An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills
Abstract This paper reports on the design and evaluation of Field Studies in Functional Ecology (FSFE), a two‐week intensive residential field course that enables students to master core content in functional ecology alongside skills that facilitate their transition from “student” to “scientist.” We...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9446 |
| _version_ | 1798016307821543424 |
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| author | Adrienne B. Nicotra Sonya R. Geange Nur H. A. Bahar Hannah Carle Alexandra Catling Andres Garcia Rosalie J. Harris Megan L. Head Marvin Jin Michael R. Whitehead Hannah Zurcher Elizabeth A. Beckmann |
| author_facet | Adrienne B. Nicotra Sonya R. Geange Nur H. A. Bahar Hannah Carle Alexandra Catling Andres Garcia Rosalie J. Harris Megan L. Head Marvin Jin Michael R. Whitehead Hannah Zurcher Elizabeth A. Beckmann |
| author_sort | Adrienne B. Nicotra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This paper reports on the design and evaluation of Field Studies in Functional Ecology (FSFE), a two‐week intensive residential field course that enables students to master core content in functional ecology alongside skills that facilitate their transition from “student” to “scientist.” We provide 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: (1) Work closely with discipline specialists to develop a small group project that tests an hypothesis to answer a genuine scientific question in the field; (2) Learn critical skills of data management and communication; and (3) Analyze, interpret, and present their results in the format of a scientific symposium. This process is repeated in an iterative “cognitive apprenticeship” model, supported by a series of workshops that name and explicitly instruct the students in “hard” and “soft” skills (e.g., statistics and teamwork, respectively) critically relevant for research and other careers. FSFE students develop a coherent and nuanced understanding of how to approach and execute ecological studies. The sophisticated knowledge and ecological research skills that they develop during the course is demonstrated through high‐quality presentations and peer‐reviewed publications in an open‐access, student‐led journal. We outline our course structure and evaluate its efficacy to show how this novel combination of field course elements allows students to gain maximum value from their educational journey, and to develop cognitive, affective, and reflective tools to help apply their skills as scientists. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:48:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-11af615b82624a8093f1c486bbccd62c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:48:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-11af615b82624a8093f1c486bbccd62c2022-12-22T04:15:26ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582022-10-011210n/an/a10.1002/ece3.9446An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skillsAdrienne B. Nicotra0Sonya R. Geange1Nur H. A. Bahar2Hannah Carle3Alexandra Catling4Andres Garcia5Rosalie J. Harris6Megan L. Head7Marvin Jin8Michael R. Whitehead9Hannah Zurcher10Elizabeth A. Beckmann11Research School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaSchool of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland AustraliaResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaSchool of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria AustraliaResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaResearch School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaAbstract This paper reports on the design and evaluation of Field Studies in Functional Ecology (FSFE), a two‐week intensive residential field course that enables students to master core content in functional ecology alongside skills that facilitate their transition from “student” to “scientist.” We provide 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: (1) Work closely with discipline specialists to develop a small group project that tests an hypothesis to answer a genuine scientific question in the field; (2) Learn critical skills of data management and communication; and (3) Analyze, interpret, and present their results in the format of a scientific symposium. This process is repeated in an iterative “cognitive apprenticeship” model, supported by a series of workshops that name and explicitly instruct the students in “hard” and “soft” skills (e.g., statistics and teamwork, respectively) critically relevant for research and other careers. FSFE students develop a coherent and nuanced understanding of how to approach and execute ecological studies. The sophisticated knowledge and ecological research skills that they develop during the course is demonstrated through high‐quality presentations and peer‐reviewed publications in an open‐access, student‐led journal. We outline our course structure and evaluate its efficacy to show how this novel combination of field course elements allows students to gain maximum value from their educational journey, and to develop cognitive, affective, and reflective tools to help apply their skills as scientists.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9446cognitive apprenticeshipfield coursefieldworkfunctional ecologyresearcher identityuniversity teaching |
| spellingShingle | Adrienne B. Nicotra Sonya R. Geange Nur H. A. Bahar Hannah Carle Alexandra Catling Andres Garcia Rosalie J. Harris Megan L. Head Marvin Jin Michael R. Whitehead Hannah Zurcher Elizabeth A. Beckmann An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills Ecology and Evolution cognitive apprenticeship field course fieldwork functional ecology researcher identity university teaching |
| title | An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills |
| title_full | An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills |
| title_fullStr | An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills |
| title_full_unstemmed | An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills |
| title_short | An innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills |
| title_sort | innovative approach to using an intensive field course to build scientific and professional skills |
| topic | cognitive apprenticeship field course fieldwork functional ecology researcher identity university teaching |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9446 |
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