Getting Your Hands Dirty Field Courses at Athabasca University Field Courses at Athabasca University Robert Holmberg 16 May 2005 Alberta Introductory Biology.

Getting Your Hands DirtyGetting Your Hands Dirty

Field Courses at

Athabasca University

Field Courses at

Athabasca University

Robert Holmberg

16 May 2005

Alberta Introductory Biology Association

Robert Holmberg

16 May 2005

Alberta Introductory Biology Association

ScienceScience

= study of real things

in a time frame

= study of real things

in a time frame

BiologyBiology

= study of living organisms

in their natural habitats

= study of living organisms

in their natural habitats

Abstractions of

Biological Reality

Abstractions of

Biological Reality

Abstractions of Biological RealityAbstractions of Biological Reality

1. Live organisms in captivity1. Live organisms in captivity

2. Dead organisms & tissues2. Dead organisms & tissues

Abstractions of Biological RealityAbstractions of Biological Reality

3. Photographs & videos3. Photographs & videos

Abstractions of Biological RealityAbstractions of Biological Reality

4. Drawings & simulations4. Drawings & simulations

Abstractions of Biological RealityAbstractions of Biological Reality

5. Text & oral descriptions5. Text & oral descriptions

Abstractions of Biological RealityAbstractions of Biological Reality

But now a few words about my sponsor …

But now a few words about my sponsor …

primarily distance education continuous enrolments

+ students work at own pace

= asynchronous delivery

www.athabascau.ca

575 courses, 23 degree programs

29,542 students 56,784 course registrations

106 full-time + 161 part-time faculty + 258 part-time tutors

* 2004 data

* 2004 data

Student AgesStudent Ages

<2544%

25-4334%35-44

16%

>456%

Alberta 41%

Ontario 28%

British Columbia 10%

Saskatchewan 5%

Rest of Canada 13%

International 3%

* 2004 data

Student DistributionStudent Distribution

Field ComponentsField Components

Compulsory• BIOL 321:

Wild Flowers• BIOL 345:

Ecology

Compulsory• BIOL 321:

Wild Flowers• BIOL 345:

Ecology

Optional• BIOL 201:

World Ecology*• BIOL 206: Biological

Laboratories*• BIOL 342: Animal

Behaviour*• BIOL 495/6: Biology

Projects

Optional• BIOL 201:

World Ecology*• BIOL 206: Biological

Laboratories*• BIOL 342: Animal

Behaviour*• BIOL 495/6: Biology

Projects

BIOL 321:

• = plant taxonomy• 3-credit, 2nd year• 9-day field workshop• plant collection

Wild Flowers

T. (Lochan) S. BakshiT. (Lochan) S. Bakshi

U of C’s Kananaskis Field Station – Barrier LakeU of C’s Kananaskis Field Station – Barrier Lake

Q: Why go to the mountains for flowers?Q: Why go to the mountains for flowers? A: differences in flowering

dates at different altitudes

A: differences in flowering dates at different altitudes

My question: Why go to the mountains in summer if this is what you get ?

My question: Why go to the mountains in summer if this is what you get ?

started in 1986 held 16 times since

Wild Flowers Workshop

Wild Flowers Workshop

Number of students / year ~12 (range = 8-19)Number of students / year ~12 (range = 8-19)

Workshop = field work …Workshop = field work …

… and lab work.… and lab work.

One limitation = lab spaceOne limitation = lab space

Distribution of Students of BIOL 321: Wild FlowersDistribution of Students of BIOL 321: Wild Flowers

• 3-credit, 2nd year• 4 home labs• 4-day workshop

Home LabsHome Labs

Temperatures and Microclimates

Intra- and Interspecific Competition

Predator-Prey Modeling

Sampling with Quadrats

Temperatures and Microclimates

Intra- and Interspecific Competition

Predator-Prey Modeling

Sampling with Quadrats

Field Ecology WorkshopField Ecology Workshop

Just some dumb bunny

Just some dumb bunny

• first run 1976 as an option for BIOL 201• Ministik Hills Field Study Centre, Tofield• U of C’s Kananaskis Centre for Environmental Research

• first run 1976 as an option for BIOL 201• Ministik Hills Field Study Centre, Tofield• U of C’s Kananaskis Centre for Environmental Research

Field Ecology Workshop

Field Ecology Workshop

now at our headquarters in Athabasca

now at our headquarters in Athabasca

Habitat 1: meadowHabitat 1: meadow

Habitat 2: forestHabitat 2: forest

Habitat 3: lentic (pond & lake)Habitat 3: lentic (pond & lake)

Habitat 4: lotic (river & stream)Habitat 4: lotic (river & stream)

Day by Day Schedule & ObjectivesDay by Day Schedule & Objectives

Day 1: Physical FactorsDay 1: Physical Factors• instruments - precision vs. accuracy• temperature• water/humidity• nutrients of soil & water e.g. N, P, K• wind/current• pH• O2 & CO2

Day 2: Terrestrial ProducersDay 2: Terrestrial Producers• quadrats & transects• productivity• collection & preservation• identification• ecological terminology

Day 3: Terrestrial ConsumersDay 3: Terrestrial Consumers• sampling methods (various nets & traps)• ethics & legalities of collecting• preservation & identification• kinds of consumers• trophic levels

Day 4: Aquatic Consumers & SummaryDay 4: Aquatic Consumers & Summary • sampling methods

• preservation & identification• food chains & webs

Medical Emergencies

Medical Emergencies

Determining Students’ Skills Prior to the WorkshopDetermining Students’ Skills Prior to the Workshop

BIOL 495/6: Biology ProjectsBIOL 495/6: Biology Projects

3-credits each, 4th year = undergraduate thesis student initiated & designed usually external project

supervisor mainly library projects some lab and field projects

3-credits each, 4th year = undergraduate thesis student initiated & designed usually external project

supervisor mainly library projects some lab and field projects

Biology Projects Conducted in the Field

Biology Projects Conducted in the Field

• bee behaviour

• duck nesting

• goose feces

• ptarmigan feeding

• trout populations

• plants of river delta

• bee behaviour

• duck nesting

• goose feces

• ptarmigan feeding

• trout populations

• plants of river delta

Biology Courses at AUBiology Courses at AUBIOL 235 Human Anatomy &

Physiology526 None

BIOL 204 Principles of Biology I 342 Home

BIOL 230 Human Physiology 280 None

BIOL 401 Cell Biology 92 None

BIOL 341 Human Genetics 88 Home

BIOL 205 Principles of Biology II 73 Home

BIOL 325 Microbiology 71 4 day lab

BIOL 345 Ecology 12 4 day field

BIOL 321 Wild Flowers 0 8 day field

BIOL 495/6 Biology Projects 2 Optional

* 2004 data

ContactContactRobert Holmberg

Centre for Science

Athabasca University

Athabasca, Alberta

T9S 3A3

Telephone: 780-675-6203

E-mail: robert@athabascau.ca

Robert Holmberg

Centre for Science

Athabasca University

Athabasca, Alberta

T9S 3A3

Telephone: 780-675-6203

E-mail: robert@athabascau.ca