An island studies course at a liberal arts institution: Pedagogy from a natural history perspective

Abstract

An intellectual treatment of islands and isolation lends itself to a foundation in a liberal arts education. The introductory undergraduate course on island studies can serve as a topical platform on which to develop critical thinking, research, analytical, and creative thinking skills for beginning college students. The paper analyzes the natural history perspective in island studies and its methods of inquiry as pedagogical strategies that enhance the development of academic curiosity. The success of this approach to early undergraduate education is documented in traditional assessment and the direction that student-driven inquiry followed throughout the course. A course in island studies is a natural fit into progressive curriculum design strategies that are currently under development at many colleges and universities.