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Peer Assisted Experiential Learning (PAEL) in extending fieldwork practice in the Earth Sciences

Peer Assisted Experiential Learning (PAEL) in extending fieldwork practice in the Earth Sciences. Mark Anderson, Meriel FitzPatrick & Jason Truscott. Background/Rationale – Why? Location - Sandway Cellar Where? Preparation for fieldtrip How? PDA Pilot study 2009 – Stage 1

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Peer Assisted Experiential Learning (PAEL) in extending fieldwork practice in the Earth Sciences

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  1. Peer Assisted Experiential Learning (PAEL) in extending fieldwork practice in the Earth Sciences Mark Anderson, Meriel FitzPatrick & Jason Truscott

  2. Background/Rationale – Why? • Location - Sandway Cellar Where? • Preparation for fieldtrip How? • PDA • Pilot study 2009 – Stage 1 - Stage 2 • November 2009 - Results • Future plans

  3. “Fieldwork” “any arena or zone within a subject where supervised learning can take place via first-hand experience, outside the constraints of the four-walls classroom setting” Lonergan & Andresen, 1988

  4. “Fieldwork gives opportunities for learning which cannot be duplicated in the classroom. It greatly enhances students’ understanding of geographical features and concepts, and allows students to develop specific as well as general skills” HMI 1992

  5. Background • Fieldwork is good(Boyle et al. 2003; Boyle et al. 2007) • Positive /direct benefits to students(Fuller et al. 2003) • Advantage over lectures as it is “real” (Warburton & Higgett, 1997) • Not universally perceived positively by students (Stokes, 2007) • ‘Novelty factor’ / ‘Novelty space’ (Falk et al. 1978; Orion & Hofstein 1994) • Maskall & Stokes, 2008

  6. Rationale • Promote independence • Increase confidence in their own abilities • Peer Assisted Learning • Pressures of time & costs

  7. Happy students

  8. Where? Sandway Cellar

  9. University Kingsand-Cawsand

  10. Sandway Cellar

  11. Lab+ • Paper copies – guide, maps, timetables etc. • Risk Assessment • Access to website • Hand specimens of all rock types found at Sandway Cellar • Training for the PDAs • Website Link

  12. Using PDAs to enhance students’ fieldwork experiences • The maps are programmed so certain ‘events’ are triggered when entering a pre-defined location on the map. The whole environment is termed a ‘Mediascape’ Programmed trigger areas You are here!

  13. What do ‘event’ triggers look like? For example: When you enter here. This event happens!

  14. Site 1

  15. What do ‘event’ triggers look like? For example: When you enter here. This event happens!

  16. Site 5

  17. Pilot study – 2009 Concerns • Engagement – or lack of. • Technology - breakdown • Changing outcrop pattern of rock • Weather

  18. Data collection Questionnaires (3 areas): • Preparation (Lab+ and website) • During the fieldtrip • Use of the technology (PDA) • Likert Scale and YES/NO answers • Some questions required free text to suggest how the fieldtrip and resources could be improved. Interviews (semi-structured)

  19. Pilot study - 2009 • Few students engaged • Positive response to the use of the PDA • Stage 1 students – March • Questionnaires • Interviews • Stage 2 students – June • Questionnaires • Intended cohort for Peer Assisted Learning in subsequent year • Most students engaged • Only 2/8 PDAs worked consistently and well • Positive response “when it works”

  20. November 2009 • Stage 1 students • Majority engaged • Independent (in groups of 4-6) • No Stage 2 mentors • Run as part of a tutorial and fieldwork module • Weather OK • PDAs worked well • On-line questionnaire

  21. Results (31% response to on-line questionnaire) • Feedback – generally very positive • Question 9 – Did you attend the introductory session to using the PDA before you went on the fieldtrip? • 92.6% replied Yes . They took part in the introduction to the PDAs in Labplus

  22. Question 10 – If yes, after having completed the fieldwork please explain how you think this exercise helped you with using the PDA in the field. • 'Gave general idea of how to access the software and navigate through screens.’ • 'it meant we could get on with the work in the field quicker and the was less confusion’ • 'It introduced us to the way in which the PDA worked and showed us the importance of patience when using them.’ • ‘It made me familiar with equipment which was usefull’

  23. Question 11 “Instructions on the PDA were clear”

  24. Question 17 “Relevant information appeared at the correct sites”

  25. Question 20. “The geological information for each site was clear.”

  26. Question 21.“The geological information for each site provided good explanations”

  27. Question 22.“This fieldtrip has helped me to practice my field skills and reinforced my understanding of geological concepts.”

  28. Comments for improvement • Glare on screens • Add the other routes to Kingsand on to the PDA. Make the PDAs work on the coastal path • Put hints onto slides • PDA was a useful addition to learning in the field but is not as good as the one to one interaction with the staff.

  29. Future plans • Develop links to specific web pages – for help and advice, answering questions. • Screen – use a Tablet PC. • Develop the Peer Assisted aspect to involve Stage 2 students as mentors.

  30. Future plans – introductory skills Stage 1 cohort 2009 Stage 2 cohort 2009

  31. Future plans – introductory skills Stage 1 cohort 2010 Stage 1 cohort 2009 Stage 2 cohort 2010 PAEL

  32. Future plans – advanced skills Stage 2 cohort 2010 Independent mapping Stage 2 cohort 2010 PAEL

  33. References • Boyle, A., Conchie, S., Maguire, S., Martin, A., Milsom, C., Nash, R., Rawlinson, S., Turner, A., & Wurthmann, S. (2003). Fieldwork is Good? The Student Experience of Field Courses. Planet, Special Edition, 5, 48-51 •  Boyle, A., Maguire, S., Martin, A., Milsom, C., Nash, R., Rawlinson, S., Turner, A., Wurthmann, S. & Conchie, S. (2007). Fieldwork is Good: the Student Perception and the Affective Domain. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 31 (2), 299-317 • Falk, J., Martin, W., & Balling, J.(1978) The novel field trip phenomenon: adjustment to novel settings interferes with task learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 15(2), 127-134 • Fuller, I., Gaskin, S. & Scott, I., (2003). Student perceptions of Geography and Environmental Science fieldwork in the light of restricted access to the field, caused by Foot and Mouth Disease in the UK in 2001. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 27, 79-102 •  Maskall, J. & Stokes, A. (2008). Designing Effective Fieldwork for the Environmental and Natural Sciences. GEES Subject Centre, Learning and Teaching Guide • Orion, N., & Hofstein, A., (1994). Factors that Influence Learning during a Scientific Field Trip in a Natural Environment, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31(10), 1097-1119 • Warburton, J. & Higgitt, M., (1997). Improving the Preparation for Fieldwork with IT: two examples from physical geography. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 21(3), 333-347 • Stokes, A., (2007) It there a future for fieldwork? [on-line] Available: http://staff.plymouth.ac.uk//cetlexp/fieldwork/intranet.htm (date accessed 19th June 2007)

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