Undergraduate field experiences in the natural sciences: Mapping future research opportunities

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Xoco Shinbrot, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Background/Question/Methods
Undergraduate field courses can facilitate transformative learning experiences, contribute to individuals’ connection to nature, while developing student collaborative and research-based transferable skills. However, field courses vary in their design and implementation so understanding how to achieve student outcomes is critically needed. We present a conceptual framework to guide future research aimed at understanding what internal (e.g. previous field course experience) and external factors (e.g. field course costs) contribute to student outcomes in field courses. The research is grounded in a team-based systematic scoping review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)checklist to investigate in replicable and rigorous way for-credit US-based undergraduate field courses in the natural sciences.
Results/Conclusions
The resulting evidence (n=61) is used to highlight gaps in the field course literature for the research community to rigorously examine. We offer this evidence to emphasize the need for further research into certain types of student outcomes (e.g. affective and behavioral), using rigorous validated assessment methods.