Wednesday, August 5, 2020: 12:30 PM-1:00 PM
Organizer:
Kari E. B. O'Connell
Co-organizers:
Michael Giamellaro
and
Kelly L. Hoke
Moderator:
Kari O'Connell
Undergraduate field learning experiences have a rich history of preparing students for careers in ecology and other field-based sciences, yet what constitutes an effective field learning experience is not clearly defined. Field learning experiences vary from short field “labs” integrated into university courses, weeks or months-long courses at field stations and marine labs, traveling geology courses, to weeks-long research opportunities. The Undergraduate Field Experiences Research Network (UFERN) is building an interdisciplinary network of researchers and practitioners focused on improving undergraduate field learning experiences. UFERN has developed a framework that highlights the suites of factors that influence student outcomes of field learning experiences. The framework can be a resource to help design learning experiences, guide research about field learning, or evaluate student outcomes.
During the workshop, we will introduce the framework, and participants will apply it to an undergraduate field program (e.g., research experience for undergraduates, field course, field trip) using the elements of the framework, Design Factors, Student Context Factors, and Student Outcomes. Individually or in pairs, participants will map their own undergraduate field programs onto the framework and identify what elements of the framework they see in their current program, and what elements in their programs they are motivated to change based on working with the framework. The workshop will emphasize improving student experiences and outcomes, with a particular focus on access and inclusion. The workshop will also give UFERN valuable feedback on the usefulness of the framework in a diversity of settings.
