•  
  •  
 

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Abstract

Several months after we decided to make "Nature and Character Development" the theme for this Taproot, a disturbing Teaching and Learning Newsletter found its way into my mailbox. An article titled: Generation Next Comes to College ... dealt with our current cohort (Generation NeXt) of younger college students and issues such as "high school grade inflation in entering students, academic disengagement and consumer expectations while in college to difficulties entering the workforce and taking on adult roles when they graduate" if they do so at all. The author's thesis was that college faculty must adopt new teaching styles to accommodate the needs of Generation NeXt students. Perhaps, but first can we ask why students are coming to college with such characteristics today? What has our consumer/ entertainment oriented, plug-me-in, medicine-cabinet, never tell me I am wrong society created? Whatever happened to age old virtues like respect, responsibility, resourcefulness, positive attitude, honesty, perseverance, citizenship? Is "nature deficit disorder" (Richard Louv - Last Child in the Woods: Saving our children from ... ) manifesting itself in realms beyond health/fitness and attention deficit disorders? Does nature have tonics to help develop good character?

Download

Share

COinS