ORCID Profile
0000-0002-0024-5660
Current Organisations
Australian National University
,
Invertebrates Australia
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Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2022
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.9446
Abstract: This paper reports on the design and evaluation of Field Studies in Functional Ecology (FSFE), a two‐week intensive residential field course that enables students to master core content in functional ecology alongside skills that facilitate their transition from “student” to “scientist.” We provide an overview of the course structure, showing how the constituent elements have been designed and refined over successive iterations of the course. We detail how FSFE students: (1) Work closely with discipline specialists to develop a small group project that tests an hypothesis to answer a genuine scientific question in the field (2) Learn critical skills of data management and communication and (3) Analyze, interpret, and present their results in the format of a scientific symposium. This process is repeated in an iterative “cognitive apprenticeship” model, supported by a series of workshops that name and explicitly instruct the students in “hard” and “soft” skills (e.g., statistics and teamwork, respectively) critically relevant for research and other careers. FSFE students develop a coherent and nuanced understanding of how to approach and execute ecological studies. The sophisticated knowledge and ecological research skills that they develop during the course is demonstrated through high‐quality presentations and peer‐reviewed publications in an open‐access, student‐led journal. We outline our course structure and evaluate its efficacy to show how this novel combination of field course elements allows students to gain maximum value from their educational journey, and to develop cognitive, affective, and reflective tools to help apply their skills as scientists.
Publisher: ANU eView
Date: 21-11-2017
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 08-12-2021
DOI: 10.1101/2021.12.06.471369
Abstract: This paper reports on the design and evaluation of Field Studies in Functional Ecology (FSFE), a two-week intensive residential field course that enables students to master core content in functional ecology alongside skills that facilitate their transition from ‘student’ to ‘scientist’. This paper provides an overview of the course structure, showing how the constituent elements have been designed and refined over successive iterations of the course. We detail how FSFE students: 1. Work closely with discipline specialists to develop a small group project that tests an hypothesis to answer a genuine scientific question in the field 2. Learn critical skills of data management and communication and 3. Analyse, interpret and present their results in the format of a scientific symposium. This process is repeated in an iterative ‘cognitive apprenticeship’ model, supported by a series of workshops that name and explicitly instruct the students in ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills critical relevant for research and other careers. FSFE students develop a coherent and nuanced understanding of how to approach and execute ecological studies. The sophisticated knowledge and ecological research skills that they develop during the course is demonstrated through high quality presentations and peer-reviewed publications in an open-access, student-led journal. We outline our course structure and evaluate its efficacy to show how this novel combination of field course elements allows students to gain maximum value from their educational journey, and to develop cognitive, affective and reflective tools to help apply their skills as scientists.
Location: Australia
No related grants have been discovered for Hannah Zurcher.