History and Evolution of Park Experiences

Type of Experience
Advantages?
Disadvantages?

Activity Based

Place to do science activities

Preservice teachers select activities (good choices, motivate teacher...

Monitor selection process of preservice teachers for better selection.
Better selection teach how to select...

Let preservice teachers select activity from a list of "select" activities
Motivation increases with choice and time time to review quality of activity is reduced

Preservice teachers select activities (poor selection, students don't grow)

Takes time meet with students and more student time to select second, third... activities

Theme Based

Parks what are they?
What should they be?
What value?
Who's responsibility?

Students really got into value of parks

What was in the parks, who paid for them, how they are cared for, and so forth

Empowered preservice teachers

Time to prepare - all teachers needed to meet together or have strong net of communication

Investigation Based

Study of Park what's in a park

High level thinking: application, annalysis, synthesis, evaluation

Application of mathematics and science learning

Inquiry investigative approach

Authentic assessment see what students really know

Time to prepare - all teachers needed to meet together or have strong net of communication

Preservice teachers naivety about the depth of student understanding

Having to reteach or catch students up when they are in the field

 

Dr. Robert Sweetland's Notes ©