Free-falling Theory and supplementary exercises

Abstract

This essay studies the pedagogical approaches employed in the first postgraduate program in environmental humanities in Latin America, the Diplomatura Superior en Humanidades Ambientales en el cruce del Arte y la Tecnología at Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero (UNTREF). The program aims to raise awareness of the socio-environmental crisis using a collective, interdisciplinary, and resilient approach. Drawing from interviews with students and teachers, participating in learning spaces, and available archival materials, I identify three core components of its pedagogical project. Firstly, I introduce 'weaving' as a pedagogical concept within UNTREF and examine its value as an educational tool encouraging innovative thinking. Secondly, I analyze how experimental practices, both as a methodology and a learning space, address environmental issues through personal processes and sensory exploration. Lastly, I attend to developing horizontal relationships between students and teachers, which fosters a collaborative learning environment. In sum, the essay contends that the Diplomatura is a program capable of impacting how we teach environmental humanities through its strategic practices, situated modes of analysis, supporting the active role of students in their learning process, and challenging disciplinary reductionism within this emerging field.