Bimblecast: Using ecopedagogy in Business Education

Resumen

In our playfully retitled ‘Bimblecast’, we explore practical ecopedagogy in business education. The podcast was recorded in October 2024 whilst walking from Bowling to Maryhill, 15 kilometres, in Central Scotland. The purpose of the discussion is to explore the practical application of ecopedagogy in a light-hearted and accessible way, and to capture the essence of outdoor pedagogies. After quickly, and superficially, exploring the philosophical roots of ecopedagogy, we argue that this approach, typically used in environmental education, is equally valuable in business education, and we outline our reasoning for this statement. The discussion moves on to explore practical strategies for embedding ecopedagogy in business education, making the point that it is simple to achieve through basic ‘campus field trips’. Because we are going further than exploring campus environments in our own teaching, we also describe how the lowland leader qualification, a UK wide qualification for taking groups on organised walks, is helping us to build an outdoor learning capability in our business school. Through this discussion, we outline the preparation and study required to become a wild pedagogue, but we also discuss more modest planning for simple, short excursions. In all cases, safety is important. During our discussion, the listener will hear of situations and wildlife we encounter, demonstrating the power and authenticity of this approach to learning.