Fieldwork Activities Research Articles

A HAND-FREE SOLUTION FOR THE INTERACTION IN AN IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT: THE CASE OF THE AGORA OF SEGESTA

Abstract. The paper illustrates the project of an interdisciplinary team composed of archaeologists and researchers of the Scuola Normale Superiore and the University of Pisa. The synergy between these Centres has recently allowed for a more articulated 3D simulation of the agora of Segesta. Here, the archaeological excavations have brought to light the remains of a huge public building (stoa) of the Late-Hellenistic Period. Computer graphics and image-based modeling have been used to monitor, document and record the different phases of the excavation activity (layers, findings, wall structures) and to create a 3D model of the whole site. In order to increase as much as possible the level of interaction, all the models can be managed by an application specially designed for an immersive virtual environment (CAVE-like system). By using hands tracking sensor (Leap) in a non-standard way, the application allows for a completely hand-free interaction with the simulation of the agora of Segesta and the different phases of the fieldwork activities. More specifically, the operator can use simple hand gestures to activate a natural interface, scroll and visualize the perfectly overlapped models of the archaeological layers, pop up the models of single meaningful objects discovered during the excavation, and obtain all the relative metadata (stored in a dedicated server) which are visualizable on external devices (e.g. tablets or monitors) without further wearable devices. All these functions are contextualized within the whole simulation of the agora, so that it is possible to verify old interpretations and enhance new ones in real-time, simulating within the CAVE the whole archaeological investigation, going over the different phases of the excavation in a more rapid way, getting information which could have been ignored during the fieldwork, and verifying, even ex-post, issues not correctly documented during the fieldwork. The opportunity to physically interact with the 3D model of the agora increases drastically the level of affordance between operator and 3D simulation, and to verify with a completely new approach, issues which can be hardly investigated by using traditional 2D documentation.

Experiencing Ancient Buildings from a 3D GIS Perspective: a Case Drawn from the Swedish Pompeii Project

In recent times, archaeological documentation strategies have been considerably improved by the use of advanced 3D acquisition systems. Laser scanning, photogrammetry and computer vision techniques provide archaeologists with new opportunities to investigate and document the archaeological record. In spite of this, the amount of data collected and the geometrical complexity of the models resulting from such acquisition processes have always prevented their systematic integration into a geographic information systems (GIS) environment. Recent technological advances occurred in the visualization of 3D contents, led us to overcome the aforementioned limitations and set up a work pipeline in which was possible to put the 3D models not only in the context of data visualization but also in the frame of spatial analysis. The case study described is a part of the Swedish Pompeii Project, a research and fieldwork activity started in 2000 with the purpose of recording and investigating an entire Pompeian city block, Insula V 1. As an additional part of the research, a laser scanning acquisition campaign was conducted in the last few years. The resulting models were thus meant to be used to develop further research lines: Among these, a 3D GIS system was expected to be set up with the purpose to (i) collect in the same geo-referenced environment, different typologies of documentation gathered in the context of the Swedish Pompeii Project; (ii) inter-connect 3D models with the project website; (iii) use the third dimension as a further analytical field of investigation, in the form of spatial analysis and cognitive simulation.

Inexpensive Method to Assess Mangroves Forest through the Use of Open Source Software and Data Available Freely in Public Domain

Mapping and assessment of mangrove environment are crucial since the mangrove has an important role in the process of human-environment interaction. In Indonesia alone, 25% of South East Asia's mangroves available are under threat. Recognizing the availability and the ability of new sensor of Landsat data, this study investigates the use of Landsat ETM + 7 and Landsat 8, acquired in 2002 and 2013 respectively, for assessing the extent of mangroves along the South Sulawesi’s coastline. For each year, a supervised classification of the mangrove was performed using open source GRASS GIS software. The resulting maps were then compared to quantify the change. Field work activities were conducted and confirmed with the changes that occurred in the study area. Considering the accuracy assessment, our study shows that the RGB composite color-supervised classification is better than band ratio-supervised classification methods. By linking the open source software with the Landsat data and Google Earth satellite imagery that is available in public domain, mangroves forest conversion and changes can be observed remotely. Ground truth surveys confirmed that, decreases of mangroves forest is due to the expansion of fishpond activity. This technique could potentially allow rapid, inexpensive remote monitoring of cascading, indirect effects of human activities to mangroves forest.

Implementing and Evaluating a Blended Learning Format in the Communication Internship Course

The use of blended learning is well suited for classes that involve a high level of experiential inquiry such as internship courses. These courses allow students to combine applied, face-to-face fieldwork activities with a reflective academic component delivered online. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe the pedagogical design and implementation of a pilot blended learning format internship course. After implementation, the pilot class was assessed. Results of the survey and focus group revealed high levels of student satisfaction in the areas of course structure, faculty-student interaction, and application of theory to the “real-world” experience undertaken by students during the internship. Lower levels of satisfaction with the course’s academic rigor and a sense of community were also reported. Notably, students with experience in blended learning expressed lower levels of overall satisfaction, but reported higher levels of satisfaction with the course’s rigor and sense of community. The paper concludes by offering implications for instructors seeking to implement blended learning approaches.

Flood analysis of the Limpopo River basin through past evolution reconstruction and a geomorphological approach

Abstract. This research reconstructs the past evolution of the Limpopo River, a transboundary system located in south-eastern Africa, and describes its geomorphological settings through a literature review and field work activities, with the aim of analysing flood hazard in the basin. Major changes have occurred since the late Jurassic–early Cretaceous period due to successive tectonic events. The paper demonstrates that the apparently abandoned drainage conformation of the palaeo-Limpopo in the upper and middle stretches of the river today constitutes preferential flood-prone areas in the case of major rainfall events. An important palaeo-delta is identified in the lower Limpopo, which imposes a particular drainage pattern onto the floodplain in Mozambique and influences the flood dynamics at present. The adopted method is helpful in determining flood hazard in a data-scarce area showing complex fluvial dynamics, and allows for the identification of unsuitable locations for human settlements.

“Who Do You Know Over There?”: Fieldwork Experiences in Restricted Southern Shan State, Burma

“Who Do You Know Over There?”Fieldwork Experiences in Restricted Southern Shan State, Burma Busarin Lertchavalitsakul (bio) The uncertain political situation in Burma has had an immense impact on how I have carried out my recent research into the lives of the Shan people there, and especially on the ethical choices I have had to make when attempting to visit restricted zones in southern Shan State. In October 2012, two years after the new government was formed, I traveled to Burma in order to collect data concerning migration and commodity flows undertaken by the Shan people. In the early phase of my fieldwork, I had difficulty accessing my research sites, until I decided to take a few risks. One lesson I learned from these activities: it is often knowing someone with economic or political power in a research area that makes it possible and indeed legal to conduct research that would otherwise be impossible. Of course, Burma is similar to other societies in this regard, but knowing powerful people is especially important in Burma because, despite the nominal transition that is taking place from military to democratic rule, a number of state and non-state actors control the territories that researchers may wish to access, and as a result, extra-legal exchanges are still commonplace. In any setting, building connections when doing ethnographic fieldwork can raise ethical questions, since close relationships may create the expectation that researchers will engage in extra-legal or unethical behavior in order to [End Page 83] maintain those relationships and access data. Questions emerged in my mind as I went through this process: Is building close connections with those who facilitate my fieldwork activities unethical? If I am asked, “Who do you know over there?” while trying to access a research site, should I name my connections if it allows me extra-legal access, or if it might cause problems for my informants? While in the field, ambivalent feelings arose — did I really want to collect data with the help of these powerful people? Here, I propose that creating a genuine rapport with informants — a key requirement of ethnography — may raise ethical dilemmas when these same informants facilitate access to sensitive research areas. I believe that what I did was unethical in the sense that I broke the laws prohibiting non-Burmese citizens from entering the country’s restricted zones. However, I also believe that my actions reflected the complexities of carrying out fieldwork in Burma. At first I tried to maintain a traditional ethical code of conduct in relation to fieldwork, and several times thereafter felt guilty about the decisions I had made. However, after I had been in the field long enough to become more acquainted with the situation there, I began thinking about how I could visit southern Shan State by taking advantage of the influence of powerful people in the area. By that time, doing so seemed ethically acceptable. Researchers in Burma may have different degrees of ethical behavior — as well as ideas as to what situations are deemed dangerous or too adventurous. I rationalized my decisions based upon the particular situation I faced at the time, taking into account the views of local people regarding my status. As a result, I believe that researchers need to remain flexible with regard to the ethical codes they follow when doing fieldwork, as different research sites will have different political and social systems in place, creating the need for a variety of methods. Researcher’s Positionality Employing multi-sited ethnography throughout my study in order to understand the cross-border movements taking [End Page 84] place in the area, I tried to balance the time I spent on both sides of the border. Since my focus was the flows and movements of Shan migrant workers, I planned to follow their migrations from their starting points in Shan State to their destinations in Thailand, thus filling a gap in the literature. At the onset of my fieldwork, I introduced myself as a Thai student investigating the extent to which migration and commodity flows were interconnected. Linguistically, as a Thai researcher my level of understanding of the Shan language was already at 30 to 40...

Public library fieldwork supervisors: A survey of activities, assessment, and attitudes

Little research directly targets supervisors of fieldwork students in public libraries. This article identifies their feelings and behaviors using Lev Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development theory as a background for design and discussion of results. Fieldwork activities, supervisor assessments, and self-perceived roles are discussed. The study began with an online survey (77 respondents solicited by email) and continued with follow-up questions (25 respondents). Results indicate fieldwork supervisors see themselves as mentors, serving as the ‘more capable peer’ according to Vygotsky, and they guide students from supervised to unsupervised work. Suggestions for further research are given.

Development of an Online Field Safety Open Educational Resource using Xerte

AbstractFieldwork is an essential part of degrees in all three GEES disciplines. There is a need not only to prepare students for activities they may be expected to undertake during planned field classes, but also to help students understand the process of risk assessment and recognise their own responsibilities for the health and safety of themselves and others during fieldwork activities. This article reports on the outcomes of a project funded by the HEA-GEES Subject Centre Learning and Teaching Development Fund to use Xerte to develop an online educational resource (OER) on fieldwork safety that would be suitable for use by UK undergraduate students.

Implementation of guidelines for effective fieldwork designs: exploring learning activities, learning processes, and student engagement in the classroom and the field

Teachers find the implementation of fieldwork challenging. Therefore, this study investigates two teachers’ implementation of theoretical guidelines for student-centered fieldwork activities, following their participation in a professional development course focusing on earth science fieldwork pedagogy. Video observation and instructional artifacts were collected and analyzed using various indicators, including the quality of the learning activities, the types of talk, teacher questions, the focus of student initiatives, and how the students engaged in the learning activities. The results revealed that the teachers implemented the guidelines through two totally different fieldwork designs. In one case, called the linear teacher-dominated fieldwork design, there were clear differences between indicators in the classroom and those in the field. In the field, teacher dominance was reduced, and students were more active and focused on the content. In the other case, the teacher developed an integrated inquiry-based fieldwork design that involved alternating between the classroom and the field as well as using inquiry-based learning activities. The teacher had a reduced role in terms of talk and questioning, and to a large extent, students showed deeper engagement. Notably, in both cases, the learning process and student engagement deteriorated during the follow-up phase. Finally, on the basis of these findings, recommendations for fieldwork designs are discussed.

Exposure to Inhalable Dust and Endotoxin Among Danish Pig Farmers Affected by Work Tasks and Stable Characteristics

To identify working tasks and stable characteristics that determine intensity and variability of personal exposure to dust and endotoxin among pig farmers. Three hundred fifty-four personal full-shift measurements were performed in 231 farmers employed in 53 Danish pig farms. Filters were gravimetrically analysed for inhalable dust and for endotoxin by the Limulus amebocyte lysate assay. Information on working tasks and stable characteristics were collected using self-reported activity diaries and walk-through surveys performed in conjunction with the measurements. Associations between log-transformed dust and endotoxin exposure and working tasks and stable characteristics were examined using linear mixed-effects analysis. In these models, worker and farm identity were treated as random effects and working tasks and stable characteristics as fixed effects. Both separate and combined models for tasks and stable characteristics were elaborated. Inhalable dust concentrations ranged between 0.1 and 48 mg m(-3) and endotoxin concentrations varied between 9.2 and 370,000 EU m(-3). Field work activities played a dominant role on the exposure variability. Indoor working tasks with intense animal activity or handling of feed materials increased exposure concentrations, whereas engagement in field work was associated with lower exposure concentrations. High-pressure water cleaning increased endotoxin exposure but did not affect exposure to inhalable dust. Stable characteristics related to feeding practices and type of ventilation were determinants of exposure to inhalable dust. For endotoxin, the most important determinants were use of dry feed and slatted floor coverage. Feeding practices solely explained all between-farms variability in exposure to inhalable dust and endotoxin. These findings suggest feeding systems, flooring and ventilation to be potential areas where improved methods can reduce exposure to dust and endotoxin among pig farmers. Further, they highlight particular tasks involving feeding and intense animal handling as sources of very high levels of exposure. The pig farming industry is encouraged to focus on exposure reduction. Use of respirators during performance of working tasks where levels of exposure are particularly high ought to be considered until adequate hygienic solutions have been established.

Environmental Learning Workshop: Lichen as Biological Indicator of Air Quality and Impact on Secondary Students’ Performance

In this study, the learning of science outside the classroom is believe to be an added value to science learning as well as it offers students to interact with the environment. This study presents data obtained from two days’ workshop on Lichen as Biological Indicator for Air Quality. The aim of the workshop is for the students to gain an understanding on various aspects on Lichens and its role as a biological indicator. Students are exposed to the following concepts and skills in the workshop: characteristics of algae, the concept of Lichen, causes of polluted air, the concept of quadrant, how to measure the frequency of Lichen, types of Lichen, determining the air quality index, factors determining the quality of air, the role of Lichen, the function of Lichen as a biological indicator and determining the level of air pollution. Four schools participated in the two day workshop whereby two schools were located in rural and urban areas respectively. A total of 125 students were given a pre-test on the concept of Lichen before the workshop followed by brief lecture sessions, hands-on and field work activities, presentation by students. At the end of the workshop, students were given a post-test. Overall, from the pre and post-test results, there is a significant difference in terms of students’ performance from all the four schools, in knowledge and skills relating to Lichen and its role as a biological indicator in determining the quality of air.

Field Workers at the Interface

This issue of Developing World Bioethics includes a collection of papers on intermediary staff and volunteers working at the interface between research institutions and researchers, and the communities from which research participants are recruited. ‘Field worker’ – a short hand commonly used in many research settings – refers here to those whose main role is face-to-face engagement with participants, who usually speak the participants’ first language, who are from or live in the study areas, and whose work entails moving around the study areas or health facilities. Field workers can be differentiated from medical or scientific staff for whom only part of their duties entail direct interaction with participants, and who are primarily based in the research institution or the clinic. In international research settings field workers are variously called research assistants, community interviewers, data collectors, fieldworkers, field assistants, assessors, follow up staff or defaulter tracers. Although some may hold first degrees or certificates, many are secondary school leavers without higher education opportunity; overall they are formally less qualified than clinical and research staff. Instead, field workers often have extensive informal training and experience from earlier volunteering and jobs in research centres or the NGO sector, which often require similar tasks and expertise.1 Their roles may include communicating about studies and mobilisation and follow-up of participants, conducting interviews, and carrying out relatively simple biomedical data-collection procedures such as taking temperatures and collecting finger prick blood samples.

A Study on the Instructional Contents and Evaluation of Geographic-Historical Place Fieldwork Activities - a case on Bukchon Hanok village in Seoul -

A Study on the Instructional Contents and Evaluation of Geographic-Historical Place Fieldwork Activities - a case on Bukchon Hanok village in Seoul -

Optimized driving direction based on a three-dimensional field representation

The agricultural vehicles used in various field work activities emit significant levels of atmospheric pollutants, e.g. CO2 and NO, which are of major concern due to their contribution to the greenhouse effect. Energy requirements and consequently emissions may be reduced by developing optimized in-field coverage planning systems for agricultural machines. The objective of this paper was to develop and implement a 3D coverage planning approach for material input operations that minimizes the energy requirements. The basic components consisted of a 3D geometrical representation of the field characteristics and a simulation tool for field operations under capacity constraints. Supplementary to that, energy consumption models were invoked taking into account terrain inclinations in order to provide the optimal driving line direction for traversing the parallel field-work tracks under the criterion of minimized direct energy requirements. Based on the results from two case study fields, it was shown that the reduction in the energy requirements when the driving angle is optimized by taking into account the 3D configuration of the field area was 6.5% as an average for all the examined scenarios compared to the case when the applied driving angle is optimized assuming even field areas.

변산반도 격포 적벽강 일대 야외지질 학습자료 개발 및 적용

이 연구는 전북 부안군 변산반도 국립공원 내 적벽강 지역의 야외지질 학습자료를 개발하려는 것이다. 또한 이를 중학교 학생들을 대상으로 교육적 효과를 최대화하기 위해 적용하였다. 적벽강 지역의 중생대 백악기 퇴적층은 해안 절벽에 형성된 큰 규모의 뚜렷한 퇴적구조와 암석을 관찰할 수 있어 지구과학 교과 야외학습 자료로 개발할 만한 가치가 있다. 또한 이 지역은 중등 과학과 교과과정의 일반적 내용, 심화학습 프로그램과 관련된 다양한 지질구조를 관찰할 수 있다. 5단계 야외학습 모델이 중학교 지구과학 수업에서 20명에게 적용되었다. 이 연구는 야외학습 과정에 따른 학생들의 반응을 분석하였다. 결과적으로 개발한 학습자료를 이용한 야외지질학습은 학생들의 과학에 대한 정의적 인식을 높였고 학습 활동에 긍정적 효과가 있었다. This study is to develop teaching materials for the geological fieldwork of Jeokbyeokgang area located in the national park of the Byeonsan-bando National Park, Buangun, Jeonbuk, Korea. The developed teaching materials are used in middle school science to effectively teach the fieldwork of the area. The sedimentary succession of Jeokbyeokgang area in the Cretaceous age, Mesozoic, represents the large-scale and distinctive sedimentary structures on sea cliffs, which are worth developing as teaching materials for the earth science fieldwork. The area of Jeokbyeokgang also comprises various geological structures related to the advanced learning programs as well as those within the curriculum of earth science in middle school level. A five-step fieldwork model was applied to 20 students in middle school earth science. This study quantitatively analyzed students' responses to the process of the fieldwork activity. Results indicated that the fieldwork activity using the developed teaching materials was effective in helping the students to improve their self-directed learning and practical understanding of earth science.

Should high response rates really be a primary objective?

Many survey agencies tend to measure and express the quality of their respond­ ent samples in terms of response rates. Moreover, AAPOR advises in its best practices to “maximize cooperation or response rates […]” (www.aapor.org). Indeed, low nonresponse rates are believed to reduce the potential for nonresponse bias. High response rates are also easy to calculate, and because everyone is expected to appreciate their meaning and relevance, they are easy to report. Moreover, a response rate is a clear strategic objective to focus on during fieldwork activities. Nevertheless, the high response rate objective can also tempt agencies and interviewers to prioritize the high propensity cases by following the path of least resistance, potentially causing or preserving nonresponse bias rather than reducing it.

The heart of Helambu

In this article I show how a casual question about a simple Buddhist chorten (a dome-shaped Buddhist reliquary), seen outside a window while conducting an interview in Kathmandu, Nepal, initiated an encounter that eventually implicated me in a project of making merit and cultural capital in a remote village that was well beyond the planned framework of my research. This article narrates the events precipitated by this question, which led me to understand the affective depth and ambiguous force of the place of the village in the imagination and political practices of migrant carpet weavers and entrepreneurs in Nepal. For migrants, there is a danger that much will be lost as their lives extend beyond a landscape on which their cultural history has been inscribed. This insight was gained only by briefly abandoning purposive fieldwork activity and improvising on opportunities made available by immediate circumstance.

How to Produce a Digital Story

Modern day students are said to hold a toolbox of technical knowledge, which can assist them with their undergraduate studies. The ‘net generation’ is more technologically capable than ever before and crave interactivity and image-rich environments, which has created a need for higher education institutions to diversify assessment practices. Digital stories (this refers to a collection of still images, audio and video) as a means for assessing Geography undergraduates, lend themselves well to fieldwork activities, and this paper provides practical advice and guidance to students on how to create the best digital stories for assessment.

NOVITATES GABONENSES 80. ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO THE FLORA OF GABON

Since the publication of the Gabon Checklist in 2006, intensive fieldwork activity has led to the discovery of many novelties. We document here 61 new records for the flora of Gabon, including nine new generic records. Five taxa are also removed from the Gabon flora.

Palliative care social work – the leadership art of the chameleon

Focus of the studyThe study was informed by a literature review that identified similarities between the characteristic values and skills of social workers and some recent descriptions of close ‘charismatic’...