Collecting Data Outside

• Published in: Place-Based Scientific Inquiry Vol. 1; pp. 183 - 197
• Main Authors: Blonder, Benjamin Wong, Banks, Ja'Nya, Cruz, Austin, Dornhaus, Anna, Godfrey, R. Keating, Hoskinson, Joshua S., Lipson, Rebecca, Sommers, Pacifica, Stewart, Christy Coverdale, Strauss, Alan
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: United Kingdom Routledge 2023; Taylor & Francis Group
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: PVC Plastic; Disciplinary Core Ideas; Low Vision Students; American Sign Language; File Names; Vice Versa; Anchor Chart; Grade Level Differentiation; Resealable Plastic Bags; Low Green Vegetation; Misuse Equipment; Collecting Data; Increase Student Confidence; Fixed Sample Length; Creative Study Design; WGD; Fixed Sample Area; Monarch Butterfly; Measuring Soil Temperature; Written Peer Feedback; Ice Cube Tray; Cabbage Moth
• ISBN: 1032434155; 9781032434162; 9781032434155; 1032434163
• DOI: 10.4324/9781003367192-9

This chapter provides guidance to help student groups implement outdoor data collection once a study has been designed. Guidance is provided on how and why to practice collecting data before going outdoors. Next, guidance is provided for how to manage multiple student groups while they are outdoors, how to foresee and mitigate common logistical issues, and how to support effective data recording and sampling. Last, guidance is provided on how and why to secure data after collecting it, including organizing information from multiple students and catching common data entry errors. This chapter provides guidance to help student groups implement outdoor data collection once a study has been designed. Guidance is provided on how and why to practice collecting data before going outdoors. Interpersonal dynamics within a group during practice are likely to be repeated when outside, so be prepared to use facilitation skills to mitigate any issues early on. During or after the protocol development process, provide training on safe use of equipment, then allow students to play with or practice with the equipment they will ultimately use. Have student teams do a test run of their data collection process. Apparent failure can occur during data collection. Serendipity can also occur during data collection. When students make observations or have experiences that are outside the domain of their plans, they may come to new and valuable perspectives. It is important to copy the data to a safe and shared location, then carry out quality checks before using it.