permaculture

[rick valley <bamboogrove@cmug.com>]

>The PDC course is a distance learning course via Australia.  I never seemed
>to be able to get enough time away to take a course in person, so I am going
>with this.
Has anyone out there done both a residential, traditional PDC and an
E-course? And if so what  do they have to say in comparison?
I know there are very respected teachers out there doing both...
Being a trained (!!!) educator ("I have a Masters Degree" (if you've heard
Dr. Science)) and teaching residential courses- I like the format & agree
with David Holmgren (like me a grad of an experimental college) that the
residential aspect is a major advantage. "Getting away" is part of the
process producing the desired effect.
I heard a management consultant on NPR who was saying he typically has
corporate clients that were communicating and successful when the group was
under one roof. As soon as communication went online between unmeeting
individuals, dysfunction commenced and grew.
(I think the typical list flame war is an aspect of this phenomena too)
How many times have I had PDC evaluations mention how much was learned out of
class time and/or from other participants!
Not to mention weekend courses, which I have taught, and also have grave
reservations about as well.
I think that correspondence courses do have useful educational functions-
similar to weekend courses, evening classes and such. I'd also say most of
what a residential PDC has to offer can also be found in a week-long  or
longer hands-on residential course or the sort of course that Marsha Hanzi
talks about presenting, somewhat shorter than the traditional course, with
much more hands-on. I have not had any experience with the shorter
residential "fundamentals" courses some give, but I'd guess they are likewise
effective in fostering these effects which I'd say include "community"
feeling, learning to appreciate other learning styles, (in yourself and
others)
I am well aware of opinions about access, affordability & so on. The flip
side of that coin is often commitment. We're talking about whole systems- for
me it works best in a holistic learning environment.
What do people out there think?
-Rick


Rick Valley Northern Groves 
PO Box 1236, Philomath, OR 97370 
Mobile-(541)602-1315, hm.& msg. (541)929-7152  Bamboo catalog $3 or at 
<http://www.teleport.com/~dbrooks/bamboo.html>
"Useful Bamboos and other plants‹ Permaculture education‹ Ecological design &
consultation centering on water,landform and horticultural systems"