Leading Effective Fieldtrips: Using Aquariums to Teach Secondary Students Form and Function

Megan Ennes – Informal Educator and EVS Graduate Student

Dennis S. Kubasko, Jr. – Associate Professor, School of Education

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Why are Fieldtrips Important?

They Offer:NoveltyHands on ExperienceInquiry-based Learning

Changing Educational Practices

North Carolina Standard Course of Study

End of Grade/Course Testing No Child Left Behind

How to Make Fieldtrips More Effective

Collaboration between teachers and informal science educators

Teacher workshops Pre- and Post-visit activities

Research Question

Do pre- and post-visit activities make fieldtrips more effective by promoting knowledge acquisition and retention?

The Participants

Total Students 13

Female: 10

Male: 3

Age:

15: 8

16: 3

17: 2

18: 0

Total Students 13

Female: 7

Male: 6

Age:

15: 6

16: 5

17: 1

18: 1

Control Group Experimental Group

Materials

Pre- and Post-Tests Teacher Packet:

Introduction to the AquariumPre-Visit ActivitiesOn-Site ActivitiesPost-Visit ActivitiesSupplemental Worksheets

Procedural Timeline

Material Activity Location Time Frame

1 Pre-Test High School 1 Week Prior

2 Introduction High School Day 1

3 Pre-Visit Activities High School Day 1

4 On-Site Activities High School Day 2

4 On-Site Activities Aquarium Day 3

5 Post-Visit Activities High School Day 4-5

6 Post-Test 1 High School Day 8

7 Post-Test 2 High School Day 35

Pre- and Post-Tests

Pre-Test Tests for Prior

Knowledge Post-Test 1

Tests for Acquisition of Knowledge

Opinion-based Questions for Evaluation

Post-Test 2 Tests for

Retention

Pre-Visit Activities

These Include:An Electronic Presentation Containing

an Introduction to Coral ReefsA Vocabulary List to Supplement the

Introduction There are Two Formats

Teacher DirectedStudent Centered

Pre-Visit Activities (Cont)

Teacher Directed:Coral Reef Electronic Presentation

On-Site Activities

These Include:An electronic presentation that

introduces form versus functionA “Create a Fish” ActivityStudent observations of the fishes in

the tanks

On-Site - Activity 1

Due to time constraints onsite activity 1 took place at the high school

Form Versus Function Electronic Presentation

“Create a Fish” Activity

Student Examples

On-Site - Activity 2

On-site at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Fish observations Each student

Selected 3 FishesSketched and Observed the FishesAnswered Questions on a Worksheet

about each Fish

Student Examples

Post-Visit Activities

There are Two Options:Write a Scientific Paper

• Honors or AP Classes• Can collaborate with interdisciplinary

subjects (such as English classes)Create an Electronic Presentation

• On-level classes or classes with time restrictions

• Covers the SCOS goals• Allows students to practice their public

speaking skills

Post-Visit Activities

Electronic Presentation Including:3 Facts about Coral and Coral ReefsExplain Form Versus Function1 Section: Mouth Shape, Body Shape

or Tail Shape3 Fishes They Observed at the

Aquarium3 Images Found on the Internet

Post-Visit Activities (Cont)

Share Their Electronic Presentations with the ClassPractice Their Public Speaking Skills

Supplemental Worksheets

These Include:All the Worksheets Needed for Each

ActivityFish Fact Sheets

Post-Tests

The First Post-Test was Given 5 Days After the FieldtripIt Included Opinion-based Questions

for Evaluation The Second Post-Test was Given 30

Days After the Field Trip

Conclusions

Both Classes Showed Improvement The Experimental Class had a Greater

Overall Improvement This Suggests that Pre- and Post-Visit

Activities are Helpful Both Classes Improved Between Post-Tests

This Could be Due to Content Review in Class

This Suggests Retention

Anecdotal Evidence

Student Behavior ChangesMore On-track BehaviorParticipating in Field-Trip Activities

Recommendations

Always include Pre- and Post-Visit Activities

Use your local resources! Encourage formal educators to

collaborate with educators at Informal Science Settings