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Effective teaching in the field

Effective teaching in the field. Devin Castendyk Earth Sciences Department State University of New York, College at Oneonta. Types of Field Trips. Show-and-Tell Visit amazing vistas Inspire Instructor talks, waves arms, and points to things Students listen and take notes.

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Effective teaching in the field

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  1. Effective teaching in the field Devin Castendyk Earth Sciences Department State University of New York, College at Oneonta

  2. Types of Field Trips Show-and-Tell Visit amazing vistas Inspire Instructor talks, waves arms, and points to things Students listen and take notes Activity-based Team work Observations Interpretations Scientific Method Bonding experience • Field camp • Independent • Observations • Geologic tools • Interpretations • Professional experience

  3. Session Goal • Design your own activity-based field trip • Prepare for teaching • Prepare for job interviews

  4. Before you begin… FIND IDEAS • Department colleagues, Chair and Professor Emeriti • Faculty at nearby universities and colleges • Google Earth • GSA field trip guidebooks • Proceedings of the state geological association meetings • Roadside Geology series • State geologic maps • State and National Parks

  5. Before you begin… FIND SUPPORT • Trip goals • Support course goals • Support departmental goals - Chair $ • Learning outcomes • Recruitment and retention of majors • Cohort development • Support academic mission of the institution - Dean, Provost, or Office of Off-Campus Programs ($$$)

  6. Field trips take lots of time: 25% Leading 25% Preparation 25% Safety 25% Logistics

  7. Part I. Logistics

  8. A. Trip logistics • Where are you going? • When are you going (weather)? • How many students (minimum/maximum)? • Will you have co-leaders/student helpers/drivers? • How will you get there? • Order vans early • Overnight trips • Meals (special dietary considerations) • Camping (student comfort and experience)? • Equipment • Alcohol/drug policy

  9. B. Interest meeting • Held 6 months to one-year before a major off-campus trip • Convey • Preliminary itinerary • Academic expectations • Physical expectations • Equipment requirements • All expenses • Registration procedures (physical?) • Deadlines

  10. C. The students • How many geology classes have they had? • How diverse is the group (male/female)? • How much outdoor experience have they had? • Are they physically fit enough for your activities? • How well does the group know each other/work together? • Is this trip partially intended to be a bonding experience or aid recruitment/retention?

  11. D. Use upper-classmen as TA’s • Egger to help and share knowledge • May need to be enrolled in an independent study • Van drivers, cooks, camp-helpers, etc. • Looks good on their transcript • Roll-models for lower-level students • Earth-Science Education Majors receive teaching experience • Provide a liaison between faculty and students • Decrease ratio of students to instructors • Ideal 8:1 or less

  12. Part II. Safety

  13. A. Safety Considerations • Know the hazards • Van ride, cliffs, rock falls at outcrops, cars, knives and fires in camp, water, etc. • Site specific: Lyme Disease • Know the weather • Temperature and rainfall • Have a back-up plan and be willing to use it • Know the students (bring extra gear) • Do they have gear: foot ware, clothing, water, sunscreen • First aid, CPR, First Responder, EMT • Do they agree to alcohol/drug policy • Know your emergency plan • First aid kit • Phone (satellite?), emergency numbers, hospitals

  14. B. Student information • Emergency contact information • Two phone numbers • Health insurance company and policy number • Photocopy of insurance card • Physical? (off-campus programs) • Special health issues: • Physical conditions • Mental conditions • Medications • Allergies • All students must be enrolled in a course

  15. C. Know your liability • Talk to Department Chair • Van use policy • Drug/alcohol policy • Privacy policy (medical records) • In case of emergency, who should I call? • Discuss “what-if” scenarios for known hazards • Talk to Dean • Talk to College/University lawyer • Consider personal liability insurance • Make sure you and your students are covered

  16. Part III. Preparation

  17. A. Expand Goals • What do you want students to learn/gain from this experience? • Academic/theoretical/applied concepts • Affective domain • Vocational skills • Note taking, drawing, topographic map reading, GPS use, measuring strikes & dips, fossil identification, hand lens mineral ID, rock hammer use, stream gauging, water sampling, etc. • Social-bonding experience

  18. B. What will students need? • Geo Gear (empower students) • Write-In-Rain notebook with mechanical pencil • Rock hammer • Sharpy • Hand lens • GPS • Compass (Brunton or Sylvan) • Calculator • Handouts • Regional geology maps and topographic maps • Identification guides • Goals, Instructions, and Examples

  19. Example of field notes

  20. C. Dry Run • Visit locations in advance • Visualize • Will the planned activity work? • Is there public access? • Is the outcrop visible? • What are the hazards? • Are there bathrooms? • Is there a rain shelter? • Is there a pleasant place to have lunch?

  21. Part IV. Leading

  22. A. The Overview • Geologic context • Keep it brief • Try not to conflate too many events or processes • Don’t give away all the secrets • Give clear instructions for site activity • State the amount of time at site • State hazards and where not to go

  23. B. Observations • Take notes on what you see • Landscape view • Outcrop view • Collect a sample and describe hand-lens view • Draw pictures • Make measurements • Waterfall retreat rate • Measure beach profile and grain sizes • Map features • Glacial striations • Contacts

  24. C. Interpretations • What is the rock type? Evidence? How did it form? • Is there any evidence that the rocks have been uplifted or tilted? What processes might caused this? • What processes have eroded the landscape and what is the evidence for these processes? • What is the order of geologic events occurred, starting with rock formation and ending with the present day outcrop? • What information do you want to know?

  25. D. Discussion • Share observations • Share interpretations • Address questions • Wrap up • AH-HA moment • 2 things learned and one thing muddy • Write down a hypothesis • What would you do next if you had time and money • Key: Allow plenty of time

  26. E. Take the obligatory group photo

  27. Your Turn • Write a description of the trip: • Where are you going? • Who are the participants and how many? • What are the goals? • Brainstorm ideas on the following points: • Logistics, Safety, and Preparation • Design field activities • Design field discussion

  28. Thank you

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