Reflective Practice as a Means for Preparing to Teach Outdoors in an Ecological Garden

Boyd

Journal of Biological Education

et al. 2014

This paper considers a range of factors that may contribute to an unwillingness or inability of teachers to participate in the teaching of biology through fieldwork. Through a synthesis of the views of both pre-service teachers in training and primary school teachers in practice we explore the relative importance of a wide range of potential barriers and potential responses to them in the context of the wider literature. We conclude that although fieldwork may be impeded by the interaction of a wide range of individual barriers, including an individual's predisposition towards the outdoors, it is possible to group interacting barriers into two main areas: school culture and teacher confidence. It is also apparent that barriers may assume different levels of significance when considered in general terms rather than when applied to a particular context and that the significance of barriers may change through time. Encouragingly, we have also shown that in-service teachers have a willingness to overcome these barriers.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers To Biological Fieldwork: What Really Prevents Teaching Out of Doors?

Boyd

Journal of Biological Education

et al. 2014

“…Nabors, Edwards and Murray (2009) share the same view with the aforementioned authors that field trip is a type of experiential learning that gets children away from the traditional classroom setting and into a new mode of learning. Tal and Morag (2009) opinion is not differ from that of other scholars, they describe field trips as student experiences outside of the classroom at interactive locations designed for educational purposes. In view of this, the general perception of people as regard field trip is any teaching and learning process carried out by a group of people outside of the classroom environment.…”

mentioning

confidence: 89%

Comparative Effectiveness of Virtual Field Trip and Real Field Trip on Students’ Academic Performance in Social Studies in Osun State Secondary Schools

Obadiora¹

2015

MJSS

“…One of the major obstacles teachers face in carrying out field trips is the insufficient preparation for teaching in the outdoors (in nature). Teachers' training programs seldom include substantial segments that address learning that occurs outside of the classroom (Tal and Morag 2009). An idea which can partially explain this aspect of the problem is what Orion and Hofstein (1994) call "Novelty Space."…”

Section: Learning Through Inquiry In the Natural Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Collaborative Learning Meets Nature: Collaborative Learning as a Meaningful Learning Tool in the Ecology Inquiry Based Project

Rozenszayn

Assaraf

2009

Res Sci Educ

This research suggests utilizing collaborative learning among high school students for better performance on ecology inquiry-based projects. A case study of nine 12th grade students who participated in collaborative learning sessions in the open field and in class is examined. The results show that the students concentrated on discussing the methods of measurement and observation in the open field, rather than the known methods from class or from the laboratory. Another major part of their discussions concentrated on knowledge construction. Knowledge construction occurred between students with same or similar learning abilities. The role of the teacher in these discussions was crucial: she had to deal with and dispel misconceptions; and she had to bridge the gap between low-ability and high-ability students, for enabling meaningful learning to occur. The article ends with a number of recommendations for using collaborative learning as a tool for achieving meaningful learning in high school ecology inquiry-based projects.