286-9 Exploring Student Perceptions, Anxiety, and Identity Formation in Geology Field Camps

Session: Balancing Tradition and Innovation: Evolving Geoscience Curricula for a Changing World, Part II

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Abstract:

Geology field camps are widely regarded as the culminating experience in undergraduate geoscience education, providing immersive opportunities to integrate classroom learning with real-world application. While these experiences can be transformative, they may also generate significant anxiety for students, particularly regarding technical preparation, physical demands, and social dynamics. Such factors can influence not only immediate learning but also long-term professional identity and retention in the discipline. Despite their central role in the curriculum, little is known about how student perceptions shift before, during, and after field camp, or how these experiences might be redesigned to be more inclusive.

This conceptual paper outlines a planned study that will explore student experiences and anxieties related to traditional field camps. Guided by a theoretical lens of identity formation and accessibility, the study will collect survey and interview data at three touchpoints in the undergraduate trajectory: (1) during the sophomore year following completion of mineralogy and Earth processes courses, (2) in the semester immediately before field camp while enrolled in structural geology, and (3) in the semester following field camp completion.

The research will focus on three goals: (1) identifying sources of anxiety and concern prior to field camp; (2) documenting what students report learning, both in geologic content and personal growth; and (3) examining how the field camp experience shapes self-perception and professional identity as a geologist. Anticipated outcomes include evidence-based recommendations for reimagining field camp structures that maintain academic rigor while expanding access for a wider range of students.

This work positions field camp as both a high-impact learning practice and a potential barrier, aiming to inform ongoing conversations about balancing curricular traditions with innovative, student-centered approaches in geoscience education. Keywords: field camp, geology education, student anxiety, professional identity, inclusion

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

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