OE 3710 - Experiential Education: From Dewey to Outward Bound

This course introduces students to the foundations of experiential education in and out of classroom environments. Origins of experiential education, including the work of theorists such as John Dewey, Kurt Hahn, and Paulo Freire, theories that sprouted the progressive movement in education, and experiential programs such as Outward Bound, NOLS and other schools with an outdoor/experiential education philosophy will be explored. Students will engage in active, outdoor learning with an emphasis on experiential education. Relationships between human beings, learning and the natural world are explored through organized learning activities and an expedition where students construct an integrated experiential project from start to finish. Students will become versed in developing lesson plans that meet national and state education standards. Prerequisites: 60 credits/3rd year status. Offered spring semester even years. (4 Credits)