Teaching Environments: Workshop on German Ecological Thought in the Classroom
On April 11, 2022, the German and Dutch Graduate Students Association of the University of Wisconsin–Madison hosted a virtual workshop on how to implement critical environmental thinking in the German classroom at all levels. Thanks to the generous support of the Center for European Studies at UW–Madison, Kiley Kost, Dan Nolan, and Seth Peabody were invited speakers and introduced different ways of teaching environmental topics and illustrated how the Environment and Engagement in German Studies website can be a useful resource when developing or revising teaching material. In the interactive part of the workshop, participants brainstormed ideas for teaching materials to be shared on the website. While everyone was welcome, this collaborative workshop encouraged especially graduate students to join. Thank you to the Center for European Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison for sponsoring this event!
Workshop Structure
- Theoretical Introduction
- Hands-on Breakout Rooms
- Room 1: Ecocriticism led by Seth Peabody
- Room 2: Language Pedagogy led by Kiley Kost
- Room 3: Community Engagement led by Dan Nolan
- Discussion
Below you can find live recordings of the first and third part. The hands-on breakout rooms were not recorded. Instead, the discussion leaders of each breakout room recorded short summaries for you to watch.
Video Part 1 – Theoretical Introduction
- Start-2:02 mins.: Welcome and Overview of the Workshop
- 2:03-3:39 mins.: Background and Context of the Event
- 3:40-4:08 mins.: Introductions
- 4:09-6:35 mins.: Kiley Kost
- 6:36-8:07 mins.: Dan Nolan
- 8:08-10:46 mins.: Seth Peabody
- 10:47-11:10 mins.: Mini-lectures
- 11:11-18:30 mins.: Ecocriticism by Seth Peabody
- 18:31-23:12 mins.: Language Pedagogy by Kiley Kost
- 23:13-32:40 mins.: Community Engagement by Dan Nolan
- 32:41-End: Overview of the Environment and Engagement website
Video Part 2 – Summaries of the Hands-On Breakout Rooms
Breakout Room 1: “Ecocriticism” by Seth Peabody
Breakout Room 2: “Language Pedagogy” by Kiley Kost
Breakout Room 3: “Community Engagement” by Dan Nolan
Video Part 3 – Discussion
- 0:42-2:55 mins.: Need to connect, compare and critically reflect on commonalities and differences concerning U.S. and German handling and perception of ‘green’ topics in the classroom.
- 2:56–10:24 mins.: How to balance the logistical burden of community engagement projects.
- 10:24-15:16 mins.: On equitable grading, its importance, and the context of ‘green’ topics.
Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or if you would like to host a workshop with us!