Exploring Biodiversity Near Small Water Bodies Assignment Sample

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Introduction

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Rationale

Experiential learning is the process where it is related to the engagement process where the students mainly learn through doing and reflecting on the basis of experience. This process is based on different elements such as experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting, this also helps the student to take initiative, make decisions and be responsible for the results. According to the life cycle of experiential learning, there are a total of eight areas as they are discussed here in detail. According to the first step of this learning cycle, learning refers to the recruiting cycle that is endless and not a process that is linear. This refers to the process of exchanging information between the internal world of the learner and the learner’s external environment (Knight, 2013). According to the second step of this learning cycle, experience is one of the essential elements for the learning process because experience helps the student to learn effectively. It not only helps the student for learning but also helps the student to remember this learning for a long-term period because experience has an effective influence on the process of learning. According to the third step of this learning cycle, the brain is mainly built for experiential learning where the brain will work faster if the learning process is related to the experience. This type of earning resulted in growth, modification, and the networks of neurology. According to the fourth step of this learning cycle, different poles of the dialect for the learning cycle help the student for learning or motivate the students for learning. According to the fifth step of this learning cycle, different styles of learning and different ways of learning cycles. This refers to the fact that every individual has their different ways and styles for their learning where it implies their comfort zone of learning. According to the sixth step of this learning cycle, a full learning cycle increases the flexibility of the learning and development of the learning (Cotic, et al. 2020). It has the ability for engaging the students with the different types of learning in a fluid and holistic manner. According to the seventh step of this learning cycle, teaching, and the learning cycle with the teaching role for the dynamic matching. According to the eight steps of this learning cycle, the learning cycle needs to be considered as the rubric for authentic and holistic assessment. 

Outdoor educators pioneered experiential education as a way of instruction in the context of nature. An experiential learning process happens when specially selected events are followed by critical analysis, contemplation, and synthesis. The learning outcomes are personalized for each person and serve as a foundation for future learning and experience. It is vital for students to have a practical learning experience. Without the aid of practical learning, students are unable to comprehend the learning process. As a result, teachers must provide students with both practical knowledge and experiential learning. An experimental learning environment is a controlled environment in which students can learn by creating or evaluating evidence. Outside-the-classroom learning can aid instructors in instilling a love of learning, providing a real-world context, and exposing children to a variety of natural fields (Cincera, et al. 2020). Children who participate in the learning process outside of school have higher self-esteem and are more driven in their studies. This is beneficial for the students for the holistic learning growth of the students. Because experience has a significant impact on the learning process, this outdoor education will assist the student in remembering what they have learned for a long time, and it is also an excellent way for students to relieve tension while playing and studying. This kind of instruction helps children build relationships with teachers and other pupils, as well as cooperating and being social. By introducing play into the learning process, this outdoor education will assist children in improving their health. It will also help children become more interested in learning. This outdoor education will help students improve their communication skills as well as their emotional and social talents (Fiennes et al. 2015). This type of outdoor learning is also beneficial to the development of students' memory and creativity, as well as the process of sharing information between the learner's internal world and the learner's external surroundings.

Outdoor educators were among the first to adopt experiential education as a way of instruction in the presence of nature. The experiential process of learning happens when specially picked situations are accompanied by critical analysis, contemplation as well as synthesis. The learning outcomes are individualized as well as serve as the foundation for future learning as well as experience. It is very important for the students to gain the knowledge of practical learning. Without the help of practical learning, the students are not able to understand the learning process. So, it is very important for the teachers to provide the students with practical knowledge as well as experiential learning. An experimental environment of learning is a kind of setting which is controlled in which students may gather knowledge by creating or evaluating evidence (Blenkinsop,  et al. 2016). Learning beyond the school may assist instructors in instilling a passion for learning, providing a context of the real world as well as exposing pupils to a variety of fields in nature. Children who participate in the process of learning outside of school have higher self-esteem as well as are more interested in their studies. The communication skills of the children will be increased due to experiential learning as well as the condition of their physical health will be increased (Hattie, et al. 1997). The spiritual health condition of the students will also be increased.

 

It is clearly visible that the outdoor activity of the students decreased due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The outdoor playing activities, as well as nature activities as well as outdoor family activities, were also decreased simultaneously in the pandemic situation. 

Biodiversity of small water bodies will help to acquire knowledge about the different species of the family of living creatures. Biodiversity increases the production of ecosystems because each species, including small and big, plays a significant role. A greater diversity of species guarantees the ecological sustenance of all living forms in a small water body (Cincera et al. 2020). Small water bodies, such as small lakes as well as ponds, low-order rivers, canals, as well as springs, are the abundant ecosystems of freshwater on the planet, are essential for species and habitats, and are recognized widely for their importance in the process of service delivery of ecosystems.

Small waterways are frequently the best available instances of complete as well as healthy ecosystems of freshwater and are the most certain to stay uncontaminated, serving as a sanctuary for species that already have vanished from bigger, more degraded bodies of water. Small waterways originally regulate nearly all ecosystem services related to water, including some, like cycling of carbon, which may be controlled by these. Small waterways face all of the hazards that bigger waters face, as well as ones that only small waters face. Considering this, tiny waterways continue to be the least explored portion of the ecosystem of freshwater and are usually ignored in the process of planning water management (Cotic et al. 2020). It is required to highlight research priorities to support improved conservation of tiny water bodies as well as offer initiatives of policy to incorporate small water bodies into the management of watershed as well as ecosystem. The major criteria are to establish credible tools of monitoring for small streams, devise efficient strategies to safeguard the services of the ecosystem as well as biodiversity they offer as well as guarantee that policymakers take this vital component of the aquatic environment into full consideration.

Aims and Objectives

There are different aims and objectives of this outdoor activity, they are discussed below. 

• This outdoor education will help the student to improve their health condition as this outdoor learning consists of play through that the children to be motivated for the learning process. 
• This type of learning process helps the student to establish a relationship with the teachers and students through their team work and this is also beneficial for the students to reduce their stress through playing and learning. 
• This outdoor education also enhances the communication process between the students due to the team work and the experimental learning process. 
• This type of experiential learning also helps the students to improve their emotional and social skills where it will be beneficial for the student to improve their memory power and develop imagination power. 
• This type of learning helps in the process of exchanging information between the internal world of the learner and the learner’s external environment where this will also help the student to remember this learning for a long term period because experience has an effective influence on the process of learning. 
• This type of outdoor education also helps the student to cooperate with each other and be social where the cooperation and the communication will be improved in the students through the experimental learning. 

Design and Delivery

Experiential education as a method of instruction in the context of nature was pioneered by outdoor educators. When specially selected situations are accompanied by critical analysis, contemplation, and synthesis, and experiential learning process occurs. The learning outcomes are tailored to the individual and serve as a basis for future learning and experience. It is critical for students to have experience with practical learning. Students are unable to comprehend the learning process without the assistance of practical learning. As a result, it is critical for teachers to give students practical knowledge as well as experiential learning. An experimental learning environment is a controlled setting in which students can obtain knowledge by creating or evaluating evidence (Humberstone, et al. 2016). Learning outside of the classroom can help educators instill a love of learning, provide a real-world context, and expose students to a range of fields in nature. Outside of school, children who participate in the learning process have ber self-esteem and are more motivated in their studies. 

This event will be designed in unique ways where it will deliver the event successfully. This event will be designed through the beginning of the bus journey, where all the children or the students will start the journey for the excursion. After reaching the bus to the excursion point all the children will leave the bus and sit there for their breakfast at 8’o o'clock (Prince, et al. 2019). After completing the breakfast, all the children will be taken to the lake, where the excursion will take place, and the time will be near around 8.30 AM. The exploration of biodiversity in the water bodies will take place at that time, where children will be guided by the teachers till 10.00 AM. The elements they will see in the water body will be explained by the teachers at the same time. After that, there will be a time of reflection and questioning to the teacher by the students that will take around 10.00 AM to 10.30 am. After this excursion of this biodiversity identification of the waterbody, the student questions will be answered and there will also be a time for sharing their individual experience with others this session will be till 11.30 AM. After this feedback and experience sharing session, there will be a time for taking a bath in the lake from around 11.30 AM. to 12.00 AM., though there will be a risk that the session will be under the observation of the teacher and the parents who will take care of them. After this bath session, there will be a session of having lunch together where they will also learn about the social gathering, where the lunch time is provided as 12.00 AM to 1.00 PM. (Prince, et al. 2019). After lunch, the students will arrive on the bus and move forward for home at 1.00 AM., where the event will be end by handing over their children to the parents and sending them home safely. 

Small streams are often the best examples of full and healthy freshwater ecosystems accessible, and they are the most likely to remain uncontaminated, acting as a refuge for species that have already perished from larger, more damaged bodies of water. Small streams govern practically all ecosystem services associated with water, including ones that may be regulated by them, such as carbon cycling. Small waterways are exposed to all of the threats that larger rivers are exposed to, as well as some that are unique to small waterways. In light of this, small streams remain the least researched part of the freshwater ecosystem and are frequently overlooked in water management planning. It is necessary to highlight research objectives in order to enable enhanced conservation of small water bodies and to propose policy measures to incorporate small water bodies into the watershed and ecosystem management (Prince & Mallabon, 2020). The main criteria are to develop trustworthy monitoring methods for small streams, implement effective policies to protect the ecosystem services and biodiversity they provide and ensure that policymakers fully understand this important component of the aquatic environment. 

This outdoor education will help the student to improve their health as this outdoor learning consists of play, and will help the children to be motivated for the learning process. This outdoor education will enhance the communication process between the students and will help the students to improve their emotional and social skills. This outdoor learning is also beneficial for the student to improve their memory power and develop imagination power and in the process of exchanging information between the internal world of the learner and the learner’s external environment (Prince, et al. 2018). This outdoor education will aid the student in remembering what they have learned for a long time because experience has a significant impact on the learning process, and it is also excellent for pupils to relieve tension while playing and studying. This learning method assists kids in forming relationships with teachers and other students, as well as assisting them in cooperating and being social. 

Active process plan

In this section, the main discussion will be on the planet of the active process, where the different processes have been planned. This event will be planned from the commencement of the bus ride when all of the children or students will embark on their excursion. After boarding the bus to the excursion location, all of the children will disembark and sit down for breakfast. After finishing breakfast, all of the children will be transported to the lake for the excursion (Tuckman  & Jensen, 1977). The exploration of biodiversity in water bodies will take place, with teachers guiding the children. The teachers will discuss the elements they will see in the water body. Then the pupils will then have an opportunity to ponder and question the teacher. Students' queries will be answered after this tour of biodiversity identification of the waterbody, and there will also be an opportunity for them to share their particular experiences with others. There will be a period after this feedback and experience sharing session for taking a bath in the lake, albeit there will be a risk, but that session will be monitored by the teacher and the parents who will look after them. Following the bathing session, they will have lunch together and learn about social gatherings. After lunch, the students will board the bus and travel home, where the celebration will conclude with the parents giving over their children. There is a risk of Steps at Sentamu building where the children are at risk, and that will be mitigated through the adult's supervision. This planning process includes coats, sensible shoe problems where this risk of the children can be mitigated through their parents who they need to ensure that their children should not wear unnecessary things. Children can walk off from the event site for this risk mitigation. Adults need to lead the line and at the end of the line also adults need to be there. 

Review and evaluation

After discussion of the above sections, it can be said that this outdoor learning process will help the students to learn about the biodiversity in the waterboy, where they will explore the biodiversity of the underwater in a lake or pond. This will not only help them to learn about the biodiversity in the waterbody but also in many other curriculum activities. Biodiversity of small water bodies will assist to get knowledge about the different species of the family of living things. Biodiversity boosts ecosystem production because every species, big and little, plays an important function (Hedges, et al. 2020). In a limited body of water, a higher diversity of species ensures the ecological survival of all living things. Small water bodies, such as small lakes and ponds, low-order rivers, canals, and springs, are abundant freshwater ecosystems in the world, crucial for species and habitats, and generally recognized for their relevance in the ecosystem service delivery process. In this experiential learning and for this outdoor learning there will be some risk that will be mitigated and there will be a hazard-free learning event. Outdoor educators pioneered experiential education as a way of instruction in the context of nature. It is vital for students to have practical learning experience. Without the aid of practical learning, students are unable to comprehend the learning process. As a result, teachers must provide students with both practical knowledge and experiential learning. An experimental learning environment is a controlled environment in which students can learn by creating or analyzing evidence (Humberstone, et al. 2016). Outside-the-classroom learning can aid instructors in instilling a love of learning, providing a real-world context, and exposing children to a variety of natural fields. This type of learning approach allows kids to form relationships with teachers and other students through teamwork, and it also allows students to relieve tension through playing and learning. This type of experiential learning also aids in the process of exchanging information between the learner's internal world and the outside world due to teamwork and the experimental learning process. This type of experiential learning also aids in the improvement of emotional and social skills where it will be beneficial for the student to improve their memory power and develop imagination power. My activity plan for this module is to explore biodiversity near small water bodies, and they will be able to identify the biodiversity there. This outdoor education will assist students in improving their health by incorporating play into the learning process. It will also assist children in being more motivated to learn. This outdoor education will promote student communication and assist them to strengthen their emotional and social abilities. This outdoor learning is also excellent for students' memory and imagination development, as well as the process of exchanging information between the learner's internal world and the learner's exterior surroundings. This outdoor education will aid the student in remembering what they have learned for a long time because experience has a significant impact on the learning process, and it is also excellent for pupils to relieve tension while playing and studying (Noble, 2017). An experiential learning process happens when specially selected events are followed by critical analysis, contemplation, and synthesis. The learning outcomes are personalized for each person and serve as a foundation for future learning and experience. This learning method assists kids in forming relationships with teachers and other students, as well as assisting them in cooperating and being social. After discussion of the above sections, it can be said that this outdoor learning process will not only help the student for the learning but it will also help them to improve their other skills that are necessary for the future. Children who participate in the learning process outside of school have higher self-esteem and are more driven in their studies. This outdoor education will assist students in improving their health because it includes of play, which will motivate children to participate in the learning process. This sort of outdoor education also encourages students to work together and be sociable, with the students' cooperation and communication improving as a result of the experimental learning.

Please indicate in detail, how this event will contribute to one or more of the 5 outcomes
Be Healthy	This specific event will help the students to be healthy as there will be some physical activities like boating, and others.
Stay Safe	This specific event will help the students to stay safe because this event will be hazard and risk-free as the possible risks are already mitigated from this event.
Enjoy and Achieve	This specific event will help the students to enjoy the learning process where they will identify the biodiversity in the water body and achieve the attractive things in their minds.
Make a Positive Contribution	This specific event will help the students to make a positive contribution to society, where they will be able to communicate with others and make good relationships with them. This will help them to be social and contribute to society and the environment.
Achieve Economic Well Being	This specific event will help the students to achieve economic well-being through the task of this event.

Activities to be undertaken (Tick Activity)
Abseiling		Expeditions		Sailing
Canoeing (excluding white water)		Horse Riding		Sea / River / Lake Bathing	?
Camping		Mountain Biking		Skiing
Exchange Visits		PaintBalling		Snowboarding
Conservation Activities		Pony Trekking		Overseas Visits
Cycling		Rock Climbing		Windsurfing
Boating	?	Summer Mountain Walking (Apr 1st - Oct 31st)

References 

Book 

Knight, S., 2013. Forest school and outdoor learning in the early years. Sage.

Journal 

Blenkinsop, S., Telford, J. and Morse, M., 2016. A surprising discovery: Five pedagogical skills outdoor and experiential educators might offer more mainstream educators in this time of change. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 16(4), pp.346-358.

Bren, C. and Prince, H.E., 2022. The experiences of trans and non-binary participants in residential and non-residential outdoor programmes. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, pp.1-19.

Cincera, J., Johnson, B. and Kroufek, R., 2020. Outdoor environmental education programme leaders’ theories of experiential learning. Cambridge Journal of Education, 50(6), pp.729-745.

Cotic, N., Plazar, J., Istenic Starcic, A. and Zuljan, D., 2020. The Effect of Outdoor Lessons in Natural Sciences on Students' Knowledge, through Tablets and Experiential Learning. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 19(5), pp.747-763.

Dillon, J., Rickinson, M. and Teamey, K., 2016. The value of outdoor learning: evidence from research in the UK and elsewhere. In Towards a Convergence Between Science and Environmental Education (pp. 193-200). Routledge.

Fiennes, C., Oliver, E., Dickson, K., Escobar, D., Romans, A. and Oliver, S., 2015. The existing evidence-base about the effectiveness of outdoor learning. Institute of Outdoor Learning: London, UK.

Hattie, J., Marsh, H.W., Neill, J.T. and Richards, G.E., 1997. Adventure education and Outward Bound: Out-of-class experiences that make a lasting difference. Review of educational research, 67(1), pp.43-87. 

Noble, J., Kenley, A. and Patel, S., 2017. Association of Sail Training Organisations (ASTO) theory of change, evidence review and measurement framework.

Prince, H. and Humberstone, B., 2019. Research methods in outdoor studies: introduction.

Prince, H. and Mallabon, L., 2019. Designing effective research projects in outdoor studies. In Research methods in outdoor studies (pp. 33-44). Routledge. 

Prince, H., Christie, B., Humberstone, B. and Pedersen Gurholt, K., 2018. Adventure education and outdoor learning: Examining journal trends since 2000.

Prince, H.E., 2019. Changes in outdoor learning in primary schools in England, 1995 and 2017: Lessons for good practice. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 19(4), pp.329-342. 

Prince, H.E., 2020. The sustained value teachers place on outdoor learning. Education 3-13, 48(5), pp.597-610.

Research Excellence Framework, REF. (2019). Panel criteria and working methods. https://www.ref.ac.uk/media/1084/ref-2019_02-panel-criteria-and-working-methods.pdf.  Accessed 15 May 2020.

Rickinson, M., Dillon, J., Teamey, K., Morris, M., Choi, M.Y., Sanders, D. and Benefield, P., 2004. A review of research on outdoor learning.

Ryan, T. (2005). When you reflect are you also being reflexive? Nipissing University, Canada. https://www.oar.nipissingu.ca/PDF/V812E.pdf. Accessed 15 May 2020

Schon, D.A., 1984. The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action (Vol. 5126). Basic books.

Thomas, G., Grenon, H., Morse, M., Allen-Craig, S., Mangelsdorf, A. and Polley, S., 2019. Threshold concepts for Australian university outdoor education programs: Findings from a Delphi research study. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 22(3), pp.169-186.

Tuckman, B.W. and Jensen, M.A.C., 1977. Stages of small-group development revisited. Group & organization studies, 2(4), pp.419-427. 

Waite, S., Hedges, C. and Loynes, C., 2020. Research hubs: The theory-practice nexus.