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| March 2000 Student field camps Learning from the nature By Tracy Chan Article from the
same section: In one classroom, geography students are reading about the formation of a tombolo. It is just another normal and monotonous lesson. But in another class, students go to Cheung Chau and really step on a tombolo. No more dull lectures — they are experiencing a field camp offered by the Caritas Chan Chun Ha Field Studies Centre in Cheng Chau. A tombolo, by the way, is a sandbar connecting an island to a mainland or another island. In fact, field studies are not new in Hong Kong. The idea was proposed in the 1970s by Prof. L.B. Thrower who had been working in the Botany Department at the University of Hong Kong and the Biology Department of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Mr. Ng Po Shan, principal of Caritas Chan Chun Ha Field Studies Centre, said as they found field studies useful, they organized field camps. He said that the content of the field camp is based on the Hong Kong Advanced Level biology and geography syllabuses. Students have no less than 5 full days of fieldwork experience in the 2 years of sixth form study. According to Mr. Ng, the idea of bringing theory into practical research inspired him to organize the camp. He said that outdoor activities raise students’ awareness and help them appreciate the beauty of nature. In the camp, students learn how to do fieldwork. And through presentations, students can improve their effectiveness in communicating with others. Miss Janice Wong Lai Yin, a geography teacher at Caritas Chan Chun Ha Field Studies Centre, agreed. Said she: “The courses in the camp require students to apply theories of geography. Students can therefore learn the theories in carrying out experiments. “Also, the teachers can participate in these courses and help their students solve problems.” After each course, teachers and students do an evaluation. According to a survey conducted by The Hong Kong Geographer for December 1999, about half of the interviewees said 5 days and 4 nights was quite long. The respondents suggest 3 days and 2 nights instead. However, Mr. Ng disagreed. Said he: “In fact, a similar course offered by Sai Kung Field was planned for 3 days and 3 nights. Students were required to do preparation and process data at night. “However, they received a lot of complaints from students that they did not have enough rest. Therefore, the camp was changed to the current duration.” Miss Wong also said that she had no preference in the duration of the camp but she said that students would have more time to learn in a 5-day camp. For example, if the students worked at a slow pace, she could arrange more time for them on the next day. Moreover, she pointed out that learning is a continuous process. If students could have a whole week for only one subject, they were more likely to improve. However, owing to the efficiency of the camp, another problem has aroused. There are too many applications for the camp, and not all students applying can take part in this kind of field studies. Mr. Chung, a geography teacher at Christian Alliance Cheng Wing Gee College, and his 11 students could not take part in this field camp at first. Mr. Chung said, “If we cannot go for a field camp, I will organize three field trips for students to do similar fieldwork.” However, in his view, a field camp is better than a field trip. This is because the course is conducted by the centre and teachers do not need to do much organizing work. As a result, the burden of teachers is lightened. Also, a field trip lacks continuity due to insufficient time for analysis and presentation. For a field camp, students can do analysis at once. This gives the students a deeper impression. A student from Lok Sin Tong Ku Chiu Man Secondary School, Patrick Chung, said, “At first, I thought that the camp would be very relaxing. But later I found that the field camp is actually quite harsh. “There is nearly no time for a break. The time I spent working in the camp seems to be more than normal school hours.” However, he still preferred the field camp despite the hardship. He explained, “ In the camp, I learn how to co-operate with others as I work with other schoolmates as a team.” |
Geography students collecting data for experiments. (Tracy Chan)
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