71-4 Agroecological Learning From Stakeholders On Their Turf: Student Reactions and Reflections.



Monday, October 17, 2011: 2:00 PM
Henry Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 006A, River Level

Catherine A. Perillo, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, Marcy Ostrom, Washington State Universiwty, N. Wenatchee, WA and Jessica Goldberger, Washington State Universiwty, Pullman, WA
Field trips are often used to help tie the theories and information gained in classroom learning to the ‘real world,’  and pedagogically provide a valuable set of visual (and other sensory) experiences to aid student learning.   Field Analysis of Sustainable Food Systems is a senior/graduate level course containing a “field immersion” component in which students and instructors spend a week together off-campus visiting a variety of farms as well as processing, distribution and marketing venues to explore these operations and discuss the enterprises’ “what” and “why” with the decision-makers. Following 3-4 such visits each day, evening small- and/or large- group discussions, plus written reflections,  further tie the day’s learning to previously explored (earlier in the course) theories, facts, social/historical/biophysical contexts, current issues, etc., as well as students’ disciplinary knowledge and personal experiences.  We report on student reactions and reflections compiled from the course from 2003 through 2009.
See more from this Division: ASA Section: Education & Extension
See more from this Session: Symposium--Experiential Learning and Action Education: I