The purpose of this study was to investigate the Rapid Ecological Assessment of the Landscape (REAL) team as a model for the integration of service learning within a formal classroom study in the biological sciences.
The REAL team program was conducted at the University of Connecticut in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The program covered a spring semester at the University and a subsequent summer-long appointment with TNC. The goal of the program was to educate students in ecological concepts, taxonomic skills, and inform them about future career opportunities in conservation organization. Recruitment and interviews were completed and four students were selected. Students participated in a three part training where students completed (1) an upper-level undergraduate course on ecological field methods, (2) a series of introductory workshops that were offered by program staff and (3) mentorship with faculty, staff or graduate students on a taxonomical group of the students choice.
The researchers completed an assessment of the program to gain a sense of the program efficacy and potential opportunities for improvement. The assessment included two parts. First, a meeting was held after the program that focused on students sharing thoughts and ideas on the outcomes and future of the program. Second, students completed questionnaires that covered all aspects of the program.
The researchers found that all individuals involved in the program greatly valued the experience and said that they would continue to support the expansion of the program in the future. Students also viewed program mentors as a critical aspect to their intellectual development. In addition, students offered suggestions for improvement such as easing logistics for using program equipment, communicating expectations, and tightening travel schedules. In summary, students found the program to be a genuinely valuable experience and this model could be used as way to train a new generation of conservation biologists. The authors suggest that individual institutions of higher learning or collaboratives of such institutions might apply this model, working in cooperation with local partners which can offer field-based serving-learning experiences.
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