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Last summer I took a nature journaling class at Pepperwood Preserve with naturalist Marley Peifer. He has a nature journaling channel on YouTube if you want to check it out:
The Nature Journal Show
The idea of direct observation of nature was very inspiring to me. Nothing beats being out in the field, closely observing an insect, a bird, or a leaf, taking notes, and painting your subject with as much detail as you can.
I decided to pursue this as the topic of my action research with Touro University and NapaLearns. I bought nature journals for my students. We began going outdoors each week to draw plants, animals, and insects. They practiced recording their observations with "I notice", "I wonder", and "It reminds me of" statements. When I realized what a big part technology is in the Innovative Learning Program, I was disappointed at first. I wanted to get my kids away from screens! Their parents were worried about too much screen time! As classes progressed, I became more and more impressed with how 21st Century transliteracy skills can empower students in the contemporary world. I decided to figure out a way to integrate technology into outdoor learning. I focused on the use of digital photography and nature identification apps as a way to do this.
My first round of data collection was simply to find out if my students had a preference for tech-integrated vs non-tech outdoor experiences. I was inspired by a study done by Deborah J. Chavez in 2009 called "Youth Day in Los Angeles: Connecting Youth and Nature with Technology". My plan was to base my data collection around the two field trips my students take to Pepperwood Preserve, one in the fall and one in the spring. On the first trip, the kids only had their nature journals. I would compare their experience on that trip with the second trip where they would be equipped with iPads and nature identification apps, graciously prepared and loaned by Mario Piombo at NapaLearns. Then I would compare non-tech integrated animal reports from the first trip with tech-integrated slideshow reports that use the students' photos and videos. Would the technology assist students in demonstrating the eight NGSS practices?
To practice using the devices, my students did an outdoor activity at our school to see how many different plants they could identify using the iPads or smartphones. They loved it!! But did they prefer this activity to non-tech outdoor activities? I gave a Likert scale survey to find this out.
The results were inconclusive. My students seemed to enjoy both kinds of experiences the same amount! We were poised to go on our second outdoor field trip when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. My data collection and rounds of additional research are on hold. The Covid Crisis Photo Project video on my lessons page is a product of what we did during distance learning and the stay at home orders. This "outdoor photography homework" model might just turn out to be more usable for more teachers than my original plan, which was based on field trips. Not all teachers can take their students on outdoor field trips. I hope to spend the years to come developing this idea with photography units of study related to NGSS standards that lend themselves well to outdoor photography enrichment.
The Nature Journal Show
The idea of direct observation of nature was very inspiring to me. Nothing beats being out in the field, closely observing an insect, a bird, or a leaf, taking notes, and painting your subject with as much detail as you can.
I decided to pursue this as the topic of my action research with Touro University and NapaLearns. I bought nature journals for my students. We began going outdoors each week to draw plants, animals, and insects. They practiced recording their observations with "I notice", "I wonder", and "It reminds me of" statements. When I realized what a big part technology is in the Innovative Learning Program, I was disappointed at first. I wanted to get my kids away from screens! Their parents were worried about too much screen time! As classes progressed, I became more and more impressed with how 21st Century transliteracy skills can empower students in the contemporary world. I decided to figure out a way to integrate technology into outdoor learning. I focused on the use of digital photography and nature identification apps as a way to do this.
My first round of data collection was simply to find out if my students had a preference for tech-integrated vs non-tech outdoor experiences. I was inspired by a study done by Deborah J. Chavez in 2009 called "Youth Day in Los Angeles: Connecting Youth and Nature with Technology". My plan was to base my data collection around the two field trips my students take to Pepperwood Preserve, one in the fall and one in the spring. On the first trip, the kids only had their nature journals. I would compare their experience on that trip with the second trip where they would be equipped with iPads and nature identification apps, graciously prepared and loaned by Mario Piombo at NapaLearns. Then I would compare non-tech integrated animal reports from the first trip with tech-integrated slideshow reports that use the students' photos and videos. Would the technology assist students in demonstrating the eight NGSS practices?
To practice using the devices, my students did an outdoor activity at our school to see how many different plants they could identify using the iPads or smartphones. They loved it!! But did they prefer this activity to non-tech outdoor activities? I gave a Likert scale survey to find this out.
The results were inconclusive. My students seemed to enjoy both kinds of experiences the same amount! We were poised to go on our second outdoor field trip when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. My data collection and rounds of additional research are on hold. The Covid Crisis Photo Project video on my lessons page is a product of what we did during distance learning and the stay at home orders. This "outdoor photography homework" model might just turn out to be more usable for more teachers than my original plan, which was based on field trips. Not all teachers can take their students on outdoor field trips. I hope to spend the years to come developing this idea with photography units of study related to NGSS standards that lend themselves well to outdoor photography enrichment.
Resources
NatureBridge is a San Francisco based organizer of outdoor based learning experiences for youth.
Law's website contains excellent, free nature journaling resources for teachers.
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is the premier provider of experience-based outdoor learning & leadership programs for youth & adults. 
Nature Natalie is a resource for emergent outdoor education curriculum for all educational environments.
Digital Tools for Nature Photography/Video Reports
iPhoto
iMovie
Google Slides
Padlet
Flipgrid
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