Lessons From A Dominican Republic Field Study

Abstract

Utilizing student-centered pedagogy, this case study explores an increasingly prominent and instructive addition to traditional academic coursework - the field study experience.  This is particularly true in the arena of environmental education where students learn best by experiencing environmental problems first-hand and then interacting with those involved.  From a teaching methods and styles perspective, then, this paper espouses a mix of experiential and active learning strategies.  The central message of this essay, however, is curriculum-based, to report on an engaging two-week field trip to examine sustainable development in the Dominican Republic.  From this report, the analysis highlights student feedback mechanisms, such as formal class journals, traditional course evaluations, and informal oral consultations with students, both during and after the field study as the basis to offer suggestions more broadly on how to design and implement a field study course.