College of Science - Field Trips
Content navigation
Overview
Field-based teaching and learning activities form an integral and important part of many courses delivered in the College of Science. During your studies, you’ll be exposed to a variety a techniques for collecting, analysing and reporting field data. Fieldwork activities are designed to allow you to put the skills you’ve learned in the classroom into practice in new environments.
Interested in participating? Read on.
Participating in trips can be a highlight of your university experience; however, it is also important to think carefully about whether it is the right decision for you at this point in time. This page will help you understand what field trips might involve, so you can make an informed decision.
How we can help you participate
For most of our trips, there are lots of options for flexibility that may make it easier for you to take part. This page will tell you about some of them. Keep in mind, it is not possible for us to anticipate every individual circumstance, so please contact the course convenor if you have other ideas for how we could help you participate. If you would like support discussing your needs with the course convenor or if your discussion didn't go as you expected, please contact the school accessibility contact.
How to participate?
Check the Programs & Courses page for information on prerequisites, if the field trip is required, and how to sign-up.
Logistics
Activity sites
Field-based teaching and learning activities take place on a wide range of sites, from the ANU’s Acton Campus, the ACT, across Australia and internationally. Please refer to individual course Wattle sites for detailed information about travel arrangements.
Accessibility implications will vary from course to course. To fully participate in some trips, you might need to able to safely traverse the distance from the nearest vehicle access to the location of the field activities. Students who have difficulty with mobility should discuss their requirements with them with the course convener in the first week of the course. This consultation will allow the convener will take the students' needs into account in planning relevant activities and if the trip plans change (e.g. due to weather) and in emergency situations.
Travel
Depending on the nature of the trip, travel will vary. If you need accessible transport, please talk to your course convenor during the first week of classes. Students should refer to individual course Wattle sites for detailed information about travel arrangements.
For local and/or domestic trips, students may walk or be driven by bus and/or small vehicles to applicable field sites. The school will often make transportation arrangements for participating students.
For trips further from Canberra and international trips, students may meet at a designated location away from the ANU and then continue to the site.
For some trips, students may have the option to travel to the site in their own vehicle, if preferred. Please contact the convenor to discuss options.
Accomodation
For overnight trips, accomodations vary and may include staying in hotels, dormitories, tents, or huts. Facilities, such as rooms, toilets, and showers may be shared, or there may be the option for students to have individual facilities. Please consult with the convenor to see what options are available.
Accommodation may have accessibility features, such as ramps to the accommodation, but lacks others, such as paved paths between buildings. If you need accessible accommodation, please discuss your specific needs with the course convenor at the beginning of semester.
Food
Dietary restrictions can often be accommodated; please consult with the convenor before the trip to see what can be arranged. Students may be able to access cooking facilities and/or bring their own food on some trips.
Some trips, especially those in remote or international locations, may have more restricted food options.
Cost
Some field trips have additional costs to cover food, travel, accomodation, or other expenses. Consult with the school or convenor for more information, including if scholarships are available to help cover the cost.
Health & wellbeing
Look after yourself: physical and mental health
For some students, long day trips or overnight travel away from support networks can be an issue and students are strongly encouraged to think about how they will manage their mental and physical health while on the trip.
Field trips typically involve extended periods of work and leisure time spent with other people, resulting in limited time alone or privacy. Students who feel they would benefit from time alone or in quiet locations should discuss the options with the course convener.
Students should be aware that the university's insurance policy does not cover pre-existing conditions. Please contact the convenor to discuss any medical conditions that may be difficult to manage; for example, it is sometimes possible to help store equipment or arrange cold storage of medication, if required.
Some international field trip locations require students to get appropriate immunisations before the trip. All students will need to consult their doctor before traveling and organise any immunisations that are required.
If you need to miss part of the trip due to health or other reasons, you can ask the convenor about discuss alternative assessment arrangements.
Respecting other students' needs
Students must act in a professional, respectful and responsible way at all times; students who do not meet these expectations may be asked to leave.
If you are unsure about the expectations or think your behaviour might be misinterpreted, please talk to the course convenor. We can clarify the expectations and work with you to ensure the any stakeholders we encounter aren't inadvertently left with the wrong impression.
Workload
Workload will vary by trip; please consult the convenor for information about what tasks are expected, the time frame, and availability of time and facilities to rest.
Any students who perceive the activities described by the convenor as challenging are encouraged to discuss what options may exist to best facilitate their learning.
Clothes
Field-based teaching and learning activities require appropriate clothing, which should be carried by students to suit weather conditions and in case of changing weather (e.g. jumper, jacket, rainwear, hat, sunglasses, sun-block). Any specialist protective clothing (safety helmets, high visibility vests and sturdy boots) will be typically be provided.
Please talk to the course convenor if you may have difficulty wearing particular protective clothing or may otherwise need individualised protective clothing. A student can be excluded from a field trip by the academic supervisor if the individual does not carry adequate personal protective clothing or does not comply with requests from staff to wear allocated specialist attire.
Tasks & activities
Interpreting the visual features of the environment
During the field trip, students may need to observe and interpret visual features in the environment. Students can often magnifying equipment to enhance their ability to make visual observations. If you require visual features to be described to them by someone else, discuss this with the course convener at the beginning of the semester.
Making measurements in the field
Students may need to walk over rough surfaces to make measurements. These measurements may use tape measures, shovels, hand aurgers, field guides and various fauna traps.
Students that find it difficult to complete these tasks may be able assisted by others in the group - please discuss this with the course convenor prior to the trip.
Flexible field notes
To maximise learning, students may need to take notes in the field. Students may be able to choose how to take notes, including using electronic devices or recording verbal observations. Students that find it difficult to complete these tasks may be able assisted by others in the group - please discuss this with the course convenor prior to the trip.
Field presentations and discussions
Students might need to listen to content delivered by staff whilst in the field (outside). While collecting field data, students may need to listen, discuss and coordinate with each other as small group.
If you think that you may have difficulty doing this, please discuss this with the course convener at the beginning of semester.
Working within a set schedule
There are often pre-scheduled time commitments that the field trip organizers need to maintain. This means staff will continually evaluate activities with respect to the program and provide information to students about what time is available for each activity.
The student responsibility is to acknowledge and respect this need to manage the time. When in small groups, it will be up to the students to perform the required tasks within the time available.
Working in a group
Students may design and work on group research projects during the trip. As a group, students may choose a topic, develop research questions, choose appropriate, collect data, analyse the data collected and present the results.
Staff members may be available to help you develop the relevant skills at the beginning of the trip, to guide you through the process and help with any difficulties you encounter. However, students may need to be comfortable contributing to group decision making, developing solutions to open ended problems and following an evolving and flexible trip schedule. If you're concerned about these aspects of the project work, please talk to the convenor. We can suggest ways to prepare prior to the trip and investigate options to provide you with additional support during the trip.