Powered by
SUNY New Paltz - Australian Eco Tour
SUNY New Paltz Eco Tour Program in Australia provides students a unique learning environment to study and experience natural beauties of Australia. During the program students will earn three undergraduate credits for Eco Tour and three credits for mandatory independent eco-project. Compulsory month-long excursion starting in Sydney where... read more
SUNY New Paltz Eco Tour Program in Australia provides students a unique learning environment to study and experience natural beauties of Australia. During the program students will earn three undergraduate credits for Eco Tour and three credits for mandatory independent eco-project. Compulsory month-long excursion starting in Sydney where cultural, historical, and scientific background is learned through lectures at the botanical garden, zoological park, and art/history museums. A seventeen-day coach/camping excursion to North and Central Australia followed by five days in North Queensland. Field studies and explanatory lectures will be conducted during the tour. The field studies include observational walks through diverse communities and cruises through river, wetland, and coral reef areas. National Park rangers and leaders of local Aboriginal tribes will lead discussions. A booklet of readings and a tour guide will be available prior to the excursion. Learning will be supported through telephone, facsimile, email. The Program is ideal for students and teachers interested in learning about the natural environment of Australia, strategies for planning and implementing field studies for instruction in environmental education in elementary and secondary schools. Methods for interpreting national parks and other outdoor sites are for the purpose of teaching the values of bio-diversity. This diversity is examined through the study of plants, birds, reptiles (crocodiles), marsupials and termites and the origin and geological features of landforms. Emphasis is placed on the cultural significance and complex relationships Aboriginal people have with the land, often revealed through artwork. Less
