PS2 R3a Moving place-based field trips online

Title

Moving place-based field trips online

Author(s)

• Dave Kendal, School of Technology, Environments and Design, CoSE
• Shasta Henry, School of Technology, Environments and Design, CoSE
• Robert Anders, School of Technology, Environments and Design, CoSE

Subtheme

Connected to place

Presentation Type

Lightning Presentation

Room

Room 3

Time

11.35-12.00

Abstract

Moving teaching online rapidly, in accordance with the University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, was a major challenge for place-based teaching in disciplines such as Geography. Here we present two examples of how place-based field trips were moved online. In the first example (for KGA332; Conserving Nature in Landscapes) Shasta Henry and Dave Kendal used hand-held videos recorded on a mobile phone to achieve a sense of movement through the landscape for an urban ecology field trip. In the second example (for KGA172; Space, Place and Nature) more static recordings were made of Wellington Park Trust ranger Ben Masterman and Geography and Spatial Science’s Aboriginal Education & Strategy Officer Rob Anders (although the changeable weather added some colour to the video). Consistent with previous studies (e.g. Friess et al., 2016), we believe the pedagogical value of the virtual experiences was lower than with previous In-Real-Life field trips. It remains a challenge for teaching staff to create deep learning opportunities through virtual field-trips; which were much more easily created in real life field trips and include important senses such as touch and smell. There are opportunities for Disciplines and UTAS in enabling better virtual place-based experiences.

References

Friess, D., Oliver, G., Quak, M., & Lau, A. (2016). Incorporating “virtual” and “real world” field trips into introductory geography modules’, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 40(4), 546-564.