Practicum Deliverables
This page summarizes the high-level goals and final submissions required for my practicum. AKA: the boring logistical stuff that is necessary to enable the interesting, inspiring, fun stuff. Please refer to the subpages "Before", "During", and "After" for said interesting, inspiring, and fun stuff.
"Before"
Description
The first segment of my practicum will be rooted in research for the two primary aspects of my practicum: physically preparing myself for hiking and obtaining knowledge about the history of local Colorado trails. My research into the physical evolution of select trails based on the utilitarian priorities of their users, specifically the Colorado sections of the Smoky Hill Trail and the Old Spanish Trail, will allow me to select specific segments to hike for the next portion of the project. Over the course of the “Before” assignment, I will utilize resources such as map collections, local historical societies and repositories, courses in wilderness medicine and Leave No Trace principles, and train to improve my physical fitness in order to safely complete the next segment of my practicum. The aim of this assignment is to gather and understand various perspectives on these trails, including scholarly, indigenous, emigrant, and conservational points of view. Not only will these perspectives be valuable in understanding the formation, use, and evolution of these trails, but they will also be necessary for me to curate a well-rounded plan for physically preparing myself for these hiking expeditions. This assignment will take place over the spring semester prior to the next segment of this project, ending with my completion of a wilderness medicine class. *Update 9/14/2024: This practicum timeline has been shifted to take place in the fall 2024 semester. As such, the "Before" assignment will be completed and ready for review by 9/16/2024. Additionally, some adjustments in which trails that will be explored. Please refer to the "Before" page or the document files for specific details.
Goals
1. Preparing my body to complete strenuous hikes at high altitudes, that may take place anywhere from 1-3 days. 2. Becoming knowledgeable about the Colorado Segments of the Smoky Hill and Old Spanish Trails, particularly their meaning to indigenous, historical, and present-day residents. This knowledge will be used to down-select which specific hikes I will complete. 3. Gaining skills in wilderness first aid to safely participate in outdoor recreation. 4. Examining academic and scholarly perspectives on the relationship between trails and history, as well as the role of industrialization and pollution in the evolution of these trails.
Learning Objectives
What skills are needed to safely and ethically participate in outdoor recreation? How does the evolution of a trail’s usage and condition reflect the values of the people that use it?
Audience
The primary audience for this assignment is myself and my practicum advisor, though the knowledge gained is also of interest to an academic audience. In particular, an audience local to Colorado interested in the local history and geography of emigrant routes through Colorado. The aspect of this assignment focused on outdoor skills and physical conditioning is not academic in nature, but rather an audience with technical outdoor experience.
Medium
Medium: Multimedia summary (a mashup of a written summary, annotated maps, and relevant images) Rationale: This assignment has multiple facets that seem conflicting at first, particularly the academic research focus and the technical outdoor skills. A multimedia summary will allow me to use written text to compile the knowledge I gained from my research, as well as include annotated maps of the places I select to hike in order to relate relevant perspectives with their place of geographical significance. This also allows for more creative freedom in expressing my learning than an academic report, and is accessible to both myself and my practicum advisor. Characteristics of other effective texts in that medium: Effective multimedia summaries intentionally utilize multiple mediums to best convey the most important information to their audience. This can include utilizing audio, video, drawings, photographs, maps, and written paragraphs to do so. However, this also means that there is a clear relationship between all of these mediums. The most effective multimedia summaries have a clear theme and direction and ensure that the multiple aspects enhance the reader’s learning and not confuse them.
Assignment Details
Length: 8-12 pages, including figures, maps, and a workout log, not including key citations Due Date(s): 5/17/2024, 1 week after completing wilderness medicine course (correction, 9/16/2024) Formatting: Digital word document, including necessary links Other: Citations for key scholarly sources, maps, and interview included at the end of the document, sent to advisor via email by the due date.
Rubric
"During"
Description
The second segment of my practicum will be focused on experiencing the places that I researched in the previous assignment, and thoroughly documenting those experiences in order to relate my observations to the perspectives I gathered in the “Before” assignment. Based on the down selection of trails I performed in the “Before” assignment, I will embark on a short hiking expedition a minimum of once every two weeks for the duration of the “During” assignment, completing a minimum of 6 expedition, documenting each hike through journaling, photography, and interviews of other hikers. These observations will be reported in a bi-weekly photo essay, with an accompanying statement outlining key lessons or revelations. This assignment will provide a study of these places over time, during their peak season of usage. This assignment will be completed over the duration of the summer of 2024, and the final photo essay will be posted by the end of August 2024. *Update 9/14/2024: The timeline of this practicum has been shifted to fit within the fall 2024 semester. As such, the during assignment will take place from 9/16/2024 to 10/21/2024. Please refer to the "During" photo essays and blog for assignment details.
Goals
1. Exercising and implementing the technical skills learned in the “Before” assignment. 2. Collecting evidence to answer the driving questions of this practicum. 3. Recording other perspectives related to the trails in question as those perspectives are experiencing the trails. 4. Test the degree to which the history of each trail is preserved or erased based on interviews and observations on each trail
Learning Objectives
How do trails influence the preservation and telling of human history? What skills are needed to safely and ethically participate in outdoor recreation?
Audience
While the primary audience for the “During” assignment is myself and my practicum advisor, as a tool for documentation and reflection, this assignment is relevant to others based on its content and medium. For example, this assignment is relevant to a lay audience with a general interest in the outdoors and hiking trips that recreate or recognize historical expeditions and pilgrimages. While this audience may possess some technical knowledge, it is not expected to have extensive knowledge of historical context.
Medium
Medium: Online photo essay, posted bi-weekly Rationale: This medium allows for me to use two separate methods of creative communication–photography and informal writing–to reflect on the experiences of my hikes. The act of reflection is where the key connections and comparisons will be drawn between the physical experience and previously obtained academic perspectives. Additionally, it is the most logical medium to convey the combination of photos, journal entries, and interviews that will be conducted on these expeditions. Characteristics of other effective texts in that medium: Effective photo essays select a series of photos to tell a story, and do not hesitate to use writing to supplement the gaps in the story. They also are generally self-critical, and use it as an opportunity to improve in both the act of storytelling and photography. As such, an effective photo essay in my case will convey the narrative of my personal journey, and the broader narrative of the trail itself.
Assignment Details
Length: minimum of 6 online entries, each with at least 5 photos and 1,000 words Due Date(s): Bi-weekly submissions starting 6/1/2024 (correction, from 9/16/2024 to 10/21/2024) Formatting: Online blog
Rubric
"After"
Description
The final component of my practicum will be a synthesis of the learning that occurred over the “Before” and “During” assignments, as well as an in-depth reflection of the personal narrative that took place over the “During” assignment. This synthesis will take place in the form of a guidebook, which will include photos, maps, journal entries, and practical instructions. This guidebook will use the case study of the trails I experienced to inform the reader on ways to experience a trail that recognizes and incorporates its historical significance, or lack thereof. This assignment may also culminate in a guided hike with a small group on one of the case study trails as a presentation of the learning from the course of this practicum. The intention of this assignment is to meaningfully convey both the broader and personal narratives from this practicum and come to a conclusion as to how the evolution of a trail reflects the values and priorities of its users. This assignment will take place over the couple of months following the “During” assignment in the Fall 2024 semester.
Goals
1. Using a creative outlet to share my new knowledge with a wider, diverse audience. 2. Improving my creative writing abilities to reach a non-academic audience. 3. Articulate meaningful conclusions regarding trails and their significance as artifacts of human history.
Learning Objectives
How do trails influence the preservation and telling of human history? How does the evolution of a trail’s usage and condition reflect the values of the people that use it?
Audience
The audience for this assignment is the general public, with an interest in understanding local Colorado trails with greater historical context. The guidebook is aimed to an audience with the purpose of education and personal expression, much like how a cooking blog shares personal anecdotes in tandem with recipes and practical tips.
Medium
Medium: Guidebook Rationale: This medium is both a traditional way to learn about trails aside from the Internet, and gives an opportunity to combine anecdotes from my experiences on these trails with the academic knowledge I obtained during the first portion of my practicum. In many ways it is a more polished version of the multimedia summary from the “Before” assignment, including photos, maps, personal anecdotes, practical advice, and instructional material. Characteristics of other effective texts in that medium: Effective hiking guidebooks clearly state practical facts alongside anecdotes to give the most reasonable expectations for the reader. They also supplement writing with quality photos, and give enough details for anyone reading the book to be safe. Many also include the history of the trail and format the information in a way that prioritizes it visually for the reader.
Assignment Details
Length: Minimum 30 pages including maps, figures, and photos. Due Date(s): Middle of fall 2024 semester to give time to present, 10/30/2024 (correction, end of fall 2024 semester, approx. 11/25/2024) Formatting: Online PDF, posted on the same website as the photo essay blog Other: With the goal of making this accessible, an online PDF is the most effective way to do so. This guidebook, while it is the culmination of the learning over the entire practicum, also must present something new.
Rubric
