The Role of Overseas Field Courses in Student Learning in the Biosciences

Goodenough, Anne E.; Rolfe, Richard N.; MacTavish, Lynne; Hart, Adam G.

doi:10.11120/beej.2014.00021

Cited by 11 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The benefits of field experience in education as an important mode of active learning have been demonstrated (Boyle et al 2007;Easton and Gilburn 2011;Goodenough et al 2014), and are crucial in placing the subject in its real-world context. Field work can be of benefit to a wide diversity of students (Fuller et al 2006) and it provides a novel learning environment away from traditional classroom teaching (Falk et al 1978). There is a strong tradition of field work in the biosciences as a way to develop practical skills (Goulder et al 2012), as well as increasing higher order learning (Rickinson et al 2004) and student confidence (Boyle et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of mobile apps in teaching field-based identification skills

Thomas

Fellowes

2016

Journal of Biological Education

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It has been suggested that few students graduate with the skills required for many ecological careers, as field-based learning is said to be in decline in academic institutions. Here, we asked if mobile technology could improve field-based learning, using ability to identify birds as the study metric. We divided a class of ninety-one undergraduate students into two groups for field-based sessions where they were taught bird identification skills. The first group has access to a traditional identification book and the second group were provided with an identification app. We found no difference between the groups in the ability of students to identify birds after three field sessions. Furthermore, we found that students using the traditional book were significantly more likely to identify novel species. Therefore, we find no evidence that mobile technology improved students' ability to retain what they experienced in the field; indeed, there is evidence that traditional field guides were more useful to students as they attempted to identify new species. Nevertheless, students felt positively about using their own smartphone devices for learning, highlighting that while apps did not lead to an improvement in bird identification ability, they gave greater accessibility to relevant information outside allocated teaching times.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of mobile apps in teaching field-based identification skills

Thomas

Fellowes

2016

Journal of Biological Education

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“…Scholz et al's [12] study for instance shows that useful skills are enhanced among biology students in internship practice. Goodenough et al [18] show that practice activity in field trips enhance students' biology content knowledge. Both studies show how collaboration is a particularly prominent skill in practice learning.…”

Section: Developing Transferable Skill Learning Through Practical Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing Collaboration as a Transferrable Skills in Biology Tertiary Education

Hole¹

2015

LICEJ

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Transferable skills as a concept in tertiary education has received increased interest since the Bologna process and through developments in the work market. The concept as a learning goal is seen as a means for ensuring employability in a changing industrial economy as well as increasing legitimacy of skills that are desirable across different disciplines. In this paper I will present some means to develop legitimacy in transferable skill learning in discipline education in general and biology education specifically. A concrete focus is collaboration, which functions as an example of how the intangible nature of some educational goals requires a theoretical response. This is performed on the basis of theoretical conceptions about tacit and workplace learning.

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“…In particular, field work experience is crucial to mastering the skill of developing the “research conceptual framework” that is the backbone of the scientific process. With this in mind, field‐based learning experiences can improve learning outcomes by offering opportunities for practical application of skills (Klingberg, 2012) and theory in novel systems and locations (Goodenough et al., 2014). The hands‐on approach of field courses also allows ECRs to develop key “soft skills” such as time management and collaboration with colleagues, especially those from different backgrounds (e.g., educational, cultural, geographic, Leon‐Beck & Dodick, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%