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The Field Study as an Educational Technique in Open and Distance Learning

Year 2006, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 10 - 17, 01.12.2006

Abstract

The main characteristic of Distance Learning is that the student is taught and learns without his tutor’s physical presence in the classroom. The opportunity for a direct (face to face) communication between all members of the educational group [tutor counselor (TC) and students] in Distance Learning is offered by the Tutorials/Contact Sessions (CS). Although these CSs are not compulsory, it is estimated that they are of high importance, since among other things, they help in clarifying difficult to understand points and they also help in the cognitive subject becoming more fully comprehensible by the student (Holmberg 1995). For the discussion of the various issues at the CSs many different educational techniques within the framework of adult education such as teamwork, short lectures, debates, questions and answers, case studies, simulations, role play, etc are used in combination. These are techniques raising the student’s interest, facilitating his/her participation in the learning process and developing interaction between TC and students and between students themselves. They also create a learning and research environment; encourage the students to work in a group and to learn by acting (Kokkos 1998). One of these educational techniques is the field study, which is the subject of this paper. To this day, no research has been carried out for the possibility of implementation of this technique in Distance Learning nor have any results of such implementation been studied. This paper comprising of three parts contains a general presentation of the field study as a teaching technique in the first part while in the second part the successive stages of development of this technique in Distance Learning are analyzed. Finally, in the third part the students’ views of Hellenic Open University on this technique are presented.

References

  • BLACKMORE, C. (1998) Environmental Education through Distance Education and Open Learning in the UK, L W. Filho & F Tahir (Eds), Distance Education and environmental Education. Germany: Peter Lang Gmb, 21-41.
  • CLOVER, D. (1998) Developing international environmental adult education, L W. Filho & F Tahir (Eds), A Sourebook for Environmental Education - A Practical Review Based on the Belgade Charter. Carnforth: Parthenon Publishing.
  • DAVIDSON, C. M. (1981) The Field Course as an Instructional Medium in Community Studies. Journal of Georgaphy, 80 (5) 176-179.
  • FALK, J. & BALLING, J. (1980). The school field trip: Where you go makes a difference, Science and Children, 6-8.
  • FILHO, W. L. (1998) Environmental Education and Distance Education, Filho,W.L. & Tahir,F (Eds):Distance Education and environmental Education. Germany: Peter Lang GmbH, 9-19.
  • HAMMERMAN, W. (Ed.). (1980) Fifty years of resident outdoor education, 1930-1980, Martinsville: American Camping Association.
  • HAMMERMAN, D., HAMMERMAN, E., & HAMMERMAN, W. (2000). Teaching in the outdoors, (4th ed.), Danville, IL: Interstate Publishers.
  • HOLMBERG, B. (1995) Theory and Practice of Distance Education, Routledge.
  • JACOBSON, W. J. (Ed) (1986) Module for In-service Training of Science Teachers and Supervisors for Secondary Schools. EE Series 8 Paris: Unesco, 103-104.
  • KERN, E. & CARPENTER, J. (1984) Enhancement of student values, interests, and attitudes in earth science through a field-oriented approach, Journal of Geological Education, 32, 299-305.
  • KERN, E. & CARPENTER, J. (1986) Effects of Field Activities on Student Learning, Journal of Geological Education 34, 180-182.
  • KNAPP, D. (2000) Memorable experiences of a science field trip, School Science and Mathematics, 11(2), 65-71.
  • KOKKOS, A. (1998) Instruction techniques in Contact Sessions/Tutorials, Relationships between tutors and students. Open and Distance Education. A. Kokkos and A. Lionarakis (Eds.) Patra: Hellenic Open University, Vol. Β, 125-149.
  • KOKKOS, A (1999) Adult Education, Vol. D, Patra: Hellenic Open University 55-57.
  • MASON, J. L (1980) Field Work in Earth Science Classes, School Science and Mathematics 80, 317-322.
  • MCRAE, K. (1990) Introduction to the Purposes and Practices of Outdoor Education, K. McRae (Ed), Outdoor and environmental education, South Melbourne, Australia: Macmillan
  • MOLES J. A. (1988) The Classroom and the Field: A Necessary Unity, Journal of Experiential Education, 11 (2), 14-20.
  • ORION, N. (1993) A model for the development and implementation of field trips as an integral part of the science curriculum, School Science and Mathematics, 93 (6), 325-331.
  • ORION, N. & HOFSTEIN, A. (1994) Factors that influence learning during a scientific field in a natural environment, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31(10), 1097-1119.
  • PAPADIMITRIOU, B. (2002) The use of environment in the educational process and the “practical theories” of the teachers, G. Bagakis (Ed.), The teacher as researcher, Athens: Metaixmio, 349-356.
  • PRIEST, S. (1993) Important components of outdoor leadership, Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 5 (4), 13-16.
  • ROGERS, A. (1996) Teaching Adults, Open University Press, 114-115.
  • VASSALA, P. (2003) Communication between the students of the Module in “Open and Distance Education” of the Hellenic Open University, A Lionarakis (Ed), 2nd Panhellenic Conference on Open and Distance Education Conference Proceedings, 296-306.

Paraskevi VASSALA

Year 2006, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 10 - 17, 01.12.2006

Abstract

References

  • BLACKMORE, C. (1998) Environmental Education through Distance Education and Open Learning in the UK, L W. Filho & F Tahir (Eds), Distance Education and environmental Education. Germany: Peter Lang Gmb, 21-41.
  • CLOVER, D. (1998) Developing international environmental adult education, L W. Filho & F Tahir (Eds), A Sourebook for Environmental Education - A Practical Review Based on the Belgade Charter. Carnforth: Parthenon Publishing.
  • DAVIDSON, C. M. (1981) The Field Course as an Instructional Medium in Community Studies. Journal of Georgaphy, 80 (5) 176-179.
  • FALK, J. & BALLING, J. (1980). The school field trip: Where you go makes a difference, Science and Children, 6-8.
  • FILHO, W. L. (1998) Environmental Education and Distance Education, Filho,W.L. & Tahir,F (Eds):Distance Education and environmental Education. Germany: Peter Lang GmbH, 9-19.
  • HAMMERMAN, W. (Ed.). (1980) Fifty years of resident outdoor education, 1930-1980, Martinsville: American Camping Association.
  • HAMMERMAN, D., HAMMERMAN, E., & HAMMERMAN, W. (2000). Teaching in the outdoors, (4th ed.), Danville, IL: Interstate Publishers.
  • HOLMBERG, B. (1995) Theory and Practice of Distance Education, Routledge.
  • JACOBSON, W. J. (Ed) (1986) Module for In-service Training of Science Teachers and Supervisors for Secondary Schools. EE Series 8 Paris: Unesco, 103-104.
  • KERN, E. & CARPENTER, J. (1984) Enhancement of student values, interests, and attitudes in earth science through a field-oriented approach, Journal of Geological Education, 32, 299-305.
  • KERN, E. & CARPENTER, J. (1986) Effects of Field Activities on Student Learning, Journal of Geological Education 34, 180-182.
  • KNAPP, D. (2000) Memorable experiences of a science field trip, School Science and Mathematics, 11(2), 65-71.
  • KOKKOS, A. (1998) Instruction techniques in Contact Sessions/Tutorials, Relationships between tutors and students. Open and Distance Education. A. Kokkos and A. Lionarakis (Eds.) Patra: Hellenic Open University, Vol. Β, 125-149.
  • KOKKOS, A (1999) Adult Education, Vol. D, Patra: Hellenic Open University 55-57.
  • MASON, J. L (1980) Field Work in Earth Science Classes, School Science and Mathematics 80, 317-322.
  • MCRAE, K. (1990) Introduction to the Purposes and Practices of Outdoor Education, K. McRae (Ed), Outdoor and environmental education, South Melbourne, Australia: Macmillan
  • MOLES J. A. (1988) The Classroom and the Field: A Necessary Unity, Journal of Experiential Education, 11 (2), 14-20.
  • ORION, N. (1993) A model for the development and implementation of field trips as an integral part of the science curriculum, School Science and Mathematics, 93 (6), 325-331.
  • ORION, N. & HOFSTEIN, A. (1994) Factors that influence learning during a scientific field in a natural environment, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31(10), 1097-1119.
  • PAPADIMITRIOU, B. (2002) The use of environment in the educational process and the “practical theories” of the teachers, G. Bagakis (Ed.), The teacher as researcher, Athens: Metaixmio, 349-356.
  • PRIEST, S. (1993) Important components of outdoor leadership, Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 5 (4), 13-16.
  • ROGERS, A. (1996) Teaching Adults, Open University Press, 114-115.
  • VASSALA, P. (2003) Communication between the students of the Module in “Open and Distance Education” of the Hellenic Open University, A Lionarakis (Ed), 2nd Panhellenic Conference on Open and Distance Education Conference Proceedings, 296-306.
There are 23 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Paraskevi Vassala This is me

Publication Date December 1, 2006
Submission Date February 27, 2015
Published in Issue Year 2006 Volume: 7 Issue: 4

Cite

APA Vassala, P. (2006). The Field Study as an Educational Technique in Open and Distance Learning. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 7(4), 10-17.