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GREEN SUSTAINABILITY DISTANCE EDUCATION UNIVERSITIES: Accredited Nature-Connecting Online Alternative and Natural Holistic Bachelors Masters and PhD Degrees, Sensory Courses, Jobs and Career Training Education, Includes certified life experience equivalence and prior instruction, hands-on sustainable environmental programs |
ECO 792 SYLLABUS AND PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Advanced Readings in Applied Ecopsychology and Integrated Ecology
Reading Advanced Literature in Green Sustainability
Advanced Readings in Applied Ecopsychology and Integrated Ecology
Reading Advanced Literature in Green Sustainability
Project NatureConnect
Friday Harbor, San Juan
Island, Washington, USA
Institute of Global Education
Holistic
Alternative Online Natural Health Wellness Spirituality
Special
NGO Consultant, United Nations Economic and Social Council
Green
Careers, Sustainable Jobs, Degrees Graduate Schools
Scholarships
| SYNOPSIS: The green, natural reading and readings course, university syllabus, below, describes a significant breakthrough: distance education sustainable counseling and therapy training that includes your prior learning and equivalence courses, life experience, and offers financial aid grants. It helps you remedy the excessive disconnection of our psyche from nature's flow that produces our disorders. Its applied ecopsychology helps you follow nature's path to Earth and humanity in peaceful balance. PROGRAM OVERVIEW:
Educating Counseling and Healing With Nature Degrees, Grants, Career Training Courses and Jobs Online. Individuals
who have enjoyed a refreshing visit in a natural area often report that
their sensory contact with nature's balance and beauty increased their
well-being in lasting ways. They say that the connection renewed their
psyche, cleared their mind and energized their spirit. To this end, the
remarkable process of Educating, Counseling and Healing With Nature
(ECHN) empowers anyone, anytime, to increase personal, social and
environmental well-being, and to help others do the same.
ECHN students learn how to help nature's self-correcting ways interlace with their heart, mind and spirt. This enables them, along with their clients and friends, to increase health and wellness through a grant for thinking, feeling and relating like nature's perfection works. Educating Counseling and Healing With Nature offers critical nature connected distant education and university distance learning, graduate school scholarships and alternative careers degrees, and jobs. They are designed for independent thinkers who want to add sensory nature-contact methods and reading to therapy, teaching or coaching practices. The environmental need is great for those who have the integrity and dedicated passion to master sustainable, green, health and wellness spirituality skills. They help individuals who need or seek a safe alternative to the destructive ways of society that block the restorative flow of nature in through and around us. We honor your desire to blend your life experience and training with your respect for nature, by providing special grants and equivalence credit for it. If you like, you may combine our certified accredited coursework with a Nature-Connected Degree or Certificate in most subjects, personal interests, or jobs. (see bottom of this page)
http://www.akamaiuniversity.us/vl_dir.htm ECO 792 SYLLABUS AND PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Advanced Reading in Applied Ecopsychology and Integrated Ecology (3 credits) Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy Institute of Applied Ecopsychology Akamai University Michael J. Cohen <nature@interisland.net> November 1, 2008 NOTE: This course requirement may be filled via documenting that you have had equivalent education experience. The means to do this by challenge exam is found at http://www.ecopsych.com/eco700.html COURSE DESCRIPTION This reading course explores books, journal articles, and other learning materials that make, or would have made, the way nature works become an ally to increase well-being if organic psychology had been included as part of them. The application of ecopsychology, as practiced in the discipline of natural attraction ecology and organic psychology, helps humanity address the crises that result from our estrangement from nature as nature's flow manifests itself as our our living planet, Earth. Students prepare an academic paper or project report as a minimum written assessment in this course. ADVANCED READINGS can include these pages and their links: Overview Article<http://www.ecopsych.com/hallucinatearticle.html> Process Synopsis<http://www.ecopsych.com/transformation.html> Fundamentals <http://www.ecopsych.com/mjcohen22.html> Interview<http://www.ecopsych.com/ecopsychologyjournal.html> Research<http://www.ecopsych.com/2004ecoheal.html> Identity<http://www.ecopsych.com/thesisquote6.html> Book*<http://www.ecopsych.com/ksanity.html> NAE*<http://www.NaturalAttractionEcology.com> * Included in Comprehensive Exams Also see Bibliography, below See http://www.ecopsych.com/eco700.html for full details. PREREQUISITES Students must complete all of the core competencies of the degree field before undertaking this course. COURSE TOPICS *library and Internet literature search *foundational readings *understanding effective writing style *effectively draw upon the knowledge of other scholars *structuring a publishable quality manuscript -Optional Topics *Reconnecting with natural senses *Psychology of nature negatives *Psychological origins of our separation from nature COURSE OBJECTIVES This advanced readings course is intended to empower the participants to: *effectively search the literature in ecopsychology in preparation for the conduct of a special project *analyze, summarize the research literature *present findings from reading and research in an effective scholarly discussion, with proper referencing of your academic arguments, and with a publishable quality manuscript 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. General programs of study must make provisions for students to undertake highly advanced inspections of the scholarly literature to allow an individualized and specialized preparation. Participants, motivated to explore aspects of the subject matter in greater detail, should be encouraged and guided in this pursuit. In fact, it is essential that educational institutions maximize the relevance of advanced studies to the demands and expectations of the community, business, corporate, governmental, and professional arenas within which the students live and work. Such strategies which relate learning more closely to actual demands and expectations of life and work and what educators call "reality" permit more effective preparation of the participants for the real challenges they will face in the professional arena. Students who learn in this manner are advantaged within the marketplace and highly desired by employers. Effective investigation of higher level theories, principles, and practices is an essential elements in the development of the successful professional practitioner in every field of endeavor. Rigorous programs of advanced level reading have lead many to achieve higher ideals with the competencies, wisdom, values, and motivations necessary to stand out effectively within their professions and thereby make meaningful contributions to the betterment of the human condition. COURSE AUDIENCE Open as an elective to all graduate and undergraduate students with the permission of the instructor. 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. Chat room sessions, when available, can be held on a weekly basis. COURSE DELIVERY STYLE Students conduct a broad based and exhaustive search for literature in a specialized advanced area of study and pursue foundational and advanced level readings under the direction of the instructor. The readings should relate to a specific thesis set as the foundation for the literature review. To the extent that it reflects upon an overarching thesis statement, the readings may be an indepth review of a single author's works or an historical or cross-cultural survey within a defined area of study. The participants prepare journal notations concerning the salient points from the literature and creates an annotated bibliography of the readings. The student's review of the literature should include the reading of reviews and critiques of the literature under investigation, especially concerning the validity and applicability of research studies or theories within a range of "real world" settings. The participant creates a academic paper which contains a highly effective scholarly presentation with an academic argument which reflects upon the thesis and literature in a creative manner. The manuscript must adhere to an acceptable manual of writing style and be of publishable quality. REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS -Required Textbook There is no required textbook for this course, however, a general bibliography will be available from the instructor related to the degree field. An extensive library and Internet literature search is to be conducted under the guidance of the instructor through which the students will select appropriate reading materials in support of their course paper. -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 ASSIGNMENTS -Assignment #1: Collaborative Communication with Instructor Initiate telephone contact with the instructor to clarify the plan of action for the course and initiate collaborative email communications. Maintain email contact with the instructor for the duration of the course. Initiate and continue journal notations concerning all communications with the instructor. -Assignment #2: Literature Review Conduct a library and Internet search for scholarly literature including the journals, out-of-print, and unpublished works, as appropriate, specifically related to the selected topic under investigation within the course, under the direction and guidance of the instructor. By design, this should be an exhaustive but narrow and well focused gathering of literature within the defined area under investigation and include reviews and critiques of the written works under investigation, and a review of the foundational writings which have informed the authors of the works under investigation. Review the literature and assesses its effectiveness as a tool within the scholarly presentation and academic argument. Make journal notations concerning all readings and prepare an annotated bibliography which identifies the many ways the literature informs practice. -Assignment #3: Annotated Bibliography Carefully review and prepare an exhaustive annotated bibliography clarifying the contributions of the written works to the scholarly discourse. Prepare these annotations in accordance with acceptable means of annotation and submit these as requested by the instructor in a formal written presentation. -Assignment #4: Scholarly Paper Prepare a major paper containing a scholarly discussion of your findings. Students are to gather insight into the differences between theory (from the readings) and practice (from the field observations), identify and clarify these incongruities, and propose solutions to better understanding these differences. The paper should be approximately 15 double-spaced typewritten pages and include thorough referencing of the literature and observations. SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING RESOURCES ONLINE LIBRARY RESOURCE. Akamai University Library -Internet Resources *Guide to Internet Research http://users.southeast.net/~drgwen/index.html *Gateway to Academic Resources on Internet <http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/gw/> *Research Guide on Internet http://www.lib.odu.edu/start/index.html -Textbooks *Specialty Books 5833 Industrial Drive Athens, OH 45701 (800) 466-1365 (614) 594-2274 Fax (614) 593-3045. Email: order@specialty-books.com http://www.specialty-books.com *Amazon Books 549 South Dawson P.O. Box 81410 Seattle, WA 98108-1310 (800) 201-7575 (206) 694-2992. Fax (206) 694-2950. Email: orders@amazon.com http://www.amazon.com Books can be ordered directly from the Web site. INDIVIDUALIZATION OF STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS The primary purpose of this course is to provide opportunities for students to carefully inspect the full reaches of the advanced literature within a defined area of study. This course allows the student to select a topic for advanced reading, identify the appropriate literature, prepare a thesis for the central focus of the course and undertake the structuring of a scholarly paper. COURSE EVALUATION The instructor will evaluate the completeness and effectiveness of the student's written materials, including the annotated bibliography, and the scholarly paper. The instructor will reflect upon the following expectations in evaluating the work of the student: *detail of presentations *depth and maturity of the literature review *richness and diversity of the material presented *clarity of references to the scholarly readings *focus and conceptual quality *richness and coherence in translation of academic theories and concepts *appropriateness of applications *quality of writing of the scholarly presentation COURSE GRADING DETERMINANTS The course grade will be calculated according to the following formula: *annotated bibliography 30% *scholarly paper 70% COURSE COMPLETION TIMETABLE While the student is expected to carry out and complete all assignments and meet the expectations of the instructor within 180 days from the start date, students are encouraged to pursue the course requirements according to the following timetable. Week #1: Make telephone contact with the instructor for the purpose of establishing the plan of action and scheduling the timeline and mode of communications for the duration of the course. Secure a recommended bibliography from the instructor and begin to gather text and journal literature in support of the special area of advanced reading. Week #2: Submit by email a summarization of the agreed upon plan of action for the course. Establish a thesis statement as the basis for the approach to the advanced reading. Continue to gather literature and begin readings and maintenance of journal notations (which must continue for the duration of the project) related to all readings. Begin creation of an annotated bibliography of the readings undertaken. Week #6: Continue to read and review the literature. Maintain journal notations related to all readings. Begin to organize your thinkings related to the manuscript outline for the academic argument of the scholarly paper. Maintain frequent email communications with instructor. Week #12: Within the requirements for a course final paper found at http://www.ecopsych.com/eco500paper.html structure a complete manuscript outline for the scholarly paper including those sections as directed by the approved manual of style selected to guide the preparation of the manuscript. Week #16: Submit the annotated bibliography. Finalize the first draft of the paper and submit to two colleagues for peer review, critique and recommendations related to the effectiveness of the presentation and the maturity of the academic argument. Make the changes as merited from the peer review. Week #20: Submit the scholarly paper. Week #22: Receipt of effective feedback from the instructor. SPECIAL NOTES AND INSTRUCTIONS -Course Completion The grade of Incomplete may be given ONLY AFTER discussion with the instructor and only if there is an extremely good reason to give such a grade. An Incomplete will NOT be given because a student is "behind" in work, needs extra time, simply because s/he wants to delay the completion of the assignments. It is important that you turn in assignments within the parameters of the agreed timeline. However, there are often unforeseen circumstances will may befall any of us, therefore, I will be patient with you in the event of some personal crisis. Don't surprise me at the last minute, call me, email me, and we will work it out. -Thoughts about Writing. Purchase a collegiate writing style manual. If you are unclear which is the appropriate manual, please contact me and we can discuss this important issue. All written work should adhere to the writing style and manuscript preparation guidelines described in your style manual. Pay extra special attention to the rules related to referencing and citation of the academic literature. In all circumstances, you will be expected to acknowledge th works of others which have informed the work you wish to submit as your own. If you are unclear with regard to this expectation, ask before you begin writing. ...................................................................................................... -Academic Integrity Academic dishonest in any of its forms, including cheating, plagiarism, misuse of the University web site, failure to comply with guidelines for the preparation of a scholarly manuscript, and all aspects of professional ethics, will not be tolerated. Any form of academic dishonesty is grounds for dismissal from the program. FACULTY CONTACT INFORMATION Contact:
Michael J. Cohen, Ph.D.
Telephone 360-378-6313 Read the Ecopsychology Journal interview with Dr. Cohen: http://www.ecopsych.com/ecopsychologyjournal.html Email: nature@interisland.net. Website: www.ecopsych.com Personal page: http://www.ecopsych.com/mjcohen.html RESOURCES Overview Article<http://www.ecopsych.com/hallucinatearticle.html> Process Synopsis<http://www.ecopsych.com/transformation.html> Fundamentals <http://www.ecopsych.com/mjcohen22.html> Outcomes<http://www.ecopsych.com/survey.html> Interview<http://www.ecopsych.com/ecopsychologyjournal.html> Research<http://www.ecopsych.com/2004ecoheal.html> Identity<http://www.ecopsych.com/thesisquote6.html> Petition<http://www.ecopsych.com/petition2.html> Articles<http://www.ecopsych.com/2004artnews.html> Book<http://www.ecopsych.com/ksanity.html> Film<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1357054/> NAE<http://www.NaturalAttractionEcology.com> Journal quotes from students who are doing natural attraction activities: z I just put mom on a plane back to the states last night at midnight and for the first time in a week it is quiet enough for me to sit and reflect on the one and only opportunity in Egypt that was attractive enough to do the activity. As my time in the Middle East is within 7 months of concluding I am finding the desire to travel and explore waining. The joy of seeing new places is tainted by the overpowering direct experiences with country after country's blatant pollution and attack on the environment. Egypt is a mess and it wasn't until the very last day that I felt attracted to a somewhat clean beach to literally bow down to nature, letting earth teach me how to be flexible and adaptable. On my knees I put the weight of my upper body on my hands at the place where an occasional wave would wash up to wet them. The sand was firm and solid and held me, that is until a wave covered them. This caused the sand to shift under me, with my palms digging a little trench and my fingers moving upward from the displaced sand. With each new wave the sand and I were supporting and molding each other. Each grain of sand joined with the other grains as I repeated the phrase, "What would you like to teach me?" The answers came as single ideas: flexibility. flow. adaptable. water. balance. webstring. wave. rejuvenation. With mom being on the beach with me, she took an interest in what I was doing and read the copy of the chapter I had left on the blanket. She said that she read the copy of the chapter I had left on the blanket and thought it was interesting. As we were packing up I noticed that she had a few shells with her so I asked if she asked nature for permission to take them. As she looked out towards the Mediterranean she said in a mocking tone, "Nature can I take these home with me? Yes. Okay." Then she looked over at me and added, "Nature always says yes." I don't particularly handle conflict, agitation, or my own frustration very well so I decided to move away from mom towards the water for a bit. Shortly afterwards I returned, helped her to finish packing up, and asked if she read both sides of the paper that I copied the chapter onto. My suspicion was that she only read the front and not the back side with the directions for the activity. She said she only read the part about capture the flag so I handed her the paper back and she read as we walked. Her first comment was, "That's why you asked if I asked nature for permission to take the shells." That is when we approached the trash zone of the beach, the spot where the tidal action has washed up anything that was close enough to wash up. I told mom to be careful with some boards with nails protruding from them, adding, "This is what happens when we think that nature always says yes." Flash forward a few minutes as we passed by some rose bushes. She goes up to smell one while I keep heading to the hotel room. A few moments later in comes mom with a rose and a smile while saying, "Nature said yes." I'm done, emotionally exhausted after being in a car travelling around Egypt for 4 days straight so I leave the room and head out. I don't really remember where I went but when I got back mom was gone and Jena said that she had gone back to the beach to return something. I haven't asked mom what she was 'returning' because she told me that she was going to was the sand off her shoes. By not asking her I think that I want to believe that mom was putting the shells back on the beach because she realized that nature hadn't given her the consent to take them home with her. As I talked through this experience with Jena I realized that the deep, personal respect and connection I am cultivating with nature is a lot to ask someone like my mom to have instantaneously, especially when mom used to live and work on a cattle ranch, owned and operated a logging company, has worked in a brewery, and did the accounting for a Native American gambling casino. This experience, rather, is an opportunity to share a perspective that I think my mom understands deep down. The time sitting in the sand on an Egyptian Mediterranean beach saved the whole trip from being an emotionally lost five days. It is not the pyramids that made an impact on me. Instead it was the tiny grains of sand on a quiet beach (sand grains that make pyramid building possible).Thank you sand. The more flags that we try to capture the more distant we become from ourselves. The planet is all that we have in common. If we were to avoid the dangers and destructive effects of conquest, whenever possible it was best to change or limit participating in situations or institutions that encouraged it." ^^^ I much enjoyed your visit with Tree. Laying your cheek upon Tree's trunk is a beautiful gesture of love and appreciation. Perhaps Tree has many things to say to you and is extending to you an invitation to conversations! I find your dissatisfaction with the focus on "nature disconnection" to be a sign of your search for a continuing feeling of integrity within your self. I get a sense of how brave you are in speaking in a forthright manner of your discontent with the nature disconnection focus. It seems unlikely that you would ever be a "yes" man :-) and that is such a valuable strength that you seem to carry. I too find that we grow best through attraction and appreciation and find that there is often a bit too much focus on things that aren't working. It is my understanding that our "unattractions" are our sensory perceptions that are guiding us to the fulfillment of some attractions that are wanting fulfillment. I have found it helpful to feel into these unattractions/ get a sense of these unattractions for the purpose of understanding better what it is that I do want - what attractions are wanting to be fulfilled. I guess more simply put - What I don't want (my unattractions) are guiding me to better know what it is that I do want (my attractions wanting to be fulfilled) - all on a sensory level and not so much on a "deciding" level. Dr. Cohen talks of this in his book "Reconnecting with Nature" and I have found this to be one of the most valuable gems of the work. In the end we each make our way through the forest by letting our many sensory webstrings guide us. ^^^ Reading about this activity immediately my ‘energy place’ in Austria came to my mind. It’s on top of a hill where I see in the East close by a huge lake and after that flat land, in North and South partly hills with forest, partly agriculture land, specially vineyards, and in the West the mountains of the Alps. I visit this place at all seasons and each time I return I come back more balanced. Being there I experience that my attention gets caught by different things, either animals, birds, insects, or the landscape, trees, or wind, snow, rain, sun, clouds. Sometimes I just enjoy the moment, sometimes I learn from what caught my attention, sometimes I just daydream, sometimes I try to find answers, sometimes I find questions. ------- Reading the updated pages I find most statements matching with my thoughts or assumptions. And want to pick out two: -------- “This is why I say love is a flowing, because it's not "My" Love it is God's/Creation's/Nature's and it flows to me and through me. When I hold it and claim it to be mine it stops flowing and suffering happens.” This sentence let’s me also remember about a phenomenon which is so normal and integrated part of our social life that it might be heretic to even question this. We spend a lot of time and work hard to safe money to be able to buy land and claim it to be our own, and develop then a more intensive relationship to the part within the fence, then to the rest of the world. Mother Earth might nurture me, but on MY grass there will be no weeds! Sometimes I wonder how the world would look if we wouldn’t have developed that idea. – Guess what, I got that thought one time on my energy hill ;) -------- “Language, however, is usually a shortcut consisting of abstractions of real relationships. It becomes a source of our problems when, through nature-disconnecting stories, it excessively removes our thinking from our sensory origins in the web and its balanced wisdom.” As important as language is, each word is nothing but a generalization of an experience and therefore automatically will create distortions and/or deletions for the one who receives a message, which will be filled with interpretations and creativity, but at the end will let us experience also emotions, feelings, and thoughts, with a high chance that they are different then intended. We are surrounded by ‘Chinese whispers’ and it needed years of teaching, preaching and commercials to cultivate us successfully into I-love-it-I-need-it mall shoppers. Therefore I’m waiting in the wings, ready to touch mud again, smiling and thinking, this time it will be even with a process. For an extensive collection of Journal quotes from students doing natural attraction activities: Visit http://www.ecopsych.com/survey.html .................................................................................. Achieve a Degree or Certificate to strengthen your professional interests, or your hobbies or pastimes, by connecting them with nature. Implement your strongest hopes as you increase personal and global well being. Topics, subjects or leisure pursuits can include those listed below or other areas of interest: |
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