Effective Learning and Testing of Bird Identification Skills
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| Title: | Effective Learning and Testing of Bird Identification Skills |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Magne Husby (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Biological Education. 2025 59(4):692-711. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 20 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Skill Development, Animals, Wildlife, Identification, Teaching Methods, Field Instruction, Electronic Learning, Student Evaluation, Testing, Instructional Effectiveness, Computer Assisted Testing, Citizen Participation, Science Projects, Active Learning, Correlation, Outdoor Education, Foreign Countries, Higher Education, Test Validity, Biology, Science Instruction |
| Geographic Terms: | Norway |
| DOI: | 10.1080/00219266.2024.2386256 |
| ISSN: | 0021-9266 2157-6009 |
| Abstract: | Biology education worldwide at different levels involves learning to identify plants and animals in nature. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a teaching and learning method for bird identification that combines active outdoor fieldwork with active online learning, testing the validity of our instrument. Altogether, 798 of 853 students with different cultural and socio-political backgrounds from nine countries participated in 2010-2018. The research method was an online bird identification test at the beginning of the study, an online test and a field test at the end of the field teaching period, and an online exam at the end of the study. The results showed great progression from the beginning to the exam at the end of the study, and a positive correlation between initial skills and exam skills. Finally, the field test showed a strong positive correlation with the online test taken simultaneously, thus indicating that functional competence can be measured in the online exam. We recommend our instrument for teaching and testing of students' skills in species identification worldwide and for all taxa, but further testing of validity and teaching effects is recommended. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1490741 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Biology education worldwide at different levels involves learning to identify plants and animals in nature. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a teaching and learning method for bird identification that combines active outdoor fieldwork with active online learning, testing the validity of our instrument. Altogether, 798 of 853 students with different cultural and socio-political backgrounds from nine countries participated in 2010-2018. The research method was an online bird identification test at the beginning of the study, an online test and a field test at the end of the field teaching period, and an online exam at the end of the study. The results showed great progression from the beginning to the exam at the end of the study, and a positive correlation between initial skills and exam skills. Finally, the field test showed a strong positive correlation with the online test taken simultaneously, thus indicating that functional competence can be measured in the online exam. We recommend our instrument for teaching and testing of students' skills in species identification worldwide and for all taxa, but further testing of validity and teaching effects is recommended. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0021-9266 2157-6009 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/00219266.2024.2386256 |
