Modeling interactive skills: Addressing student learning outcomes and pre-professional development in forestry

摘要

In response to demands from natural resource employers who desire new employees with critical thinking and problem-solving skills in addition to strong professional and interactive skills, some forestry and natural resource degree programs include such abilities as abilities as part of their student learning outcomes. Use of cooperative, collaborative, and interactive learning approaches in college classrooms often increases student competence in both critical thinking and interactive skills, and enhances students' success in the workplace after graduation. Opportunities for students to learn and practice interactive skills can be provided in a purposeful and progressive sequence embedded in both single courses and across curricula. Incorporating this approach requires effort by instructors to design activities that assist students in developing important technical skills and knowledge while practicing interactive skills with both their peers and instructors. We have used learning theory and classroom research over a six-year period to construct a novel approach to pre-professional development for students in our forestry program.