Abstract
In this plateau, co-written with Gregg Müller, we suggest that learning about natural history experientially can be thought of as a type of reading, where understanding is developed by using particular skills, processes and content. In our experience, teaching and learning natural history involves the generation of knowledge and understanding through relating direct personal observations of aspects of the natural world to broader cultural and conservation issues. We therefore argue that teaching Australian natural history that reflects the particular social, cultural and environmental circumstances of the place in which it is undertaken requires pedagogical research and informed debate. In this plateau we highlight this neglected aspect of pedagogical research within Australian outdoor environmental education and discuss our experiences teaching natural history to undergraduate students to stimulate discussion and challenge researchers~educators to develop practices that are informed by the natural history of this continent.
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Notes
- 1.
See Libby Robin (2007) for a more detailed discussion of symbolism in Dot and the kangaroo.
- 2.
See George Seddon (2005) for a more detailed discussion of the growing interest amongst Australians in the use of native plants in their gardens. Through the use of cultural history stories about Australian plants and the landscape, Seddon seeks to foster a greater awareness of the continent’s flora in the hope that we all might ‘become better Australians’.
- 3.
This idea is partially inspired by the title of Stephen Dovers (2000) book Environmental history and policy: Still settling Australia.
- 4.
See Andrew Brookes (2002) for discussion of the connotations of these terms.
- 5.
For an overview of the significance of Australia as a megadiverse country see plateau seven, ‘Outdoor environmental education as reading the landscape’.
- 6.
The northern region of the Grampians we frequent is home to the Jardwadjali people.
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Stewart, A. (2020). Developing Outdoor Environmental Education Pedagogy Responsive to Australian Natural History with Gregg Müller. In: Developing Place-responsive Pedagogy in Outdoor Environmental Education. International Explorations in Outdoor and Environmental Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40320-1_11
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