Encouraging Co-Operation and Reflective Practice in Conservation Degree Programmes

The research question explored here is; How should conservation education respond to the dilemma produced by the ever-increasing demands made on conservation professionals, and therefore on professional education, at a time when the resources within higher education (and particularly in the context of teaching and materials intensive conservation programmes) are constrained? It investigates the results of taking public collections as the focus of study and using reflective learning journals to stimulate discussion and deepen learning. Here the prior life experiences of the students become a major resource for the individual and the group. Methods (based on a multidisciplinary approach) for integrating theoretical learning and professional practice are tested