Fieldwork in the PGCE year an approach to supporting PGCE science: biology students in the teaching

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Fieldwork in the PGCE year an approach to
supporting PGCE science biology students in the
teaching and learning of ecology

• Roger Lock
• School of Education
• University of Birmingham

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National concern about pupils experience of
ecology

• How do PGCE courses approach the training of
  teachers in the teaching and learning of ecology?

• One approach,
• in the context of a one year PGCE course,
• with a group of 20 biology graduates training to
  be science biology teachers

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Elements in the course all in term 3

• Residential fieldwork

• One assignment (out of 6) on Teaching and
  Learning in the Field based on fieldwork

• 2 days serial practice with 11-16 school in a
  city Country Park

• One assessed task(out of 22) linked to
  fieldwork (production of booklet)

• One assessed task (out of 22) linked to serial
  practice development of resources and evaluation

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• Residential fieldwork
• 3 days
• YHA
• Grassland, woodland, freshwater (stream and
  pond), wall
• Animal behaviour (wildlife park)
• Hedges, gravestones (lichens)

• Badger sett, plaster casts, bats, scavenger hunt

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Aims

• The main aims of this work are to
• become competent in issues relating to the
  teaching and learning of ecological and
  environmental issues in Post 16 syllabuses and
  the National Curriculum
• be able to lead groups on work related to
• - grassland
• - freshwater
• - woodland
• - walls
• - hedges
• Such habitats are in easy reach of all
  schools, irrespective of location.
• gain experience and knowledge of organising a
  trip away for a party of pupils, be that a day or
  longer event (standard 3.15)
• develop awareness and knowledge of safety issues
  and first aid

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• Assignment SSS4.1 Coversheet
• Teaching and Learning in the Field
• This assignment is intended to fulfil several
  purposes
• To carry out small scale research in the field,
  including animal behaviour, and to assess the
  value of such activity to AS/A2 level biology
  students
• To use ICT in data presentation and analysis
• Task You will have organisational and teaching
  responsibility with regard to fieldwork. These
  will run throughout the phase 6 of the course.
  Further details will be provided in the first
  week of term 3.
• There are 3 parts to the assignment
• Carry out the field activities and collect data
• Present reports on 3 ecology activities 1
  grassland, 1 woodland and 1 freshwater
• Present a report on your animal behaviour study
• The assignment should illustrate that you can use
  spreadsheets and data handling packages,
  including a statistical test appropriate to A
  level study, and should conclude with an
  evaluation of the suitability of the work for AS
  level students
• There must be clear evidence of the following
  before the assignment is marked using the M level
  criteria

Process Your check
Tutor check Reading the minimum recommended
references Collecting data
Presenting and analysing data using ICT
Carrying out a statistical test using ICT
Product An account that includes Analytical
reports on grassland ecology
freshwater
ecology

woodland ecology

an animal behaviour study
an analysis of the suitability of the work for
AS level students Appendices as
appropriate
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• I thought that the assignments were well
  planned and were relevant, particularly the
  fieldwork assignment which has really helped me
  to understand how fieldwork can be carried out
  and written up

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Organisation (mainly student-led)

• Students are spilt in 4 support teams
• information, recording, equipment
• domestic and social
• safety, security and first aid
• booklet editors

• I have also got the students to
• do the fieldwork
• then
• teach the fieldwork to an A level group

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Examples of job specification for teams

• produce a guide on organising a school trip and
  give an illustrated talk

• make a photographic and video record of
  ecological activities

• give a practical demonstration on first aid and
  include a guide on first aid for the booklet,
  including the contents of a First Aid Kit and
  information on Weils and Lyme disease

• draw up a list of equipment needed for each of
  the field activities and a system for checking
  equipment in and out of the start/end of each
  days activities

• draw up a list of ideas and suggestions for
  indoor ecology as an alternative on severe
  weather days

• compile a list of fun and educational activities
  for pupils of different ages with details of how
  to organise them

• organise transport to/from the YHA for people
  with interviews

• plan social activities for the evenings 9.30 to
  11.00

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Serial Practice Summer Term 2004 Bartley Green
Community College and University of Birmingham
School of Education
Those involved 20 PGCE students
160 Year 9 pupils
6 Year 9 Science teachers
Nature of work - Post SATs Sc1 Investigation
in an Ecology context
- to carry out a while investigation over the
2 days - a link to
KS3 ecology work
Possible problems - how many species are
there? (Biodiversity) for pupils to -
how many of each species ? (Population
sizes) solve - Why are
they there? (Environmental variables/data-logging
)
The activities should involve Planning,
Collecting/Observing, Analysing and Reviewing
i.e. all elements of Sc1.2 including the writing
up at school in the afternoon. Records of the
work could be in the form of a poster display
Aims of For students Exercise
- to put into practice knolwedge and skills
learned in the fieldwork
- planning work in an out of school context
(standard 3.1.5) -
leading to whole Sc1 investigation
- experience of a further school and
work outside the lab
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• Total commitment
• 5 days in the field
• 2 days (4 x 0.5) planning, preparation, debrief
• x days individual/team work

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What are the issues?

• tutor expertise - fieldwork
• - minibus driving plus,,,,
• - residential (sex and alcohol)
• student experience - school
• - undergraduate
• cost and funding
• time
• standards
• assessment
• uniqueness of course (CEDP statement)
• is it a part of ITT?
• does it influence practice?

What do we do in the ITT period? What should we
do?