From Our Students

All graduate course participants will join with other global colleagues in a supportive, small-group, online web environment to discuss ideas and inspire each other to engage local communities in social and ecological change.

Student Comments about Project Dragonfly Graduate Programs:

I have learned so many amazing things. Not just about the places I have been in the global community but about myself and my own capabilities.

Transformative education comes from participation in something real guided by someone who is passionate. It is the difference between knowing the destruction caused by rainforest deforestation and experiencing the biodiversity of a rainforest in comparison to a palm oil plantation. You can read about the mating calls of a gibbon in the wild, or you can take a walk through the understory of the rainforest and hear the amazing calls from the canopy above that stop you in your tracks and fill you with wonder and awe. This is participatory education. This changes lives....

The hospitality, generosity and friendliness of everyone we met in Mongolia is what jumps out at me first. From the in-country hosts to the nomadic families that we visited, everyone was genuine and warm, going out of their way to make us comfortable and feel at home.

Learning through immersion is how I get the most out of my experiences. These courses have allowed me to tap into that by placing me at the center of conservation. The idea that conservation is not just about animals really hit home, and working firsthand with people made me realize these issues are not black and white. I've changed as a result of these courses because of HOW we are learning and not just what.

My experience in these Miami University courses has been nothing but extraordinary. I have grown so much as a person through my field courses in Belize, Peru, and Namibia. After returning from the field, my research on topics from predator foraging success to the negative effects of the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid on northeastern trees has broadened my personal knowledge base. And in my profession, my experiences can directly translate to more authentic learning moments for my students.

The Dragonfly Workshop is a valuable resource for changing our approach. It not only challenged our outdated methods, but opened our eyes to a different world of participation for all students. I found the material thought provoking and incisive. Reading other lesson plans and responses to our own, helped to better hone our skills for effective instruction.

The community that is created by the Global Field Program is one of its greatest assets and I know that I have benefitted from this in the forms of so many great friendships and professional contacts. I’m looking forward to what is next for all of us.

I cannot say enough about the Advanced Inquiry Program to people that I meet. I encourage everyone to apply and become of something greater than themselves. I see this as an ongoing part of being a member of this wonderful community.

This was one of the most rewarding experiences I have encountered in a long time … I have always wanted my students to think on their own and with the help of ragonfly I feel I accomplished my goal.

The...class format actively engages the students. Other graduate courses are more passive learning, and do not often lead to new ideas. This class reaches into the future and sparks ideas for educational opportunities.

My journey to inspire local conservation action continues well after graduating from the Global Field Program. I will keep employing techniques of participatory education... to encourage environmental stewardship at a local level.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to experience and learn this method. It was a meaningful and long-lasting lesson for me and one that will stay with my students and me for many years.

Earth Expeditions is an ideal platform to introduce a global community of professionals to our conservation work.

Now I feel confident that I can facilitate students’ learning through inquiry not only in the area of science but across the curriculum.

What I enjoyed most was the interactions with my peers. Their thoughts and ideas gave me insight into how I could use inquiry in almost any lesson.