Assessing the Influence of Field- and GIS-based Inquiry on Student Attitude and Conceptual Knowledge in an Undergraduate Ecology Lab
Assessing the Influence of Field- and GIS-based Inquiry on Student Attitude and Conceptual Knowledge in an Undergraduate Ecology Lab
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DOI：
10.1187/cbe.07-07-0050
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发表时间：
2008-09-01
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
Lopez, R. R.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Simmons, M. E.;Wu, X. B.;Lopez, R. R.
将实地经验与信息技术的使用相结合，有可能创造一个以问题为基础的学习环境，使学习者参与真正的科学探究。这项研究，进行了2年的时间，确定在现场实验室和学生相结合的领域和地理信息系统（GIS）的经验，学生之间的态度和概念知识的差异。所有学生都使用无线电遥测设备来定位狐狸松鼠，而一组学生则获得了地理信息系统中的额外数据集，以可视化和量化松鼠的位置。前/后调查和测试显示，态度改善，在第一年的两组学生，但组之间的差异很小。态度普遍下降，在第2年，由于实地经验的真实性的变化，但是，使用GIS的学生的态度下降比那些只有实地经验。概念知识也增加了这两个群体在这两年。这个实验室的实地性质可能有更大的影响学生的态度和概念知识比GIS的使用。虽然显着的差异是有限的，地理信息系统并没有负面影响学生的态度或概念知识，但可能提供其他好处的学习者。
Combining field experience with use of information technology has the potential to create a problem-based learning environment that engages learners in authentic scientific inquiry. This study, conducted over a 2-yr period, determined differences in attitudes and conceptual knowledge between students in a field lab and students with combined field and geographic information systems (GIS) experience. All students used radio-telemetry equipment to locate fox squirrels, while one group of students was provided an additional data set in a GIS to visualize and quantify squirrel locations. Pre/postsurveys and tests revealed that attitudes improved in year 1 for both groups of students, but differences were minimal between groups. Attitudes generally declined in year 2 due to a change in the authenticity of the field experience; however, attitudes for students that used GIS declined less than those with field experience only. Conceptual knowledge also increased for both groups in both years. The field-based nature of this lab likely had a greater influence on student attitude and conceptual knowledge than did the use of GIS. Although significant differences were limited, GIS did not negatively impact student attitude or conceptual knowledge but potentially provided other benefits to learners.