Outdoor Education Commons^™

Education And Land Management On The Pacific Crest Trail Phase 4, Ben Sherman, Emma Perry, Cade Cappello, Hattie Cahill, Anna Macklyn, Aidan Tull, Tristian Xu, Augrey Gregg

Baker/Koob Endowments Awarded Projects

This research is a continuation of research collected on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The purpose of this study was to investigate land ethics and education, Leave No Trace principles, and hiker experiences on the PCT. From July 2023-January 2024, interdisciplinary students collected qualitative and quantitative data through interviews and surveys with hikers on the trail. Past phases of this project have determined that this research is necessary, but due to Covid, the team has only been able to gather data remotely via online surveys and interviews prior to this study. The Baker Koob grant funded travel and research equipment …

Cal Poly Masters Program Projects, Caslyn M. Weidenbener

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

Through participating in an agricultural education master's program and competing on the university rodeo team, I gained valuable leadership experience that will benefit me in my future career. I learned how to motivate and engage students of diverse backgrounds and learning styles in the classroom setting. I was also responsible for producing projects that required facilitating, researching, and reaching out to different groups from Cal Poly.

The agricultural education master's program and rodeo team provided a fertile training ground for leadership growth. The skills I cultivated in communication, organization, emotional intelligence, and responsibility to self and others will allow me …

A Comparison Of Western And Eastern Soft Systems Approaches, John L. Anaya, John L. Anaya, John L. Anaya

Master's Theses

Soft System Approaches have been developed worldwide to help problem-solvers and decision-makers develop solutions to complex problems, such as aerospace systems. Soft System Approaches were designed to help lower the disorder of developing a complex system by increasing understanding of a situation. Four Soft System Approaches were investigated, two from the West and two from the East. Within the context of the paper, the West refers to thought patterns associated with thinkers and scientists in Europe and North America, and the East refers to those from and around China. The two from the West are Peter Checkland’s Soft Systems Methodology …

The Center For Centering Dome, Olek Piechaczek, Ryan M. Scharf

Architectural Engineering

The Center for Centering seeks to create a large-scale healing center, conducive to individual centering of the mind and body. This mobile installation provides a relaxing, enclosed space while still maintaining a connection to the outdoors. The clients liked the idea of having a pop-up installation that could be easily set up as a touring display. With a deadline for installation looming in June 2022, a team of students had five months to design and manufacture the structure.

In winter 2022, the students developed custom geometry to minimize the number of individual parts and built a ¼ scale model of …

Analysis And Installation Of A Demonstration Agroforestry Orchard For Californian Mediterranean Plant Communities, Brandon Hurd

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

Climate-appropriate agroforestry can provide low-input food security and ecosystem services for local Californian Mediterranean climates, while conserving natural resources (e.g., water, nitrogen, etc.). This project showcases a variety of agroforestry methods for five common plant communities of California and other analogous Mediterranean climates at the CAFES Experimental Farm on the campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Plant community species and their ethnobotanical uses were analyzed to mimic and incorporate aspects of native flora. Agricultural plants were also characterized to represent each of the five selected plant communities. GIS was used to assess the project site for soil, slope, and …

Growing Character: A Model For Incorporating Sel & Social Justice In Agriculture Education, Sergio Corona-Munoz

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

Growing Character: A Model for Incorporating SEL & Social Justice in Agricultural Education is a three lesson series intended to model how agriculture spaces, specifically school gardens, can be utilized in conjunction with the principles of social emotional learning and social justice education. The goal is to create an educational experience that empowers students with the skills needed for healthy emotional management and socially conscious behavior.

Growing Character: A Model For Incorporating Sel & Social Justice In Agriculture Education, Sergio Corona-Munoz

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This work is meant to serve as a model for how educators can use pedagogies such as social emotional learning and social justice education to expand traditional agriculture education. The work done here provides curriculum outlines meant to guide educators through the process while also providing some context and examples of real world applications.

Physics In The Garden, Dae Jin Park, Jiyoun Jung, Tanner Haun Bush

Mechanical Engineering

The Final Design Review (FDR) report explains the initial research, design process, finalized design, manufacturing and assembly methods, and testing done by the senior project group in Mechanical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. For this project, the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden would like to develop an educational and interactive exhibit that conveys a lesson in physics. The Botanical Garden envisions an exciting feature to educate children on physical science and broaden the appeal of the garden. This document captures the problem’s scope, requirements, initial concept, design research, target demographic, ideation, evaluation processes, and project …

Leave No Trace Education: A Case Study On The Educational Methods Utilized By The Leave No Trace Center For Outdoor Ethics, Cole C. Ross

Experience Industry Management

Leave No Trace (LNT) is imperative in the field of outdoor recreation to protect natural spaces and preserve them for generations to come. Exposure to LNT is pivotal in the development of environmental stewardship in children and adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the educational methods utilized by the LNT Center for Outdoor Ethics to determine the best practices to cultivate and instill the principles of LNT. The research was conducted using a best practices instrument, developed by the researcher, to evaluate the attributes present in LNT educational methods by the LNT Center. This study found that …

Outdoor Learning Environments, Elizabeth Farin

City and Regional Planning

Outdoor Learning Environments have the ability to enhance the campus socially, educationally, psychologically, and environmentally. They can provide a defined, outdoor environment that students feel comfortable using and learning in. Outdoor Learning Environments create the space and opportunity to bring individuals and professors together to work on an interdisciplinary project. These spaces provide an area for students to relax and rewind during a stressful day. Outdoor Learning Environments have an enormous potential to achieve University-wide social and learning objectives.

This project examines the potential for Outdoor Learning on University campuses. Through analyzing existing outdoor spaces both at Cal Poly and …

Graduate Internship Report - The Accelerated Schools, Los Angeles, Michael Zappulla

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This document focuses on the introduction of an agriculture program into an urban middle school. Current status, improvements made, and future improvements are all included and addressed. The internship project shows the creation of a school garden and farmers market program with support from local businesses and associations.

Converting Agricultural Lesson Plans To Be Common Core Compliant For Grades 3-5, Hattie Kaymarie Jameson, Brittany Rose Withnell

Agricultural Education and Communication

There are few Common Core approved lesson plans for teachers to incorporate into traditional science programs in California. The Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom (AITC) program provides K-12 educators lesson plans with an agricultural focus. Only 13 out of 45 of the lesson plans that the California AITC website offers are Common Core approved (Learn About Ag, 2017).

Agricultural literacy is valuable to consumers, can lead to careers in agriculture, and can create a greater understanding of the world and of science for students. The agricultural lessons give students a real life relationship with what they are learning and …

A Handbook For Angling In The Eastern Sierra Nevada Between The Areas Of Bridgeport And Lone Pine, Rachel M. Martin

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to compile a handbook to recreational fishing in the Eastern Sierra Nevada between the areas of Bridgeport and Lone Pine, California. During the summer, fishing is one of the most popular recreational pursuits in this region. It is important for anglers to have access to a concise, accurate, and thorough resource that can be used for reference to the sport of angling in this region of the Eastern Sierra, and a handbook such as this does not currently exist. This handbook was created with anglers in mind. It is concise, travel-friendly and provides up-to-date …