87
5.3.2 Making the Field Exercise Unit Integral
Applying Integral Approach to environmental leadership education is an evolving
process that is far from completion. There are external constraints, such as those on
human resources, fi nance and time that prevent the ideal development of a program.
In addition, the students, who have come through a relatively narrow education
system, do not always know how to respond to a new, holistic way of learning.
Therefore, when we design the Oasis Unit, we focus on an integral knowledge base
as well as integral practices.
Table 5.1 presents a brief description of the Oasis Unit. Started in 2009, it takes
place once a year. With integral thinking as the general framework for program
design, we extended the content of the fi eld exercise (from 2009 to 2012) to incorporate more perspectives related to environmental issues, and provided more experiences for students to develop practical skills. The fi eld exercise is jointly organized
by APIEL, The University of Tokyo, and Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and
Engineering Research Institute (CAREERI), Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Students who join the fi eld exercise are from both institutes. They come from different countries and major in several academic fi elds. To provide the students multidisciplinary knowledge and multiple views about local environmental problems,
faculty members from different academic fi elds as well as local stakeholders were
involved in the different stages of the fi eldwork. We have established close relationships with CAREERI and the local water authority to move beyond the limits of
universities as well as to let students know that they are tackling real- world problems. The students are required to make policy recommendations and deliver this
information to the local water authority. In addition, in 2011 and 2012, the collaboration was strengthened by working with several other institutions from both Japan
and China. We hold international symposia in Japan and in China to build a platform for students to hear fresh voices from academia beyond faculty members,
government offi cials, and businesspeople.
Figure 5.3 is an overview of the organizational framework used in our fi eld
exercise. Note that students are the leading players. We simply created the space for
students to see real-world environmental problems and to realize their own development. In Fig. 5.3 , environmental issues ( Issues addressed ) are the research topics
covered by the students; methodologies are those adopted by the students; competencies are the capabilities and/or skills that students are expected to develop
through participating in the fi eld exercise.
Problem-solving based learning is the core concept of the course design. It
reveals related issues, brings together the necessary research methodologies, and
consequently improves participants’ competence to become environmental leaders
in the future. The main objective of the fi eld exercise is to enhance the students’
practical skills through solving specifi c environmental problems in the real world.
Issues in each quadrant have different perspectives for the same environmental
problem: sustainable development of the Heihe River basin, which is facing severe
water shortages. The issues are interwoven. To provide comprehensive solutions
5 Environmental Leadership Education for Tackling Water Environmental Issues…
5.3.2 Making the Field Exercise Unit Integral
Applying Integral Approach to environmental leadership education is an evolving
process that is far from completion. There are external constraints, such as those on
human resources, fi nance and time that prevent the ideal development of a program.
In addition, the students, who have come through a relatively narrow education
system, do not always know how to respond to a new, holistic way of learning.
Therefore, when we design the Oasis Unit, we focus on an integral knowledge base
as well as integral practices.
Table 5.1 presents a brief description of the Oasis Unit. Started in 2009, it takes
place once a year. With integral thinking as the general framework for program
design, we extended the content of the fi eld exercise (from 2009 to 2012) to incorporate more perspectives related to environmental issues, and provided more experiences for students to develop practical skills. The fi eld exercise is jointly organized
by APIEL, The University of Tokyo, and Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and
Engineering Research Institute (CAREERI), Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Students who join the fi eld exercise are from both institutes. They come from different countries and major in several academic fi elds. To provide the students multidisciplinary knowledge and multiple views about local environmental problems,
faculty members from different academic fi elds as well as local stakeholders were
involved in the different stages of the fi eldwork. We have established close relationships with CAREERI and the local water authority to move beyond the limits of
universities as well as to let students know that they are tackling real- world problems. The students are required to make policy recommendations and deliver this
information to the local water authority. In addition, in 2011 and 2012, the collaboration was strengthened by working with several other institutions from both Japan
and China. We hold international symposia in Japan and in China to build a platform for students to hear fresh voices from academia beyond faculty members,
government offi cials, and businesspeople.
Figure 5.3 is an overview of the organizational framework used in our fi eld
exercise. Note that students are the leading players. We simply created the space for
students to see real-world environmental problems and to realize their own development. In Fig. 5.3 , environmental issues ( Issues addressed ) are the research topics
covered by the students; methodologies are those adopted by the students; competencies are the capabilities and/or skills that students are expected to develop
through participating in the fi eld exercise.
Problem-solving based learning is the core concept of the course design. It
reveals related issues, brings together the necessary research methodologies, and
consequently improves participants’ competence to become environmental leaders
in the future. The main objective of the fi eld exercise is to enhance the students’
practical skills through solving specifi c environmental problems in the real world.
Issues in each quadrant have different perspectives for the same environmental
problem: sustainable development of the Heihe River basin, which is facing severe
water shortages. The issues are interwoven. To provide comprehensive solutions
5 Environmental Leadership Education for Tackling Water Environmental Issues…