ENTRY I – G’DAY AUSTRALIA
It’s the 10th of August 2015, and one overwhelming month of my semester abroad has passed already: A new country, a new
city and so many new faces from all over the world. Also the structure and the processes at the University of Sydney are quite different as compared to my university back home in Cologne. Especially of the courses I took here, namely ‘Learning in Outdoor Education’ is probably one of the most unique classes of my life.
I saw this course at the university homepage – exclusively designed for the international students. My initial thoughts
were: „Learning in the outdoors – as an university course? For real? That can’t be serious“. After reading through the
course outline I understood, that this kind of learning is actually effectively practised: Within the course, we’ll work with two completely different methods of knowledge transfer. During the first period we will attend theoretical lectures to acquire knowledge about Australia’s environment. The second period will focus on learning in the outdoors. This is realized by field trips into two different Australian ecosystems: The Royal National Park and the Blue Mountains. Through the trips we will have the chance to experience the Australian environment while learning about it at the same time.
The knowledge transfer during the field trips is based on a brilliant education concept: Experimental Learning. I already knew
this theoretical concept through my psychology classes in Germany – I am pretty excited, to experience this concept first-hand. Moreover I chose this course because I expect that I will learn a lot about the Australian continent and it’s ecosystems. I’m curious for what is awaiting me in the lectures and especially while the field trips. I’m looking forward to intensive new experiences, getting to know my fellow students better and to even growing together as a team. I’m ready to step out of my comfort zone and to finally face all the upcoming challenges. Self discovery is a gradual process and I have bravely embarked on this journey.
this theoretical concept through my psychology classes in Germany – I am pretty excited, to experience this concept first-hand. Moreover I chose this course because I expect that I will learn a lot about the Australian continent and it’s ecosystems. I’m curious for what is awaiting me in the lectures and especially while the field trips. I’m looking forward to intensive new experiences, getting to know my fellow students better and to even growing together as a team. I’m ready to step out of my comfort zone and to finally face all the upcoming challenges. Self discovery is a gradual process and I have bravely embarked on this journey.