Experiential learning in the natural environment: reflections from the North Pacific Ocean

Paul G. Harris ()
Additional contact information
Paul G. Harris: Education University of Hong Kong

Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2019, vol. 9, issue 3, No 3, 276-280

Abstract: Abstract Experiential learning by students is a common feature of many Environmental Studies programs. But some teachers of Environmental Studies, especially those in the Humanities and Social Sciences, may have few opportunities to learn in similar ways. This article describes the author’s experiential learning about the environment while voyaging on the North Pacific Ocean in a small sailboat. The author learns firsthand about wind, waves, and sea; comes to appreciate the vitality and scarcity of potable water; witnesses some of the potential impacts of climate change on oceanic weather patterns; searches for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch; looks for whales but finds albatrosses; experiences the many frailties of a human in the wild; and develops a new appreciation for Charles Darwin’s fortitude. Being on a very small boat in a very big sea—in this case, the biggest ocean on Earth—is not for the overly faint of heart. But there are compensations: heightened awareness and new understanding of the natural environment.

Keywords: Environmental Studies; Experiential learning; North Pacific Ocean; Ocean environment; Offshore sailing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13412-019-00559-8 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:9:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s13412-019-00559-8

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/13412

DOI: 10.1007/s13412-019-00559-8

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences is currently edited by Walter A. Rosenbaum

More articles in Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences from Springer, Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().