Engaging the Urban Classroom with the Natural World

Abstract

In this paper, the authors discuss an environmental education learning framework which was developed for an experiential  course (an “[Un]Class”). Lessons learned are shared from teaching the course in an unintended blended in-person/online format as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which occurred in Spring 2020. Impressions were developed from classroom observations along with an analysis of course assignments and a follow up focus group interview with students. Our continued work explores whether or not an urban university-level course, such as this [Un]Class, which brings preservice teacher candidates and biology majors out into nature in an experiential manner, impacts their likelihood to include such activities into their future (formal or informal) science instruction and more fully engage their own students in urban environmental learningscapes.