Research

When I applied for Graduate School I learned that the program I was interested in didn't have a thesis requirement. I was so happy. I've heard horror stories of people being out of school for years and while having completed the classes they've yet to complete their thesis. Some advice from one person to another in thesis writing and completion was 'if you're so close to finishing but can't you have two choices... lock yourself in your room with only your computer, no internet for the next 36 hours... or... get rip roaring drunk and in the morning, while you're still semi- intoxicated begin to write your paper. by the time your hangover is done you should be finished.' Neither of these choices seem like great ideas, graduate school could turn into 3 or 4 years rather than just two. No thesis means I got to avoid this scenario. However, we have a project which I was told 'is almost exactly like a thesis.' After being accepted and being in class for a week or so I wasn't going to leave just because of this, but my heart sank a little bit. It came back up slightly when they told us we would definitely for sure be done when we graduated.

Even though I now am basically doing a thesis I feel better about it. Being the one doing research instead of reading the research is encouraging. That I am now on the level of education where I can positively add something to my field. This has also given me the opportunity to really dive into a topic I've been considering for about a year now. My research has been approved, which is great. The topic is looking at combining noncompetitive sports and field science. For example: the study of geology and rock climbing, studying how a landscape changes while backpacking, studying weather patterns by sailing, understanding river ecology by kayaking, studying GIS/ GPS by hiking and geocaching. How combining these two topics not only are you having a longer class (2 1.5 hour classes now are a 3 hour super class) but you also are learning better. Moving physical education toward noncompetitive sports (not 100% but at least somewhat) will engage a larger audience. When I was in phys ed I hated it, I was always on the loosing team, or I didn't play at all. It was about counting points rather than wellness. The teacher cared more about the game and the score rather than the individuals. I realize this is not every gym class. I know I would have been happier if we had been mountain biking, or sailing. Promoting wellness and self esteem in an 'everyone wins' environment makes gym class an emotionally safer place for students.

So now that I've chosen my topic, I'm locked in. I really don't know where this project is going, if it's going to be writing curriculum, looking at in place curriculum and developing a best practices, or is it going to be evaluating the in place curriculum. I must not be the first person on earth to come up with this idea. Somewhere, someone must be doing this already I just have to find them.