university of the trail / learning while walking

[Green_Squirrel]

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]

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]

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]

No time in the woods is wasted.

[Tin Man]

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]

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.
to WhiteBlaze!

[buff_jeff]

Man, screw that. I'm out there to get away from that stuff.

[Marta]

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]

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.

[Joe8484]

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

[Wilson]

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]

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]

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]

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?

[Twofiddy]

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]

Does this mean I have to wear the dunce hat in the corner?

No, but you're welcome to be a teacher

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.

[dan8794]

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]

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]

I went to ocw.mit.edu and downloaded a bunch of course lectures to listen to.

[Lyle]

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...