Tree Question Project
The following innovative project was submitted by Tom Laughlin, MCC English faculty member:
An experimental education initiative called the “Tree Question Project” started about a month ago on the Bedford campus of Middlesex Community College (MCC). This project is sponsored by a variety of MCC’s programs on campus, including MCC’s Carnegie CASTL Group and MCC’s Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Program. Some of the primary goals of this project are to encourage student inquiry on campus and to consider the wide variety of questions various disciplines might ask about any object or issue in our world, though the hope is that the project might encourage other connections and opportunities for further pedagogical dialogue.
Last month, a small stand was set up in front of a tree in the quadrangle at the Bedford Campus of MCC. The stand was fashioned with a hinged Plexiglas top and contains a blank book. The following instructions are on the top of the stand (taped to the underside of the Plexiglas):
Tree Question Project
Humans can look at anything and wonder. All knowledge and understanding begins with inquiry, with questioning. All academic disciplines ask questions and explore our world through the lenses of their disciplinary questions.
There can be great value in focusing our attention on something, observing, reflecting, and formulating questions.
So, here’s an idea:
In front of you is a tree.
Observe this tree for a few moments.
Formulate a question.
Write down your question in the book.
(After recording your question, please close the cover to help protect the book from the weather.
Thank you. )
Questions written in this book will be recorded regularly on the Tree Question Project Weblog at: http://middlesexWAC.blogspot.com/
For information, please see the Writing Across the Curriculum Website at www.middlesex.mass.edu/wac/
So far there have been approximately 65 questions written in the blank book and later recorded on the Tree Question Project blog. We are hoping to continue to record questions for a while and see what blog comments are posted. We would be interested in anyone’s questions (even if you can’t actually stand in the quad -- there are pictures you could look at on the blog perhaps), reactions, suggestions, ideas, etc. Some ideas we are considering are grouping questions by discipline to help students and faculty consider the sorts of questions asked across various disciplines, encouraging answers to questions, and exploring issues of Freedom of Speech and public discourse. We’d love to hear from you.
For more information, please see the Tree Question Project Blog (or Weblog) at http://middlesexwac.blogspot.com/