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Gateshead College

Year 1: Supporting Science in the Field 2007/2008

 

 

 

Supporting Science in the Field (SSIF) has been a collaborative project between Gateshead, Newcastle and Sunderland Colleges in the north east of England. The project focused on the use of mobile technologies in vocational and applied science courses across the three institutions. 

The project also sought to support the personalised learning agenda, give learners opportunities to explore how they would wish to use the technologies and seek their impressions on the value of its use.

The mobile technologies selected were those that would support field trips and associated activities both in terms of gathering evidence in the field and reviewing learning once back in the classroom. The key purchase was a personal digital assistant (PDA) for every participating student and most of the research and evaluation focused on the use of this device.

The main research specifically focused on strategies for training, issues that need to be addressed when implementing mobile technologies and the contribution of mobile technologies to an improved teaching and learning experience.

The experience of the project was very positive and the technology proved useful and exciting for staff and students. Students were particularly pleased with the amount and quality of evidence they could collect in the field. Staff found that the exercise of detailed evidence gathering greatly enhanced further learning in the classroom. 

College and Project Background

The Supporting Science in the Field (SSIF) MoLeNET project was collaborative with activity equally split between three neighbouring colleges in north east England: Gateshead College, Newcastle College and City of Sunderland College. The project focused on the science curriculum and the use of mobile technologies in field trips and subsequent learning activities.

This particular subject area was chosen for two reasons. First, each project partner is expanding and developing their curriculum in science-related areas.  New areas of the science and sports science curriculum are being developed at further education and higher education levels with a particular view to widening participation. It was therefore thought that the use of mobile technologies would play a key role in the further development of these areas.

Second, it is an essential part of the science curriculum for learners to take part in field trips and practical activities. Outside the lab or classroom, learners usually have no access to electronic resources, tools and equipment: e-learning is not integrated into this part of the curriculum. The SSIF project provided learners with technology to record data, capture evidence, recall prior learning and explore other opportunities to enhance their learning experience in the field and then develop this learning back in the classroom, thus strengthening the relationship between learning in the field and learning in the classroom. 

On a broader basis the project sought to support the personalised learning agenda by giving learners opportunities to explore how they would wish to use the technologies and seeking their impressions on the value of its use. It was decided to drive the project through one or two cohorts of learners per institution with the priority on 16–19 year olds on full-time programmes at Levels 2 and 3.  However, it was also stressed that the equipment was there to be used by other students supported by the lecturers so that Level 1 and HE learners were peripherally involved.

In deciding what equipment to purchase the underlying rationale of the project was to promote integrated learning in the field and in the classroom. The key purchase was PDAs that would allow each learner to access pre-loaded materials/activities, capture video/sound evidence in the field, take notes and subsequently share, view and reflect on the evidence. 

Project aims

• Introduce a range of personalised learning activities and technologies into a fieldwork environment
• Effectively link fieldwork activity to classroom and science lab-based activity
• Pilot and evaluate differentiated learning approaches using mobile technologies
• Identify and share best practice in driving forward the personalisation and information and learning technology (ILT) agendas
• Evaluate the effectiveness and benefits resulting from the introduction of the technologies adopted.

Key objectives

• Support learners’ practical project work within a fieldwork setting
• Record data and visual evidence of scientific experiments
• Promote flexible target-setting
• Support assessment for learning in a flexible way
• Provide on-demand access to specialist software and information banks.
• Evaluate the activities in the light of the benefits and possible constraints of using mobile technologies
• Drive the building of a science-based practitioner network to support varied and effective uses of mobile technology.

Benefits

Benefits for learners, across all learner groups

Learners gained:

• increased flexibility and variety in learning activities
• indications of improved motivation
• some improvements in quality and timeliness of assignment submissions
• increased diversity of assessment methods
• improved links between field work and class-based work.

Benefits for staff

Staff gained:

• streamlined assessment
• indications of improved learner motivation
• improved resource availability supporting increased flexibility and variety in learning activities.

Benefits for the lead college

The lead college gained the same benefits as the other partners.

Benefits for institutions taking part (partners and colleges)

The partners gained:

• experience in managing and utilising mobile technologies
• positive publicity for partners (press releases)
• benefits of networking and shared staff development activity.

Teaching and learning lessons

There are two contrasting approaches to introducing mobile technologies to support teaching and learning.

It is possible to present the learners with the technology and allow them to use it as a generic means of supporting their learning activity. The learners enjoy experimenting with the technology and can find some interesting and unexpected ways in which to use it (eg photographing a Powerpoint slide as an alternative to notetaking). This approach provides learners with a flexible tool that can be used to meet their specific needs.

Generally in SSIF a different approach has been taken – specific teaching and learning activity has been carefully planned by teachers to make maximum use of the mobile technologies. With this approach, planning is key, with opportunities for use of technology integrated into schemes of work, lesson plans and assignments. This approach has advantages in that learners can more readily see direct advantages in having the technology and will usually be more focused on the task in hand.

In the longer term, a good balance of the two approaches is probably needed, allowing learners the scope and ownership to find their own way with the technology, while also encouraging teachers to adapt resources/activities to provide appropriate opportunities to use the technology.

Project management lessons

Having a very clear agreed goal and focus for the project from an early stage has been a great help in ensuring the smooth running of the project.

It also helps to have a named management/co-ordination lead within each partner organisation. 

MoLeNET deadlines were always known to be challenging and the project team were experienced enough to realise that the project had to be planned and designed accordingly. Cautious planning was used to anticipate problems arising from the time-critical, higher risk aspects of the project such as delays in fund transfer and equipment procurement.

Partnership working lessons

Whole-team development sessions were very helpful to help build the confidence and capabilities of staff.

Partnerships work best where there are tried—and-tested relationships and links, as well as common needs. Partnership work is beneficial but it does require time and therefore has cost implications if it is to be effective.

Making good use of the support offered by the MoLeNET mentor was a positive feature of SSIF.

The shared MoLeNET Moodle area specifically for the project was helpful.