The crunch of steps on gravel sounded as a line of students deep in thought commenced their walk down the boardwalk. This was the beginning of our Walking Classroom adventure in Living Classrooms’ BEESMART Summer Program. Walking toward the Patapsco River along the wooded trails of Masonville Cove, the week’s theme of “We are Biologists” fit in perfectly with the morning’s walking destination.
Birds, dragonflies, bees, and other flying creatures darted around us, while the occasional curious field rabbit poked its head out for students to see. The silence of the students’ concentration paired with the sound of their steps, and the world around us signified the learning happening on that walk.
As we approached our destination, students sat down with WalkKits in hand to finish the first half of the podcast before engaging in checks for understanding and student questions. Giving students a few more minutes to walk around the beach of the Patapsco River listening, while soaking up the blue of the sky, the smells from the river, the feel of the air around, we embarked on the return walk back to the indoor classroom.
The Walking Classroom educational podcasts gave our students a chance to experience learning in a unique and meaningful way. Listening to the WalkKits allowed students to see that learning can take place anywhere and can take place in many forms, including that of a podcast.
Coupling the podcast with a walk on the nature trails allowed students to connect what they listened to with the outside world, while moving enhanced their learning making it fun. Listening to and walking with the WalkKits also allowed for students to engage independently in their learning while working together. Each student took away something different from the podcasts allowing for collaborative learning when students regrouped at the end of The Walking Classroom session.
For our students, both movement and the use of technology are something they really engage with. For our students, especially those who are more movement oriented, The Walking Classroom educational podcasts allow learning to happen naturally, while they move.
Engaging with the podcasts allowed students to see that learning doesn’t need to happen just behind a desk or seated on the carpet; it also can and should happen outside, in the natural world. The podcasts on The Walking Classroom app give students the exposure to the world of podcasts that they can experience on their phones or tablets, opening new doors to learning.
Parker Goss
Educator
Living Classrooms’ BEESMART Summer Program
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