‘We’re seeing the world in a different way. On the first day my eyes were opened; then I began to hear new things; and now I feel my voice has changed,’ says participant Students in Lakehead University’s unique Place-Based Education program canoe, hike and cycle the region’s historic routes during their intense 10-day course. A recent paddling excursion included stops along the way to hear student presentations and discuss research findings.
1 / 10 Kathy Hunt/OrilliaMatters
How many local residents know where Chief Yellowhead is buried, or the location of Simcoe County’s historic Nine-Mile Portage, the meaning of the word Nottawasaga, or that our local water has been rated as some of the best in the world?
These are just a few of the facts that students enrolled in Lakehead University’s unique “Place-Based Education” course have been learning over the past two weeks as they explore the local area by bike, canoe and in hiking boots. I joined a group of 14 students on day eight of the ten-day course of study as they explored waterways of the region.
The course is part of Lakehead’s Faculty of Education program and was created by Assistant Professor Dr. Gary Pluim, who is committed to teaching students, above all else, about the place where they are and the land they come from. His students are enrolled in the university’s Bachelor of Education, Concurrent Education or Master of Education programs.
“We need to know our own place,” explained Pluim. “Education should be rooted in […]
Continue reading the original article at: www.collingwoodtoday.ca