Rockwood Conservation Area Youth Education Program
Rockwood Conservation Area Youth Education Program
Introduction Take a Hike – Outdoor education is a multidisciplinary team consisting of 6 students from the University of Waterloo. Our goal is to develop and implement outdoor education programs promoting a comprehensive, flexible, and environmentally focused outdoor education program for the Ontario School Board.
Purpose of Research The current education system focuses on learning within the confines of a classroom through the use of textbooks and worksheets designed to create a structured learning experience for students. Information obtained from textbooks allows students to comprehend and later regurgitate the material presented; nonetheless, interaction with the natural environment would strengthen knowledge through practical learning and hands-on experience. For that reason, the Rockwood Conservation Area would provide exceptional opportunities for meaningful learning. The purpose of this study is to develop an outdoor education program that employs the environment of the Rockwood Conservation Area. This program would be beneficial to the education of middle-school students as it would enhance their knowledge pertaining to nature, science and geography through active learning, which coincides perfectly with the Ontario School Board Curriculum. The program will be designed to hold neutral ideologies, and therefore, would be applicable to any curriculum (Public, Catholic and additional school boards). Related research on the subject has been compiled and reviewed, and is described in greater detail under the heading “Literature Review.”
Site Information The Rockwood Conservation Area is one of many parks within the Grand River Conservation Authority’s watershed. This 79-hectare property was acquired in 1958, and opened its gates to visitors in 1961 (Chapman 1984). A portion of this property was later sold to the University of Waterloo in 1972 (McKenzie 2011). The Rockwood
Introduction Take a Hike – Outdoor education is a multidisciplinary team consisting of 6 students from the University of Waterloo. Our goal is to develop and implement outdoor education programs promoting a comprehensive, flexible, and environmentally focused outdoor education program for the Ontario School Board.
Purpose of Research The current education system focuses on learning within the confines of a classroom through the use of textbooks and worksheets designed to create a structured learning experience for students. Information obtained from textbooks allows students to comprehend and later regurgitate the material presented; nonetheless, interaction with the natural environment would strengthen knowledge through practical learning and hands-on experience. For that reason, the Rockwood Conservation Area would provide exceptional opportunities for meaningful learning. The purpose of this study is to develop an outdoor education program that employs the environment of the Rockwood Conservation Area. This program would be beneficial to the education of middle-school students as it would enhance their knowledge pertaining to nature, science and geography through active learning, which coincides perfectly with the Ontario School Board Curriculum. The program will be designed to hold neutral ideologies, and therefore, would be applicable to any curriculum (Public, Catholic and additional school boards). Related research on the subject has been compiled and reviewed, and is described in greater detail under the heading “Literature Review.”
Site Information The Rockwood Conservation Area is one of many parks within the Grand River Conservation Authority’s watershed. This 79-hectare property was acquired in 1958, and opened its gates to visitors in 1961 (Chapman 1984). A portion of this property was later sold to the University of Waterloo in 1972 (McKenzie 2011). The Rockwood
Bibliography: Chapman, L.J. and Putnam, D.F., (1984) The Physiography of Southern Ontario; Ontario Geological Survey, Special Volume 2, 270p. Accompanied by Map P. 2715 (coloured), scale 1:600,000. Toronto: University of Toronto Press Morgan, D.A., (2002) Beames, S. and Ross, H. (2010). Journeys outside the classroom. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 10(2):95–109.( http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/14729679.2010.505708) Shulman, Vivian, and Deirdre Armitage School Reform Effort." Education and Urban Society 37.4 (2005): 371-397. Scholars Portal Journals. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. Student Perceptions in Indoor and Outdoor School Settings." The Journal of Early Adolescence 1.2 (1981): 135-145 Jan. 2011 Prokop, Pavol Crompton, John L. & Christine Sellar. “Do Outdoor education Experiences Contribute to Positive Development in the Affective Domain?” The Journal of Environmental Education 12.4. 1981.Print. Ministry of Education. “History and Geography.” The Ontario Curriculum. 2004. Ministry of Education. “Science and Technology.” The Ontario Curriculum. 2004.