The benefits of residential fieldwork for school science : insights from a five-year initiative for inner-city students in the UK

International audienceThere is considerable international interest in the value of residential fieldwork for school students. In the UK, pressures on curriculum time, rising costs and heightened concern over students' safety are curtailing residential experiences. Collaboration between several key providers across the UK created an extensive programme of residential courses for 11-14 year olds in London schools from 2004-2008. Some 33,000 students from 849 schools took part. This paper draws on the evaluation of the programme that gathered questionnaire, interview and observational data from 2706 participating students, 70 teachers and 869 parents / carers from 46 schools mainly in deprived areas of the city. Our findings revealed that students' collaborative skills improved and interpersonal relationships were strengthened and taken back to school. Gains were strongest in social and affective domains; behavioural improvements occurred for some students. Individual cognitive gains were revealed more convincingly during face-to-face interviews than through survey items. Students from socially deprived backgrounds benefitted from exposure to learning environments which promoted authentic practical inquiry. Over the five year programme, combined physical adventure and real-world experiences proved to be popular with students and their teachers. Opportunities for learning and doing science in ways not often accessible in urban school environments were opened up. Further programmes, building upon the provision of mixed curriculum-adventure course design, have been implemented across the UK as a result of the London experience. The popularity and apparent success of these combination courses suggest that providers need to consider the value of developing similar programmes in the future

What contribution can residential field courses make to the education of 11-14 year-olds?

In this article we evaluate the effects that residential field courses had for 428 KS3 (11-14 year-old) students from 10 London schools in 2004. Teachers and students reported that levels of motivation and participation were very high, particularly where activities were adventure-based rather than purely academic. Many students surpassed their own expectations of achievement during the courses, and both students and teachers felt that the general levels of trust in others and the self-confidence shown by the students on the courses were higher than in school. Teachers were very impressed overall by the development of teamwork skills amongst the students and the vast majority of students maintained or built positive relationships with each other, with teachers and with centre staff. However, although students generally recognised that they had used or learnt new subject-specific skills, few teachers had planned how to monitor the effectiveness of the learning opportunities or how to follow them up in the longer term

The sustainable development of the London 2012 Olympic Park: a real controversy? 11- to 15-year-old students’ perspectives right from the scene

In the midst of challenges facing school science education in providing students with authentic learning experiences aimed at development of important life skills for future citizens, a project at the London 2012 Olympic Park is providing a unique opportunity for urban field visits in the built environment. The Field Studies Council is bringing science students to the ‘View Tube’, to engage in fierce debate over whether the Olympic Delivery Authority’s claims about ‘the most sustainable Olympic Games ever’ stand up to scrutiny. Students have been exploring narrative evidence thoughtfully and, to date, opinions are mixed

Life as a science Early Career Teacher post-Covid: class of 2020-21

An interview between Ruth Amos, Lecturer in Science Education at UCL Institute of Education and her ex-student, Molly Westwood, which provides a secondary teacher perspective. Molly’s PGCE experience was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as was the beginning of her career in school

The Noble Brothers and Early Public Improvements in Indiana

The years from 1810 to 1840 deal with one of the most decisive periods in Indiana\u27s history, first as a territory and later as a state. Few periods have seen greater political and material development. During these years great problems, such as the organization of the state government, the disposition of the public lands by the Federal government, and the construction of internal improvements by the national and state governments, had to be solved by those who bore the responsibilities of public office. Great national political movements were in the making. These matured into powerful forces, shaping not only national policies but reaching down and influencing state political and economic alignments and policies. Among the names of families who guided the political affairs of Indiana at the beginning of statehood, none is more prominent than that of Noble. Two Noble brothers, James and Noah, rose to the highest possible positions within the commonwealth. James served as one of the first two United States senators from Indiana, and he continued a member of that body fifteen years,- until his death in 1831. Noah, the younger brother, was elected the fifth Governor of the state in 1831. The third brother, Lazarus, held the Office of Receiver of Public Moneys in the Brookville Land Office. He died at an early age

Malnutrition: Its Impact on Attendance among Primary School Pupils in Kirie Division, Embu County

This study seeks to evaluate the causes of malnutrition its extent and the effects it has on participation in learning among primary school pupils. The crucial role nutrition plays for developmental, conductive and behavioral outcomes in life’s early stages is often not well understood and appreciate acted upon by schools and parents. Kirie division is among the divisions greatly affected by irregular rain and inadequate food supplies due to drought. In this regards, it is necessary to evaluate the malnutrition effects on learning ability of children. Malnutrition is a medical condition where one is weak or ill because he/she doesn’t eat enough, or the right kind of food.  Descriptive research design was adopted. The study covered 10 schools where class one pupils were obtained from each school. Five teachers and 5 parents were selected from each school. The data was collected by use of two questionnaires, one for the teacher and the other for the parent.an interview schedule was used for the pupils. Data was analyzed by use of excel programme and presented in frequency tables, bar graphs and pie charts. From the study, it was found that poor malnutrition had an effect on learning due to increased infections, diminished cognitive ability and low school attendance rate. By improving on the feeding programme, the learners can continue to attend school. Basic needs should also be provided for. Keywords: Malnutrition, Attendance

Family Violence Within LGBTQ Communities in Australia: Intersectional Experiences and Associations with Mental Health Outcomes

BackgroundWhile prior research has documented intimate partner violence (IPV) and family of origin violence (FOV) experienced by LGBTQ communities at rates at least comparable to heterosexual and/or cisgender populations, little knowledge exists of how this experience occurs within intersections of these communities and who is most at risk.MethodsThis study utilised data from a from a large nationwide Australian survey of the health and wellbeing of 6835 LGBTQ adults aged 18 + years. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify individual factors associated with reporting ever having experienced FOV or IPV.ResultsIn total, 2675 (43.18%) participants reported ever experiencing FOV and 3716 (60.7%) reported ever experiencing IPV. Non-binary people, cisgender women, and trans men were most likely to have experienced FOV. Non-binary people and cisgender women were most likely to experience IPV. Participants aged 55 + years (compared to 18–24 years) were less likely to have experienced FOV, while the likelihood of experiencing IPV increased with age. Education was associated with both FOV and IPV (highest among the non-university tertiary educated). Having a moderate or severe disability and ever experiencing homelessness were associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing FOV and IPV. Recent experiences of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt and high/very high psychological distress were associated with experiences of FOV and IPV.ConclusionsThis new knowledge regarding the factors that identify LGBTQ people at greater risk of family or intimate partner violence can ensure the tailoring of family violence practice and policy to those most in need