Abstract Detail

Recent Topics Posters

Landsbergen, Kim [1].

"Sneaky Botany": Engaging Art & Design Students in Applied Botany Through the Medium of Gardening.

The Challenge:Independent colleges of art and design offer their 4-year baccalaureate programs with a foundation in Liberal Arts, which includes Science as well as Humanities. The Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD), which offers BFA and MFA degrees, requires at least 2 science courses during students' course of study. Approximately 60% of the credit hours taken by CCAD's undergraduates are hands-on, studio art classes, with the remainder being Liberal Arts classes. Art students are not enthusiastic about didactic, 'traditional' science courses. Because artists and designers are part of the"creative class", and are key in creating human environments, a working knowledge of applied botany can be a useful tool in designing sustainable futures. Rationale:"The Applied Science of Gardening" (ASG) course was developed in order to provide a content-rich, hands-on opportunity to learn applied botany and other supporting natural sciences (soils, climate, pathology, etc.). In addition to scientific knowledge, other learning goals of the course were to teach: life skills (growing food), critical thinking, and to offer service learning opportunities. Approach:The course was offered using a combination of lecture,hands-on learning, and critique. We found that visiting and discussing others' gardens served as a form of critique, an assessment method with which students are familiar. Through critique students can evaluate others' work and develop their own aesthetic as well. Field trips also aid in the development of troubleshooting skills. Service learning was also a major component of the course. As of 2012, there are over 180 community gardens in Columbus. Many of them seek volunteers to maintain them. Most CCAD students are from the Midwest, but not Columbus. Plugging them into volunteer work in local community gardens helped them learn more about their community, and find venues for volunteerism. Synthesis:Assessment tools were used to determine pre- and post-class knowledge of applied botany. It was determined that modifying the scientific learning experience for students was a very successful enterprise. Teaching "Sneaky Botany" through applied gardening works very well as a pedagogical method with Art and Design students - or, "Starving artists don't HAVE to starve".

Broader Impacts:

1 - Columbus College of Art and Design, 60 Cleveland Ave, Columbus, OH, 43215, USA

Keywords:
pedagogy
teaching
artist
applied
gardening
education
service learning.

Presentation Type: Recent Topics Poster
Session: P
Location: Battelle South/Convention Center
Date: Monday, July 9th, 2012
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PRT010
Abstract ID:1303