View Full Version : university of the trail / learning while walking
Green_Squirrel
10-09-2008, 06:17
I've been reading many posts about hikers carrying portable MP3 players with huge storage capacities. My creative ZEN player stores 1GB, enough for hours of audiobooks / podcasts / librivox. It seems that the 7-8 hours spent walking each day create an opportunity for learning.
Also, it seems that many thru-hikers have been able to finish a good deal of reading during breaks. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=312901 There are also libraries and universities located near the trail which might be helpful http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32992
What topics are adaptable for on-the-trail learning, without the aid of always having a visual aid in front of you? in other words, what kinds of lessons could be studied through listening only, or with minimal visual aids? (a few pages at most, to be read later on while taking a break)
Some ideas:
Foreign languages
Physiology / pathology / health
Business law
Any other suggestions, or clues for organizing a 'walking classroom' or 'hiking school?'
-Green_Squirrel
Chenango
10-09-2008, 07:29
I have always wanted to learn a 2nd language. What if you listened to audio during the day and did some reading (with lots of pictures) during breaks? That might be work.
Lone Wolf
10-09-2008, 07:30
i've always wanted to do school work while out hiking. now there's a way. i've wasted a lot of time in the woods
Cool AT Breeze
10-09-2008, 08:12
No time in the woods is wasted.
No time in the woods is wasted.
except perhaps the time you bring an overload of electronics with you...
...in our scout troop we make them leave that crap at home
TJ aka Teej
10-09-2008, 08:47
Any other suggestions, or clues for organizing a 'walking classroom' or 'hiking school?'
Yup. Slow down, take a good look around, and listen to your surroundings.
:welcome to WhiteBlaze!
buff_jeff
10-09-2008, 09:00
Man, screw that. I'm out there to get away from that stuff.
I can definitely see listening to foreign language programs. The goal is to have the language play in your head. You might as well have that running through your head as earworms of songs.
Recently I've been memorizing Russian poetry.
Anything you want to try that doesn't impinge on other people's experience is fine. Why not give it a try?
Blissful
10-09-2008, 10:36
I think learning bird songs would be interesting. I heard so many unique bird songs on the trail - nice to know what bird sings what. I also knew when it was evening when the mockingbird came out.
I feel learning a new language would be near impossible just from listening. Think about all the way we learned our first language...repetition, toys, television, classes, tests and games...
IMO learning a language on the trail with an iPod would be an amazing accomplishment.
As for other subjects that I believe would be interesting, relevant and pleasant for the trail are
History
Business
photography
Any other suggestions, or clues for organizing a 'walking classroom' or 'hiking school?'
-Green_Squirrel
Stock Market investing would be a good subject right about now.
Serial 07
10-09-2008, 17:38
really, there's no need for any of that...while you're walking, there is plenty to listen to and observe...if you're not hiking, there are plenty of people (half the reason to hike the A.T. in the first place) to talk with and learn from...
Green_Squirrel
10-09-2008, 19:09
I feel learning a new language would be near impossible just from listening. Think about all the way we learned our first language...repetition, toys, television, classes, tests and games...
IMO learning a language on the trail with an iPod would be an amazing accomplishment.
As for other subjects that I believe would be interesting, relevant and pleasant for the trail are
History
Business
photography
good point, Joe8484. I learned some of My Spanish this way, and a little Chinese. as far as and repetition/games, maybe the vocabulary could be geared towards items and scenarios commonly encountered on the trail. this might be fun as a group, giving each member a turn to create sentences in the language. Tests and quizzes could be taken at the end of each lesson, maybe during zero/nearo days.
photography sounds good too, since it could actually be practiced on the trail. History and psychology might also fit well, since they don't rely on many diagrams or figures.
Man, screw that. I'm out there to get away from that stuff.
and of course, there would be detention for any talking out of turn or leaving your desk ;) hehehe
buff_jeff
10-09-2008, 21:02
good point, Joe8484. I learned some of My Spanish this way, and a little Chinese. as far as and repetition/games, maybe the vocabulary could be geared towards items and scenarios commonly encountered on the trail. this might be fun as a group, giving each member a turn to create sentences in the language. Tests and quizzes could be taken at the end of each lesson, maybe during zero/nearo days.
photography sounds good too, since it could actually be practiced on the trail. History and psychology might also fit well, since they don't rely on many diagrams or figures.
and of course, there would be detention for any talking out of turn or leaving your desk ;) hehehe
Does this mean I have to wear the dunce hat in the corner? :D
Twofiddy
10-12-2008, 21:33
When you find a college that wants to write some lucrative Masters Degree Programs on MP3 File and telephone or internet based multilple choice testing, and it costs about $2500 to get a degree I'll be on the trail with my IPOD.
Green_Squirrel
10-13-2008, 09:56
Does this mean I have to wear the dunce hat in the corner?
No, but you're welcome to be a teacher :o
When you find a college that wants to write some lucrative Masters Degree Programs on MP3 File and telephone or internet based multilple choice testing, and it costs about $2500 to get a degree I'll be on the trail with my IPOD.
Ooh. phone or internet based testing sounds interesting. maybe this could be adapted to 'continuing education' credits similar to those offered in professional journals.
while a certification might be helpful, my intention for this project is personal learning. something I could add to a hiking experience, even if it doesn't show up as class credit.
Recording lecture notes from university classes was helpful for courses, could this be another version? I'm looking for a way to adapt learning to the constraints of a hiking trail. In other words, ways to reduce dependence on visual materials, and emphasize auditory learning. Powerpoint is very effective in classrooms and during meetings, mostly because of the images and text. how could this be conveyed as something mostly heard rather than seen? the phone/internet testing is a great example of this, thanks Twofiddy.
I personally carry an iPod with me when I hike.
I do not listen to it during the day. However, when lying in a tent, it is always soothing to listen to some Bluegrass like Yonder Mountain String Band or String Cheese Incident while drowning off to sleep.
I don't sleep in shelters, so I know that my music does not offend anyone.
I am an advocate of leaving techie stuff at home or off (cell phones...ahem) but I don't see a problem with the iPod.
NICKTHEGREEK
10-13-2008, 14:49
So what's the shelter protocol for reciting your daily arabic/chinese/lakota language lesson?
Would you dare ask someone to quiz you on your knowledge of the 7's multiplication table?
What about trail study attack dog training? That would give next years Where's Minnesota Smith thread some real bite.
joeframbach
11-21-2008, 12:31
I went to ocw.mit.edu and downloaded a bunch of course lectures to listen to.
Nothing wrong with exercising your mind as well as your body. I don't think anyone is talking about 24/7 immersion in taped learning. Remember - HYOH.
I've, on occasion, listened to historical audiobooks while in the woods. Through MD it was very interesting to listen to Civil War accounts.
Might be a project for someone, maybe me at some point. Research relevant educational audiobooks for various sections of the trail. Could make a good article. HMMMMM...
hikergirl1120
11-21-2008, 13:26
I have an IPod and I think having at night would be nice but my question is how do you keep it charged on a longer trip??
I think learning bird songs would be interesting. I heard so many unique bird songs on the trail - nice to know what bird sings what. I also knew when it was evening when the mockingbird came out.
Last spring there was a Mockingbird that sang from sundown to sunup outside of The Place in Damascus. I don't think anybody slept, except for a few of us that went to Dot's that evening.:D
I do like to read up on history of areas that I will be hiking through before I go.
jersey joe
11-21-2008, 13:36
I have an IPod and I think having at night would be nice but my question is how do you keep it charged on a longer trip??
I don't own an Ipod in part because you can't replace the battery and have to recharge it. I have an RCA mp3 player with a replaceable AAA battery. bought it for $40. and it has expandable memory via sd card. Ipods are OVERRATED!
Alligator
11-21-2008, 13:53
I don't own an Ipod in part because you can't replace the battery and have to recharge it. I have an RCA mp3 player with a replaceable AAA battery. bought it for $40. and it has expandable memory via sd card. Ipods are OVERRATED!Cards are getting cheap and large as well. We just bought two 8gb microSD's both were under $25, just have to look around.
Chance09
11-21-2008, 14:01
An audio book i would HIGHLY RECOMMEND to everyone would be Dale Carnagie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, although I feel that people misjudge the title whenever i mention it. It's not about any nefarious methods to influence people, just honest and genuine stuff. It may have been written back in 1936 but it still holds true to this day.
The book pleasantly states things that should be blatantly obvious to everyone in society like being polite and kind and how it will greatly improve your relationships ect. That is just putting it simply. I always find it very hard to sum up the book, but the one thing that i always remember is "Become genuinely interested in other people." because i think that people today are so dismissive of others.
jersey joe
11-21-2008, 17:25
Cards are getting cheap and large as well. We just bought two 8gb microSD's both were under $25, just have to look around.
Exactly Alligator...so, as long as my little RCA mp3 player continues to work, I can increase the storage with the SD Cards that continue to get bigger and drop in price.
An audio book i would HIGHLY RECOMMEND to everyone would be Dale Carnagie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, although I feel that people misjudge the title whenever i mention it. It's not about any nefarious methods to influence people, just honest and genuine stuff. It may have been written back in 1936 but it still holds true to this day.
The book pleasantly states things that should be blatantly obvious to everyone in society like being polite and kind and how it will greatly improve your relationships ect. That is just putting it simply. I always find it very hard to sum up the book, but the one thing that i always remember is "Become genuinely interested in other people." because i think that people today are so dismissive of others.
I 2nd this book! It should be on everyone's must read lists.
twoshoes06
11-21-2008, 21:43
In all seriousness, you will be thinking quite a bit. I say save the weight and get back in tune with becoming aware of what is going on around you.
If you want, study during your breaks, or bring a small book with you to read at night, then think about it while hiking. This is the best way to learn. You cement what you learn by thinking about it over and over without distractions.
Isn't part of hiking to get away from some of the comforts of modern living?
Isn't part of hiking to get away from some of the comforts of modern living?
Not for me.
Unlike some, I really don't go hiking to get "away from it all". I carry a cell phone and actually use it while out (if I am on a ridge). I check in usually daily when I can to talk shop with husband. We discuss business stuff - like how to reply to emails, orders, ect.
My husband carries a Blackberry and does business email while hiking for his job. It is his tether but it also allows him to have freedom.
We are well known in our group for carrying laptops while on day trips and car camping outings so that we can work on photos/video at night.
Lets be truthful here....I view my camera, ipod, cell phone, etc about the same as I view my tent, sleeping bag and stove.
If I wanted to get all rustic and suffer....well, I'd leave ALL of that at home as well! Go back to yonder days of cutting pine boughs for your bed and a wool blanket on top. Cook over fires......of course none of that is very LNT ;)
Love listening to podcasts and books on subjects I find interesting. :)
Spirit Walker
11-23-2008, 13:10
I don't especially want or need anything to distract me while hiking, since I enjoy listening to the sounds of the woods around me and I feel I am more fully present while hiking if I don't have extraneous noise.
However, at night I enjoy having a book to escape to for a while. I always carry something to read on the trail.
And when we do long road trips, we listen to college courses that we get from the Teaching Company (www.teach12.com). We've done about 8-10 classes in the past couple of years on a wide variety of subjects - mostly downloaded to CDs but you could put them on mp3 instead I think. We aren't doing it for credit, just for the fun of learning about subjects we knew little about before. An hour a day makes the miles pass very quickly and we enjoy talking about what we're hearing.
superman
11-23-2008, 14:00
So what's the shelter protocol for reciting your daily arabic/chinese/lakota language lesson?
Would you dare ask someone to quiz you on your knowledge of the 7's multiplication table?
What about trail study attack dog training? That would give next years Where's Minnesota Smith thread some real bite.
Any, would be, brain surgeons could practice lobotomies on their fellow shelter dwellers? That could kill two birds at the same time. :-?