Ewa Brózda on Including Nature Based Learning in course design

1. Could you tell me a bit about your course and in what context you had the workshop series?
“Sure! During a course in my master Environment and Resource Management, I participated in a series of work sessions on how to integrate the concept of Nature Based Learning (NBL) more into our course design. Although I couldn’t attend the NBL session during the initial meeting, I joined the workshops where together with professors we were trying to make their courses more aligned with NBL principles.”

2. What was it like for you as a student to be able to participate and contribute to curriculum innovation?
“It was quite an interesting experience since I had never done it before. When I signed up for the workshop series, I didn’t know methods like Visual Thinking strategies or NBL even existed. It was really nice to get the teachers' perspectives and to understand the didactic background on the subject. Working with professors who genuinely want to improve their course and making it practical was enlightening. Some students might not like it, but for those who do, it can really open their minds to doing things differently. The important thing is that it shouldn't be obligatory but rather a voluntary part of assignments.”

3. How was the collaboration with the teachers? What was the atmosphere like?
“The collaboration with the teachers felt like sitting with friends and fellow students! It was a completely safe environment where we could openly express our opinions, be critical, and share ideas. They were very open to incorporating our feedback into their subjects. I really liked that and felt like my input mattered."

4. What do you take away from it?
"At my previous university, there was little room to approach issues creatively; everything was set in stone. University can be tough on creativity due to the overload of work and assignments. However, these sessions opened my mind! Methods like Nature Based Learning are really helpful tools to encourage different ways of thinking."

5. Do you have any suggestions for teachers who think about involving students at integrating Art or Nature Based Learning in their curriculum?
"Firstly, introduce students to how the methods work. Present them as a nice break from other tasks and appointments, and show them how it can make stimulate their brains to think differently. After they try it, have an evaluation talk to see if they gained anything from the experience."

6. Would you recommend other departments and faculties to start working this way?
"I would definitely recommend giving it a try. It helps students to feel involved, and to think in more creative ways. Trying out this approach could really improve the way of working with students. Not everyone might be open to it, and it requires significant preparation from professors, but the actual outcome might be surprisingly positive!"

Go to 'Redesigning education using Art & Nature Based Learning and Visual Thinking Strategies'
Go to 'Art & Nature Based Learning'