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A report of an Oregon school camp with
program emphasis upon outdoor science experiences.
Hollenbeck, I.E.
Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University
of Colorado, 1958.
Purpose:
Survey school science camping opportunities
for Oregon school children and investigate
values and feasibility of these experiences.
Sample:
Subjects: 601 high school seniors completed
surveys, 22 fifth and sixth grade children
participated in the pilot science school
camp.
Camp Affiliation: School camp sponsored
by the Southern Oregon College and Medford
Public Schools.
Method/Instruments:
Camp Program: Pilot science camp for 22
fifth and sixth graders, 5 counselors, and
science instructors. The one week program
included a variety of science activities.
Instruments:
- Questionnaires given to 601 high school
seniors. Questions related to types of
camps attended, length of stay at camp,
age when attending camp, camp location,
camp activities of greatest and least
emphasis, and participation in science
activities.
- Sociometric Tests: researcher-designed
questions.
- Artistic Representation: students drew
pictures about the out-of-doors before
and after camp.
- What I Like To Do, An Inventory of Children's
Interests: used to measure shifts in children's
interests as a result of attending camp.
Areas of interest included: art, music,
social studies, active play, quiet play,
manual arts, home arts, science.
- Opinion Surveys: completed by parents,
students, and counselors after the camp
experience.
Design: pre-test/post-test for sociometric,
artistic representation, and interest tests.
Data Analysis:
- Sociograms derived from the responses
were used to determine changes in relationships.
- A panel of experts was used to analyze
the drawings before and after the camp
experience.
- The high school survey results were
compared with a similar survey of 495
college freshmen.
Results:
- Questionnaire: No reported school camp
experiences. The opportunity to participate
in outdoor education experiences was limited.
2/3 of the students surveyed had participated
in an organized summer camp experience.
1/3 of those experiences were in church-related
camps. Nature study and science experiences
were a very small part of summer camp
programs and were not led by special science
or nature counselors.
- Sociometric Tests: Student popularity
did not change as a result of the camp
experience. One exclusive group of girls
merged with the rest of the class. Some
isolates remained so; one was accepted
as an important member of the group after
camp. There were fewer gender-based social
choices after camp.
- Art: More drawings on science topics
after camp. More post-camp drawings of
different tree species, campfires, canyons,
bridges, and forested mountains. Post-camp
drawings were more detailed and realistic
in their depictions of the out-of-doors.
Post-camp drawings showed a better understanding
of kinds of outdoor life and greater powers
of observation.
- Interest Inventory: Fifth graders made
significant gains in science interest;
fifth grade boys made gains in all 8 interest
areas; girls in 5, including science.
Sixth grade boys and girls showed increased
interest in 4 areas.
- Parents: All felt that the week had
stimulated the child's interest in the
out-of-doors and in conservation.
Values listed included: more outdoor knowledge,
better camping practices, new understanding
of wildlife, conservation, and geology,
new hobbies, new friends, greater interest
in school.
- Children's Responses: 96% said that
camp helped with schoolwork, especially
in science, that the group worked well
together, and that they learned to be
agreeable and share responsibilities.
All were enthusiastic about this method
of learning.
- Counselors' Responses: Felt that children
learned about the rights of others, appreciation
of nature, and gained new understandings
of their relationship with other living
things.
- Classroom Teachers: Felt that children
learned things about science that they
could not have learned as effectively
in the classroom. Teachers learned more
about the strengths and weaknesses of
students as a result of living with them
at camp. Teachers felt that children learned
the importance of following directions,
cooperating with others, doing their share
of the work, and were better at coping
with unfamiliar and unexpected events.
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