Field Trips Research Articles

정선의 옛길 ‘안돌이지돌이다래미한숨바우’의 보존·전승을 위한 리스토리텔링 전략

‘Andoljidolidaeraemihansumbau’ straddled a remote canyon area in Odaecheon Stream of Jeongseon, Gangwon state, is the longest old road name in Korea with outstanding historicity, regionality, and mystique, but it is on the verge of being abandoned and forgotten. In this study, I collected the origin stories of place names through field trips and in-depth interviews with stakeholders, and analyzed the narratives by applying David Herman’s Archetypal Narrative Structure Theory and then created re-story conservation plans by using Karen Bain’s Storytelling Model. As a result, the meaning of the place name was analyzed as ‘a risky rocky cliff road where even squirrels sigh in bewilderment because they had to barely go around holding the rock or turning their back.’ Combining the orthodox and heterodox oral traditions, it contained an active view of life and high-heartedness against the threats of nature, and the spirit of community collaboration in the life of isolated mountain villages. In order to preserve it as a cultural resource, the strategy of reinforcing the completeness of the existing story and integrating the landscape and traditional elements of the surrounding nine village to create a ‘Andori Old Road Byeolcheonji Forest Village’ was found to be suggestive and effective.

The ferns of Calilegua National Park, Jujuy, Argentina: A look through their spores. Second part

This work is part of a bigger project to study the spore morphology of isosporous ferns growing in the Calilegua National Park (CNP), in the province of Jujuy, Argentina. This park belongs to the phytogeographic region of the Yungas, where climatic and terrain conditions are optimal for the growth of ferns. The aim of this work is to present the morphology of the spores of 53 taxa corresponding to 6 families of isosporate ferns that grow in this protected area. The study was carried out with herbarium material and field trips. The families studied are Hymenophyllaceae, Ophioglossaceae, Polypodiaceae, Pteridaceae, Thelypteridaceae and Woodsiaceae. According to the spore aperture type, 24 taxa are monolete and 29 trilete. The spores are yellowish, light to dark brown or brown greenish. The largest spores belong to Pleopeltis tweediana and the smallest to Polyphlebium angustatum. The ornamentation observed were echinae, folds, wings, reticles, cristae, verrucae or rugulae. The spores of 35 species are illustrated for the first time under the light microscope and five species with scanning electron microscope. An identification key of the spores is also provided. The morphological characteristics of the spores allowed the identification of 16 species, contributes to spore bank analysis, aero and palaeopalynological studies and taxonomic identifications.

Using USLE, GIS and remote sensing for the soil loss assessment in the National Park of Theniet El Had, Algeria

Soil water erosion is one of the problems that affect the environment, agriculture and social life by threatening several land surfaces. The objective of this study is to use the USLE model, GIS and remote sensing (RS) to estimate the annual rate of soil loss by water erosion in the Theniet El Had National Park (THNP) which belongs to the mountainous ecosystem of Djebel El Meddad, located in the northwest of Algeria. The use of the USLE model takes into account the five factors controlling water erosion, namely: the rain erosivity (R) determined from the annual rainfall data, the soil erodibility (K) developed from soil survey data, the slope lengths (LS) generated by using DEM, the vegetation cover (C) by the use of RS data and erosion control management practices (P) by field trips. The integration of these factors made it possible to establish the quantitative map of the annual rate of soil loss varying between 0.02 and 55.10 (t/ha.year), with an average of around 6.64 (t/ha.year). Five erosion aggressiveness classes are used; very weak, weak, moderate, strong and very strong which represent a rate respectively of 23.70, 44.65, 22.72, 4.41 and 4.52 % of the study area surface. The areas with high and very high erosion rates are located in the north having a very rugged relief and low vegetation cover. This study can be used in the mountainous ecosystems and it will make it possible to set up priority intervention zones to combat the risk of water erosion.

Moving from Second Sight to Critical Consciousness Building: Using Social Justice Youth Development and Youth Participatory Action Research to Promote Praxis in Out-of-School Time

Abstract Youth development programs offer flexible environments for healing and positive identity development for youth facing discrimination and oppression. Programs often occur in out-of-school time (OST), a context that is clearly positioned in tandem with the education system to create complex relationships that lead to challenges in OST spaces. Youth development programs occurring in OST settings have the potential for resisting or replicating oppressive practices toward youth occurring in the education system. This article highlights a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project within an OST program using photovoice, field trips, and arts-based strategies. Eleven youth participated in the project over the course of nine months. Thematic content analysis of weekly photovoice and critical consciousness resulted in a primary theme of peeling back the layers. This theme encompassed the evolution of youth understanding the interconnectedness between their individual-level experiences of racism and broader community and systems-level inputs. This article describes critical consciousness development of OST youth participants through intentional engagement in critical dialogue, experiential field trips, and reflective art making.

BRINGING CULTURE TO LIFE: UTILIZING WOOD CARVING IN SPEAKING CLASS

Sentani tribe in Papua had diverse cultural heritages that have now been neglected. One of them is wood carving. Despite its aesthetic and socio-cultural values, wood carving (ohomo) has not been acknowledged by most of the young Sentani generation. Thus, preservation is needed so that wood carving can be acknowledged, appreciated, and disseminated. One way of preserving this unique wisdom is by using it as a medium for teaching the English language. This will also help the learning process to be more contextual and challenging. By focusing on learning to speak, the objective of this study is to explore the strategies for teaching speaking using wood carving. This descriptive-qualitative study was conducted in Jayapura Regency Papua between May and July 2022. Data on wood carvings were collected between May and July 2022 from several informants, namely tribal chiefs, wood carvers, Sentani elders, and parents in East Sentani (Waena and Asei Island) and Central Sentani (Hobong and Yoboi). Teaching materials of wood carvings were tried out to 20 students of Senior High School Grade X from 4 different schools in Jayapura Regency via formal class and field trip. By infusing wood carving in learning to speak, the study found two important things, namely (1) the students were enthusiastic and motivated in speaking, and their confidence, as well as self-esteem, were improved; (2) the students appreciated wood carving as their cultural heritage and proud of their identity. Teachers’ creativity in infusing culture and their commitment to teaching played a significant role in reinforcing students’ appreciation of their culture and improvement in their speaking ability.

Interactivity and identity impact learners' sense of agency in virtual reality field trips

AbstractAgency, or the capacity to take intentional actions, is considered one of the primary affordances of virtual reality (VR) for learning. VR is expected to increase learners' agency because it allows for full‐body interactivity from a first‐person perspective, giving them novel ways of interacting with the digital environment. Yet, agency in immersive learning has not been well‐studied relative to other affordances like presence, and more evidence is needed to understand how varied media and designs heighten or diminish agency. This mixed‐method study addressed this need by developing and validating measures of sense of agency with 30 high school students who used VR field trips in their engineering class over four lessons. By comparing immersive videos to video game‐like interactive graphical environments, the study illustrates some of the complexities of agency in VR. The findings indicate agency is not a unidimensional construct nor is it equivalent to full‐body interactivity in VR as learners felt some types of agency when using immersive videos. Furthermore, learners' identities moderated associations between the type of VR media and their sense of agency, and agency did not change over time as the novelty of VR waned. These results suggest VR designers should consider varied ways of interacting in VR that are beneficial for learning. They also support the use of immersive videos when the educator's goal is to increase agency over learning or focus, and provide measures and direction for future research to assess the relationship between varied types of agency, features of VR experiences and learning outcomes. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Virtual reality (VR) can enhance learning by giving learners a strong sense of presence in the virtual environment and giving them agency over their learning through novel forms of interactivity. Many studies have looked at increasing the learner's presence in VR, but fewer have assessed learners' agency. Prior work found the impact of increased interactivity on learning was mixed: sometimes it increased learning outcomes and motivation, other times it did not. What this paper adds This study develops and validates measures of learners' sense of agency within VR learning environments. This study finds that more interactivity in VR increases how much agency learners feel over their actions but not necessarily their agency over learning and attention. This study also finds variation in students' experiences of agency based on their culturally defined sense of self‐construal. Implications for practice and/or policy Practitioners interested in immersive learning technologies should consider the design of the media used rather than focusing only on the device's capability. Immersive videos may be effective tools for enhancing student agency, depending on the aims of the learning experience. Designers and educators should consider learners' identities such as self‐construal, and understand student experiences may vary.

Transition of medium of instruction in bilingual education in Aba Prefecture

Abstract The medium of instruction (MoI) in the bilingual education of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture is regulated through two modes. The first stipulates that Putonghua should be used for most school subjects, while the second requires exclusive use of Putonghua as the MoI for all subjects. In 2023, a field trip was conducted to investigate the ongoing implementation of MoI in bilingual schools for Tibetan students in Aba Prefecture. This research initially examines the current bilingual education situation for Tibetans in two local schools, with a focus on classroom teaching supported by the first MoI mode. It reveals that translanguaging pedagogy is a primary practical strategy employed to adapt to the transition from the first MoI mode to the second. Furthermore, it scrutinises attitudes and localised strategies of teachers, students and parents towards this transitional process, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current medium of instruction for Tibetan students. The findings indicate that (1) teachers’ translanguaging practices significantly contribute across three dimensions; (2) stakeholders’ attitudes towards bilingual education transformation vary; and (3) partial national initiatives offer support to promote the transition in different ways. Finally, this paper briefly summarises existing discrepancies related to MoI transitions and translanguaging practice, and offers insights into future developments in MoI transition for minority ethnic students attending bilingual schools in China.

“Todos pagan” (Everybody pays): SMEs and urban violence in Medellín, Colombia

Medellín, a bustling city of 2.5 million, is marked by convivial relations between formal and informal economic activity, and between legal and criminal actors. This article examines what this context means for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and how they respond to it. In Medellín and elsewhere, SMEs are more numerous than large firms but operate at a smaller scale. They are organizationally more informal, less mobile (i.e., more dependent on specific contexts), more accountable to customers and legal authorities, and less prominent in public debate. Their need to act collectively to counter violence may be greater than that of larger companies, yet they may also find it more challenging to organize collective action. As a result, they face possibilities that are different from those of large companies in the context of violence. The article suggests that most SMEs in Medellín have adapted to, or navigate, the multiple, intersecting layers of legality and illegality, of formality and informality, and of actual or threatened violence. Only very few respond by deliberately seeking to change the external environment. Based on a review of official documents, academic literature, and our own observations during several field trips and 39 interviews, we develop a three-part typology of SME responses to violent actors: acquiescence, avoidance, and mitigation. The implications of our findings will be relevant to managers interested in understanding business conditions in the presence of organized criminal activity and the ways in which SMEs have adapted their own practices to those conditions. The findings suggest that some SME strategies are more effective than others in supporting the survival and growth of SMEs in violent contexts. But while cooperation with illegal actors for the purpose of safeguarding economic activities may be conducive to keeping the peace and ensuring enterprise viability in the short run, it also poses challenges to outcomes that would be more beneficial to communities in the long run: empowerment, institutional strengthening, and inclusive economic development.

Managing disruptions and dilemmas in online geoscience instruction during the early 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic differentially disrupted daily activity in higher education during the spring of 2020, with ramifications for geoscience instructors’ teaching practices. Though facing similar challenges in this transition to many faculty nationwide, disciplinary specific coursework, such as field work and field trips to observe geological structures and processes posed unique challenges. To better understand this phenomenon, we surveyed and interviewed geoscience instructors about their lived experiences during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We identify dilemmas faculty experienced as they transitioned from in-person to online teaching. Findings give us a glimpse into faculty respondents’ thinking about teaching as they managed their work and personal responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey participants discussed teaching most frequently in their responses (38.6%) and 95.4% of survey participants expressed a teaching dilemma in their survey responses. In coding these dilemmas, we expand on Windschitl’s dilemmas framework of conceptual, pedagogical, cultural, and political dilemmas to include personal and technological dilemmas. Results indicate that faculty experienced personal dilemmas most frequently (82.7%). Online resources and discussions with faculty within and beyond their institution were most helpful in supporting the transitions to online learning. Participating faculty specifically mentioned communities designed to support geoscience teaching and learning, such as those facilitated by the NAGT, indicating the importance of discipline-specific faculty learning. We believe these insights can help understand what supports faculty in making and navigating future instructional changes and offer suggestions for faculty and administrators.

Primates in the Hood (Primates en el Barrio): Improving knowledge of threatened primates through schools science projects in rural settings in San Martin, Peru.

We aimed to improve knowledge among high school students on local environmental issues, with emphasis on the ecology and threats to primates in the Alto Mayo Valley of San Martin Region, Peru. The Alto Mayo Valley is home to at least 8 species of primate, including the endemic and Critically Endangered San Martín titi monkey (Plecturocebus oenanthe). San Martin is also the most deforested region of Peru. We used two participatory teaching methods: Experiential learning and inquiry-based education. The learning experiences were activities that guided students to look for solutions to real-life situations. The project consisted of 8 lessons co-designed by us and the participating school teachers, and implemented by the same teachers with our guidance. Lesson 5 was a field trip to a local community conservation area to apply primatological field techniques and gather scientific data. The students' final product was a video presentation and a poster of their results. One hundred percent of students acknowledged they learned something new about their local environment, primates, conservation, and research. Experiential learning techniques are effective in developing awareness, knowledge and self-advocacy amongst school students. Our inquiry-based method placed students and teachers closer to scientists, helping them to see the role of science in their neighbourhood. This method can be easily adapted to other regions in Peru and globally.

21 МАРТ СВЕТОВЕН ДЕН НА ГОРАТА

This article presents an innovative interdisciplinary open lesson conducted on March 21, 2024, in celebration of World Forest Day. The lesson aimed to provide students with comprehensive knowledge about forests and their ecosystems, including the processes of erosion, the diversity of plant and animal species, and the importance of environmental preservation. The methodology combines theoretical learning with practical activities, such as planting seeds and observing forest biodiversity, both in the classroom and in a real forest environment. The lesson was divided into two parts: the first part included a presentation on the significance of forests, interactive discussions, and creative tasks using artificial intelligence tools. The second part involved a field trip to a local forest park, where students engaged in hands-on activities like tree planting and cleaning up the forest. The expected outcomes were to enhance students’ understanding of the natural environment, instill a sense of responsibility towards nature, and develop practical skills in environmental conservation. The interdisciplinary approach, integrating subjects such as science, physical education, language arts, and technology, provided a holistic learning experience that emphasized the interconnectedness of different areas of knowledge and the importance of protecting our planet.

Preliminary checklist of spiders (Araneae) from Coiba National Park, Panama.

Coiba National Park is an offshore region on the Pacific side of Panama, which hosts several endemic species of animals and plants. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Despite the title awarded to the Park, knowledge about basic elements of its biodiversity are still lacking, which are of vital relevance for management and conservation policies. For instance, until now, no study had ever monitored the araneofauna diversity of the Park. Here, we provide the first checklist of spider species in Coiba National Park, including the main island and several surrounding islands. We sampled during several field trips carried out from August 2021 to August 2023. We identified at least 152 species (98 genera and 30 families) and we report three new spiders species for Panama, namely Ctenusnigrolineatus Berland (1913), Chapodagitae Zhang & Maddison (2012) and Sarindanigra Peckham & Peckham (1892). We discuss the implications of our results and recommend future lines of work that include DNA barcoding, monitoring of population and community dynamics, plus linkage of climatic data from the newly-installed meteorological station on the Island.

The edible mushrooms from small community Tierras Coloradas in Hidalgo, Mexico

In Mexico, there is a rich tradition of mushroom consumption. In the state of Hidalgo, approximately 120 edible species are reported; however, there are few ethnomycological studies in temperate forest regions. The aim of this study was to report the wild edible mushrooms in the small community Tierras Coloradas in Hidalgo, Mexico. Field trips were conducted between 2022 and 2023 during the rainy season in “La Loma del Maguey” of Tierras Coloradas, a community with around 20 inhabitants. Interviews were conducted with residents regarding the mushrooms they consume and their methods of preparation. In total, 12 species of edible mushrooms were identified, with grilling or frying being the primary methods of preparation in the region. This study reports for the first time in the state of Hidalgo the consumption of Xerocomellus chrysenteron and a possible first national report of the edible use of Lycoperdon flavotinctum. Highlights the importance of mushrooms in the community's diet, as they are not harvested for sale. Studies of this kind in small communities, where migration is a social issue, contribute to the preservation and strengthening of knowledge about edible mushrooms.

Visiting mine reclamation: How field experience shapes perceptions of mining.

Recognizing the prevailing negative public opinion on mining, it is important to understand how firsthand encounters with mining activities might influence these perceptions. This study investigates how field trips to open pit coal mines and their reclamation sites in the Czech Republic affected the attitudes of 148 university students toward mining and mine reclamation. Using pre and post trip questionnaires, we observed significant changes: Students became less neutral about mining, saw it as a temporary disruptive activity, expressed reduced concern for social conflicts in mining areas, and showed increased support for the ecological restoration of post mining sites. These findings underscore the transformative impact of direct engagement with mine reclamation activities on shaping attitudes. Understanding these effects offers promise for positively shifting public perceptions of mining practices, emphasizing the potential for constructive changes in attitudes through field experiences with reclamation efforts in the Global North.

La pedagogía crítica universitaria: Encuentros educativos interculturales entre la Universidad Nacional y la comunidad de Kachabri, en Costa Rica

Aim.To underscore the necessity of revising university pedagogy at the National University of Costa Rica (UNA). Discussion. Effective teaching and learning require stepping out of our comfort zones. This involves contextualization and practical application of theories. Therefore, intercultural educational tours are promoted as a didactic approach to develop and evaluate theoretical content of courses related to concepts of distinction, diversity, difference, and exteriority as an ethical proposal and policy. These field trips should be integrated across various courses to promote positive interactions, balance with nature, social justice, and the appreciation of various cosmogonies. Conclusion. The essay concludes by presenting the perspectives of students who have undergone these formative experiences. These students emphasize the significance of such experiences in enhancing educational processes that foster human awareness and connection with nature, integrating them as essential components within various university curricula.

Teaching Religious Moderation to Pre-Service Teachers: An Indonesian Case Study

This case study investigated the enactment of a religious moderation literacy project for pre-service teachers of Islamic education at a university in Indonesia. Ten student teachers who participated voluntarily in an online tutorial session and a field trip program to the village where the community embraced interfaith tolerance were interviewed. They wrote reflective journals and collected photographs after joining the field trip. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found that the pre-service teachers improved their awareness of religious tolerance, felt empowered to act as tolerant teachers, and found leadership to be important for leading a peaceful life.

Sikkim’s Moving Landscapes Towards Non-Human Agency Scenarios for the Future

Sikkim is a small state in India, bordered by China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan, known throughout the Himalayas as a biodiversity hotspot and a beyul. The history of Sikkim is the story of a vibrant and sacred territory made by multi-species relationships, of a landscape influenced by both human and non-human agencies. Within the sacred topography of Sikkim, conflicts between humans and the environment are not uncommon, and humans often do not emerge as the victors. The consequences of neglecting the relationship with the non-human communities manifest not only in the spiritual but also in the physical and everyday landscape. ‘Moving landscapes’ can serve as a model to encourage people to reflect on the consequences of their actions and to consider what steps need to be taken to protect the fragile balance of the landscape before it reaches a breaking point. The examples and data presented are from the last field trip to Yuksam (West Sikkim) in May 2022.

Encouraging STEM Careers among Minoritized High School Students: The Interplay between Socio-Environmental Factors and Other Social Cognitive Career Constructs

Performance in math, particularly algebra, is a major barrier to student success and participation in STEM among under-represented minoritized students, particularly Black U.S. high school students. This research applies social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to measure the impacts of an afterschool algebra for engineering program on math self-efficacy and interest in STEM among high school students in a large urban district. To study the program’s effects, a mixed methods research design was used where schools were assigned to either treatment or control conditions. Students in treatment schools accessed algebra for engineering modules, STEM professional role model videos, and field trips, while students in control schools accessed role model videos and field trips only. Surveys measuring math self-efficacy and STEM interest, outcome expectations, and choice goals were completed by participants in both conditions at the beginning and end of two separate program years, 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. Across both years, quantitative results suggest some positive effects of participation, particularly for STEM choice goals, but benefits depend upon student participation levels. Qualitative data offer student voice around prior experiences in math and science and the development of postsecondary plans in STEM. In combination, the results suggest that for students who do not initially identify as STEM career-bound, afterschool programming may not necessarily promote preparation for STEM careers due to an accumulation of weak math and science school experiences and other socio-environmental influences.

Enabling Field Trips in the Block

Enabling Field Trips in the Block

Seasonal Dynamics of the Genetic Diversity of Mycobacteria in the Waters of Some Lowlands in Buruli Ulcer Endemic Areas in Côte d’Ivoire

The aim of this study was to assess the seasonal dynamics of mycobacterial genes from aquatic ecosystems. To achieve this goal, two field trips were conducted in four towns endemic to Buruli ulcer in Côte d’Ivoire: Abidjan, Daloa, Tiassalé, and Yamoussoukro; one during the dry season and the other during the rainy season. Water was analyzed for the presence of the insertion sequence IS2404 using real-time PCR. Conventional PCR was then used to highlight MIRU/VNTR sequences. Following the analyses, six samples presented the MIRU 1 sequence during the dry season, with one copy found in three samples and two copies in another three. In contrast, during the rainy season, seven samples contained the MIRU 1 sequence, with two copies in one sample and three copies in two others. It is important to note that all samples were negative for the Locus 6 gene. This study highlights the significant impact of seasonal climatic conditions on the genetic composition of water samples and suggests a close correlation between genetic markers and mycobacterial contamination. These findings could have important public health and water resource management implications, as they provide additional information to understanding the risks associated with water contamination based on seasons. This seasonal approach to studying genetic markers in water samples opens new avenues for further research aimed at deepening our understanding of the dynamics of microbiological contaminants caused by mycobacteria in aquatic ecosystems.