Seduce The Senses
Written by Amber Manini
Drew Kapp is a 2014 - 2015 ALEX 'Applied Learning Experiences Excellence in Teaching Award' winner. This article provides insights into the efforts he takes to provide real world learning experiences for his students.
There is a reason why millions of people travel. They say curiosity killed the cat. But if the cat never died would we have known that the cause of death was a killer? As individuals there is only so much we can read through text books and watch through films about the world’s phenomena. It is for this reason that people lure themselves across the world taking extravagant vacations to the places they have learned about. Our enticing curiosity kills our wallets and the next thing you know we are on a plane going to visit the pyramids at Giza. All of this is done to seduce our senses filling them with the beauty of the landscape that can't be learned or seen in a textbook or film.
Geography and Environmental Studies Lecturer Drew Kapp
Geography 102 World Geography and Geography 107 Hawaiʻi in the Pacific are two courses that offer both styles of learning allowing us to seduce our senses. As Lecturer, Drew Kapp explains, “GEOG 102 is designed to enhance our students’ understanding and appreciation of our world’s socio-cultural and environmental diversity, and to help them become more knowledgeable about challenges and successes that people in different parts of our world experience today.” As opposed to Geography 107 which is designed to deepen the students understanding of the Hawaiians islands and its relationship between people and the land.
Each of theses courses are unique in the sense that students are required to participate in mandatory huakaʻi, or field based learning experiences. During these field based learning experiences students are offered a variety of places on the big island to attend and while they continue to learn from those from the area they are also able to give back and contribute in a service project.
“I make sure that there are huaka‘i in different environments, from the highest mountain to rainforests and dry coastal areas. We visit and contribute to pu‘u, fishponds, significant points, lo‘i, remote beaches, heiau, valleys, rivers, urban centers, lava flows, ancient agricultural areas, caves, bird sanctuaries, sea cliffs, crater lakes, and more,” said Kapp. Students have attended huakaʻi in places such as Kīholo in Kona, Mokuola in Wailuku and Hilo One, Kumukahi in Puna, Kalae in Kaʻū, Pololū in Kohala, Waipiʻo, and the summit of Maunakea including visiting lake Waiau in Hāmākua just to name a few. Students have not only had the privilege of visiting these sites but they have also made multiple contributions in restoring fishpond walls or traditional heiau, collecting data, mapping cultural sites, planting and harvesting ʻuala and much more.
“I personally like the idea of a mandatory huaka’i because it gives us the opportunity to learn about the various places that are known to be sacred on this island,” said UH Hilo Sophomore Michelle Sahagun.
Along with going on various huakaʻi students also take part in various in class group activities along with lectures and films to accompany their learning. Some of their activities include interpreting Haitian Creole proverbs, personifying volcanoes, listening to music from other lands, and drawing on lava flow hazard zone maps.
Sophomore student, Silmai Fritz is an Environmental Studies major who has previously taken Kapp’s geography 107 course and is now enrolled in geography 102. “The group activities in class help us become more engaged in what we are learning. They give us a chance to get to know our peers better by providing their different perspectives and input into group activities. Similarly with huaka’i, we get to give back to the community and the environment by taking part in service projects. By doing so, we get to learn a great wealth of knowledge about those particular places that we visit,” said Fritz.
It is said that Kapp has a way of making geography a three dimensional learning experience for his students. As Freshman, Kekaiokalani Nāone states, “Instead of looking at features on maps we visit them and or become them (when we play charades in class).” Geography is not just about learning but it is about satisfying our curiosity about the places we live in allowing us to create a connection to the world around us. As Sheena Lopes describes, “These huakaʻi allow me to create that connection.These trips are also very special and unique because not most people get the chance to go and venture on the summit of Hualālai for free.”
“Travel the world in your classroom,” says Theresa Kimnoy Aten. Learn by smelling the sulfur at Kīlauea, touching the snow on Maunakea, feeling the wind of Kaʻū, tasting the salt of Kalaemanō, and hearing the Hiʻilawe stream run. Satisfy your curiosity and seduce your senses.
