Virtual Field Trips for Experiential Learning in Undergraduate Agricultural Education : A Developmental Evaluation Study

Krishnasamy, Suresh and Bligh, Brett (2024) Virtual Field Trips for Experiential Learning in Undergraduate Agricultural Education : A Developmental Evaluation Study. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) are increasingly important across various disciplines because they offer practical real-world experience to complement theoretical knowledge. Recent literature has examined the use of VFTs to address educational and administrative constraints surrounding in-person field trips. This literature suggests that VFTs are a viable alternative or addition to in-person field trips with research showing high student satisfaction and improved assessment scores. However, the literature fails to critique student experiences of VFTs or relate these to broader educational outcomes. This thesis documents the use of a Developmental Evaluation approach to iteratively integrate VFTs in undergraduate agricultural education. The project uses experiential learning theory as an explicit pedagogical framework to problematise student experiences and the attainment of student outcomes is mapped to core graduate attributes derived within the institution incorporating 21st century skills. Data sources comprise quantitative and qualitative data from student surveys and reflections on their VFT experience and learning, the developmental evaluators' reflections, and meeting discussion notes. The findings from the phases reveal that successful integration necessitates clear task instructions and ample engagement duration. Sequential task building enhances students' innovative problem-solving skills. The scenario design emerges as a critical success factor, while pre- and post-activity discussions with facilitators enhance specific aspects of the student experience. Analysis across the phases of the work identifies these issues as crucial for incorporating VFTs while allowing for customisation between uses across different disciplinary contexts and levels of study. Findings about student outcomes, mapped to the institution’s graduate attributes, demonstrate improvements in social and civic responsibility, effective engagement with information technologies, and enhanced collaborative abilities. The project contributes to the literature by shifting the evaluation focus from predefined outcomes to a process-oriented lens. By expanding the evaluation to encompass broader student outcomes, this project enhances understanding of the benefits of VFTs in experiential learning as a pedagogical process based on distinct student experiences. Based on these insights, the thesis contributes to the body of research on VFTs by introducing a carefully developed activity design framework rooted in experiential learning theory. This framework can serve as a guiding mechanism for educators in the design of VFT-centred activities with the explicit objective of augmenting 21st century skills.