Last modified: 30 Jul 2024 10:46
This is a residential field course designed to provide you with training in field identification skills, ecological sampling techniques and an understanding of behaviour sampling and measurement. The course is held at the Kelvinside Academy John Duff Lodge, Corgarff, Strathdon, Scotland. Group based project work encourages development of skills in team working, data collection, analysis and presentation.
Dates for 2024-2025 are Friday 16th to Thursday 22nd May 2025.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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One or more of these courses have a limited number of places. Priority access will be given to students for whom this course is compulsory. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more details on this process.
The first two days of the course involve training in invertebrate collection from freshwater and terrestrial habitats and identification of animals that are collected. There will also be a session on measuring behaviour using birds as the model group.
Following initial training students will choose an area of study and carry out a semi-independent project as part of a small group. This will include data collection, appropriate analysis and then reporting to the other course members on their findings.
By the end of the course students should have
• become familiar with a wide range of ecological techniques
• experience of catching and handling animals in a variety of habitats
• become familiar with techniques used to study animal behaviour
• experience of planning and carrying out ecological projects and reporting results
Taught topics covered include:
(note that these may vary slightly between years)
Terrestrial invertebrate sampling: butterfly nets, beating trays & pooters, sweep nets
Freshwater invertebrate sampling: kick sampling, hand sampling, assessing water flow rate
Behaviour sampling via observation of local species of birds
Small mammal trapping: use of Longworth traps
Bird identification: visual and via songs/calls
Bat identification: use of bat detectors
Use of camera traps
| Description | Value |
|---|---|
| Associated cost. | GBP 120.00 |
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
There is frequent feedback during the course and also specific feedback provided on the report/presentation. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
There is frequent feedback during the course and also specific feedback provided on the report/presentation. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Assessment Type | Formative | Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Create | to plan and implement a field based project that involves appropriate methods of data collection and analyse, demonstrating competence in the identification of organisms |
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