Field teaching is an essential component of botany and ecology; however, field classes were among the most likely to be cancelled during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual alternatives that could be used to meet learning outcomes for botany (e.g. plant identification, surveying skills development) were largely unavailable at this…

This paper considers a range of factors that may contribute to an unwillingness or inability of teachers to participate in the teaching of biology through fieldwork. Through a synthesis of the views of both pre-service teachers in training and primary school teachers in practice we explore the relative importance of a wide range of potential…

Providing undergraduate biology students with ecological knowledge and environmental awareness is critical for developing professionalism in sustainable development. In addition to the cognitive and psychomotor development, outdoor ecological exercises combining place-based education and experiential learning can stimulate the affective domain of…

Field work and field courses within undergraduate biology degrees have been under threat in recent years for multiple reasons and while there has been widespread support from learned societies, academic staff and students for the retention of field study, there has been little research to support the perceived value of field teaching within this…

This paper describes how second/third year undergraduates with little prior botanical knowledge, attending a one-week field course in Western Scotland, were enabled to complete within one day an intensive phytosociological exercise. They showed that two stands of heathland vegetation were objectively different through identification of plants,…

In September 2002, Salter's Nuffield Advanced Biology ("SNAB") began a three year pilot phase in schools, representing the first major innovation in UK biology education since the 1970s. One part of the AS level coursework was a report on an "Issue of Biological Interest". This could be based on an actual visit outside school…

Presents three designs for the construction of a school pond. Explains the use of the pond as a teaching resource to illustrate certain ecological principles and makes suggestions for appropriate quantitative student projects. (Author/GS)

The concept of community energy flow provides a basis for a field course. This paper describes the methodology used in a field course for estimating parameters and for monitoring physical environmental variables. The paper culminates in the construction of a model of energy flow through the community. (Author/MA)

Describes layouts for converting a high-top van into a multipurpose laboratory and transport for a college biological sciences department. (CS)

A residential fieldwork program is described, which is part of a biology course in a one-year teacher-training program. For those students with little expertise in field biology, a course is provided in addition to a school-based tutor. For those with the necessary background, an opportunity is provided to plan and teach a residential course. (BB)

Presents a method for calculating age specific expectation of life for human populations by examining obituary entries in newspapers, tombstones, and parish records. Examples are given which illustrate large differences between the sexes, social classes, and dates at a given locality. (Author/CS)

Suggests that teachers actively involve students in biological fieldwork through the use of self-guided educational trails. (LS)

A method is described for the construction of 3-dimensional map models which are portable and strong enough to be taken into the field. The construction method involves alternating portions of colored maps between sheets of perspex of a thickness which will give the vertical exaggeration desired. (BR)

Reviews methods for obtaining accurate and reproducible results in determining zonation patterns on rocky shores. (CS)

Addresses problems associated with biology fieldwork and the teaching of ecology. Points out the need for the development of an objective approach in evaluating the effectiveness of fieldwork exercises. Reports on the evaluation of concept education by transect exercises. (ML)