Course Overview
Welcome to Teaching and Learning in the School Garden!
Many educators want a better understanding of how to plan, organize, and evaluate a successful garden program, yet do not know where to begin or how to fit garden-based learning activities into an already busy school day. We know that gardens, and the act of gardening, bring many benefits to youth and adults. From this desire comes the purpose of this course: to grow an understanding of how be a more effective garden-based learning educator and how to integrate garden-based learning into the school curriculum.
This course focuses on the foundations and teaching strategies of garden-based learning (GBL), and provides the tools and resources that classroom teachers and extension educators need to develop school gardening programs that can easily be integrated into their school curriculum or youth program.
Over the next 6 weeks you will have the opportunity to learn from one another by engaging in group discussions, and evaluating and reflecting on the readings, research, and case studies. Educational theory will be discussed and put into practice through practicum, lesson plan assignments, and your final portfolio project. You will keep an ongoing journal to reflect on what you have learned and how this new information will improve your teaching practice and program planning. The instructor will take an active role by providing supportive feedback.
Contact
Instructor for this Course: Donna Alese Cooke
Please send any questions and messages to the instructor through Moodle. If you need to reach her immediately, please email her at dmc72@cornell.edu.
Course Format
Over the next few weeks there will be 6 modules (units) of study that occur each week, Each module will open on Monday and includes readings, learning activities, discussion posts, and assignments that are due by the following Monday. Late assignments will be accepted, however please message the instructor that you need more time.
You can expect to dedicate a minimum of 5 hours per week to the lessons, readings, discussions and assignments in this course. As a general rule, more time spent devoted to garden-based learning theory and practice will help ensure that you will gain knowledge and practical proficiency. In addition to the required learning activities, we also encourage you to explore beyond the assignments and read, explore, and learn from others, whenever possible. You will occasionally find supplementary assignments and additional resources for some of the lessons.
Please take the time to read through the introductory section this week...
If you take the time to get to know this approach during this first week, you will get the most out of the course. It is important to know your way around, and feel comfortable with the Moodle interface and online learning in general.
In addition to lesson assignments, you will submit journal entries. Your journal will help you reflect on what you have learned from each of the readings, discussions, and assignments within each module. There will be suggested topics for your journal entries each week, however, you are free to explore your own topics as long as they relate to the course as a whole. Your journal will help you build a relationship with the instructor, and to better understand yourself too.
Lastly, you will compile a portfolio which will serve as a reflection of your evolving learning experience, and teaching "tool box" complete with lesson plans and developed programs ready to use in your classroom or youth program. Please review the Course Syllabus.
Welcome, we are so glad you are a part of this course!
About your instructor...
Course instructor Donna Alese Cooke began her horticulture career in the family nursery and landscape business, and her own businesses in floral and garden design. She is a Master Gardener, with an educational background in Landscape Design, Childhood Education, English, Curriculum Development, and Instructional Technology. In addition to working with Cornell Garden-Based Learning, she developed online courses for the Native Plant Trust and the American Horticultural Society.
As Community Horticulture Specialist, Donna managed the Master Gardener Volunteers and local Garden-Based Learning research projects, and served as advisor for many Youth, School, and Community Garden programs for Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orange, Rockland, and Suffolk Counties, and as faculty for the University of Florida.
Donna collaborates on various state-wide projects with Cornell Garden-Based Learning, including the Master Gardener Core Curriculum and the development and publication of the Gardening in Our Warming World: Youth Grow! curriculum.
In addition to teaching this course, Donna teaches other Cornell distance learning courses: Planning a Successful School and Community Garden Program, Introduction to Garden Design, and Organic Gardening.