Back to Search Start Over

Assessment practices of advanced field ecology courses

Assessment practices of advanced field ecology courses

Authors :
Lei, Simon A.
Source :
Education. Spring, 2010, Vol. 130 Issue 3, p404, 12 p.
Publication Year :
2010

Abstract

Learning is an active process, best facilitated by involving the learning in cognitive engagement with the information to be learned. Most college ecology instructors consist of lecture and exams, but also include active components of laboratories and field trips (campus and off-campus). Field trips can be subdivided into three major phases: pre-trip, during a trip, and post-trip. Although most of the assessments occur during the post-trip phase, several assessment practices can also occur during the pre-trip and trip phases. Field trips should be placed at the early stages of the environmental biology curriculum, and should focus on hands-on activities that cannot be conducted effectively in the classroom and laboratory. Students generally prefer field trips and corresponding exercises over indoor classroom and laboratory exercises because they were more realistic, interesting, and interactive. Field trips are an effective supplement to classroom and laboratory instruction in upper-undergraduate and graduate-level (advanced) ecology courses. This study reviews various assessment strategies at three major phases of a trip in field ecology courses.<br />Introduction Field trip experience is an essential part of student learning in an advanced ecology course. Learners enrolling in advanced ecology courses are comprised of upper-undergraduate and graduate students. The [...]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00131172
Volume :
130
Issue :
3
Database :
Gale General OneFile
Journal :
Education
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsgcl.222314889