Place-Based and Active Learning: Assessing how Students’ Learn about Naturalists
Naturalists and naturalist learning are important in improving and promoting the health of our environment and the health of ourselves. I wanted to assess how high school and college students in EcoliteracySCHOOL understand and learn about the role of naturalists through a qualitative approach by observing class exposures and implementing an educational activity. Before field experience 1, I assessed the students’ baseline knowledge of naturalists through a qualitative art-based approach involving drawing and descriptive word elicitation. Mid semester I created an original interactive educational activity about the definition of naturalists and three real life naturalists that included a quiz assessment. After field experience 2, I reimplemented the qualitative art-based approach involving drawing and descriptive word elicitation to compare the data to the baseline. Based on my review of student responses, students’ gained a deeper knowledge of the definition and importance of naturalists throughout the course. Ecoliteracy students learn about the importance of naturalists through place-based and active learning.