LESSONS LEARNED ON EFFECTIVELY INCORPORATING REGIONAL FIELD TRIPS INTO CLASSES

Over the last decade we have been offering sections of required courses to students that include a regional field trip as a significant portion of the course. These sections provide opportunities for students to gain field experiences while completing a required portion of their curriculum. The format of these courses varies, but generally the students meet for a portion of a semester on campus and then participate in a regional field trip that lasts from 1 to 3 weeks. Clear advantages of field trips are the traveling and discovery of new areas, the social interactions that trips promote and the memorable "hands on" learning experiences that field trips provide. We will share our recommendations for planning such field trips and strategies for promoting student engagement during the field trip.

While field trip planning begins with a thorough review of the literature, we have found reconnaissance trips particularly valuable in designing quality trips. These trips have also allowed us to arrange for local experts in the field to share their insights with the class. A key recommendation for planning is the development of strategies for adapting to the inevitable changes that occur on the road. Co-teaching of the courses has a number of advantages, including dealing with crises. Another improvement has been cross-listing our courses with other departments, which has helped create a more diverse student body.

We have also worked to more fully engage students during the field trip by promoting a discovery and inquiry approach rather than the traditional show and tell. This staged approach first emphasizes student observations and interpretations on the outcrop, and is then followed by discussion and handouts. Students also record and reflect on the trip in detailed field trip journals. In some courses students prepare and give outcrop presentations to the class. We have also engaged students in a service learning project during one field trip. To assist us in assessment and evaluation of student learning in the course, we have pre-trip exams and have content questions on the outcrop that students answer in their journals. With careful planning, field trips can be an educational and memorable experience and provide an understanding of the earth from a geological perspective that is hard to simulate in the classroom setting.