Files and links (2)
Preprint VersionCC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Preprint
An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills
bioRxiv, Vol.20 June 2022
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
2022
Abstract
This paper reports on the design and evaluation of Field Studies in Functional Ecology (FSFE), a two-week intensive residential field course that engages students to master core content in functional ecology alongside skills that facilitate their transition from 'student' to 'scientist'. This paper provides an overview of the course structure, showing how the constituent elements have been designed and refined over successive iterations of the course. We detail how FSFE students are guided first to develop their own research questions (Field Problems), and then through a structured reflective approach of rapid prototyping and iterative refinement of each stage of the research process. Using extensive evaluation data, we show how, coached by experts within a cognitive apprenticeship framework, FSFE students develop a coherent and nuanced understanding of how to approach and execute ecological studies. The sophisticated knowledge and skills as ecology researchers that they develop during the course is highlighted through high quality presentations and peer-reviewed publications in a student-led journal. We illustrate how field course elements can be used to provide cognitive, affective and reflective tools that allow students to gain maximum value from their educational journey, and the confidence to consider research in their future careers. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.
Details
- Title
- An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills
- Authors
- Adrienne Nicotra (Corresponding Author) - Australian National UniversitySonya Geange (Author) - University of BergenNur H A Abdulbahar (Author) - Australian National UniversityHannah Carle (Author) - Bjerknes Centre for Climate ResearchAlexandra Catling (Author) - The University of QueenslandAndres Garcia (Author) - Australian National UniversityRosalie Harris (Author) - Australian National UniversityMegan Head (Author) - Australian National UniversityMarvin Jin (Author) - Australian National UniversityMichael Whitehead (Author) - The University of MelbourneHannah Zurcher (Author) - Australian National UniversityElizabeth Beckmann (Author) - Australian National University
- Publication details
- bioRxiv, Vol.20 June 2022
- Publisher
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
- Date published
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.1101/2021.12.06.471369
- ISSN
- 2692-8205
- Copyright note
- The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
- Organisation Unit
- Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99746798202621
- Output Type
- Preprint
Metrics
1 File views/ downloads
88 Record Views