Greetings everyone!
Since joining LO, I have so often found myself feeling grateful for the
type of people, attitudes, and insights I find on here--though I'm still
overwhelmed by all the information (can't help it Rick, I save all the
postings because I feel I'm going to miss out on many pearls of wisdom!).
I seldom participate though because it all feels so over my head. But I
guess my best approach is to ask questions and be glad for any input I may
receive.
[Host's Note: Oh, Lana! Be careful! I recommend reading selectively. And,
as for saving, if you're missing any msg, you can find it in the archive
at http://www.learning-org.com -- I have a temporary problem updating the
archive, but usually it's updated every day. ..Rick]
My name is Lana, btw. I'm studying Environmental Studies. The area of
study I have set out for myself is Co-operative Development and Community
Well-Being. But I have been totally frustrated by the lack of
organizational learning and systems thinking in my program, so I have also
gradually been pulled towards exploring educational approaches and
perspectives.
Thus, I'm proposing to co-create with my peers an informal Healthy
Experiential Learning Workshop next fall, in order to meet my OWN learning
needs. I'm posting a summary of it here to see if anyone may have any
feelings, thoughts, ideas or recommended readings they'd like to share.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
** A Healthy Experiential Learning Workshop **
(opening quote)
"Spokesmen for both the medical and elementary school emphasized the
importance of carefully constructing the educational environment so
students could learn from their sensory experiences in an individualized
fashion" (Kenneth Ludmerer, "Learning to Heal: The Development of
American Medical Education," p.167).
PURPOSE
The following is a proposal for a healthy, whole-person, experiential,
learning workshop. The key objective is to encourage participatory and
multi-sensory learning, as well as healthy community-building, in an
informal atmosphere of fun, relaxation, wonder, and discovery. This is an
initiative by and for students, although any other participants are most
welcome to join in.
PROBLEM SETTING
"What does education often do? It makes a straight-cut ditch of a free
meandering brook." -Henry D. Thoreau
Many educational courses and programs lean strongly toward intellectual
and "book" learning. There is a heavy reliance on the mental and visual
faculties, which may cause us to neglect the development of our other
senses (eg, touch, hearing, smell, taste, intuition), as well as suppress
the psychological, emotional, physical, and even, energetic integration of
the subjects being taught. (Note: Energetic may be interpreted as
enthusiasm, spirit/spiritual, etc.) This workshop hopes to provide some
respite for ZZZ students, and others, who may be seeking stress relief
from their demanding work or living activities. Moreover, since classes
are limited to a certain time schedule, the workshop also allows students
the chance to further digest their ongoing learning in a creative and
individual way, but still within a group setting--yet without feeling like
they are "taking up class time." It is hoped that this workshop may also
help foster the type of atmosphere that ZZZ aims to cultivate among its
stakeholders--that is, one of mutual respect, openness, and
co-operation--by exploring more informal approaches to interacting,
communicating, and learning.
WORKSHOP FORMAT
The workshop participants will meet once a week for 2-hour gatherings in
the late afternoon or evening. Each week, the main topic or theme will be
explored using a variety of approaches to physical, intellectual,
emotional, sensory, and spiritual learning (eg, Music as Healer, Social
Change and Leadership, Natural Therapies, Authentic Body Movement, Water
Resources). In some cases, I intend to invite in a relevant facilitator or
practitioner in the field to present. Also the weekly responsibilities and
facilitation will be rotated amongst the participants. The overall
approach of the workshop will be participatory, collaborative, and
democratic in nature.
CONCLUSION
I believe it is important to have a variety of student-organized
initiatives through which students may empower themselves during their
educational experience at ZZZ. Such projects may also indirectly
contribute to ZZZ's ongoing process of organizational learning,
rejuvenation, and renewal. As ZZZ stakeholders, in fact, we should all be
concerned about and involved in this process, as the growth and
development of ZZZ is of vital importance to all of us in a world that is
rapidly suffering from the ills of human exploits. Essentially, the
workshop is meant to provide students, and any other folks, with a chance
to have fun without feeling guilty about taking time away from their
studies, and conversely, to learn from oneself and others without all the
usual formalities that classes tend to impose. An anticipated side benefit
of such a workshop is that it may also help contribute towards our ongoing
efforts to create and sustain a healthy sense of community at ZZZ.
Thanks in advance for any response that you may have!
Best wishes,
Lana Choi
"We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that
divine idea which each of us represents." Ralph Waldo Emerson
--Alternative Energy <ecospirit@mail.com>
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