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EXPLORING ECOTOURISM

Educational Travel
by Ron Mader

PLANETA FORUM

There is no travel without learning and no learning without travel.
- Travel Notebook


PHOTO GALLERY: Tourists
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PUBLISHERS -- This article is available for paid syndication. Those interested in publishing this article should request permission.


Educational travel is within reach of students of all ages.

From spiritual pilgrimages to learning a foreign language via immersion classes, travel provides a wealth of opportunities for learning.

Travel permits us to grasp the nuances of other cultures in ways that are invariably more satisfying than reading a book or (gasp!) surfing the Web. Re-imagine the role of academics.


PREPARATION

Many travelers seek educated quests that animate intellectual curiosity and engage interaction with communities.

Preparation is a critical step. Learn about where you're going before you arrive. One bit of advice -- learning is an act of defiance, specifically the transformation from ignorance to knowledge via experience. Prepare yourself to be surprised.

In the book Trouble in Paradise: Globalization and Environmental Crises in Latin America (Routledge, 2003) J. Timmons Roberts and Nikki Demetria Thanos make the case that contact can change the North-South divide. "Lives can be changed," they write. "Rather than merely observing these issues from afar and wringing our hands, we need to be engaged. Institutions can be changed."

ON THE WEB

University students and professors conducting research abroad can lead by example.

This means establishing collaborative relationships with locals. Announce your work beforehand in relevant online forums and afterward, share your findings.

If you are working on environmental or cultural research, ask if you can use our forum.

OFFLINE

At your school, conduct roundtable discussions, slide shows, talks. Find the local connections in the natural world.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Travelers seeking a responsible educational trip need to ask the organizers how the trip benefits the visited communities: Are locals involved in the trip creation? How does the organization follow-up with local contacts? Does the operator demand exclusivity, and if so, why?

Travelers embarking on an educational quest need to be proactive. Many organizers are swamped with logistics. If you are a member of an alumni association, offer assistance.

Not recognizing the value of communities in a collaborative effort is far too common. Many tours are arranged (and sold) for the comfort levels of the uneducated traveler.

Isn't it time for something different?

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AUTHOR

Ron Mader is the Latin America correspondent for Transitions Abroad and host of the award-winning Planeta.com website.


REFERENCES

g Planeta.com Teams Up with Tourism Educators Conference
g Learning Notebook
g Academics on the Web
g Re-imagining the Role of Educators
b Educational Travel - Transitions Abroad

FLICKR

g What is the value of attention?
ONLINE FLICKR

WIKI

g Planeta Wikispace
g Tourism Educators Conference
g How green is your eco conference?
g Toward Effective Communication in Responsible Travel and Ecotourism
ONLINE WIKI


b The Machine is Us/ing Us



b A Vision of Students Today



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