The global sustainability agenda provides the opportunity for higher education institutions to mainstream the Sustainable Development Goals into their programmes to contribute towards achieving these goals. Using an inquiry-based research approach, underpinned by constructivism, this study aimed to determine how research concepts and research skills can be integrated effectively into a first-year module through inquiry-based learning. First-year students at a South African university were assigned research tasks to analyse journal articles and compile a summative project based on observations in urban ecosystems. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected via online, structured questionnaires, reflective practice schedules and semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics and supported by qualitative analysis of open-ended responses. Some of the findings included main skills developed, communication and social skills; main challenges experienced, finding a study site and working with a partner; the research task was relevant to career and society, and enhanced understanding of the module content. The integration of research at undergraduate level fostered environmental stewardship, positive career aspirations, motivation to pursue further research, and promoted problem-solving to real-world problems. It is recommended that universities support more undergraduate programmes to adopt inquiry-based learning within authentic research tasks.
The shift to online learning in universities prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic impacted field learning, an important component in nature conservation qualifications. Academics used video resources as an alternative approach to mitigate related challenges. This case study critically reflects on students’ experiences and views on the use of an internet video and WhatsApp text messaging to complete a groupwork task in a conservation module offered at a university in South Africa. The video content focused on threats to rare indigenous plant species in South Africa. Data were collected using an online electronic questionnaire (n=26) and through the analysis of five group-discussion text-messaging transcripts. Mixed-method analysis was used to analyse the data. Descriptive analysis was used to analyse the closed questions in the questionnaire, and qualitative analysis was used for the open questions and transcripts. Ethical protocols were followed, with anonymity and confidentiality maintained. The findings, amongst others, indicate that overall, students agreed that the video promoted their understanding of threats to rare indigenous plants (76.9%); most students watched the video more than three times (84.6%); students had a positive response to the use of text messaging for group discussions (91.6%); and evident in the transcripts was active group engagement. Overall, WhatsApp text messaging facilitated student discussions in the asynchronous group work video analysis task. This reinforces underlying social constructivist pedagogy, which facilitates the integration of course content with group interaction and promotes critical thinking and problem-solving in a post-COVID-19 society.
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