FIELD-BASED LEARNING IN TEACHER PREPARATION: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Integrating EarthCaching into a science content course for pre-service elementary teachers is one approach to increasing field learning opportunities in teacher education. EarthCaches are a type of geocache that focus on learning about the geosciences by visiting unusual Earth features. As part of a study of pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward field-based learning and their intentions to use field experiences in their own classrooms, undergraduates in a science course covering earth science and physics content completed a guided, study-designed EarthCache experience with the instructor and then completed two more as a class activity on their own time. Participants were able to choose when and how they completed the activity, including whether or not to go with other classmates. Participants then completed surveys and semi-structured interviews about their EarthCaching experiences. The interviews asked students how participation in EarthCaching impacted their learning of course content and intentions to use EarthCaching/field-based activities in their future teaching, while open-ended survey questions asked for descriptions of memorable and surprising aspects of the EarthCache activities. Using a qualitative thematic analysis approach, researchers examined the survey and interview responses for patterns and themes. Some participants found that seeing real world examples of earth science concepts enhanced their learning, while others struggled to connect the experience with course content. Participants preferred a guided experience that clearly linked the EarthCaching activity to course content. After completing the EarthCaches, most participants felt more confident in using field-based activities in their own future teaching, but also had a realization of the significant preparation needed to implement field learning with younger students. Overall, EarthCaching, as an example of field-based learning, was viewed by participants as a valuable learning activity for young students. These findings point to the value of using field-based experiences like EarthCaching in courses for pre-service teachers, but also underscore the critical role of instructors in making connections between the experience outside and the content inside the classroom. The research provides insights on how to integrate field-based learning into teacher preparation programs and also develop pre-service teachers' self-efficacy and skills to engage students in the field.