Group 3 Syllabus Design: The Environmentally Conscious Individual by Kayla McAllister

 Spiritual and Soulful Learning: Syllabus Design

The Environmentally Conscious Individual

Kayla McAllister

Ball State University

EDAC 635: Strategies for Teaching Adults

Dr. Bo Chang

Fall 2024

10/ 15 /2024

Group Member	Commented On
Kayla McAllister	Group 1: Learning Styles Julia Davenport, Julee Sims, Elaine Pippens, Cam Bopp

 

 

 

 

 

All work was independently worked on. The breakdown of the roles for this project can be found on the class blog under Group Plans. Some changes were made during the syllabus writing project such as the title of the Course and changing it from a workshop to an eight-week course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

The Environmentally Conscious Individual is an eight-week course for adults wanting to learn more about being environmentally conscious in their local area. The purpose of the course is to provide students with instruction about the practical and theoretical concepts related to environmentalism and how they can be better stewards of their local community. Topics include identifying environmental issues in our local area, dealing with single-use items, implementing the Four R’s (Rethink, Reduce, Reuse/Repurpose, Recycle) in daily life, how to support local conservation efforts, how to speak up on state and national level legislation efforts. Besides the scheduled instructional time, I want students to learn how to be self-reflective adults, which helps them connect with others and the greater universe around them. I strive to address both the spirit and soul in learning about being environmentally conscious. By the end of the course, students should have also gained tangible and meaningful experiences that they can implement into their day-to-day lives.

Rationale

This syllabus is structured and framed to meet both the spiritual and soulful learning needs of the learner. One theory that will be implemented is that of understanding that spiritual and soulful learning does not necessarily need to be linked to religion. We must also understand that spirituality is not a religion and should not be linked to religion, as it would discriminate against other religions (Gallagher, 2009). I prefer to maintain a secular standpoint in all of my class materials. We must also understand that spirit and soul are connected as well as interconnected with the world around us. ). To further define spirituality, Elizabeth Tisdell quotes it as, “a journey towards wholeness, enabling one to see the extraordinary in the ordinary business of our life, and our interconnectedness both of the natural world and to something bigger than ourselves” (Tisdell, 2023, p. 38). I mostly reflected on the works of Dorothy MacKeracher and Dirkx to inspire my activities and structure of my class. Most of Dorothy’s work that I connected with the syllabus was that of the connections that she made in her writing. She states, “Spirituality is, “an awareness of something greater than ourselves, a sense that we are connected to all human beings, and all creation” (MacKeracher, 2004, p. 175). I also based Peterson’s work for my framework. Another quote that I based off the activities for my syllabus was that of “soulful and spiritual learning is also permitted in its natural state; it becomes a self-generating, self-enforcing process driven by curiosity, awe, reverence, expression, meaning, and relevance, rather than compliance. Spirit is not about grades, winning, trophies, certificates, or merit pay; it is about knowing what led us to service” (Peterson, et al, 1997, p. 190). Students are led to reflect and collaborate within their work to form their meanings and reflections about the issues at hand. Students are given an environment that is safe and understanding of the different viewpoints of others. I also wanted students to define their ways of solving issues and have the desire to be activists for issues that they believe in and want to make a difference with. I also did not want to put my own opinions and thoughts into the activities. Most of the conversational times were that of being student-led and student-directed and only interrupted if violence and verbal discourse decided to ensue. We should also know that all these theories “demand that educators explore, in a sustained and clear-eyed fashion, their inner terrain, before projecting their lives into their learners' lives” (Gallagher, 2009, p. 75). Most of the practical applications are from Dorothy’s book Making Sense of Adult Learning. Activities include “deep relaxation, guided imagery, humor, meditation, creativity, and mental play” (MacKeracher, 2004, p. 180). We should also as educators “need strategies that authentically bring student’s lives within the classrooms” (Watson, 2017, p. 8) such as activities that have students connect with the world around them such as show and tell and sharing experiences with others. Practical ways of having students be more attuned to themselves and others are to “ask open-ended questions (Palmer, 2003), have information-giving sessions, listen rather than responding to students, have deep reflection sessions to mull over large topics, connect to the primary source of creativity, vitality, and wisdom within our lives” (Dirkx, 1997). “We must nurture students to individually and collectively reflect and find that within themselves such as through group work and other creative activities such as storytelling, narratives, myths, tales, and rituals. Students must also solve interrelation issues with others without the educator interjecting” (unless violence breaks out) (Dirkx, 1997). I want students to independently take away learning activities and apply them to their everyday lives through real-world activities and collaborative work.

 

 

Syllabus for

ENVN 150: The Environmentally Conscious Individual (3 Credit Hours)

Course Instructor: Kayla McAllister

Contact Information

2545 Silveus Crossing, Warsaw, IN 46580

Office: Room 251

Office Phone: (574) XXX-XXXX

Cell Phone: (574) XXX-XXXX

Email: kayla.mcallister@bsu.edu

Class Location(s): This class is a blended program that is both online and at various other locations listed below. Transportation will be provided. Most of the coursework and reflections will be strictly online while labs will be in person at the following locations:

·        Pisgah Marsh Boardwalk ½ mile walk June 16^th. Meet at campus to carpool to the location by 2:30 pm.

·        Winona Lake Trails 10 miles of unpaved/paved trails on June 30th. Meet at campus to carpool to the location by 2:30 pm. We will be mostly on the main trail and lake area for our cleanup lab.

Class Dates and Times:

June 2, 2025- July 25, 2025, 3 pm-5 pm Mondays and Fridays, via Zoom, online discussion, or in person at the above locations. Mondays will be in person, and Fridays will be via Zoom.

Office Hours:

Tuesday and Thursday at 12p-2 pm. If you have any questions or need additional clarification, please text or email. The instructor will typically respond within 48 hours of receiving a message. If on a midterm or finals week, please allow the instructor 72 hours to respond.

Course Objectives

·        Students will notice the difference between healthy and unhealthy logging practices through reading activities and show that they understand the difference between the two during collaborative reflection time.

·        Students can define local and large ecological disasters by learning about the history of local and large-scale disasters.

·        Students will practice deep reflection and suggested meditation skills to help students appreciate and admire local nature reserves but also reflect on the big what-ifs.

·        Students will discuss local area companies and contact people whom they may know about who help prevent environmental disasters.

·        Students will know the ramifications of pollution in their local communities and what they can do to prevent pollution from happening while volunteering for local clean-up day.

·        Students will understand how to properly use the Four R Method in everyday life.

·        Students will show how to repurpose day-to-day waste such as clothing, plant scraps, food scraps, etc. Climate Activism is introduced so that students can have a jumpstart on their final project.

·        Students will connect their personal experiences to others and the world around them through projects and book reflections.

Course Schedule

Week 1 (June 2-June 6) Introduction

- Discuss: Syllabus, major assignments, and course expectations, locations for lab work.

               - Activities: Round Circle talk for self-introductions (individual students will decide what they want the rest of the class to know about them) and read The Lorax for Monday’s class.

- Goals: Notice the difference between before and after “logging practices”.

-Assignments Due by Monday: Read and Reflect on Chapter 20: Sitting in a Circle of Braiding Sweetgrass. Questions will be posted on Canvas. Students can work on this during Friday’s class hours with each other or alone (whichever they prefer).

Week 2 (June 9-June 13) Local and Largescale Environmental Disasters

-Discuss: Next week's lab day is on Monday (Go over what is expected of the students while at the location). Talk about Nine Mile Island, Love Canal, and local chemical/hot water discharge sites for Monday’s class.

               -Activities: Round Circle talk to discuss Canvas questions and ask more open-ended questions regarding the topics above. Students will be able to discuss improper dumping methods that corporations use to expel waste and cover up other chemicals in “waste beds”.

               -Goals: Can define local and large ecological disasters through learning about the history of local and large-scale disasters.

               -Assignments due by Monday: Read and Reflect on Chapter 27: The Sacred and the Superfund of Braiding Sweetgrass. Questions will be posted on Canvas. Students can work on this during Friday’s class hours with each other or alone (whichever they prefer).

Week 3 (June 16-20) Our Local Marshes and Environment Around Us

-Discuss: Appropriate behavior when visiting nature reserves and the expectations of Monday’s lab time on the way to the location. Remind students to continue reading No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference for the midterm book report that is due next Saturday by 11:59p.

               -Activities: Students will have around two hours to have deep reflection and suggested meditation on the boardwalk. Regroup by 4:30 to carpool back to campus. Questions to consider while at location: What if this area had a chemical disaster/was used for waste beds? How would that make you feel? How would that affect the local environment? What would you do to counteract it if anything at all?

               -Goals: To have deep reflection and suggested meditation skills to help students appreciate and admire local nature preserves but also reflect with the big what-ifs listed above.

               -Assignments: No assignments due. Suggest that students either continue to reflect on the lab or start/continue their progress of reading No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference due next Saturday at 11:59p. Students may collaborate on what they want to include in their paper for Friday’s class meeting time.

Week 4 (June 23-June 27) How to Prevent These Disasters from Happening and What You Can Do as an Individual

-Discuss: Ways we can notice, understand, and reflect on issues that may have shown up in our local areas.

               Activities: Monday’s class involves Round Circle talk to share things that they have noticed while living in the area (these may differ since some students may have lived here for longer than others. Have a supported environment in which all ages can be represented). Questions to consider: How do you notice an ecological issue, and who do you report it to? How can you respond?

               Goals: Students will discuss local area companies and contact people whom they may know about who help with environmental disasters. Students will respectfully listen to elders and their experiences with the area as well.

               Assignments: Friday’s class please bring five objects that represent your local area to share with the class. We will share these and either can describe them in person or on a paper format for this Zoom class. Remind students that the book report will be due TOMORROW at 11:59 PM. Remind students that next Monday is a lab day and to bring good walking shoes appropriate clothing and hydration. Gloves and tools will be provided.

Week 5 (June 30-July 4) Connecting with Nature and Trail Clean Up Day

-Discuss: Appropriate behavior on the trail clean-up day when traveling to the site. Discuss last week's reflection time regarding the ways that you have seen changes and challenges within your local area.

               Activities: Trail Clean Up Day.

               Goals: Students will know the ramifications of pollution in their local communities and what they can do to counteract pollution from happening while volunteering for local clean-up day.

Assignments: The class does not meet this Friday, July 4^th. Please enjoy the holiday. For Monday’s class please bring five pieces of what you think is reusable “trash” from your holiday festivities.

Week 6 (July 7-July 11)The Four Rs and Single-Use Items

-Discuss: What ways we can enact the Four Rs within our daily lives?

               Activities: Go over how we can practically use the Four Rs with hands-on activity regarding what students brought in from their festivities. Use it to structure the activities on Rethink, Reduce, Reuse/Repurpose, Recycle method.

               Goals: Students will know how to properly use the Four R Method in everyday life.

               Assignments: Comment on the midterm book report due by Monday’s Class. Students are encouraged to work collaboratively and reflect together via Friday’s Zoom class.

Week 7 (July 14-July 18) Repurposing Continued and Activism Visited

-Discuss: What repurposing entails and how to be an activist with environmental issues.

               Activities: Lecture and hands-on creative repurpose day.

               Goals: Students will know how to repurpose day-to-day waste such as clothing, plant scraps, food scraps, etc. Climate Activism is introduced so that students can have a jumpstart on their final project.

               Assignments: Start working on final projects during Friday class time. Students will collaborate on their final projects. Final projects consist of writing either a petition against a local or statewide environmental issue or reaching out and interviewing someone would has witnessed first-hand environmental disasters. Students are encouraged but not required to do this project in a multimedia format.

Week 8 (July 21-July 25) Finals and Wrap-up Reflection Time

-Discuss: Final Project Rubric and Reflection Time

               Activities: Time to work on the Final Project and to discuss what individuals had learned during the duration of the course.

               Goals: Students will know how to connect their personal experiences to others and the world around them.

               Assignments: Continue to work on Final Project either collaboratively or independently during Monday’s class time. Friday's class time will be used to wrap up what was learned what students took from the course and how they will implement activities in their own lives.

Resources and Additional Materials

Literature:

All readings will be posted online but if you would like a hard copy, please refer to the following information:

Geisel, T. (1971). The Lorax. Random House Books for Young Readers.

Kimmerer, R. (2013). Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the

 Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions.

Thunberg, G. (2019). No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference. Penguin Books.

Online resources and journals will be posted online via Canvas.

**Students are responsible for bringing writing materials such as a journal or somewhere to record notes during class and during labs where there is no internet connection.**

Grading Criteria and Standards

The Grading Criteria will follow that of Ivy Tech’s grading scale found at https://www.ivytech.edu/classes/class-policies-grades/

Grade Weighting Is as Follows

Participation 30 Points **Most of the Grade Relies Heavily on this and the final project as I want students to reflect and collaboratively work together and connect real-life issues to their own**

Discussion Posts/Zoom Meetings 20 Points

Midterm Book Report 20 Points

Final Project 30 Points

Total 100 Points

Bonus Points

Extra Volunteer Work Outside of Class Hours 2 points for each hour *Verified with Volunteer Worker.

Book Suggestions for Next Semester 1 Point for each short book summary written to include in next semester’s reading

Policies*

Attendance- You are expected to participate in each discussion, complete the assigned readings and written assignments, and actively participate in all activities and conversations, including raising questions and observations about the material. You are expected to do approximately 6 hours of web-based work per week, in addition to the time spent on reading and working on assignments, and in-person lab experiences. As this is a blended program, it is up to each student to show up during the scheduled meeting time. Exceptions will be made if students cannot physically participate in the activity and accommodation will be made.

Late Assignments: All assignments are due by a specified date and time. Failure to complete the assignment will result in a 1-point deduction from your final grade. Exceptions will be made if there is accommodation or extenuating circumstances.

Additional Policies can be found at https://www.ivytech.edu/classes/class-policies-grades/#

Reflection

Highlights: Most of the uniqueness of this project was that of trying how to connect my theoretical framework to the concrete and practical ways that I designed the syllabus. It was especially hard to do since spiritual and soulful learning is so different for each learner and trying to find the happy medium of leaving up most of the discussion points and collaborative work to the students. I deeply understood how hard it is to implement this into a class.

Process: Overall, I had my Theory Review side by side with this project to reference and bring over materials that I wanted to incorporate into the methods/tools/strategies in the syllabus. The whole process had me overwhelmed trying to format and think out my ideas since I did not have any other group members to work with. I tried to start with the week-by-week schedule but I ended up working on the summary of the syllabus design to break down all my ideas and then relate them to the week-by-week syllabus breakdown. I then used the weekly goals to format the objectives of the course. Overall, I wish I had more time to research more about spiritual and soulful learning to understand the theory more thoroughly and implement practices better.

Table 1. Summary of Syllabus Design

Aims or Goals I Wish to Achieve in this Design	Main Theoretical Points of Spiritual and Spiritual Learning	Main Activities in Syllabus	Methods/tools/Strategies to Meet These Practicalities in the Syllabus
·        Providing students with a safe environment where they can reflect in a safe space   ·        Offering tangible ways for the materials to be observed and learned as well as connected to the individual’s life.	Point 1: Spirit and Souls Interconnectedness   Our first theoretical point was to define that spiritual and soulful learning are interconnected, therefore, application to tangible activities must also be considered and interconnected (with other aspects of the individual’s life).	·        The environments provided will be open to reflect each student's personality and personal values and opinions through activities that structure for students to bring objects in ·        Reflective time to process large amounts of information will be ample through hands-on activities ·        Deep reflective activities for students to reach other levels of consciousness	·        Deep relaxation/meditation lab days at local nature preserves and areas ·        Show and tell local object activity. Students bring in objects that represent their local area. Students will either reflect verbally or write in this creative activity. This will show what is the most important for all the individuals involved and it will be unique for each person to show their authentic self.
·        The environment will be supportive of opinionated discussion and provide ways for students to bring in their previous knowledge and objects that relate to them personally.   ·        Everyone's opinions matter and will be reflected.	Point 2: Noticing Spiritual and Soulful Learning in Our Ideals   Our second theoretical point was to understand that spiritual and soulful learning will align with both the instructor’s and, most importantly, the student’s opinions as they go through this type of learning. A structured and safe environment will help this process.	·        Authentically having students share personal values with others ·        Having students connect on a spiritual level on how they can form their opinions in a structured way ·        Papers and readings that have students think deeply about the environment around them.	·        Students will be writing a midterm paper that helps connect themselves to the material so that they can share their authentic selves/share their personal opinions with the professor ·        Students will connect coursework to their own lives whether that be large or small-scale efforts through activities or reflective papers ·        Students will decide what they think reusable “trash” means by bringing in examples for the students to decide what it could be used for
·        Growth will be at the forefront of discussion times ·        Creativity is valued and respected ·        Social justice will be structured activities	Point 3: Ambiguity of Spiritual and Soulful Learning   Our third theoretical point is that of the ambiguity of spiritual and soulful learning. Learners will have different “paths” that they are on to reach the end of their educational journey. Every individual’s path is unique and we must enhance the time that they will share with us.	·        Providing opportunities to foster growth and discuss difficult topics ·        Having structured activities in which students have to form open-ended questions with collaboration ·        Having students take on their learning and take hold of their learning through collaborative and creative learning ·        Giving back and acting as a steward to their local area	·        Students will participate in circle conversations weekly and talks that are not interrupted by the facilitator (unless there is physical and verbal violence breaks out) ·        Open-ended questions will be asked either for exit tickets or a starter to guide discussion via discussion boards via Canvas ·        Students can work individually or together on Zoom platforms for Friday classes for collaboration to share ideas and thoughts on assignments ·        Having students partake in their local community (Clean Up Lab) to have a challenge to seek growth rather than compliance to “normal” ways. ·        Students' final project will be up to the student to decide whether to write a petition or interview local individuals with firsthand experiences. Students are encouraged to use multimedia formats.

 

 

References for the Syllabus Design

Dirkx, J. M. (1997). Nurturing soul in adult learning. new directions for adult and continuing

education., 1997(74), 79–88. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.7409

Gallagher, Eugene (2009) Spirituality in higher education? Caveat Emptor,

Religion and Education, 36:2, 68-87, DOI: 10.1080/15507394.2009.10012444

MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning (2nd ed.). Toronto: University of

Toronto Press. ISBN-10: 080203778X ISBN-13: 978-0802037787

Palmer, P. J. (2003). Teaching with heart and soul. Journal of Teacher Education., 54(5), 376–

385. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487103257359

Peterson, T., & Hart, T. (1997). Pedagogy for the soul: re-visioning of spirit in education.

Educational Horizons, 75(4), 187–191. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42926745

Tisdell, E. J. (2023). The braid of transformative learning, spirituality, and creativity: The impetus

to create as well as critique. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2023,

37–50. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20477

Watson, Vajra (2017) "Life as primary text: English classrooms as sites for soulful learning,"

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning: Vol. 22, Article 4.

 https://doi.org/10.7290/jaepl222jli

 

*Policies are formatted and inspired by EDAC 635 Syllabus written by Dr. Bo Chang