Fieldwork Education and Technology (FEET) Workshop
Contents:
Select abstract from list below (abstract includes a link to PowerPoint
presentation where available).
If you require a Powerpoint presentation in another format please contact
Mike Sanders
- Cromarty in the classroom - a virtual fieldcourse
Steve Fletcher - Southampton Institute - Development of Web-based Field Classes for the Teaching
of Earth Science in the North of Ireland
Alastair Ruffell & Brian Whalley - Queens University - Integrating C&IT
and Fieldwork: Using Web Sites for Assessment
Chris Ribchester and Derek France - Chester College of Higher Education - Website analysis and redesign using HCI techniques
Ian Stimpson - Keele University - Introduction of 3-D
computer visualisation models in an Earth Science undergraduate Mapping
training class
Ken McCaffrey - University of Durham - C&IT support package for an undergraduate field study
module on Tenerife
Barbara Rumsby & Richard Middleton - University of Hull - Maximising the student field experience: virtual fieldwork
as a formative assessment tool
Clare Milsom, Chris Settle, Mike Carr and Keith Crompton - Liverpool John Moores University - Integrating GIS
and fieldwork for geoscience undergraduates
Anne-Marie Nuttall - Liverpool John Moores University - Virtual Field Course
Kate Moore - University of Leicester - Web-based support for fieldwork - Mapping in North West
Scotland.
Rob Butler - University of Leeds - Video in site and social survey
Bob Moore - University of Gloucestershire - A video-led tour of the Teign Valley
Damion Young - Open University - FEET Questionnaire: preliminary results
Derek France - Chester College of Higher Education - Expert Group discussion
led by Alan Jenkins
Cromarty in the classroom - a virtual fieldcourse
Steve Fletcher - Southampton Institute
This project has developed an on-line learning resource related to the coastal management of the Cromarty Firth in Scotland. This resource does not replace or supplement a field visit, rather it is an innovative means of incorporating a detailed case study into a module of study. The virtual field course (VFC) is managed through a problem based learning (PBL) approach in which students define and tackle a problem using the material from the VFC. The intention is that the students approach the material in a similar way to how they would approach 'real' fieldwork, adopting an enquiry-based and exploratory methodology. An initial evaluation suggests distinct variation in the willingness of students to engage with the VFC and PBL process, but has found that those willing to engage with the process found it to be a beneficial learning experience.
Development of Web-based Field Classes for the Teaching of Earth Science in the North of Ireland
Alastair Ruffell & Brian Whalley - Queen's University
Rationale
The northern half of the island of Ireland has rocks of every period of the Phanerozoic and a range of pre- and post-glacial landscapes. Although the range of geological and geomorphological features make the area exceptionally useful for demonstrating principles of Earth Science, learning aids have only recently been developed (Lyle, 1996; McKeever, 1999). Increasing use of the web as a teaching tool and information resource suggests that future publications on the area will be best developed through this medium.
Aims
- Improve access and awareness for schools, the general public, scientific societies and our own undergraduates.
- Encourage field visits.
- Encourage pre-field trip understanding and post-field trip reflection.
- Provide school teachers with local examples of classic Earth Science features.
- Enable some aspects of field science for those with mobility restriction.
Technology Used
Technology is very simple, repeated visits are made with a digital camera and (on-site) lap-top. Field-quality maps and sketches are made and inserted. Summary diagrams produced with a graphics package on our return. In Powerpoint the material is used in class to introduce features for undergraduate students and for revision. From here transfer to the web for wider distribution is made. The main effort is in time and taking good photographs.
Outcomes
Our project is only half complete. Our use of this method in undergraduate teaching proves highly successful. With classes of 150 - 200 students, making sure that consistent information is given, that good field note-taking protocol is maintained and that poor weather do not prove detrimental to field teaching, is a challenge. The guided field class by Powerpoint or on the web alleviates this. The reaction from teacher's groups to the plans are highly encouraging.
References
Lyle, P. 1996. Geological Excursion Guide to the Causeway Coast. Environment
& Heritage Service, N.Ireland.
McKeever, P. 1999. A Story Through Time. Geological Survey of N.Ireland.
Contact Details
Alastair Ruffell a.ruffell@qub.ac.uk & Brian Whalley b.whalley@qub.ac.uk, School of Geography, Queen's University, Belfast, N.Ireland, BT7 1NN.
Integrating C & IT and Fieldwork: Using Web Sites for Assessment
Chris Ribchester and Derek France - Chester College of Higher Education
All Single Subject Geography students at Chester College pursue a core introduction to field skills module at Level 1, based largely around a week-long residential field course to Slapton, Devon. The latter stages of this experience involve students in independent research projects. On returning to Chester, students are required to 'write up' and present their research findings as a functioning web site, which is published subsequently on the College's intranet. At the start of the module the majority of students have minimal experience of web page creation and so tuition and guidance is provided via practical sessions (using introductory Netskills materials), compulsory workshops (one-to-one discussions with staff) and other on-line information. Support is focused particularly on the use of Microsoft FrontPage for the creation of web pages.
The enhancement of C & IT skills is a primary motivation for organising assessment in this manner and end of module feedback suggests that this goal is achieved for many students. The initial scepticism and uncertainty displayed by many is generally replaced by recognition of the value of the exercise and a sense of achievement. The latter appears to be reinforced by placing the finished sites on the College's intranet, a space normally reserved just for tutor-written materials. Additionally, the careful planning of individual pages and links that is required in the creation of a website seems to encourage a deeper consideration of the structure and organisation of the actual research report. However, in some instances, the development of formal academic report writing skills may be hindered, as students emulate the relatively chatty and personalised style of many WWW sites. Furthermore, the wide range of potential colours, fonts, textures and effects can serve as a distraction and cause some students to place greater emphasis on presentation above academic content.
Website analysis and redesign using HCI techniques
Ian G. Stimpson - School of Earth Sciences & Geography, Keele University
The Pembrokeshire Introductory Geology Learning & Teaching Support (PIGL&TS) website is currently in the design stage. This presentation outlines the analysis and redesign of an academic website using human-computer interaction (HCI) techniques. This will be used in the design and testing of the PIGL&TS website. The first stage of the analysis of the website is to data mine the web access logs. A C++ program was used to reformat the data to Microsoft Access format and then queried using Structured Query Language (SQL). This allowed user habits and some apparent misconceptions to be identified using task-knowledge-structure (TKS) analysis. These findings were then used to design a series of tasks for test users to attempt that were then videoed. Further TKS analysis of the videos showed further problems with the website design. Active Cognitive Task Analysis (ACTA) was then applied - this uses an expert user to analyse the steps that they take and where other users go wrong. The main misconceptions arose from poor layout, misuse of colour and jargon and the fact that users do not scroll. A variety of different methods were used to model the revised website but the best proved to be Relationship Management Methodology (RMM). RMM is a type of entity-relationship modelling where the entities are pages and the relationships are links. This works well, ensuring that all information is included and linked but still leaves some link design issues and page chunking to avoid the need for scrolling.
Introduction of 3-D computer visualisation models in an Earth Science undergraduate Mapping training class
Ken McCaffrey Geological Sciences, University of Durham
Digital mapping technologies that combine GPS, Laser RangerTM, GIS data management systems and visualisation software provide the potential to automatically capture, visualise and model the 3-D geometry of structures such as basins, intrusions, and fault zones. During geological mapping, students collect and integrate their own field data in order to produce a two-dimensional representation of the Earth's three-dimensional structure and often have difficulty in mentally visualising how their data constrains possible map interpretations.
This project will use the new digital mapping technologies to construct a 3-D computer model of the Assynt region, North West Scotland and introduce the model in an undergraduate field mapping class. During the field class, the model would be progressively revealed to students in step with their own mapping of the area. In order for them to interact with the model, a lap-top with a data projector will be set-up for demonstration purposes in the evenings. The importance of the field site located in the Moine Thrust zone and visited by many university field parties means that the project will benefit other institutions once this teaching resource has been proven.
Contact Details
Ken McCaffrey k.j.w.mccaffrey@durham.ac.uk Geological Sciences, University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE
C&IT Support Package for an Undergraduate Field Study Module on Tenerife
Barbara Rumsby & Richard Middleton - Department of Geography, University of Hull
Interest in the use of computerised software to provide 'virtual' field trips in geography has seen a major growth in the past 2-3 years. The graphical and interactive nature of computing systems is well-suited for this purpose and may give students an experience of a field site that is second only to direct observation. This paper reports on a suite of C&IT resources that have been developed for a second year physical geography field trip to Tenerife, Canary Islands. It is emphasised that such resources are not seen as a replacement for fieldwork, but used to support an intensive, field-based programme.
The Tenerife field trip is part of a Field Study & Research Design module within the Geographical Skills training programme in the department. The aims of the module include: (i) to develop and practice field skills; (ii) to understand the physical geography of Tenerife; (iii) to work collaboratively within a group to design, implement and write-up a research project in an overseas field environment. The module team have developed a suite of WWW and IT resources to support various elements of the Tenerife field trip. The package is used to prime students prior to departing on fieldwork, and is also used retrospectively to help students contextualise their field observations. Key elements include:
- Introductory lecture programme presented on Powerpoint and available on-line to students
- WWW-format field guide on the physical geography of Tenerife
- Project work - remote sensing practical (with a web-based tutorial)
- Student presentations during the fieldtrip using Powerpoint
- WWW format test on return
- WWW-based TQA evaluation exercise
This paper outlines how the package links together and integrates with the field activities, and after 7 years of development and implementation, reviews the effectiveness of the module in achieving curriculum objectives.
The development of the WWW-based field guide has been supported through the award of a University of Hull Staff Development Strategic Project Grant. This paper coincides with the launch of the field guide on the WWW (previously only available on the University's intranet).
Links
Contact Details
Barbara Rumsby b.t.rumsby@hull.ac.uk & Richard Middleton Department of Geography, The University of Hull, Hull, Hu6 7RX
Maximising the student field experience: virtual fieldwork as a formative assessment tool
Clare Milsom, Chris Settle, Mike Carr and Keith Crompton - School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University
With increasing student numbers and reduced fieldwork budgets the total unit of resource available for a student has declined. Therefore students have less opportunity to practice field skills and reflect on the field experience. However, fieldwork is fundamental to the learning experience of students on Geoscience programmes and the fieldwork report is often a key assessment task. Virtual fieldtrips have been developed in the School of Biological and Earth Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University to help narrow the resource gap and prepare students for field-related assessments.
Linking the virtual experience with assessment tasks maximise the actual time spent in the field. Students use the virtual experience before the field trip to evaluate and practice their field skills. This will avoid the 'right-first-time' pressure felt by many students in the field. On return the virtual trip is used to reinforce the field work and enable students to reflect on their experience. The virtual trip will be available on-line and students will have 24-hour access to the material.
The virtual field trip will also respond to new changes in legislation. The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act requires that institutions must take reasonable steps to ensure students are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. Virtual trips could be used to support disabled students and enable staff to design an appropriate field experience responsive to individual student needs.
Contact Details
Clare Milsom, Chris Settle, Mike Carr and Keith Crompton - School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF
Integrating GIS and fieldwork for geoscience undergraduates
Anne-Marie Nuttall, Liverpool John Moores University
The Virtual Field Course
Kate Moore - University of Leicester
Virtual environments may be used to support student fieldwork with great effect. The Virtual Field Course developed visualization software incorporating maps, spatially referenced multimedia and panoramic imagery that was designed to enhance student learning. The software may be used as a preliminary introduction to field work areas but also as an integral part of field project work where students can collect data with GPS georeferencing and view the results alongside pre-incorporated data. The software is designed to be generic and a variety of projects have been successfully designed and run using the VFC software as a focus for project preparation, data collection, analysis and presentation.
The benefits for students included the ability to visualize their own data against secondary data, to have a focus for their project work, to increase the effectiveness of their days work and provide immediate analysis and visualization of results.
Dykes, J., Moore, K. & Wood, J., 1999, Virtual Environments for student fieldwork using networked components, IJGIS 13 4 p397-416
Dykes, J., 2000, An approach to virtual environments for visualization using linked geo-referenced panoramic imagery, Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 24 p127-152
Links
http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/vfc |
Web-based support for fieldwork - Mapping in North West Scotland.
Rob Butler - University of Leeds
An open-access internet resource has been created to support a two week residential field class in North West Scotland that is attended by about 60 students over a two week period. The challenges were to provide interactive support materials to take pressure off staff on the field class (allowing them to concentrate on other forms of student feedback), to provide revision material to allow students to prepare better for the field class and to provide context for the field activities itself. The class is relatively traditional - providing mapping training and other basic field skills. Consequently the site was designed to recognise the key importance of mapping to solve geological problems. It has a historical basis (The 19th century Highlands Controversy) but uses modern data-sets (including proper base-maps, air photography and Landsat images). Additional information, hidden in the web-site, was revealed during the class.
The material was installed on a cluster of 4 PCs on site in Assynt, and as powerpoint presentations while the whole site was fully accessible for report write-up over the internet. Further support was set up through the university's password-protected virtual teaching facility (the Nathan Bodington Building) that included a discussion room - where the report structure was loaded up straight after the class - a flexible arrangement that allowed for weather-related programme changes! This and the web-site were heavily used on the field class and during write-up.
Links
http://earth.leeds.ac.uk/assynttrip |
Video in site and social survey
Bob Moore - School of Environment, University of Gloucestershire
With the advent of affordable digital cameras and computerised editing suites, there is the increasing potential of high-quality student-produced video recordings of project sites.
In the field of landscape architecture, to which this research project principally refers, good design of open spaces needs to make specific reference to existing site features and context. There is no substitute for an actual site visit, but, sitting behind a drawing board or computer screen, designers have traditionally used photographs, sketches, physical and computer models to remind them of the topography. Video, too, has played a part being an ideal medium for recording information and offering a dynamic realism in the study of human use of places.
The objective of this project for students is to develop a more professional and technical competence in the filming, editing, interaction and analysis of digital video images. Initially this will focus on design projects but hopefully there will be wider application in the earth science discipline. The presentation will be a work-in-progress evaluation and will cover the following aspects: current video usage, the ease of digital video production, and a demonstration of the application of the technology.
Contact Details
Bob Moore - School of Environment, University of Gloucestershire, Swindon Road, Cheltenham, GL50 4AZ
DVD-based virtual field trips for Environmental Science
Damion Young, Open University
1. Teign Valley field trip - this forms the first two weeks of the course and is aimed at introducing students to some basic environmental science topics. It also teaches them some of the skills necessary for real fieldwork which they undertake at Summer School. It consists of a video-led tour of the Teign Valley in Devon which introduces and ties together 13 multimedia activities. These address topics such as geology, soils, climate, plant competition, etc. In many of these activities, students are expected to virtually sample data from a large database of real maps, data and panormic movies and then analyse them in spreadsheets before drawing conclusions which are checked by the software.
2. Sevilleta field trip - this is the basis for a tutor-marked assessment towards the end of the second year. It contains some material to introduce the Sevilleta refuge in New Mexico but, unlike the Teign Valley field trip, does not attempt to interactively teach environmental science. The idea is that students will already understand environmental science sufficiently to use the large database of maps, data, pictures and videos which it provides in tackling assessed problems.
No Powerpoint presentation available
FEET Questionnaire: Preliminary results
Derek France - Department of Geography, Chester College of Higher Education.
In March 2002 a postal survey on the usage of C&IT in fieldwork was sent to all Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Departments. The original draft of the survey aimed to achieve full departmental coverage on the use of C&IT within fieldwork. However, this was deemed unachievable, so the survey was redesigned to focus on individual modules.
The response rate was approximately 20% (43 modules) with bulk of the returns (55%) from pre-1992 Universities. The results demonstrated that the desktop PC is extensively used pre, during and post fieldwork, with Laptops, GPS, mobile phones and digital cameras being used equally during the fieldwork experience. The usage of software applications is dominated by the web-based platform, with spreadsheet packages and PowerPoint presentations proving to be popular during fieldwork. No returns were recorded for the application of Palmtops or Wearable Computing. Only a small percentage of modules actually use H.E. produced software to support their fieldwork. The most commonly recognised benefit to student learning from the use of C&IT with fieldwork is awareness and acquisition of the transferable computing skills. The most common drawback is the way in which technology can distract students from the central purpose of fieldwork activities. The survey results will be incorporated with the findings from the workshop and will be subsequently published for wider dissemination.
Contact Details
Derek France d.france@chester.ac.uk - Department of Geography, Chester College of H.E., Chester, CH1 4BJ