EMERGENT THEMES FROM AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF A FIELD CAMP COURSE

An ethnographic study was conducted on an undergraduate field course in 2009 to observe and document lived experiences of students. This paper presents a survey of four previously unreported themes, including 1) risk behavior during land traverses, 2) perceived links between athleticism and academic success, 3) “gatekeeping” behavior among instructional staff and 4) general understandings of how much/how many field courses are “enough.” The first three themes are related, but the fourth stands alone.

A division was observed between those students who were risk-averse and those who were not when it came to land navigation. Risk-averse students tried to avoid rugged topography. Other students navigated the landscape with little concern for exertion or personal safety. Risk-averse students tended to perceive their own athleticism, or lack thereof, as an indicator or predictor of their learning outcomes. Some instructional staff appeared to make pedagogical choices based on perceptions of risk and athleticism, essentially acting as gatekeepers.

Finally, curricular choices have an impact on student learning in the field. In particular, the choice of how many credits of field camp to require for a degree program, and how many credits a field camp course is worth, seem unrelated to the student learning experience. However, these curricular issues appeared to negatively impact self-perceptions of success among some students.