Experiential Learning Beyond the Borders: International Field School on Microorganisms, Human Impacts, and Climate Change (Thailand)

This poster presentation will showcase the International Field School (IFS) Thailand on Microorganisms, Human Impacts, and Climate Change that was offered in collaboration with the Chiang Mai University (CMU), Faculty of Science, Environmental Science International Program in May 2023.

For this IFS, the place-based and experiential learning approaches were employed as the centre for the curricular design. We aimed to develop global citizenship skills within the young generation of microbiologists through local and international contexts. The concepts of “Interconnectedness” and “One Health” were emphasized during our time in Chiang Mai, and specific case studies in Canadian and Thai contexts were assigned to students at both CMU and TRU before departure. The student participants, including 19 students from TRU and 9 from CMU, jointly worked in small research teams to identify the impacts of climate change on humans, the environment, and microorganisms. The outcomes of their work proposed solutions for the impact of climate change. The 2-week field school activities included lectures from local and international institutions, fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and group discussion and presentations. The cultural events augmented the academic program and provided opportunities for students. Reflections from students indicated that first-hand learning experience changed their perspective regarding the world and our crises. Collaboration of higher education institutes should be further strengthened to ensure that the young generations are equipped with the skills required for the future.

Impact Statement: Please include an impact statement (poster) or potential impact statement (round table) to demonstrate the significance or contribution of your work to the Strategic Internationalization Plan (SIP).

The university’s SIP Goal 5 and Objective 5 align with this work: “To lead the way in cultivating a culture of community-mindedness with a global conscience by sharing educational practices, exchanging knowledge worldwide, and taking a proactive role in addressing regional, national, and global challenges through education and scholarship.” By creating a collaborative field school that brings together CMU and TRU students to learn about the global climate crisis issues that influence human, animal, and environmental health through contextualized place-based and experiential learning approaches, initial findings suggest there is an impact on student learning beyond the classroom.