: Therapeutic Applications
of Adventure Programming. Kendall/Hunt. Dubuque, IA.
*Warren, K.; Sakofs, M.; & Hunt, J. (Eds.). (1995). The
Theory of Experiential Education. North American Association
for Environmental Education. Troy, OH.
*Engleson, D. & Yockers, D. (1997). A guide to curriculum
planning in environmental education. Wisconsin Department
of Public Instruction. Madison, WI
All of these texts are available through the RESERVE READINGS
desk in the UMD Library under: Educ 5165 - Gilbertson.
* These texts are optional. You may want to purchase either/both
of them depending on your area of interest. All texts can be
bought through the UMD bookstore.
Course Content
Oct. 3) Definitions of terms (See objectives)
** Your first assignment is to come to class with these definitions
written
a. What is outdoor education?
b. Historical antecedents of the field.
c. What is a theory? A Model?? The construction of appropriate
models and theories.
Paradigms: Cartesian vs. Holistic (Groder)
Green vs. Grey
Learning theory: Native American
Holistic; Brain Based; OBE, Experiential Education,
multiple intelligence
Constructivism and Personal meaning
Oct. 17) Theories of Environmental Education
Learning Environments: Formal, non-formal, informal
Environmental Literacy
Developmental Stages: Piaget, Erickson. Maslow, Gilbertson
Responsible Environmental Behavior
Delivery of EE - Infusion or subject specific
Attitudes, knowledge, and action (intentions to behave)
Oct. 24) Theories of Adventure Education
Optimal Arousal
Self concepts
Outward Bound
Fear
Flow
Oct. 31) Outdoors as a healing place
a. Current status (Professional Organizations & Journals).
b. Future mandates.
Nov. 7) "So What?" Now what do we do with this?!
How will this drive our field?
We will use this last class as the room to move around and
catch up on what we've been discussing. This will be the class
of where to next? How will this influence funding, design, training,
hiring, and research toward efforts of environmental literacy.
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