What do we mean by the phrase "connecting people with nature"? I've been a little wary of identifying nature as that other thing, over there - like when I was 12 and moved from a remote mountain village down to the big city, and my new friends talked about "going out in nature" for camping trips. Nature, that vague noun used to sum up the opposite of human or culture... But now I'm in a profession that seeks to educate about the natural world, to encourage recreation in nature - any nature, as long as it is outside - and looks to foster a connection between people and the fern, tides, and wildlife around them.
I'm just starting this MS in Education for Information Technology - a program that I hope will introduce new ways to communicate some of the ideas that I love: sense of place, wonder about our world and our relationship to the natural environment. I love the way technology gives such limitless access to information, how it has helped me to keep in touch with friends around the world, and how it takes storytelling to a different dimension of audio/visual experience. I like thinking about all the ways I could use technology to introduce my place in Alaska to people who may never travel here, to share why I think it is important, and why I think they should care... But I'm also a little skeptical - I think about the things I miss around me when the computer or my iphone takes my attention.
I came across this article yesterday, and it struck a chord as well as framing some new questions at the beginning of this techie program:
http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/newsfrom187/entry/6462/
