forest sciences field education at the university of helsinki · •text, slides, video, podcast,,...

www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto 22.3.2015 1

Maatalous-metsätieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkilön

nimi / Esityksen nimi

Silva Network, Prague, June 26-27, 2017

Forest Sciences Field Education at the

University of Helsinki

Mika Rekola, University of Helsinki

www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto 2

Forest Field Station

Hyytiälä

www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto

• Background

• Field Education today

• Results on feedback and learning outcomes

• Future directions

• Conclusions

1.10.2014 3Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry/ Koot 2014-2016i

Table of Content

www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto 1.10.2014 4Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry/ Koot 2014-2016i

Background

Hyytiälä Forest Station since 1910

1910-1960

• Forest as lecture room

• Learning by doing

• Research connected to teaching

• Hyytiälä field courseseffects the development of forestryin Finland

Hyytiälä today

Organisation:– University of Helsinki

– Faculty of Agricultureand Forestry

– Department of ForestSciences/Department of Physics (SMEAR station)

– Forest land around (1000 ha) owned by State Forest and Park Service, Metsähallitus

Staff (# of employees)– Forest sciences (10)

– Physics (6)

– Technical services (3)


First year students (60 students) courses:

• Introduction to forest and forestry 1 week in

autumn for new students

• Forest ecology 2 weeks, first year students

• Silviculture, forest management,

economics and tehchnology 7 weeks

•Second and later years:• Forest management plan 2 weeks

• MET250 2 weeks

• Planning of ditch cleaning or restoration 2 weeks

• Measuring of air pollutants 2 weeks

1.10.2014 8Maatalous-metsätieteellinen tiedekunta / Koot 2014-2016

Field Education today


•Relevant theoretical model to analyse field

education is provided for example with Model of

integrative Pedagogics (Tynjälä & Gijbels 2012,

Tynjälä et al 2014).

•Learning outcomes has been measured

(Assessment) with practical tests such as plant

recognitions and tree analysis.

•Metacognitive learning assed e.g., with learning

diaries


Results on feedback and learning outcomes

www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto 10

Tynjälä (2008)

Integrative

Model of

Learning


•Instructions for learning diaries (n=29)

1. Topics

2. What you learned, summarize!

3. Perceptions of and opinions on learning outcomes and

teaching

•Results from learning diaries: main observations

‒Students perceive the possibility of integrating theoretical

knowledge with practical field experiences especially

valuable.

‒Some students are critical to any inefficiency of time

management during the field course.


Results on feedback and learning outcomes


”It was really nice to see in the nature those species that we

have learned earlier only in the lab, and it was not earlier than

now when I realized that you may identify the plant also based

on the envronment where the plant is growing. And moreover,

how some plants indicate a particular and sometimes a rare

characteristics in nature” (Student #2)

” Oli todella kiva päästä näkemään kasviluokassa pänttäämiämme lajeja luonnossa, ja nyt

vasta ymmärsi kuinka toisaalta kasvin voi tunnistaa myös sen perusteella missä se

kasvaa, ja toisaalta kuinka joku kasvi taas voi ilmentää jotain tiettyä, harvinaistakin

ominaisuutta luonnossa” (Student # 2)


Results on feedback and learning outcomes - Positive


”It was, however, very interesting when we put together the site

exploration and the soil analysis. Before we had had a look on

the site mostly based on plants. ” (Student #14)

Oli kuitenkin erittäin mielenkiintoista, kun yhdistettiin kasvupaikan tutkimiseen myös

maaperätutkimus. Aiemmin oli katsottu kasvupaikkaa lähinnä kasvien perusteella.

(Student #14)


Results on feedback and learning outcomes - Positive


• ”We had quite a lot of time per demonstration plot. So, we had

quite a lot of time for just standing there.” (student #4)

• ”Teacher’s voice was low and frequently I did not know which

plant was circulated. Talking also started before everyone

was on the site…” (Student #4)

• ”Having a party yesterday night made me feel bad, so, to

study was almost impossible. I was just along with others and

sitting on the ground, trying to keep myself not sleeping -

however not always with a good success. ” (Student #3)


Results on feedback and learning outcomes – Negative


”It has been a nice weather almost every day, and thus staying

in Hyytiälä has been more than pleasant. I truly believe this will

become the best summer ever! Big plus being all our wise

teachers and helpful assistant” (Student #3)

”Finally two and half weeks went really fast and my main

thoughts about the course are positive. I am happy that I

decided to take this course. I learned again many new things

and I can see the forest from a new perspective.” (Student #6)


Results on feedback and learning outcomes – overall feedback


• Text, slides, video, podcast,, squizz, test, simulation,

Powtoon.. (e-learning)

• Face-to face communicate with people (Reality)

• Digital communication (Social media)

• Augmented, Mixed, and Virtual Rearlity (AR/MR/VR)

16

Future directions

HU Virtual Reality lab


• More attention to ”new” learning

outomes:

• Generic skills: group work,

communication, time

management, …

• Self-regulative knowledge:

agency & independence, self

awareness,

• ”Communication not only

with forest but people. To get

to know yourself as well”

17

…Future directions


• Traditional Field Courses highly relevant (but costly)

• New “field” learning methods coming (SoMe, e-

learning, VR)

• Learning outside academia: work, internship, hobbies,

volunteer activities,

• Importance of generic skills and self-regulation

(motivation and agency)


Conclusions:


Tynjälä, P. (2008). Perspectives into learning at

the workplace. Educational research

review, 3(2), 130-154.

19

References


Contact details

[email protected]


Thank you!

mailto:[email protected]

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