Field trip 2.0 Action Research Project
Submitted by Elizabeth Friese w/ assistance from Paula Nachtwey Howard Elementary School
List several student learning outcomes related to content that you included in your lesson plan.
Learning outcomes / Method of assessment (data collection tool – please attach)Students will explain how communities change over time. / Field trip - Class slide show presentation
Field trip reflection – Comments posted on Class wiki
Students will compare and contrast changes in the following over time:
· Transportation
· Communication
· Housing
· Schooling / Field trip - Class slide show presentation
Field trip reflection – Comments posted on Class wiki
List the 21st century skills you included in your lesson plan template.
21st Century skills / Method of assessment (data collection tool)Ability to think critically and creatively / Rubric showing that the student has generated/shared/revised ideas on the project
Ability to use technology as a communication tool / Rubric showing that the student has generated/shared/revised ideas on the project
Ability to act responsibly with the interests of others in mind / Rubric showing that the student has been respectful of and open to the ideas of others
Baseline and Comparison/Control group
Will you conduct a baseline / pretest assessment of student skills and outcomes? (an assessment that occurs before you begin the lesson) / Yes / No
Will you employ a comparison group? (other students who are treated the same except do not receive technology – enhanced instruction) / Yes / No
We will be implementing Field Trip 2.0 pre, during, and post field trip activities with one 2nd grade class. There are three 2nd grade classes going on the same field trip. The other classes will not be participating in the Field Trip 2.0 activities. This makes for a good comparison group, because students are of the same grade level, studying the same social studies benchmarks.
A variety of assessment tools will be used to determine action research results.
· During the field trip, teachers will observe the level of engagement of students’ who participated in pre Field Trip 2.0 activities with students who did not experience the pre-field trip instruction.
· The quality of students’ contributions to the slide show activity will be assessed using a rubric.
· The quality of students’ responses to the post-field trip blogging activity will be compared.
Present your assessment results / Mean score, % meeting criteria, other
Pretest / Treatment group: Assessment results for your technology enhanced participants / n/a
Comparison group: Assessment results for group of students that did not receive technology enhanced instruction / n/a
Posttest / Treatment group: Assessment results for your technology enhanced participants / Treatment Group Post Field Trip Survey Results (see below)
Comparison group: Assessment results for group of students that did not receive technology enhanced instruction / Comparison Group Post Field Trip Survey Results (see below)
http://www.surveymonkey.com/
http://www.surveymonkey.com/
FindingsWere the results for your “treatment group” of students different than the results for the comparison group? How?
Generally, the results for the “treatment group” of students did not differ significantly from the comparison group of students. All of the students recognized that the focus of the field trip was to learn about how people lived long ago. Both groups were equally aware (approximately 42% of the students surveyed) that several time periods were represented at the park.
A noticeable difference did occur in the response to question five, “The most important thing I learned is …”
In response to that question, 85.7% of the “treatment group” responded, “The most important thing I learned is communities change over time. In comparison, 68.4 % of the students in the comparison group submitted a similar response.
This result may seem significant, however it is important to note that due to time constraints related to MAP testing and conflicting class schedules, only a random sampling of students from the “treatment group” were able to complete the survey compared to all of the students in the comparison group.
Reflection.
What the research shows:
Nabors, M. L., Edwards, L. C., & Murray, R. K. (2009). Making the case for field trips: what research tells us and what site coordinators have to say, Education, Summer2009, Vol. 129 Issue 4, p661-667, 7p. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=2&hid=103&sid=1d5c403f-ef42-45e5-84cc-2eae0d5fa4d3%40sessionmgr114
In the article, Making the Case for Field Trips: What Research Tells Us and What Site Coordinators Have to Say, Nabors, Edwards, and Murray (2009) point to field trip research and graduate students’ survey results to provide educators with suggestions for pre-trip and post-trip activities that make the most out of the field trip experience. According to the authors, research shows students benefit when given the opportunity to experience community resources first hand. When thoroughly planned and carefully executed, field trips can effectively provide engaging, multi-sensory experiences with real-world connections that motivate learners and extend learning.
Many factors influence field trip success. From determining the date, time, and field trip site to providing accommodations for the special needs of students, field trip planning can present unique challenges. Nabors, Edwards, and Murray suggest careful consideration of learning goals, management issues, the health and safety of students, and special features of the field trip site will go a long way to ensure a memorable and valuable excursion.
To emphasize the importance of purposeful pre and post field trip planning, the authors present the results of a national survey conducted by graduate students. Site coordinators from national field trip sites including Ellis Island, the Grand Canyon, and the National Conservatory were asked to provide feedback regarding teacher/student behaviors that contribute to successful field trip experiences. According to the survey, site coordinators reported students were more attentive, respectful, and orderly when teachers took the time to prepare students for the site visit. In addition, site coordinators stated that, while they value follow-up correspondence, they are rarely contacted by teachers to participate in post field trip reflections.
Nabors, Edwards, and Murray provide the following recommendations to teachers when planning field trips. Provide age-appropriate field trips that relate to curricular standards and units of instruction. Prior to the field trip, talk with students about the logistics of the visit; introduce students to the field trip site by visiting its website and have students prepare questions. During the field trip, encourage students to ask questions and be attentive to the answers given by site coordinators. Present an informal assessment immediately after the field trip. Upon returning to the classroom provide a formal assessment and a follow up activity including correspondence with the site coordinator.
Davidson, S. K., Passmore, C. , & Anderson, D. (2010) Learning on zoo field trips: the interaction of the agendas and practices of students, teachers, and zoo educators. Science Education, Jan2010, Vol. 94 Issue 1, p122-141, 20p. Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=3&sid=afb0a3b8-85c5-4c3f-bbda-ad0fcf99f49f%40sessionmgr14&bdata=JmxvZ2lucGFnZT1Mb2dpbi5hc3Amc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl#db=tfh&AN=46709685
What factors influence the effectiveness of the field trip experience? How do students’ perceptions of the field trip experience compare to those of their teachers and zoo educators? Answers to these questions were the focus of a case study on zoo field trips completed by Davidson, Passmore, and Anderson. Researchers compared the field trip experiences of two groups of 11-12 year old New Zealand students.
One class prepared for the field trip to the zoo with pre-trip discussions about the topic of study and the field trip site. During the field trip, students recorded reflections on their activities. After the field trip the class participated in post field trip activities and assessments. This group of students clearly understood that the focus of the field trip was on learning.
In contrast, the second class did not participate in any significant pre-trip or post-trip learning activities. Students were informed that their field trip was planned as an incentive or reward. Neither the teacher nor the students had specific learning expectations for their field trip experience.
Research results demonstrated that students who participated in pre and post-field trip instructional activities perceived they learned more from the field trip experience than students who did not. In addition, interviews conducted three to four months after the field trip experiences revealed the students afforded pre and post field trip activities had greater recall of their learning.
These research results suggest that teachers can have a significant affect on the learning outcomes of their students. By offering pre and post-field trip activities and sharing high expectations for learning, teachers can help their students maximize the benefits of a field trip experience.
What changes can you make to your instructional techniques that will enhance student learning?
It’s pretty clear that both classroom teachers involved in this project successfully prepared their students for the field trip experience. Pre-field trip activities ranged from a discussion of behavioral expectations to a “virtual tour” of the bus route to the park. All students knew there was an instructional purpose for the field trip. It is unclear if the additional experiences provided for the “treatment group” had a significant impact on student learning.
Due to weather, a change was made to the field trip schedule and the instructional unit linked to the field trip experience had already been completed and assessed long before the visit to Heritage Hill. One change for the future would be to ensure the field trip takes place closer to the time that the social studies unit is presented in the classroom.