How to Navigate this Faculty Training Module

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Delivery Details

This textbook is structured as a single module consisting of five chapters covering separate but interdependent topics. While it is recommended to follow the lessons consecutively to fully engage with the scaffolding design used for learning, it is not mandatory.

Navigating the Faculty Training Module

This book was designed and optimized to be read online. You can navigate through the book by clicking the Contents dropdown on the left-hand menu and selecting a chapter. You can also navigate by using the Next and Previous links in the red bar at the bottom of each page.

If you require offline access, you can download this book as a PDF or Epub. On the title page under the cover image, click the Download dropdown and choose the format you would like to download.

Self-Reflection Opportunities

As mentioned earlier, this module is centred on the belief that educator’s identities and perceptions influence the design and delivery of curriculum. In turn, our teaching methods and curriculum choices become fundamental aspects of what and how we teach. To that end, we encourage you to commit to constantly exploring and experimenting with new approaches to teaching and learning in response to the evolving needs of students and wider society. We recognize that our teaching styles can have a significant impact not only on individual learners but also on creating and shifting the culture of the horticulture industry and wider society as a whole.

With that in mind, there are two self-reflection opportunities included in this module for learners (that’s you!) that have been designed to emphasize the importance of your role as a horticulture educator in discussing the impact of landscape horticulture on the environment, guiding students toward greener knowledge and skills, and acknowledging Indigenous Knowledge and perceptions to encourage wider mindsets and skillsets for students.

The Final Self-Reflection Opportunity

This module was designed to prepare you to start a conversation in a meaningful and respectful way that encompasses the key topics presented in each chapter. Therefore, the final self-reflection opportunity asks you to initiate a conversation and/or design a lesson plan or learning activity utilizing the material and concepts explored throughout the chapters in this module.

These topics include, but are not limited to, greening, climate change, Indigenous Knowledge and ways of learning, and the environmental, economic, and societal impacts of landscape horticulture. Through this final self-reflection opportunity, the hope is that you will be able to demonstrate your understanding of the course material and your ability to effectively communicate about these important issues as they relate to the places you live in a way that is meaningful to you.

The Continuous Self-Reflection Opportunity

To support you in completing the final self-reflection opportunity, the continuous reflection asks you to record your reflections in a personal journal throughout the chapters. This journal may contain words, concepts, sketches, or images that resonate with you as you progress through the module. The objective of this journal is to help you identify, describe, and interpret your thoughts and understanding of the key topics covered in the module and to develop the ideas and language needed to initiate a conversation and/or learning activity.

Each chapter will provide guiding questions and examples to prompt your reflective writing or sketching and help you track the progression of your thinking and perceptions as they may change throughout the module. By keeping a reflective journal, you may gain a deeper understanding of the material and be better prepared to engage in meaningful conversations and/or learning activities about the key topics covered in the course.

Supply List

• The digital reflection booklet is available here (you can print it if preferred):
  • Link to Reflection Booklet: click this blue hyper-link.
• Journal, notepad or digital tool to record your thoughts
• Pen/pencil

This module has been designed with the hope of providing a comfortable and flexible learning environment that caters to your individual learning needs. You can complete the module at your desk or on your mobile phone. However, we encourage you to engage with the content and reflective questions while surrounded by nature whenever possible. If you are anything like us (a total plant nerd), this won’t be hard for you.

Being immersed in nature has been proven to enhance the learning experience and help you develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between humans and the environment. But you probably already knew that! Whether you choose to learn indoors or outdoors, we hope you feel comfortable and supported throughout the module.

Whenever possible, we encourage you to consider the content and questions presented referring to Etuaptmumk or Two-Eyed Seeing as a guiding principle.

Let’s practice a self-reflection opportunity!

Here’s an example of what the guiding questions look like:

Reflect

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please use the following questions to guide your reflection:

1. What is your current perception of greening, climate change, Indigenization, or decolonization?
2. How are you currently situating yourself within the conversation of greening, climate change, Indigenization, or decolonization?
3. In what ways do you expect or want this faculty training module to support or help you develop your personal teaching philosophy?
4. We invite you to write 5–10 sentences or make a sketch of your favourite landscape. Can you describe or draw what you enjoy the most about this landscape? What are the design and installation features that inspire you? How do you feel in this landscape?