This site also hopes to offer experiences that may change the way that some people understand possible relationships among learning, technology, and hands-on experiences. Too often, people interested in biology assume that direct experience is the most effective way to learn about and appreciate biology and they also assume that technology may represent a threat to this kind of learning. This view is too simplistic. Learning results from thinking and manual activity may or may not result in thinking. Manual activity such as planting trees or walking about in the outdoors will develop understanding and appreciation only when it results in some mental work to accompany the physical work.
Technology can involve students in opportunities to think about their outdoor experiences.
We do hope to provide learners of all ages some different experiences with technology. Technology is not just a mechanism for delivering information to the learner - it can also be a way to explore ideas with others and a way to engage learners in activities that lead to personal understanding and to pesonal commitment. You will not gain the full benefit of experiences provided by technology or any other form of education if you believe you should passively allow the experiences to educate you. The full benefit of any learning experience is to be achieved when we take an active role. The OWLS project is about participation.