PROJECT NATURECONNECT
PROJECT NATURECONNECT
Institute of Global Education
Akamai University
ECO 400: Exploring the Benefits of Nature-Connected Thinking
A free, one credit (optional), home study course that can be done alone or shared with others by email
"Our body, mind, spirit and ability to love come into the world through nature's biological systems. They and we are part of nature's perfection, wisdom and restorative powers. However, like tearing a leg from a live rabbit, the extreme disconnection of contemporary thinking from nature's ways injures our sensory attachments to life and ability to think clearly. Wounded and damaged our limited thinking deteriorates our wellness, our destiny and the environment.
Our great challenge is that our socialization rewards our disturbed and wanting psyche to become attached or addicted to nature-substitute contemporary ways and materials along with their destructive impacts. As an outcome, although the means is readily available, we learn to deny that we must genuinely reconnect our thinking with nature's regenerative powers in order to co-create with nature ourselves and the world in peaceful balance."
- Michael J. Cohen
DESCRIPTION: Let nature-connected readings and activities help you transform the destructive energies in your thinking into rejuvenated and balanced ways of knowing. Strengthen your resilience by learning how to counteract your education's omission of consensus via organic psychology. Discover how to cooperatively reconnect your reasoning and senses to their nurturing origins in nature's restorative vigor, intelligence and peace.
Or-gan-ic Psy-chol-o-gy : 1. The peaceful art and science of building responsible relationships by thinking, feeling and interacting while in conscious, sensory contact with genuine natural systems and their unifying, restorative powers.
2. A nature-connected, non-polluting, counseling, education or healing process whose rewards simultaneously strengthen natural systems in people and the environment.
An optional $20 contribution to Project NatureConnect is suggested to help sustain the program and website. Other costs may include the purchase of the text, Einstein's World, that goes with this and other courses. To avoid paying for it, use a library edition.
DESCRIPTION: Let nature-connected readings and activities help you transform the destructive energies in your thinking into rejuvenated and balanced ways of knowing. Strengthen your resilience by learning how to counteract your education's omission of consensus via organic psychology. Discover how to cooperatively reconnect your reasoning and senses to their nurturing origins in nature's restorative vigor, intelligence and peace.
Or-gan-ic Psy-chol-o-gy : 1. The peaceful art and science of building responsible relationships by thinking, feeling and interacting while in conscious, sensory contact with genuine natural systems and their unifying, restorative powers.
2. A nature-connected, non-polluting, counseling, education or healing process whose rewards simultaneously strengthen natural systems in people and the environment.
An optional $20 contribution to Project NatureConnect is suggested to help sustain the program and website. Other costs may include the purchase of the text, Einstein's World, that goes with this and other courses. To avoid paying for it, use a library edition.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION: Let nature-connected readings and activities help you transform the destructive energies in your thinking into rejuvenated and balanced ways of knowing. Strengthen your resilience by learning how to counteract your education's omission of consensus via organic psychology. Discover how to cooperatively reconnect your reasoning and senses to their nurturing origins in nature's restorative vigor, intelligence and peace.
Or-gan-ic Psy-chol-o-gy : 1. The peaceful art and science of building responsible relationships by thinking, feeling and interacting while in conscious, sensory contact with genuine natural systems and their unifying, restorative powers.
2. A nature-connected, non-polluting, counseling, education or healing process whose rewards simultaneously strengthen natural systems in people and the environment.
PREREQUISITES
Students must acquaint themselves with the Project NatureConnect website at http://www.ecopsych.com
COURSE TOPICS
*library and Internet literature search
*foundational readings
*field observations
*Why think like nature works?
*People and nature as community
*How to benefit from 9-leg thinking
*An ecology of spirit
-Optional Topics
* Reconnecting with natural senses
*The powers of natural senses
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This sensory attachments to culture course is intended to empower the participants to:
*effectively read a book about nature connected psychology as part of learning about nature-connected thinking
*experience the contribution of "4-leg knowledge" to contemporary thinking
*effectively integrate new understandings from the literature with
knowledge gained through observations.
BRIEF NEED STATEMENT
Instructional programs for mid-career adults are effective, many times, only to the extent that the participants can individualize their studies for immediate application within the professional environment and culture. Such participants, motivated to explore aspects of the subject matter in greater detail, will be encouraged and guided in this pursuit. It is essential that educational institutions maximize the relevance of advanced studies to the demands and expectations of the business, corporate, governmental, and professional arenas. Such strategies which relate learning more closely to their cultural roots, work and what educators call "reality" permit more effective integration of new learning with prior learning and experience. Students who learn in this manner are advantaged within the marketplace and highly desired by employers.
COURSE AUDIENCE
Open as an elective to all students who have completed the prerequsite.
FACULTY-STUDENT COMMUNICATIONS
-Telephone Contacts
The student will initiate an initial telephone conference with the instructor within one week of enrollment to clarify a plan of action for the course. This initial contact will help familiarize the student and instructor with one another, and permit the transmission of clear expectations for completion of course requirements. Periodic telephone interaction , as required, at student's expense, should be continued for the duration of the course.
-Email Communications
Frequent email communications between student and instructor should be initiated and continued for the duration of the course.
-Alternative Communications
Students may send communications and materials via postal service, as appropriate.
COURSE DELIVERY STYLE
Students do readings and activities that acquaint them with the subject matter, share their experiences by email, and then creates a paper or papers which identify the findings from literature and integrates and integrates these findings with the observations from the professional arena.
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS
-Required Textbook
*Einstein's World, Project NatureConnect
http://www.ecopsych.com/ecoeinstein3,html
-Recommended Bibliography
Students may select from the following general bibliographic materials, and the bibliographies they contain, as appropriate. See www.amazon.com for publication details and availability.
*Dancing Wu Li Masters, Gary Zukoff
*The Monkey Wrench Gang, Edward Abby
*Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions, Richard Erdoes
*Voice of the Desert, Joseph Wood Krutch
*The Soul Unearthed, Cass Adams,
*My Name is Chellis, Chellis Glenndinning,
*Ecopsychology, Theodore Roszac
*The Web of Life, John Storer
*Dream of the Earth, Thomas Berry
*Earth in Mind, David Orr
*Wilderness and the American Mind, Roderick Nash
*The Quiet Crisis, Stewart Udall
*Wisdom of the Body, Walter B. Connon
*Ishi in Two Worlds, Theodora Kroeber
*Education of Little Tree, Forest Carter
*Magical Child, Joseph Chilton Pierce
*Ishmael, Daniel Quinn
*Summerhill, A.S. Neill
*The Web of Life, Fritjov Capra
*The Spell of the Sensuous, David Abram
COURSE ASSIGNMENT AND SEQUENCE SCHEDULE
Complete or have completed visiting the Project NatureConnect website at
http://www.ecopsych.comBefore starting this course email or phone the Faculty for last minute help and updates 360-378-6313 nature@interisland.net
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Assignment 1:
Week One. Do the Secret of Natural Attractions Trail all the way through Station 22 Part 4.
http://www.ecopsych.com/trailattract.html
Read the article Stairway to Sanity online until you are sure you have a working knowledge of the difference between "4-leg" and "5-leg" thinking and knowing.
http://www.ecopsych.com/wholeness2a.htmlIf not done previously, be sure to do the Four-Leg Thinking and Knowing exercise at the bottom of the Stairway to Sanity page.
Part B
Get 5-leg information from sources 2A and, 2B :
2A. Vist the quotes page for this course. It contains five pages each with a series of six sets of nature quote INSIGHTS on each page. Note that there are four quotes in each of the six sets of INSIGHTS on the page.
http://www.ecopsych.com/eco400a1.html2B. In the book Einstein's World read at least two chapters each week for the 6-week duration of the course.
http://www.ecopsych.com/ecoeinstein3,html
FOR WEEK TWO (and the next five weeks)
For Week Two Read through the six INSIGHTS on the first quotes page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a1.html
On three separate days this week, on each day select a different one of the of the six INSIGHTS on this page that are most attractive to youA. On each day of the three, identify which one of the four quotes in that selected INSIGHT that you find most attractive. (then do 4 below).
or
B. Put together a short sentence that you feel combines the most attractive parts of the four quotes in that INSIGHT (then do 4 below).
C. On each of the three separate days of this week after doing 3A or 3B go to the most attractive natural area locally, backyard or back country, that is convenient to you. First with your eyes closed and then opened, quietly discover what part or parts of this area during your visit is/are most attractive to you. Note what you think and feel as you become aware of these attractions in nature.
D. Thoughtfully consider the contribution your attractions in this natural area make with regard to the statement you selected in 3A or 3B. What does your "4-leg" contact with natural attractions do? Does it modify or strengthen your thinking? Write down and then by email share with others on the course what you discover or learn from combining 3 and 4 above (9-leg knowing), Save what you write for use later.
For the next four additional weeks:
For Week Three Read through the six insights on page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a7.html and repeat the process A-D described in "For Week Two," above
For Week Four Read through the six insights on page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a13.html and repeat the process A-D described in "For Week Two," above
For Week Five Read through the six insights on page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a19.html and repeat the process A-D described in "For Week Two," above
For Week Six Read through the six insights on page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a25.html and repeat the process A-D described in"For Week Two," above
COMPLETE COURSE
For the last five days: Using your thoughts and feelings from the first week attraction trail, readings and the 15 writeups you did from the five weeks of activities assignments write a three page (or more) paper that describes important things you found attractive and worthwhile from doing 2-7 above. Integrate them into your personal and professional goals.
Share your paper with your online classmates (2C) who will help you assign it a grade, then send your grade to the staff to register it if you so desire.
If you want a regionally accredited academic one-credit for the course, contact the staff at 360-378-6313 for instructions as to how to obtain it.
NOTE: The student is evaluated by the extent and depth of their course participation and paper.
The course grade is also dependent upon the degree of responsibility and cooperation the student demonstrates in relating to teaching/facilitating their class/interact group and the grade recommendation of the student teacher's support group is also given consideration.
The course grade is also influenced by the instructor's evaluation of the student's effort and expertise to integrate and convey the subject matter.
COURSE GRADING DETERMINANTS
*the paper ................................................................40%
*the grade received from the student's interact group................20%
*the degree of responsibility and cooperation demonstrated ...10%
*the instructor's impression of the student's expertise to use
and convey the subject matter...................................................30% )
INDIVIDUALIZATION OF STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS
Through the written assignments and the application of sensory activities,
participants will have opportunities to integrate ecopsychology solutions
to issues and problems within their personal, work, or community
environment.
COURSE EVALUATION
The student is evaluated by the extent and depth of change participation in the course and the quality of the paper. The course grade is also
dependent upon the degree of responsibility and cooperation the student
demonstrates in relating to teaching/facilitating their class/interact
group and the grade recommendation of the student teacher's support group is also given consideration. The course grade is also influenced by the instructor's evaluation of the student's effort and expertise to integrate and convey the subject matter.
SPECIAL NOTES AND INSTRUCTIONS
Students may progress through this course at a faster pace, as appropriate,
with permission of the course instructor.FACULTY CONTACT INFORMATION
Michael J. Cohen, Ed.D.
Director, Project NatureConnect
P. O. Box 1605
Friday Harbor, WA 98250 USA
Tel: (360) 378-6313
Email: nature@interisland.net
Website: www.ecopsych.comCommunications should take place during daytime working hours in the western time zone or by appointment.
Project NatureConnect
Institute of Global Education
Special NGO consultant to United Nations Economic and Social Council.
P.O. Box 1605 Friday Harbor WA 98250
(360) 378-6313
nature@interisland.net
www.ecopsych.com
.
INSTITUTE OF GLOBAL EDUCATION Special NGO consultant United Nations Economic and Social Council
PROJECT NATURECONNECT
Readily available, online, natural science tools
for the health of person, planet and spiritP.O. Box 1605, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
360-378-6313 <email> www.ecopsych.com
ORGANIC ADVANCED ECOPSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION
The Natural Systems Thinking Process
Dr. Michael J. Cohen, Director
send email
All programs start with the Orientation Course contained in the book
The Web of Life Imperative.
