The Effect of Field-Based Instruction on Student Understandings of Ecological Concepts

Abstract This study focused on students' conceptions of ecological concepts and the influence of field instruction strategies on their understanding and retention of these concepts. Students responded to a specially designed instrument prior to, at the end of, and 4 weeks after a 7-day field program focused on developing understanding of ecological concepts. All groups exhibited statistically significant posttest gains and showed evidence of retaining the targeted concepts.