Fieldwork is absolutely essential for applying
everything that we teach in the classroom
because until you get out and see things in
real life it’s very difficult to put things
into scale and application. How do these theoretical
concepts work in real life because there is
often a disparity between theory and reality?
So it enables the students to think about
the problems in actually applying what they’re
learning and they can see how the limitations
of those theories can come up and maybe how
they can come up with new ideas of how to
tackle those problems.
Well you can apply the same techniques that
you learn, say, in the lab when we’re doing
chemistry experiments; we’ve just done it
now in the stream. So it helps you actually
see how it can relate to the real world. It’s
time for like bonding with your mates on the
course and getting to know the lecturers.
So our first decision is that we’re going
to use the higher concentration of sulphuric
acid. In first year the field trips are quite
prescribed in that we’re teaching them the
methods they need. Then for all of our students
for Environmental Science and Geography the
field courses they do in second year and so
on depend on which particular modules they’ve
chosen. So if they’ve chosen, for example,
hydrology modules then they’ll go to Turkey
or Bala, maybe Portugal. If they’ve chosen
ones more related to geology, for example,
we take them to Turkey or to Malta. So the
field course really do depend on what the
students are specialising in and they are
tailored to being the best field site for
the specific thing we are teaching.
Are they single, linear or central? On the
app which we used as tree id we could put
in what the bark looks like, what shape the
leaves are, how the leaves are on the tree
(whether they’re alternate or opposite).
Then it comes up with the most likely options
– sycamore – so whichever one’s most
likely we can have a look at the leaves and
see if it fits in.
We get the students to work in a team to tackle
a problem of some description using the techniques
that they’re learning. So that’s a really
important skill for careers where they’re
applying their knowledge to solving problems;
management problems , things to do with human
issues. And that allows them to really practice
those skills that employers are looking for.
Having an opportunity to practice this; first
year, second year and then third year will
definitely give me more skills and more chances
maybe to get work because this is an experience
that probably other people do not have.
So if you’re a plant down here, when’s
going to be the best time to grow? Yeah, autumn,
winter, spring. So, clear off all the leaves,
as they’ve recently fallen.
But then we also have the specialist, subject-specific
skills that are of interest to employers.
Things like identifying plant species which
is very important in, sort of, conservation
and environmental subjects. We have measuring
stream velocity and understanding those sorts
of concepts. Very important for flooding management
and those sort of aspects.
Today we’ve been able to find lots of calcium
in the water which, we’re able to do the
titrations we see nice colour changes and
they remember that and it helps them understand
some of the work we do in the lab and some
of the underlying principles.
The fieldwork lets me understand the different
ecologies in the system, what different vegetations
are there, how does the river move and what
organisms live inside the rivers. So it gives
a better understanding of the ecology of the
environment.
So being out in the field, doing observations,
doing measurements, doing the calculations
and then using those to make decisions it’s
something that can’t be taught any other
way than out here in the field.
