Steve Fletcher Southampton Institute

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Steve FletcherSouthampton Institute
Cromarty in the Classroom a virtual field course
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Motivation

• Limited resources / time for real visit
• Need to transfer concept to reality
• Funding!

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Aims of the field course

• Review the approach to coastal management policy
  exhibited in Scotland.
• Evaluate the application of coastal management
  policy in the Cromarty Firth.
• Contrast the competing values that influence
  coastal management policy and practice in the
  Cromarty Firth.

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Technology

• Intranet hosted
• Learnwise
• Resource base
• Discussion board
• Chat room
• Communication tool

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Contents of the website

• Tour of the Cromarty Firth
• Interviews with stakeholders
• Conference proceedings
• Newsletters and reports
• Statistics
• Links and references

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Problem Based Learning
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• PBL Process
• 6 coastal management themes
• Groups of 5-6 students
• Self-defined problem
• Cromarty Firth Conference
• No formal assessment of field course

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• Each group provided with
• Scenario
• Introduction to PBL and website
• Written information pack (papers)
• List of further information available (maps,
  etc.)

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Evaluation

• Divergence of views
• Encouraged deeper thought
• Identified links
• Typified by
• Mix of motivations and engagement
• Group management variable

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Student comment

• Enjoyable
• I learned more
• Good quality information
• I would have liked more lecturing
• waste of time
• non-assessed work produces limited enthusiasm
• good experience for those who put the effort in

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Observations

• Works well
• Discrete geographical area
• Preferably unknown to students
• Information base available (online)
• Appreciate
• Awareness of student-teacher roles
• Integrate with entire unit of study