Cognitive and Social Benefits Among Underrepresented First-Year Biology Students in a Field Course: A Case Study of Experiential Learning in the Galápagos

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Nicholas A. Mason ◽  
Rebecca M. Brunner ◽  
Cissy J. Ballen ◽  
Irby J. Lovette
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
Student Attrition ◽  
First Year ◽  
Academic Environments ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Short Term Study

Student attrition is a persistent challenge in the life sciences, particularly among underrepresented minorities, first-generation students, and women. Experiential learning through short-term study abroad opportunities diversify curricula by immersing students into non-traditional academic environments. However, most experiential learning and study abroad opportunities are primarily available to upper-division undergraduates. Here, we present a qualitative analysis of an experiential learning opportunity offered exclusively to first-year U.S. undergraduate students from underrepresented demographics. We performed ethnographic observations of a 10-day field component in the Galápagos Islands, and analyzed self-reported survey results and field journals. Students consistently reported strong cognitive gains in their understanding of basic evolutionary concepts. Most students also benefited socially, although we observed higher variation in self-reported social gains. Our findings suggest that immersive field courses may increase scientific literacy and retention of underrepresented students by engaging them in experience-driven learning.

scholarly journals Undergraduate Biology Students’ Teleological and Essentialist Misconceptions

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Stern ◽  
Kostas Kampourakis ◽  
Catherine Huneault ◽  
Patricia Silveira ◽  
Andreas Müller
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Natural Phenomena ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Psychological Essentialism ◽  
Biological Phenomena

Research in developmental psychology has shown that deeply-rooted, intuitive ways of thinking, such as design teleology and psychological essentialism, impact children’s scientific explanations about natural phenomena. Similarly, biology education researchers have found that students often hold inaccurate conceptions about natural phenomena, which often relate to these intuitions. In order to further investigate the relation between students’ conceptions and intuitions, we conducted a study with 93 first year undergraduate students in biology. They were asked to express their level of agreement or disagreement with six misconception statements and to explain their choices in a two-tier test. Results showed a tendency for students to agree with teleological and essentialist misconceptions. However, no association was found between students’ teleological and essentialist conceptions as expressed in their agreement or disagreement with the various misconception statements. Moreover, we found evidence of a variable consistency across students’ answers depending on the misconception considered, which indicates that item features and contexts may have an effect on students’ answers. All together, these findings provide evidence for considerable persistence of teleological and essentialist misconceptions among students. We suggest future directions for thinking, studying, and analyzing students’ conceptions about biological phenomena.

scholarly journals A comparison of a first and third year UG enterprise unit: lessons from experiential learning and interdisciplinarity

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Sanchez-Romaguera ◽  
Robert A Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Interdisciplinary Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
University Curriculum ◽  
Enterprise Education ◽  
Growth Of Knowledge ◽  
The University ◽  
University Of Manchester

Drawing from several years of experience, this work describes lessons learnt in designing, delivering and assessing two interdisciplinary enterprise units offered undergraduate students from any discipline studing at the University of Manchester (UK). Both units are electives (optional). One unit is delivered to first year undergrdaute students whereas the other unit is delivered to third/fourth year undergraduate students. Experiential learning and interdisciplinary cohorts are core aspects of both units. Students work on ‘real-world’ projects to develop a credible and competitive solution within a tight dead-line. In this paper, findings are drawn from data collected from staff and teaching assistants observations, students’ reflective diaries and students’ feedback. Findings showed that in general, students at both levels, year 1 and year 3/4, regarded the experience challenging at first due to the ‘unusual’ learning environment when compared to the education that most students have experienced prior to the units here discussed. However, most students highly regarded the interdisciplinary experiential learning experience. The paper contributes to the growth of knowledge and aids understanding of how experiential learning and interdisciplinarity have been effectively combined and introduced in the university curriculum. Although this works focused on enterprise education the experience-based guidance here described is also applicable to a much wider range of situations and academic areas of study. Keywords: Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education; Employability; Experiential learning; Interdisciplinary education;

scholarly journals Identity development through study abroad experiences: Storied accounts

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-493
Author(s):  
Harumi Kimura ◽  
Brenda Hayashi
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
First Year ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
L2 Learning ◽  
The Usa

This study investigated three Japanese L2 learners who joined a government-funded, short-term study abroad program in the USA during their first year of college. Four years after the program, we interviewed the learners about their overseas experiences. We also asked what they had done during their university years after the program. We then analyzed their accounts to explore participants’ linguistic and personal growth during and after the program. Their stories offered important insights into what short-term study abroad programs should provide: critical experiences that participants embrace through meeting and communicating with new people in L2s for the purpose of mutual understanding. When participants perceived their experiences to be successful and valuable and felt a desire to become a more efficient L2 user, they took actions to improve their L2 skills in relation to other life goals after returning home. Furthermore, their L2 identities are likely interwoven with their current and aspiring personal identities. As such, their stories are self-development trajectories and evidence of L2-learning-mediated personal growth through social interaction. We propose that short-term study programs: (a) avoid an exclusive focus on L2 learning on-site, (b) include ample opportunities of meaningful social interaction, and (c) target first-year students. 

scholarly journals Promoting Student Engagement: The Efficacy of a Criminal Justice Short-Term Study Abroad Program

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-159
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Capps ◽  
Jennifer Bradford ◽  
Hyon Namgung
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
State University ◽  
Short Term ◽  
University Of Denver ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Study Abroad Program

In this study, the authors assessed student engagement during a short-term faculty-led criminal justice study abroad course using elements of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).  Study Abroad education has been identified as a high impact learning strategy but has not been well validated particularly when delivered in a short-term format. This study is a partial replication of Rourke & Kanuka’s Student Engagement and Study Abroad study (2012). Data were collected from a group of Metropolitan State University of Denver undergraduate students over a period of two years from five different courses traveling to three different destinations for study abroad education. A comparison of responses from the two administrations of the NSSE-based surveys indicated that students’ engagement increased after their participation in the programs. Students’ knowledge in international criminal justice system also improved. Limitations and areas for further research are also discussed.

scholarly journals Chinese Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Learning:

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (Winter) ◽  
pp. 85-88
Author(s):  
Sara Bano ◽  
Qing Xia
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Study Abroad Program

In the past few years, the number of Chinese undergraduate students in short term study abroad programs have substantially increased, especially in the field of public health. However, little is known about the experiences of Chinese undergraduate students' in short-term study abroad programs in the field of healthcare. In this qualitative study, by using Transformative Learning Theory lens we tried to understand the meaning making process of Chinese undergraduate students who participated in a short-term study abroad program in the field of Public Health at an American university. The students considered their participation in short-term study abroad program as an opportunity to develop their careers and global professional identity by learning English and cultural aspects of health profession in the USA.

scholarly journals Assessing the Field Course Experiential Learning Model: Transforming Collegiate Short-term Study Abroad Experiences into Rich Learning Environments

2006 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline S. McLaughlin ◽  
D. Kent Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
Affective Learning ◽  
Learning Model ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Course Experience

This paper reports assessment findings from three cohorts of students participating in a short-term study abroad field course experience in Costa Rica, entitled, Environmental Science and Conservation Biology: A Field Study in the Biodiversity of Costa Rica, using the ‘Field Course Experiential Learning Model’ as its pedagogical framework. It describes cognitive and affective learning gains of students participating in the course.

Enhancing Holistic Learning Through a Sport Management Short-Term Study Abroad

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-106
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Springer ◽  
Arden J. Anderson ◽  
Stuart M. Dixon ◽  
Stacy M. Warner ◽  
Marlene A. Dixon
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Sport Management ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Holistic Model ◽  
Holistic Learning ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study

Sport management scholars have called for educators and students to increase their global perspectives to better reflect the globalization of the industry. Short-term study abroad trips represent an alternative to long-term study abroad trips and help address financial and temporal barriers associated with longer trips. Based on a holistic model of study abroad, the current study examined the associated outcomes of an intentional pretrip and in-trip design for sport management undergraduate students in a short-term study abroad program. Utilizing a mixed-methods design, the researchers asked students on a short-term trip to complete journals and an online survey regarding their cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal outcomes and corresponding experiences. Results indicate that students demonstrated learning in all three areas and highlight the importance for educators to identify opportunities to assist students in making meaning of their experiences and the corresponding lessons associated with those experiences. These findings provide guidance for educators on how intentionally planning pretrip and in-trip lessons can enhance holistic learning for short-term study abroad students.

scholarly journals Assessing Global Awareness over Short-Term Study Abroad Sequence: A Factor Analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Kurt ◽  
Neal Olitsky ◽  
Paul Geis
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Global Awareness ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
The Past ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Preparatory Course ◽  
The Impact

Over the past 10 years, U.S. undergraduate participation in study abroad has increased dramatically.  The majority of these study abroad experiences have durations of less than eight weeks.  Due to the rapid growth in both of these areas, there has been increased interest in assessing student outcomes associated with short-term study abroad (STSA) programs.  This paper investigates the impact of an STSA experience on undergraduate students' levels of global awareness over the entire STSA sequence: pre-preparatory course, post-preparatory course, and post-STSA program.  We adopt and extend the measures constructed in Chieffo and Griffiths (2004),by implementing a longitudinal study across 23 separate STSA courses. Findings indicate that students’ global awareness does not change significantly after the preparatory course, but that students' levels of global awareness experience statistically significant increases along several dimensions  after completing the STSA program.  We also find that students who have completed a previous study abroad experience still benefit from an additional STSA course.

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