Wildlife Rehabilitation and Reciprocal Learning Theory - Thesis Example

The program curriculum aims to provide a balance between academic and experiential learning with a joint emphasis on “real-time” critical problem-solving skills and the application of academic knowledge “on-site” and in the field. Students earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Wildlife Rehabilitation. This discipline, although integrated into a rigorous academic program, is strongly experiential and is based upon reciprocal learning (Palinscar & Brown, 1984) whereby students ultimately teach what they have learned to novices. This approach is consistent with the stated objectives in the Lees-McRae College website catalogue (2009).

An internal review of the program by the college in the Spring of 2010 noted that “The program is perfectly aligned with the Lees-McRae College mission in that it states “service-learning at its finest, providing care for injured wildlife of the Southern Appalachians and needed wildlife education for the Avery County elementary students and residents” (Fischesser & Spears, 2009, p. 1). At the same time, admissions figures reflect that the wildlife program is attracting increasing numbers of new students to the college. The program enrolment currently is 26 Wildlife Rehabilitation majors and 3 minors as compared with less than 10 in 2004. With this in mind, a survey of students, faculty and staff was administered in the spring and fall of 2010 to secure feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the program as well as the background of students enrolled in the program’s entry-level course. This study reviewed the Spring 2010 feedback for factors influencing student enrolment in the wildlife program. Feedback will also be reviewed around the effectiveness of balancing academic and experiential learning and the development of critical-thinking skills.

The Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute (BRWI), located on a ridge-top at the edge of the Linville Gorge Wilderness area in Jonas Ridge, North Carolina, originally opened its doors as wildlife rehabilitation and wildlife education centre in 1995. The BRWI founding director was and continues to be Nina Fischesser. It has held 501c3 federal non-profit status since 1997, and still holds the status that remains relatively inactive. Prior to its move to Lees-McRae College, it was run by volunteers, admits 300 – 800 injured and orphaned mammals and migratory birds, and educated over 2,000 people annually with the use of trained, non-releasable ‘wildlife ambassadors’ who visited various schools and other community settings. During the summers, with the busy wildlife baby season, two to six interns were accepted from colleges from all over the United States and were housed in host family homes or local rentals. It was through the internship program that Lees-McRae College and BRWI began to build a working relationship.