My name is Helen Susan Coleman and this is my first journal entry entitled “Incoming Reflections.”
The first question asked in the assignment is “What are your initial expectations of Colloquium, feelings?” I had expected the colloquium class to be more of an exchange of ideas on a particular subject (in this case the environment). However, after reading the syllabus for the class and the emails from the instructor, I realize that it is not an exchange of ideas at all. It appears to me that this course is academic paternalism where the course is telling me what is “best” for me and what I need to do.
I am very apprehensive about this course; however, I need this course to graduate this Summer, so I will do whatever it takes to complete and pass it. One concern that I have is the technology required by the course material. I am 55 years old and have never “blogged” in my life. This is a totally new and unnerving experience for me. Also the requirement to include photos, drawings, video clips and links with each journal entry (per the Guidelines on the University Colloquium Blog Journal) is a bit overwhelming to a first-time blogger. I did not sign up to take a computer/technology course; I signed up to take a colloquium course.
After seeing the requirements for this course to go on field trips and perform service learning hours I have a serious concern due to my physical health/condition at the present time. I had surgery on my left foot on March 12, 2010 and am still healing and recovering from that. I am scheduled to have surgery on my right foot on May 21, 2010. I need to be totally off my feet for five days and then will be able to walk short distances while wearing a boot/cast for approximately six weeks. Following the upcoming surgery I am not supposed to put weight on my right foot, not supposed to walk for long distances or stand for long periods of time; I am supposed to keep my right foot elevated the majority of the time and I am supposed to only walk on level surfaces. Also, after the surgery I will not be able to drive while wearing the boot/cast, so will be dependent on my husband to provide transportation.
Photo of feet below - left foot had surgery (see scars and swelling) - right foot scheduled for surgery:
Another concern I have about this class is the additional service hours requirement. The main reason I have taken all on-line classes at FGCU is because of scheduling demands on time. (Obviously I spend a significant amount of hours on the course work; however, I can do it on my own schedule and I often get up at 2am or 3am in the morning to do the work – I cannot do that for field trips or service hours.) I knew about the required service hours to graduate at the time I registered at FGCU and I have successfully met those requirements. I did not know that additional service hours would be required in this course. This does not seem fair to me at all. Additionally, the instructions under More Service Learning Guidelines – “Service Learning in University Colloquium” states “you project needs to relate to the natural environment and the goals of the course.” So, once again the course is deciding a course of action for me and not allowing me to volunteer my time where I want to. Also – the course is deciding that working environmentally related service hours is “best” for me and something someone else has decided that I need to do; but I don’t think that standing and walking and putting weight on my foot while it is healing – against my doctor’s orders – is what is “best” for me; but I will have to do it in order to graduate this semester.
Here is an interesting reflection – In the article we read Week 1 – “Who is this Dewey Dude Anyway?” it states under the heading of “Dewey and Education” – “What he did accomplish was to reflect upon his own “traditional” education which minimally involved students, as classes were taught primarily from the standpoint of what the teacher believed the student should know, as opposed to what students were interested in and or ready to learn.” Hmmmmm . . . that seems to me to be what this course is doing – teaching primarily from the standpoint of what the teacher believes I should know – as opposed to what I am interested in or ready to learn!
So, in summary, I guess that my answer to the question being asked: “What are your initial expectations of Colloquium, feelings?” is that I am expecting this class to be very difficult for me to accomplish and I am feeling pretty negative about it.
The journal assignment says to: Briefly describe any experience you have with exploring wilderness areas here or in other regions. I am a little unclear on the correct definition for “wilderness area.” I love going to an unoccupied beach and sitting on the sand and watching the waves. I have walked various nature trails with my two German Shepherd Dogs. I do not hike and have no desire to do so. I don’t recall having any particular desire (in the past or now) to explore wilderness areas. I do not feel safe in the woods. I have ridden the motorcycles through the Ocala National Forest, the panther habitat, the Natchez Trace Parkway, the Everglades, through farmlands in rural Georgia and in the mountains in the Carolinas and enjoyed that very, very much. I remember one trip to the Natchez Trace Parkway where we had twelve motorcycles pull off onto an overlook and when all of the bike engines were cut-off there was absolute silence – no one said a word – as we all just say there on the bikes in total awe of the view and the scenery. I have been to the Grand Canyon and felt stunned by its size and magnitude. (I am just not sure if the places I have been actually count as “wilderness.”)
Here are some photos of some of my nature experiences in the past:
The journal assignment says to: Describe your relationship with the natural world.
I love the natural world (but I equally love the comfort and convenience of the indoors). My favorite times of day to be outside are daylight and dusk. I love watching the sun rise and set in the distance. I also love going outside at night and looking up and seeing the stars and the moon. I love it when it is so incredibly hot and a sudden rain shower falls and I get wet and cooled off. Being born and raised in Florida, I love being around the beach and the ocean and I particularly love the sunshine. I do not enjoy cold weather and when my husband was in the Air Force and we were stationed in Maine – I did not like the cold and the snow and found it depressing because it was so gloomy and not sunny. I love animals and I love watching animals just being themselves. I feel like I enjoy and appreciate the natural world. However, I do not want to camp or hike. I feel safer inside my house. Maybe, I just like “looking at” the natural world, rather than being in it.
The journal assignment says to: Describe any anxieties or reservations you have about this class. I believe that my anxieties and reservations about this class have already been pretty well discussed in the answer to the first question at the beginning of this entry.
The next question in the journal assignment is: What are your personal goals for this class?
Truly, my personal goal for this class is to pass it so I can graduate. It will be a personal goal for me to accomplish the requirements of this class. I feel like I am already pretty knowledgeable about the environment, but it is a goal of mine to learn as much as I can from this course.
The journal assignment says to: Describe how this class might be an important component to your education, major or life experiences? This class is an important component to my education, because completion of this course is required in order for me to graduate. My major is Legal Studies, so other than some applicability to Environmental Law cases, I do not see how this class will be an important component to my major. I suppose if I were to go to work for the EPA or some other governmental regulation authority, then this class would be beneficial to my career field. Unfortunately, I do not think that this class is an important component to my life experiences. I am 55 years old and have already had a lot of life experience on my own (without this class). I have already visited many of the areas that I am interested in and wanted to experience. Being required to go on field trips and work service hours that are not my own preference and interest will be a negative life experience. But, in an effort to “re-frame” the experience, I am going to have a lot more self-confidence if I am able to overcome the issues I am concerned about and successfully complete the course. (Makes me think of the quote by Friedrich Nietzsche – “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”). It can be a positive life experience to overcome odds with creativity and fortitude.
Hmmmmmm . . . maybe there is something to this journal thing – I feel a little better now having gotten all these thoughts “off my chest”!!
The first question asked in the assignment is “What are your initial expectations of Colloquium, feelings?” I had expected the colloquium class to be more of an exchange of ideas on a particular subject (in this case the environment). However, after reading the syllabus for the class and the emails from the instructor, I realize that it is not an exchange of ideas at all. It appears to me that this course is academic paternalism where the course is telling me what is “best” for me and what I need to do.
I am very apprehensive about this course; however, I need this course to graduate this Summer, so I will do whatever it takes to complete and pass it. One concern that I have is the technology required by the course material. I am 55 years old and have never “blogged” in my life. This is a totally new and unnerving experience for me. Also the requirement to include photos, drawings, video clips and links with each journal entry (per the Guidelines on the University Colloquium Blog Journal) is a bit overwhelming to a first-time blogger. I did not sign up to take a computer/technology course; I signed up to take a colloquium course.
After seeing the requirements for this course to go on field trips and perform service learning hours I have a serious concern due to my physical health/condition at the present time. I had surgery on my left foot on March 12, 2010 and am still healing and recovering from that. I am scheduled to have surgery on my right foot on May 21, 2010. I need to be totally off my feet for five days and then will be able to walk short distances while wearing a boot/cast for approximately six weeks. Following the upcoming surgery I am not supposed to put weight on my right foot, not supposed to walk for long distances or stand for long periods of time; I am supposed to keep my right foot elevated the majority of the time and I am supposed to only walk on level surfaces. Also, after the surgery I will not be able to drive while wearing the boot/cast, so will be dependent on my husband to provide transportation.
Photo of feet below - left foot had surgery (see scars and swelling) - right foot scheduled for surgery:
Another concern I have about this class is the additional service hours requirement. The main reason I have taken all on-line classes at FGCU is because of scheduling demands on time. (Obviously I spend a significant amount of hours on the course work; however, I can do it on my own schedule and I often get up at 2am or 3am in the morning to do the work – I cannot do that for field trips or service hours.) I knew about the required service hours to graduate at the time I registered at FGCU and I have successfully met those requirements. I did not know that additional service hours would be required in this course. This does not seem fair to me at all. Additionally, the instructions under More Service Learning Guidelines – “Service Learning in University Colloquium” states “you project needs to relate to the natural environment and the goals of the course.” So, once again the course is deciding a course of action for me and not allowing me to volunteer my time where I want to. Also – the course is deciding that working environmentally related service hours is “best” for me and something someone else has decided that I need to do; but I don’t think that standing and walking and putting weight on my foot while it is healing – against my doctor’s orders – is what is “best” for me; but I will have to do it in order to graduate this semester.
Here is an interesting reflection – In the article we read Week 1 – “Who is this Dewey Dude Anyway?” it states under the heading of “Dewey and Education” – “What he did accomplish was to reflect upon his own “traditional” education which minimally involved students, as classes were taught primarily from the standpoint of what the teacher believed the student should know, as opposed to what students were interested in and or ready to learn.” Hmmmmm . . . that seems to me to be what this course is doing – teaching primarily from the standpoint of what the teacher believes I should know – as opposed to what I am interested in or ready to learn!
So, in summary, I guess that my answer to the question being asked: “What are your initial expectations of Colloquium, feelings?” is that I am expecting this class to be very difficult for me to accomplish and I am feeling pretty negative about it.
The journal assignment says to: Briefly describe any experience you have with exploring wilderness areas here or in other regions. I am a little unclear on the correct definition for “wilderness area.” I love going to an unoccupied beach and sitting on the sand and watching the waves. I have walked various nature trails with my two German Shepherd Dogs. I do not hike and have no desire to do so. I don’t recall having any particular desire (in the past or now) to explore wilderness areas. I do not feel safe in the woods. I have ridden the motorcycles through the Ocala National Forest, the panther habitat, the Natchez Trace Parkway, the Everglades, through farmlands in rural Georgia and in the mountains in the Carolinas and enjoyed that very, very much. I remember one trip to the Natchez Trace Parkway where we had twelve motorcycles pull off onto an overlook and when all of the bike engines were cut-off there was absolute silence – no one said a word – as we all just say there on the bikes in total awe of the view and the scenery. I have been to the Grand Canyon and felt stunned by its size and magnitude. (I am just not sure if the places I have been actually count as “wilderness.”)
Here are some photos of some of my nature experiences in the past:
The journal assignment says to: Describe your relationship with the natural world.
I love the natural world (but I equally love the comfort and convenience of the indoors). My favorite times of day to be outside are daylight and dusk. I love watching the sun rise and set in the distance. I also love going outside at night and looking up and seeing the stars and the moon. I love it when it is so incredibly hot and a sudden rain shower falls and I get wet and cooled off. Being born and raised in Florida, I love being around the beach and the ocean and I particularly love the sunshine. I do not enjoy cold weather and when my husband was in the Air Force and we were stationed in Maine – I did not like the cold and the snow and found it depressing because it was so gloomy and not sunny. I love animals and I love watching animals just being themselves. I feel like I enjoy and appreciate the natural world. However, I do not want to camp or hike. I feel safer inside my house. Maybe, I just like “looking at” the natural world, rather than being in it.
The journal assignment says to: Describe any anxieties or reservations you have about this class. I believe that my anxieties and reservations about this class have already been pretty well discussed in the answer to the first question at the beginning of this entry.
The next question in the journal assignment is: What are your personal goals for this class?
Truly, my personal goal for this class is to pass it so I can graduate. It will be a personal goal for me to accomplish the requirements of this class. I feel like I am already pretty knowledgeable about the environment, but it is a goal of mine to learn as much as I can from this course.
The journal assignment says to: Describe how this class might be an important component to your education, major or life experiences? This class is an important component to my education, because completion of this course is required in order for me to graduate. My major is Legal Studies, so other than some applicability to Environmental Law cases, I do not see how this class will be an important component to my major. I suppose if I were to go to work for the EPA or some other governmental regulation authority, then this class would be beneficial to my career field. Unfortunately, I do not think that this class is an important component to my life experiences. I am 55 years old and have already had a lot of life experience on my own (without this class). I have already visited many of the areas that I am interested in and wanted to experience. Being required to go on field trips and work service hours that are not my own preference and interest will be a negative life experience. But, in an effort to “re-frame” the experience, I am going to have a lot more self-confidence if I am able to overcome the issues I am concerned about and successfully complete the course. (Makes me think of the quote by Friedrich Nietzsche – “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”). It can be a positive life experience to overcome odds with creativity and fortitude.
Hmmmmmm . . . maybe there is something to this journal thing – I feel a little better now having gotten all these thoughts “off my chest”!!
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