The Significance of Access: Students with Mobility Impairments Constructing Geoscience Knowledge Through Field-Based Learning Experiences
Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: The post-secondary geology curriculum typically requires completion of multiple field-based education components.The importance of field-based learning experiences is well documented in geoscience education literature.However, due to these field requirements, persons with mobility impairments face multiple barriers to obtaining a higher education in the geosciences.Furthermore, the lack of exposure to career opportunities in the geosciences potentially creates a perception that most geoscience careers do not accommodate graduates with mobility impairments.As a result, students might feel discouraged from pursuing undergraduate and graduate level degrees in geology.An assumption exists that most traditional field environments are inaccessible to students with mobility impairments.A main objective of this study was to first determine how experience in a geologic field environment assists in the overall construction of cave geology content knowledge for students with mobility impairments.An effective evaluation of this field experience required an understanding of how students interact with their environment.Individual case studies of the participants' lived experience with (and within) a traditional field-site provided an understanding of how geological content knowledge was constructed in the face of field-related barriers.Also assuming that knowledge is independent of one's physical ability, this study focused on understanding the potential environmental and physical barriers that students with mobility impairments maintain with respect to field-based education.Therefore, participants' experience in a cave geology field environment was investigated through friend, Jim Bruner.From the introduction of this project, Jim never wavered in his support and dedication.He was supportive not only of the idea and planning, but in the design and development of the several of the graphics presented in this dissertation.I will always be extremely grateful for his encouragement, for being available at a moment's notice to provide graphical support, and for being an amazing friend.The success of this project relied heavily on a strong collaboration of many researchers and support staff in the various facets of the project.First, I would like to thank the National Science Foundation, program officers Jill Karsten and Mark Leddy, for combining efforts to fund the OEDG Planning Grant, which enabled the planning and implementation of this dissertation project.Additional appreciation is offered to the Dayton Quad of the Ohio STEM Ability Alliance (OSAA), John Flach and Clark Shingledecker, for funding to provide student support and transportation to the field site.
Author: Christopher L. Atchison
Institution: The Ohio State University
Language: English
Subfield: Safety Research
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2599504374