Annotated Bibliography (Karen and Martín)

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

 Bezzi, A., & Happs, J. C. (1994). Belief systems as barriers to learning in geological education. Journal of Geological Education, 42(2), 134-140.
Using a survey of 1000 junior high students, the authors investigated the interaction between students’ prior knowledge and the ways students process new information. The results showed that learning outcomes are influenced by the students’ beliefs in unexpected ways.

 Falk, J. H., Martin, W. W., & Balling, J. D. (1978). The novel field‐trip phenomenon: Adjustment to novel settings interferes with task learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 15(2), 127-134.
This paper explores the effect of the novelty of new or different settings on students’ behaviour and cognition. It addresses the anecdotal evidence purporting the benefits of field trips and the effect on the overall belief of teachers of the overall positive effects of the inclusion of field trips in learning.

Guertin, L. A. (2006). Integrating handheld technology with field investigations in introductory-level geoscience courses. Journal of Geoscience Education, 54(2), 143-146.
The use of handheld technology (Palm Pilots) in a geoscience field course and the effectiveness of their inclusion in the course goals of challenging students in developing active learning, using the scientific method, using technology, and working with data sets. Results indicated engagement and high effectiveness in reaching the course goals for a majority of the students.

Hofstein, Avi, and Sherman Rosenfeld (1996). Bridging the gap between formal and informal science learning. Studies in Science Education, 28(1): 87-112.
The authors investigate creating motivational learning environments that provide materials and direction in multiple instructional techniques that propel students’ understanding of concepts by being able to interact both physically and intellectually to make abstract science concepts concrete. They explore and define the positive effectiveness of mixing “informal” science learning and its application into formal education settings to enrich learning experiences.

Hurst, S. D. (1998). Use of “virtual” field trips in teaching introductory geology. Computers & Geosciences, 24(7), 653-658.
A brief historical view of field trips, summarizing various studies of the implementation of science field trips, and suggestions for integrating field trips into the science curriculum. Attempts to answer the question of whether or not the assumption that cognitive gains are achieved with the incorporation of field trips is supported with accurate accounts of both affective and cognitive improvements. 

Kean, W.F. and Enochs, L.G., 2001, Urban field geology for K-8 teachers. Journal of Geoscience Education, 49, 358-363.
This paper addresses the resource limitations teachers may have including geology field trips and laboratories into their curriculum. When provided with ideas and a sharing forum, teachers in the study had an increase in the belief of their ability to teach earth science more effectively with limited resources and opportunities for excursions.

Kelly, M. M., & Riggs, N. R. (2006). Use of a virtual environment in the GeoWall to increase student confidence and performance during field mapping: An example from an introductory-level field class. Journal of Geoscience Education, 54(2), 158-164.
This piece describes the effects of using virtual environments as preparation for geology field trips and associated field work and the benefits to the students in the field when they are prepared beforehand with baseline skills of terrain-analysis, self-location, and translating scale.

Lin, M. C., Tutwiler, M. S., & Chang, C. Y. (2011). Exploring the relationship between virtual learning environment preference, use, and learning outcomes in 10th grade earth science students. Learning, Media and Technology, 36(4), 399-417.
This study investigates the degree effectiveness of using virtual environments (in the place of ‘field trips’) in a student vs. teacher based navigation and its effects on the achievement levels of senior high school students in Earth Science in their post-intervention test scores. It was found that while the relationship is complex, generally students scores benefited most when the non-traditional virtual learning environment was used and students could clearly see the link between tasks and the desired learning outcomes.

 Michie, M. (1998). Factors influencing secondary science teachers to organise and conduct field trips. Australian Science Teachers Journal, 44(4), 43.
This article explores factors influencing secondary teachers in planning and executing field trips. Factors such as student safety, administrative procedures, transportation, cost, timetable constraints, and the time and effort require of teachers v. the educational benefits of field trips.

Prather, J. P. (1989). Review of the value of field trips in science instruction. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 1(1), 10-17.
This piece talks about evaluating three different groups: One in traditional setting, one with a component of laboratory component, and one with field trips and how they performed after these experiences.

Ramey-Gassert, L. (1997). Learning science beyond the classroom. The Elementary School Journal, 97(4), 433-450.
This article addresses the call for more informal science education, as prescribed by more recent curriculum updates. It focuses on the importance of this type of education as part of varying methods of effective instruction in the context of learning outside of the formal classroom. 

Rudmann, C. L. (1994). A review of the use and implementation of science field trips. School Science and Mathematics, 94(3), 138-141.
The author reviews the historical view of field trips as an educational tool, addresses the implementation of science field trips, and proposes suggestions for integrating field trips into the curriculum.

Stumpf, R. J., Douglass, J., & Dorn, R. I. (2008). Learning desert geomorphology virtually versus in the field. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 32(3), 387-399.
This paper compares the quantitative learning results between field trips, virtual field trips and using both in an introductory university geomorphology course and found that there was no difference statistically in their knowledge. The authors did find a difference in the personal ownership of knowledge in field trip participants however.

Inquiry Project Topic

I am interested in the assessment of the effectiveness and engagement of field trips (with Martin Gepp)

Entrance Slip: Embodied Learning

This excerpt is rather inspiring to me, as I am looking for ways to bridge physics and earth science with art as well personally as a teacher. Having been so disinterested in physics in grade school to discovering how it really applied to me in life through cross-curricular studies in university, I very much believe in bridging the gap between my own teachables and other subjects. The idea of using bodily experiences to teach and learn seems at first thought, very reasonable and achievable to a certain extent. On the surface, using movement and other bodily experiences seems, at the very least, more engaging for students than the traditional model of the talking head teacher and students taking notes. There are so many kinds of bodily experiences that can be practiced in the realms of earth science and physics that are helpful for students to understand concepts within those two subjects. Within the subject of earth science, the sensory experiences that come with shaker tables when examining earthquakes, exploring how water affects the Earth's on-land with surface stream modelling boxes, and bodily demonstrations using students to illustrate the way different seismic waves affect the Earth, are just a few examples of how movement can be examine and demonstrated. Physics itself is often generally thought of as the study of movement - by examining movement and how input of forces on objects etc. affect those objects in experiments and demonstrations, students are learning the concepts of physics through inquiry of why objects /particles move or are influenced to move a certain way. Based on the reading, it is rather possible to bridge the gap going both ways with math and art with the embodiment of movement and sensory experiences - it stands to reason that the same pairing can be made with art and other subjects as well, given that purposeful activities are incorporated into lessons. A final thought on the usefulness of gestures in teaching and learning: one of my most memorable high school lessons was on the subject of how atoms can move, via translational, vibrational, etc. movement. This memory and the associated concepts has never left me, because my chemistry teacher used gestures and her body to demonstrate all of the ways an atom could move, with her finishing on telling us that in her younger days, she would demonstrate rotational movement by means of a cartwheel. Even without her performing the cartwheel, this lesson has always remained distinctly fixed in my mind and I have yet to have trouble recalling how atoms can move based on her embodiment of atom movement! Sorry about getting this in a bit late, Susan - its been a rather busy few days for me!

Exit Slip: Inquiry Project thoughts

The subject of assessment outside of tests is an extremely interesting concept for me based on today's discussion. Especially knowing now that administrators are generally more open to it now and going forward, it seems that there are so many opportunities to evolve assessment to be much more meaningful and useful in the interest of the students' development. Project based assessment occurs to me as a very practical, effective, and encompassing way to build core competency skills while addressing context. A very interesting inquiry project could be developing this method and including testing for the tools students need to complete the project while the actual marks come from the evaluation of their project. This evaluation could be a combination of 180/360 degree peer reviews and teacher evaluations. Coming from geoscience however, I am very interested in the concept of using field trips as part of schooling and education. Being a very conceptual area in general, it is very important to tie those abstract concepts to the real world and be able to observe and explore the result of those concepts in real life. I would like to focus on exploring the effectiveness of field trips, especially in other subject areas out side of geoscience. I believe that these trips are very valuable in regards to engaging students in connecting their knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to the real world and especially applying them one day to their university and future careers. They can take substantial time out of the course of a semester however so I would also like to explore how to meaningfully incorporate other subject area topics into a field trip for effectively using the classtime used for the field trip. (I am planning to work with Martin on this inquiry project).

Entrance Slip: What do marks do in school?

1. Assigning percentages and letter grades is on the surface is an accessible and straightforward assessment method, giving the teacher a quantitative measure of a student's level of learning and understanding of the material. We know however that grades are not straightforward and tests do not necessarily reflect a student's true understanding of concepts and development. While grades can be positive in giving students a relative measure of their own learning and even be considered by some students to be motivating if they do not receive a grade that they expected, but it is readily apparent that tests, grades, and even deadlines can influence a student negatively in creating stress and anxiety. 2. Grades can have numerous unintended side effects, both positive and negative. This is very much dependent on the student, their status in that particular situation, and those can change over the course of a class or a semester. These side effects be segregating and create competition (although those can be two different things as well as a combined effect). Quite often, being marked can be demoralizing and decrease effort in classroom i.e. negative marks = demoralized and decreased effort negatively while positive marks if a student didn't put much effort in but received a high grade regardless - this can result in decreased effort/intrinsic motivation, with the student 'cruising' instead of putting in meaningful effort, therefore decreasing their learning. Most commonly however, when the focus is on grades instead of tasks and learning (stress) learning is decreased overall because students tend to focus on memorizing instead of real learning. 3. Teaching science without grades based on all of the negative effects of grades seems ideal. Using methods such as having students share/discuss their learnings and having them collaboratively create assessment criteria and rubric as a class seem extremely engaging and effective in encouraging students to learn without the immense pressure of having those criteria forced upon them. The reading also indicates that students can lean into their interests by being able to choose their topics. This freedom of choice and the space to self-direct their learning seems to increase intrinsic motivation and result in meaningful, engaged learning. I would very much like to use these methods in my own classrooms as my own personal teaching style will involve a lot of connecting students to the material to be covered by guiding them to see the connections to the 'real'world' outside of the classroom and ideally creating interest, if not passion, for the subject material because they can relate it to their every day lives.

Exit Slip: Tolerance vs Welcoming, Role Models

The difference between being tolerant and welcoming seems to be rooted in empathy, the absence of which results in only tolerance. True empathy leads to understanding and inclusion in finding commonalities and valuing differences. The feeling of being welcomed or being welcoming is very individual to each person based on their personal experiences it seems. In general, I think having each student be able to feel heard and understood is ideal in the idea of welcoming, even in something as simple as having their name pronounced correctly, as discussed in class. I feel building rapport with students and having students interact to build rapport with each other is paramount in creating a welcoming environment for students. Role models are incredibly important for students of all ages and experiences in my opinion. Having the guidance and mentorship of a role model, in almost any capacity, is beneficial to every individual. In regards to specific subject areas, the idea of diverse role models for students to look to as an example to follow can be so constructive in developing interests, self confidence, and promotes their learning. Diversity in available role models on a very superficial level is a wonderful resource in that a diverse body of students can find commonalities and break down existing stereotypes. In my experience as a woman in STEM has not always been positive, but having varied mentors as resources has contributed greatly to my own feeling of belonging in the community. My female mentors have inspired me in my own life goals - seeing and experiencing them be instrumental within the geophysics community has helped me personally breakdown my own inherent biases. For a classroom, finding role models can be as simple as doing a rudimentary search on LinkedIn for people within the field. A teacher could pull up profiles of professionals within a certain field, including their photo and the description of their experiences. This is a role model resource that can show both diversity and give examples of what students could aspire to as well!

Tolerence vs Embracing - Notes

What makes you feel welcome (vs not welcome) especially in your field: - invitations to collaborate, social events (exclusion/lack of invite) - acknowledgement of opinions in discussions - personal rapport - individual rapport building, sharing personal vs sharing academic only (or not at all), offers of help and collaboration - respect (general) - not being talked over, ignored, interrupted - opportunities in filed, type pf work given, response to academic/research - action items created from this information showing faith in technical skill - support in times of hardship - not being stereotyped (gender, race, language, age etc.) into certain expectations based on stereotypes - being included for the main reason of having representation of a minority within the field vs being included for merits -