Storytelling is a relational process of communicating observation, insight, and meaning. To cultivate observational skills of the natural environment and the place of humans in it, you will complete a Tiny Ecology project, which is a study in land-based environmental and nature awareness and connection. It involves a regular (at least weekly, more frequently is better) practice of observation of a local environment of your choosing (called a “sit spot”) over the course of the term, as a way to develop a finer understanding of the impacts (anticipated or already ongoing) of climate change and human activity on a socio-ecological area. Your sit spot can be in your yard, in a nearby park or wooded area, or even just observing the changes in a plant in your home or on a balcony if you don’t have access to any outdoor habitat; there are no specific requirements for this place, but it is best if it is easily accessed and not more than a five minute walk from your home.
Through this project, you will be creating or connecting to knowledge that is both experientially and theoretically informed, and which stems from what is uncovered through observation about, and slow engagement with this site, as a means to framing and asking better contextualized questions. Be curious! As it will aslo include engagement with your peers, it will facilitate the ongoing development of your learning community.
Instructions:
- In the first week of the course, locate a sit spot to visit. This should be an accessible site that you can spend a minimum of 20 minutes in, at least once a week. Ideally you will be able to sit at least a few times a week in order to better connect with the place.
- Sign up for the two weeks you will post your reflections in the Tiny Ecology Moodle forum.
- Review the week’s weekly Instructor Post, which will include prompts for thinking through the readings in relation to what you might observe or experience in your sit spot, as well as tips for deeply engaging with your sit spot.
- Without distraction (e.g., no phone, no podcasts, no music etc.), silently observe the goings-on in this space. What animals are there? What plant life? What is the quality or are their qualities? What is the weather like? What do you smell or hear? Try to incorporate as many of your senses in your observations as you can.
- Record these observations in a notebook.
- In response to your assigned weeks’ prompts, as well as your readings for those weeks, create a forum post that:
- Synthesizes at least one of the readings for the week by incorporating short analysis and reference to them in your forum post;
- Addresses the prompt
- I strongly encourage you to begin this project early as it will help inform your voice and sensibility for later assignments.
- All posts must be complete by 11:55 PM on Friday of the final week (see schedule for exact date).
Requirements:
- Provide two forum entries (min. 500 word count).
- Incorporate and reflect on at least two of the readings of the week in your entry.
- Use the currently accepted APA formatting.
- Submit during the weeks you signed up for.
Assessment Criteria:
- Completion of your posts (learning outcome 5.3)
- Include reference to two readings (learning outcome 2.3)
- Synthesis of reading material and sit spot observations in each post (learning outcome 2.3 and 3.1)
- Accuracy of APA citational style usage (learning outcome 2.2)
Relevant Resources: MACAL Blog Assessment Rubric
Weight: 15%
Submit: to the Moodle forum