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Michael J. Cohen, Ed.D.
Lead Faculty
Greenwich University Applied Ecopsychology

ECO 504: INTEGRATING SENSORY KNOWING AND CULTURE (3 credits)

Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology

Master of Science

School of Psychology

College of Social Science and Health

Greenwich University

Michael J. Cohen <nature@pacificrim.net>

November 1, 1998

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Students will investigate their personal experiences, those of others, and a library of recent references related to their particular career field or interests that reflect upon the issues relevant to the integration of sensory ecology in that field. Students will read and discuss their interviews, field observations and literature in this area with Dr.Cohen and their study group. Students will gather a bibliography of literature in their professional field or interest that supports work in Integrated Ecology and prepare an annotated bibliography. Students will prepare a reflective paper of at least 15 typewritten double-spaced pages discussing how their experiences and the literature has informed their understanding of the opportunities for integration of Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology concepts within their career field.

PREREQUISITES

Students must complete ECO 501 or its equivalent.

COURSE TOPICS

*library and Internet literature search

*foundational readings

*field observations

*Why think like nature works?

*People and nature as community

*The greening of psychotherapy

*Psychology of nature negatives

*Psychological origins of our separation from nature

*An ecology of spirit

-Optional Topics

* Reconnecting with natural senses

*The powers of natural senses

*Students' projects

COURSE OBJECTIVES

This sensory attachments to culture course is intended to empower the participants to:

*effectively search the literature in nature connected psychology in

preparation for the conduct of a special project

*analyze, summarize the research literature

*effectively integrate new understandings from the literature with

knowledge gained through observations within the professional arena

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 graduate and undergraduate students who have completed ECO 501 and ECO 502 and 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 an exhaustive search for literature in a selected topicalarea of study and pursue foundational readings and relationships under the direction of the instructor. The student carries out interviews and field observations directly related to the special area of study for the purpose of reflecting upon the research and its application within "real world" situations. The participant then creates a scholarly paper or papers which identify the findings from literature and integrates and contrasts these findings with the observations from the professional arena.

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

-Required Textbook

*My Name is Chellis and I'm in Recovery from Western Civilization, Chellis Glenndinning, 1994, Shambhala Pubns; ISBN: 087773996X

-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 in texts and

journals 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 with emphasis

upon applied issues in the degree field . Review the literature and

assesses its effectiveness, as a tool for the application of theories,

principles, and practices within the professional arena under

investigation. Make journal notations concerning all readings and prepare

an annotated bibliography which identifies the many ways the literature

informs practice.

-Assignment #3: Field Observations

The student will gather observations from within the professional arena

which is under inspection within the academic readings. This may include

simple observation, as well as interviews, carrying out text situations and

minor research ventures. Journal notations are especially important,

concerning the ways in which the professional arena informs the student's

understandings of applied issues within the special area of study.

Students should notate and define any situations in which the workplace

demonstrates or fails to demonstrate the effectiveness of theories,

principles and practices, as presented in the readings. These notation

should be formally summarized in chronological order in a formal written

report for review by the instructor. Strategies should be carried out that help

add sensory ecology experiences to readings and ongoing programs.

-Assignment #4: Scholarly Paper

Within the requirements for a course final paper found at

http://www.ecopsych.com/eco500paper.html 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

-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 applicability of the theoretical literature within

their own professional environment. This course allows the student to

select a topic for study, identify the appropriate literature and

professional arena within which the exploration will be undertaken.

COURSE EVALUATION

The instructor will evaluate the completeness and effectiveness of the

student's written materials, including the annotated bibliography, the

report on field observations, and the scholarly paper.

The instructor will reflect upon the following expectations in evaluating

the work of the student:

*detail of presentations

*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 20%

*report on field observations 20%

*scholarly paper 60%

COURSE COMPLETION TIMETABLE

While the student is expected to carry out and complete all assignments and

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 identify expeienced people in

your field of interest, text and journal literature in support of the selected

topic.

Week #2: Submit by email a summarization of the agreed upon plan of

action for the course. Continue to gather people contacts, literature and

begin interviews, 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 special project literature

Week #4: Continue to interview, read and review the literature. Maintain

journal notations related to all readings. Begin to organize your thinking

related to the professional environment for the field observations.

Week #6: Initiate field observations and related journal notations.

Continue to review the scholarly literature, maintenance of journal

notations, and frequent communications with instructor.

Week #12: Prepare and submit the annotated bibliography. Begin at this

point to formulate reflections concerning observed differences between the

scholarly literature as it applies within the "real world" of the workplace

or professional environment.

Week #16: Prepare and submit written report related to field observations.

Begin structuring the scholarly paper. Continue communications with

instructor and maintenance of journal notations.

Week #20: Submit 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.

-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 conduct of human or animal research, 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

Michael J. Cohen, Ed.D.

Director, Project NatureConnect

P. O. Box 1605

Friday Harbor, WA 98250 USA

Tel: (360) 378-6313

Email: nature@pacificrim.net

Website: www.ecopsych.com

Communications 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@pacificrim.net
www.ecopsych.com

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