Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University / The purpose of this study was to prepare a guide for field trips that would be of value to teachers of consumer education courses at the secondary school level. The guide is designed to be of use to teachers in planning field trips in their own communities.

The goal of farm field days in Utah is to show an increase in agricultural literacy among elementary aged children. Evaluations of student learning have not been adequately assessed. Students from two of the statewide farm field day events were assessed on what they already knew about agriculture, what they wanted to learn about agriculture, and then what they learned about agriculture as a result of the event they attended. Data was collected and analyzed using the National Agriculture Literacy Outcomes and Themes, to determine if the farm field day events had any impact on their awareness or understanding of agriculture. Results indicated that students were below an average awareness of younger grade-level appropriate agricultural concepts before they attend the farm field day event. However, after the event, results indicated that student awareness of grade appropriate agricultural concepts increased.

Esta pesquisa se baseia em dados obtidos a partir do registro das interações comunicativas entre monitor e alunos, dos ensinos fundamental e médio, envolvidos em atividades realizadas em duas saídas de campo, uma para Cananeia-SP e outra para Paraty-RJ. Entre as várias atividades realizadas, investigamos aquelas mais similares às aulas formais na escola, que compreendem os momentos em que os monitores interagem com os alunos para desenvolver determinados conteúdos, nesse caso, conteúdos relacionados ao ambiente visitado. Esses momentos são denominados de aula de campo. Nosso objetivo foi analisar e caracterizar as diferentes formas em que o conteúdo científico foi trabalhado pelos monitores em trechos de três aulas de campo, considerando os enunciados produzidos (operações epistêmicas) e os objetos introduzidos no discurso. Para isso, investigamos aulas de dois monitores diferentes. Para a análise, foram utilizados três conjuntos de categorias que compreendem a dimensão epistêmica de um sistema analítico proposto por Mortimer, Massicame, Tiberghien e Buty, e adaptado por Silva, sendo feitas algumas alterações para este trabalho. A formulação das categorias foi baseada em concepções como Gênero do Discurso e Linguagem Social de Bakhtin, sendo considerado também o conceito de Práticas Epistêmicas proposto por Kelly. Essas categorias epistêmicas caracterizam alguns aspectos do discurso e da linguagem empregados durante o desenvolvimento do conteúdo; o conjunto operações epistêmicas diz respeito aos enunciados produzidos, designa ações como descrever, generalizar e exemplificar. O conjunto modelagem indica se o discurso está tratando de um objeto ou evento capaz de ser reconhecido no meio material, ou se faz uso de elementos criados por meio do discurso científico. E o nível de referencialidade caracteriza o uso de um referencial específico ou uma classe de referentes. Os dados foram coletados por meio de gravadores de áudio, sendo transcritos para a análise e codificação das categorias. As análises foram organizadas em Mapas de Categorias Epistêmicas e em Mapas de Percentuais de Tempo, por episódio. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que, independentemente do conteúdo trabalhado e da operação epistêmica empregada, o mundo dos objetos e eventos predominou em praticamente todo o tempo de discurso; assim, mesmo conteúdos como a adaptação dos organismos foram trabalhados quase que exclusivamente a partir de objetos e eventos, que podem ser, de alguma forma, observados, percebidos ou mensurados. Na maior parte do tempo, o discurso também permaneceu fazendo referência a sistemas específicos, principalmente aos sistemas visitados, mesmo quando os monitores fizeram uso de generalizações conhecidas para descrever elementos daqueles sistemas. De todos os episódios analisados, apenas um teve o objetivo de alcançar uma generalização sobre um evento, e outro tratou de dois eventos a partir de situações hipotéticas que poderiam ser consideradas para qualquer ecossistema similar ao visitado. No entanto, mesmo nessas duas situações, a caracterização geral do ecossistema ou do fenômeno específico foi necessária para o desenvolvimento do conteúdo. A descrição foi a operação epistêmica mais empregada, formando a base da caracterização dos ambientes visitados. / This research is based on data obtained from the recording of communicative interactions between field trip educators and middle to high school students involved in activities on two field trips, one in Cananeia- SP and another in Paraty- RJ. Among the various field trip activities, we investigated those most resembling formal lessons at school, which are the moments in which the educators interact with students in developing a given subject, in this case, related to the visited environment. These moments are called field classes. Our aim was to analyze and characterize the different ways in which the scientific content was developed in three field classes, considering the utterances produced (epistemic operations) and the objects introduced in the discourse. To do this, we investigated classes from two different educators. For the analysis, three sets of categories were used, comprising the epistemic dimension of an analytical system proposed by Mortimer, Massicame, Tiberghien and Buty, and adapted by Silva, with some changes having been made for this work. The formulation of the categories was based on concepts such as Gender Discourse and Social Language, proposed by Bakhtin. We also considered Kelly\'s concept of Epistemic Practices. These \"epistemic categories\" characterize some aspects of the discourse and language employed during the development of content; epistemic operations refer to the enunciations produced, designating actions such as to describe, to generalize and to exemplify. Modeling indicates whether the discourse deals with an object or event that can be recognized in the material medium or uses elements created by the scientific discourse. The level of referentiality pertains to the use of a specific reference or a class of references. Data were collected by means of audio-recordings, which were transcribed for analysis and the coding of categories. Analyses were organized into Maps of Epistemic Categories and Maps of Percentage of Time, per episode. The results showed that regardless of the content and epistemic operation employed, the world of objects and events was prevalent in almost all discourse time, even content such as the adaptation of organisms were dealt with almost exclusively based on objects and events, that could be, somehow, observed, perceived or measured in the material world. Most of the time, the discourse also kept to specific systems, especially the visited ones, even when the educators used known generalizations to describe elements of those systems. From all the analyzed episodes, only one had the goal of achieving a generalization about an event, and another addressed two events from hypothetical situations that could be considered similar to that of any ecosystem. However, even in these two situations, the general characterization of the ecosystem or the specific phenomenon was necessary for the development of content. Description was the predominant epistemic operation, forming the basis of the characterization of the visited environments.

The purpose of this study was two-fold. The first was the development of environmental education field trip guides to areas in Cache Valley for teachers in grades three through six that would provide learning activities that cannot be structured in the classroom. Six field trip guides to areas of Cache Valley with accompanying activities and discussion questions were constructed. The guides were tested in the field by three groups of teachers and students and teachers not participating in the field test evaluated the guides for difficulties they would encounter in using the guides. The second study purpose was to determine constraints faced by Cache Valley elementary teachers in using such guides and conducting environmental education programs. This was accomplished by the use of a questionnaire which was given to elementary teachers in Logan City . Although a lack of environmental education guides and materials was apparent, major constraints listed were a lack of transportation and funds and inadequate student supervision.

Engaging children in natural settings enhances learning and promotes development while utilizing protected natural areas. However, many schoolchildren, especially from economically disadvantaged areas, lack support for environmental education (EE) to develop skills and attitudes to increase rates of appropriate, resource-protective behaviors. This causes resource degradation wherever children visit protected natural areas. Improved EE should reduce the amount of resource degradation when children visit natural settings. This project proposes a model program of replicable, low–cost, widely accessible critical thinking activities and materials designed to directly address this problem. The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, Camp Ondessonk, and Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge were partners in this project. The objectives were to create, test, evaluate, and disseminate tools for teachers in the form of a pre–visit program with three specific engagement methods to engage children in activities that cultivate critical thinking and encourage resource–appropriate behaviors. Original activities involving a discussion–based journal, handmade wristband, and interactive games were conducted during small–group interactive workshops at Camp Cedar Point in Makanda, Illinois and Camp Ondessonk in Ozark, Illinois (n=225). Pre/post program evaluations were administered, and camper behavior on a hike was observed. It was hypothesized that campers would shift towards a more pro–environmental attitude and exhibit lower rates of depreciative behaviors after any combination of activities than the control group of campers, and that a combination of all three methods of engagement would be the most effective approach in reducing depreciative behavior and changing attitudes towards resource protection, by addressing multiple motivations. The most effective combination of activities in changing attitudes was found to be the journal and games (p<0.01), although all combinations of the program activities resulted in attitude scores that were higher than the initial score (p<0.01). There was no significant change in behavior between treatments or between the control group and treatments. Possible causes and other considerations are discussed, including recommendations for future research on the effect of adult behavior modeling, reminders, and factors such as weather, gender, and group size on the depreciative rates of children. The activities will be combined into a PDF packet for distribution to teachers by land managers and environmental educators in the area.

Esta pesquisa se baseia em dados obtidos a partir do registro das interações comunicativas entre monitor e alunos, dos ensinos fundamental e médio, envolvidos em atividades realizadas em duas saídas de campo, uma para Cananeia-SP e outra para Paraty-RJ. Entre as várias atividades realizadas, investigamos aquelas mais similares às aulas formais na escola, que compreendem os momentos em que os monitores interagem com os alunos para desenvolver determinados conteúdos, nesse caso, conteúdos relacionados ao ambiente visitado. Esses momentos são denominados de aula de campo. Nosso objetivo foi analisar e caracterizar as diferentes formas em que o conteúdo científico foi trabalhado pelos monitores em trechos de três aulas de campo, considerando os enunciados produzidos (operações epistêmicas) e os objetos introduzidos no discurso. Para isso, investigamos aulas de dois monitores diferentes. Para a análise, foram utilizados três conjuntos de categorias que compreendem a dimensão epistêmica de um sistema analítico proposto por Mortimer, Massicame, Tiberghien e Buty, e adaptado por Silva, sendo feitas algumas alterações para este trabalho. A formulação das categorias foi baseada em concepções como Gênero do Discurso e Linguagem Social de Bakhtin, sendo considerado também o conceito de Práticas Epistêmicas proposto por Kelly. Essas categorias epistêmicas caracterizam alguns aspectos do discurso e da linguagem empregados durante o desenvolvimento do conteúdo; o conjunto operações epistêmicas diz respeito aos enunciados produzidos, designa ações como descrever, generalizar e exemplificar. O conjunto modelagem indica se o discurso está tratando de um objeto ou evento capaz de ser reconhecido no meio material, ou se faz uso de elementos criados por meio do discurso científico. E o nível de referencialidade caracteriza o uso de um referencial específico ou uma classe de referentes. Os dados foram coletados por meio de gravadores de áudio, sendo transcritos para a análise e codificação das categorias. As análises foram organizadas em Mapas de Categorias Epistêmicas e em Mapas de Percentuais de Tempo, por episódio. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que, independentemente do conteúdo trabalhado e da operação epistêmica empregada, o mundo dos objetos e eventos predominou em praticamente todo o tempo de discurso; assim, mesmo conteúdos como a adaptação dos organismos foram trabalhados quase que exclusivamente a partir de objetos e eventos, que podem ser, de alguma forma, observados, percebidos ou mensurados. Na maior parte do tempo, o discurso também permaneceu fazendo referência a sistemas específicos, principalmente aos sistemas visitados, mesmo quando os monitores fizeram uso de generalizações conhecidas para descrever elementos daqueles sistemas. De todos os episódios analisados, apenas um teve o objetivo de alcançar uma generalização sobre um evento, e outro tratou de dois eventos a partir de situações hipotéticas que poderiam ser consideradas para qualquer ecossistema similar ao visitado. No entanto, mesmo nessas duas situações, a caracterização geral do ecossistema ou do fenômeno específico foi necessária para o desenvolvimento do conteúdo. A descrição foi a operação epistêmica mais empregada, formando a base da caracterização dos ambientes visitados. / This research is based on data obtained from the recording of communicative interactions between field trip educators and middle to high school students involved in activities on two field trips, one in Cananeia- SP and another in Paraty- RJ. Among the various field trip activities, we investigated those most resembling formal lessons at school, which are the moments in which the educators interact with students in developing a given subject, in this case, related to the visited environment. These moments are called field classes. Our aim was to analyze and characterize the different ways in which the scientific content was developed in three field classes, considering the utterances produced (epistemic operations) and the objects introduced in the discourse. To do this, we investigated classes from two different educators. For the analysis, three sets of categories were used, comprising the epistemic dimension of an analytical system proposed by Mortimer, Massicame, Tiberghien and Buty, and adapted by Silva, with some changes having been made for this work. The formulation of the categories was based on concepts such as Gender Discourse and Social Language, proposed by Bakhtin. We also considered Kelly\'s concept of Epistemic Practices. These \"epistemic categories\" characterize some aspects of the discourse and language employed during the development of content; epistemic operations refer to the enunciations produced, designating actions such as to describe, to generalize and to exemplify. Modeling indicates whether the discourse deals with an object or event that can be recognized in the material medium or uses elements created by the scientific discourse. The level of referentiality pertains to the use of a specific reference or a class of references. Data were collected by means of audio-recordings, which were transcribed for analysis and the coding of categories. Analyses were organized into Maps of Epistemic Categories and Maps of Percentage of Time, per episode. The results showed that regardless of the content and epistemic operation employed, the world of objects and events was prevalent in almost all discourse time, even content such as the adaptation of organisms were dealt with almost exclusively based on objects and events, that could be, somehow, observed, perceived or measured in the material world. Most of the time, the discourse also kept to specific systems, especially the visited ones, even when the educators used known generalizations to describe elements of those systems. From all the analyzed episodes, only one had the goal of achieving a generalization about an event, and another addressed two events from hypothetical situations that could be considered similar to that of any ecosystem. However, even in these two situations, the general characterization of the ecosystem or the specific phenomenon was necessary for the development of content. Description was the predominant epistemic operation, forming the basis of the characterization of the visited environments.

Field trips are visits to an out-of-school setting designed for educational and academic purposes whereby as a result students gain firsthand knowledge and experiences. Historically, it was the potential for student learning that motivated teachers to utilize field trips. However, there is reasonable suspicion among scholars today that teachers are utilizing field trips less since the start of the new millennia; the common reasons being cited among others include a slumping economy, an increase in accountability due to high-stakes testing, and rising fuel costs. Unfortunately, there is no empirical evidence that can confirm or deny this suspicion. Therefore, the purpose of this survey research study is twofold. The first goal is to investigate what proportion of Florida K-12 public school teachers, within the field of social studies, science, mathematics, and language arts utilized a field trip during the 2012-13 academic school year; along with investigating the total number and frequency in which they used those field trips. The second goal is to identify if there were any significant differences in the number of field trips that those teachers utilized based on four independent variables (a) the grade level at which the teachers teach, (b) teachers' years of teaching experience, (c) the content focus of the field trips, and (d) whether teachers graduated from a teacher preparation program or not. The study utilized a non-experimental causal-comparative research design to conclude that there were some significant differences in the number of field trips teachers utilized as a result of two of the independent variables.

The reason why I chose this topic is that field trips (short-term or long-term) have demonstrable effect on students' knowledge, values and attitudes as well as teachers' skills. The objective of this thesis was to prepare a field trip including all needed teaching materials and evaluate it's effect on students' knowledge. Created teaching materials were tested in four classes in two primary school in Příbram and a nearby village. Students from these schools were divided into two groups - experimental and control. The experimental group attended the field trip and the control group got involved in the same program but at school. Both groups completed pretest, teaching, posttest 1 (with a feedback about teaching), posttest 2 and 3. Data collected from this research were evaluated using statistical methods. The results from these methods proved a significant difference of knowledge between groups in posttest 1 and 2. The score of both groups gained in posttest 3 was similar. We can conclude that students of both groups learned new information and their knowledge improved. Nevertheless the field trip had significantly higher effect on students' knowledge than the school lesson. Key words: teaching methods, field trip, students' knowledge, knowledge testing

The thesis deals with science education and integration of field trip in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. The theoretical part summarizes available information about science education and integrating field trip in the classroom, theoretical information about creating of questionnaires and a websites. The practical part contains the analysis of survey results. The main finding is that half of the teachers know their neighbourhood with regard to realize field trip. However they find obstacles in realization, such as price, time-consumption, knowledge of locations, students' interest, demanding organization etc. A website was created using the feedback from the questionnaire as described in the next part of thesis. It contains description of locations suitable for field trip in chemistry education. The aim of the website is to facilitate field trip organisation for teachers.

Im Februar und März 2007 wurde vom Geographischen Institut der Universität eine Exkursion nach Neuseeland durchgeführt. Der hier vorliegende Bericht bezieht sich auf diese Exkursion. Im ersten Teil wird durch 17 Protokolle der Exkursionsverlauf wiedergegeben. Im zweiten Teil befassen sich sechs Texte näher mit je einem thematischen Aspekt der Exkursion. Autoren der Protokolle und der thematischen Texte sind die Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer der Exkursion. Zum ersten Teil des Berichts – der Exkursionsverlauf Im ersten Teil dieses Berichtes wird der Verlauf der Exkursion Neuseeland 2007 des Geographischen Instituts der Universität Potsdam durch Tagesprotokolle dargestellt. Die Exkursion begann am 14. Februar 2007 in Auckland und endete am 4. März 2007 in Christchurch. Während dieser 19 Tage wurden verschiedene Orte auf der neuseeländischen Nord- und Südinsel aufgesucht, wobei die Exkursionsgruppe verschiedene Aspekte der neuseeländischen Gesellschaft aus einer humangeographischen Perspektive studierte. Im Mittelpunkt standen die Themen historische und jüngere Migration nach Neuseeland, Maori, Milchwirtschaft, Holzwirtschaft und Tourismus in Neuseeland. Die Tagesprotokolle machen deutlich, dass die Exkursion weniger in einer thematisch-systematischen Art und Weise durchgeführt wurde. Statt dessen erfolgte das Aufsuchen exemplarischer Orte, an denen Beobachtungen und darüber hinausgehende Erkundungen stattfanden. Die entsprechenden Aussagen sind in den Protokollen wiedergegeben, schwerpunktmäßig wird dabei folgendes angesprochen: Der erste Exkursionstag, das war der 14. Februar 2007, wurde für den Besuch des Geographischen Institutes der Auckland University genutzt. Dort wurde zum Beispiel eine Diskussionsrunde mit den beiden Humangeographen Richard Le Heron und Gordon Winder veranstaltet. Auch die folgenden zwei Tage verbrachten die Exkursionsgruppe in Auckland, wobei sie sich im »Auckland Museum« über die neuseeländische Geschichte und insbesondere über die Kultur der Maori informierte. Mit einem Maori-Guide unternahmen die Teilnehmer eine Stadtführung durch Auckland, wobei ebenfalls das Leben der Maori im Fokus stand. Außerdem besuchten sie eine private Einwanderungsagentur und führten in Kleingruppen Expertengespräche zum Thema »Migration und Integration in Neuseeland« durch. Am 17. Februar erkundeten die Exkursionsteilnehmer drei Orte in der näheren Umgebung Aucklands. Zunächst begaben sie sich zum Otara Market, einem Wochenmarkt der Pacific Islanders, der immer samstags in Otara abgehalten wird. Anschließend ging es weiter an die westliche Küste, wo sie unter Führung einer Rangerin durch den Muriwai-Regionalpark wanderten. Auf der Rückfahrt nach Auckland machten sie Halt in Soljan’s Winzerei, wo der Betrieb vorgestellt wurde und Wein verkosten werden konnte. Am 18. Februar verließ die Exkursionsgruppe Auckland in Richtung Norden, um zum Ort Puhoi zu gelangen. Dort beschäftigten sich die Teilnehmer mit den sogenannten Bohemians, die einst aus Böhmen nach Neuseeland auswanderten und deren Traditionen dort auch heute noch (zumindest teilweise) gepflegt werden. Am nächsten Tag fuhren sie weiter nach Pahia, dem nördlichsten Aufenthaltsort während der Exkursion. Auf dem Weg dorthin machten sie einen Umweg über Matakohe, wo das Kauri-Museum und der Tane Mahuta, der größte Kauribaum Neuseelands, besichtigt wurden. Am 20. Februar stand vormittags die Beschäftigung mit der Geschichte Neuseelands auf dem Tagesplan. Hierfür besuchte die Exkursionsgruppe die Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Dort informierten sich die Teilnehmer über den Vertrag von Waitangi und darüber, welche Folgen dieser für das Leben der Maori hatte. Am Nachmittag stand das Thema Tourismus im Mittelpunkt. Die Exkursionsteilnehmer machten sich mit einem Teil des touristischen Angebots vertraut, indem sie eine Bootstour durch die Bay of Islands unternahmen. Am 21. Februar fuhr die Gruppe in die Hamilton-Region, wo sie sich auch die folgenden zwei Tage aufhielt. Auf dem Weg dorthin wurde ein Zwischenstopp in Kawakawa und an den Whangarei Falls eingelegt. In Hamilton war die Exkursionsgruppe Gast im Geographischen Institut der Waikato University und im Waikato Migrant Resource Centre. Außerdem stand das Thema Milchwirtschaft auf dem Programm. Hierfür besichtigten die Teilnehmer das Unternehmen AmBreed, welches die Grundlage für die Aufzucht von Hochleistungsmilchkühen bereitstellt – nämlich das Bullensperma. Außerdem konnten sie sich über die Organisation und Probleme einer Milchfarm informieren. Darüber hinaus gestalteten in der Waikato-Region wohnende Nachfahren der böhmischen Einwanderer ein Abendprogramm für die Exkursionsgruppe. Den 24. Februar verbrachten die Teilnehmer im Gebiet von Rotorua. Dort durchkreuzten sie das Thermal Wonderland, in dem heiße Quellen und Geysire sowie die dadurch geschaffenen Oberflächengegebenheiten studiert werden können. Die heißen Quellen werden hier auch zur Energiegewinnung herangezogen, wovon sich die Exkursionsteilnehmer bei einer Besichtigung der Geothermal Power Station of Warakei überzeugen konnten. Auf der Fahrt zum Tongariro Nationalpark bewunderten sie die Huka Falls und machten Halt am Lake Taupo, dem größten See Neuseelands. Im Nationalpark unternahmen sie am 26. Februar eine Wanderung. Tags darauf fuhren sie weiter über Marton nach Wellington, der Hauptstadt Neuseelands. Dort war nachmittags sowie am 28. Februar Gelegenheit, die Stadt zu erkunden, unter anderem auf einer Stadtführung mit Prof. Bredlich. Daneben erfuhr man bei einem Besuch des neuseeländischen Nationalmuseums Te Papa viel Wissenswertes über Gesellschaft und Geschichte Neuseelands. Am 1. März überquerten sie mit der Fähre die Cookstraße, um zur Südinsel zu gelangen. Den Nachmittag dieses Tages verbrachte die Exkursionsgruppe in Upper Moutere, wo sie sich mit der Einwanderung Deutscher in der Region Nelson befasste Am Tag darauf fuhren die Teilnehmer zur Westküste und beschäftigten sich mit den Landschaftsformen der Südalpen und der Küste sowie mit der Frage, welche wirtschaftliche Rolle diese Region einst spielte und welche sie heute einnimmt. Am 3. März überquerten sie die Südalpen über den Athur’s Pass und kamen am Nachmittag in Christchurch an. Am nächsten Tag erlebten sie eine Besichtigungstour durch die größte Stadt der Südinsel unter Leitung von Prof. Parson vom Institut für Geographie der Universität von Canterbury. Dabei standen insbesondere Fragen des städtischen Wandels im Mittelpunkt, welcher mit den ökonomischen Reformen seit Ende der 80er Jahre des letzten Jahrhunderts einherging. Damit endete am 4. März die Exkursion in Christchurch. Zum zweiten Teil des Berichts – die thematischen Texte Neben dem Gewinn eines ersten Eindrucks vor Ort bietet eine Exkursion als Form der Erkundung eines Landes durchaus auch die Gelegenheit, kritisch über gesellschaftliche Vorgänge zu reflektieren. Über solche Reflexionen geben die Darstellungen im zweiten Teil dieses Exkursionsberichtes Aufschluss. Das Spektrum der in den Texten aufgegriffenen Themen reicht dabei von physisch-geographischen Gegebenheiten, über Land- und Forstwirtschaft, die Maori bis zu bevölkerungsgeographischen Fragestellungen zur Migration und Integration in Neuseeland. Dem zu Grunde liegt ein – in der Geographie lange verwurzeltes – holistisches Verständnis der Disziplin. In den Berichten findet die zentrale Debatte in der Geographie um die Bedeutung und das Zusammenspiel von globalen, regionsunabhängigen und lokalen, regionsspezifischen Faktoren (»Glokalisierung«) an vielen Stellen ihren Ausdruck. Da während der Exkursion Einblick in verschiedenste Bereiche des Lebens in Neuseeland gewonnen werden konnten, ist es im thematischen zweiten Teil des Berichts vorrangiges Ziel, einen guten Überblick über Neuseeland und seine Bevölkerung zu geben. Dabei überwiegt ein beschreibender Charakter der Texte, gleichzeitig sollen aber auch zentrale Veränderungen und Herausforderungen für die neuseeländische Gesellschaft angesprochen, Erklärungsansätze gegeben und Lösungsstrategien aufgewiesen werden. Im Einzelnen ist der thematische Teil folgendermaßen aufgebaut: Zu Beginn widmet sich Anja Lehmann den Maori und beleuchtet Geschichte, Kultur und heutige Situation der indigenen Bevölkerung Neuseelands. Anschließend gehen Katharina Popig und Manuel Hundt in ihrem Text auf die frühe europäische Einwanderung nach Neuseeland, insbesondere auf die Rolle der deutschen bzw. böhmischen Einwanderer, ein. Im darauf folgenden Text zeigt Manuel Hundt die sich verändernden Muster in der jüngeren Migration auf und beleuchtet Fragen der Integration in Neuseeland, wobei insbesondere auf die Rolle der Pacific Islanders eingegangen wird. Dann folgt der Text von Lilli Maier. Sie beschäftigt sich mit Fragen des Tourismus und schildert die Gestalt des Fremdenverkehrs und seine Bedeutung für die neuseeländische Wirtschaft. Natalia Kiselgof gibt einen Überblick sowohl über physisch-geographische Aspekte und den Naturraum Neuseelands als auch über die Struktur der neuseeländischen Landwirtschaft, bevor Sören Sturm die Forstwirtschaft Neuseelands einer kritischen Analyse unterzieht. / In February and March 2007 the Institute of Geography at Potsdam University carried out a field trip to New Zealand. The report refers to this field trip and is divided into two parts. The first part gives an account of the field trip’s course in 17 daily reports. The second part attends to different thematic aspects of the field trip, each dealt with in one of the six texts. Authors of the daily reports and the thematic texts are the participants of the field trip. Part One – The course of the field trip In the first part of this report we will depict the course of the field trip of the Institute of Geography at Potsdam University to New Zealand 2007 by means of reports for each of the field trip’s days. The field trip began on February 14, 2007 in Auckland and ended on March 4, 2007 in Christchurch. During these 19 days, the group visited different places on New Zealand’s North and South Island, in which different aspects of New Zealand’s society were studied from a human geographical perspective. In the centre of interest were topics such as historical and recent migration to New Zealand, Maori, agriculture, forestry and tourism in New Zealand. The daily reports make clear, that the field trip was not strictly conducted systematically in a thematic way. Instead, exemplary places were visited, where observation and exceeding investigations took place. The according explanations are to be found in the daily reports, some of the topics in the focus of interest were the following: The first day of the field trip, February 14, 2007, was used for a visit at the Institute of Geography at Auckland University. They organized presentations and discussions about a wide range of New Zealand and Auckland related topics, amongst others with the human geographers Richard Le Heron and Gordon Winder. For the following two days the group stayed in Auckland and visited the “Auckland Museum”, which gave a good insight into New Zealand history and especially into Maori culture. Historical and contemporary Maori life in Auckland was also in the focus of a guided tour through the city with a Maori guide. Furthermore, the group visited a private immigration agency and conducted interviews in smaller groups with experts about “migration and integration in New Zealand”. On February 17, the participants of the field trip explored three places in the surroundings of Auckland. At first they went to Otara Market, a weekly market of the Pacific Islanders community which is held every Saturday in Otara. Then they continued to Muriwai Regional Park on the Western Coast, where a guided walk with a Park Ranger took place. On the way back to Auckland, they made a last stop at Soljan’s Winery, where the owner explained the history of the family owned business and the process of winemaking. On February 18, the field trip group left Auckland northbound to reach Puhoi by midday. There the main emphasis was put on history and contemporary situation of the “Bohemians”, who once moved from Bohemia to New Zealand and whose traditions have been living on until today. On the following day, the group headed on to Pahia, the northernmost point of the field trip. On the way there, they passed Northland’s ‘Kauri Coast’, visited the Kauri Museum in Matakohe and saw New Zealand’s largest Kauri tree, the ‘Tane Mahuta’. The history of New Zealand was on the agenda for the morning of February 20: The group visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where there were possibilities to find out about the contents of the Treaty of Waitangi and about its consequences for the life of the Maori in past and present times. In the afternoon tourism was in the centre of interest: The participants of the field trip got to know one of the tourist attractions of the region and went on a boat trip through the Bay of Islands. On February 21, the group continued on its course to the region of Hamilton, where it also stayed for the following two days. On the way there, they made a stop at Kawakawa and at Whangarei Falls. In Hamilton they visited the Institute of Geography at Waikato University, where they heard a talk by Jacques Poot, professor and director of the university’s Population Studies Centre. The afternoon saw a visit of the Waikato Migrant Resource Centre. Another thematic emphasis in the Hamilton Region was put on dairy farming. For this, the students visited the company ‘AmBreed’, which specialized in artificial cattle breeding and in the production of the basis of industrialized and efficient dairy farming – the production of top-rate bull’s semen. On a typical mid-sized dairy farm the group could get an insight into organization and problems of dairy farming in New Zealand. Besides, descendants of Bohemian migrants, who had once settled in the Waikato region, organized an evening programme for the field trip group including a barbeque and the playing of traditional tunes. February 24, the participants spent in the area of Rotorua, where they wandered through ‘Thermal Wonderland’. The geothermally very active area that is to be found here created interesting surface forms and colours and there were hot springs and geysers to be studied. The existing geothermal activities are also used for the generation of energy, of which the participants of the field trip could convince themselves during a visit of the Warakei Geothermal Power Station. On the journey to Tongariro National Park they admired the blue waters of the Huka Falls and made a stop at Lake Taupo, the biggest lake in New Zealand. On the next day, February 26, there was some time to explore the volcanic landscape on a day hike in Tongariro National Park. The day after, the group went on to Marton and then to Wellington. In the afternoon as well as during the next day there was time to get to know the city and to form an opinion about New Zealand’s capital, for instance during a guided tour through the town with Professor Bredlich. Furthermore, a visit of New Zealand’s National Museum ‘Te Papa’ offered plenty of information worth knowing about society and history of New Zealand. On March 1, they crossed the Cook Strait by ferry to get to New Zealand’s South Island. The afternoon was spent in the village of Upper Moutere, where the group dealt with German migration in the Nelson region. The next day, the participants went to the West Coast and took a closer look at the landscape forms of the Southern Alps and coastline as well as at the former and recent economic role of this region. On March 3, they crossed the Southern Alps via Arthur’s Pass and arrived at Christchurch in the afternoon. During the following last day of the field trip they took part in a guided tour through the biggest city of the South Island by Professor Parson from the Institute of Geography at the University of Canterbury. In the focus of his explanations were questions of urban change, which came along with the economic reforms at the end of the 1980’s. With this, the field trip to New Zealand ended in Christchurch on March 4, 2007. Part Two – The thematic texts Apart from gaining a first impression, a field trip as a way of exploring and studying a country also opens up the possibility of critically reflecting about social questions and processes. Those reflections are the centre of the following texts in the second part of this report. The range of topics dealt with in the texts reaches from physical-geographical features, agriculture and forestry as well as Maori related topics to population geographical questions regarding migration and integration in New Zealand. The choice of this wide range is based on a holistic understanding of geography, as it is deeply rooted in this discipline. One important reference, that you will find in various parts of the different reports, deals with a central debate in geography – the impact and interaction of global factors, independent of locality, and local factors, specific to certain regions (“Glocalization”). Because it was possible for the participants to get an insight into very different fields of life in New Zealand, the main aim of the second part of this report should be to give a good overview of New Zealand and its people. Predominantly, the texts are of a descriptive character, nevertheless there are many parts where crucial changes and challenges for New Zealand society shall be mentioned, explanatory approaches be given and strategies for possible solutions be shown. In detail, the thematic part is structured as follows: At first, Anja Lehmann attends to Maori life in ‘Aotearoa’ and examines history, culture and present situation of New Zealand’s indigenous population. Then, Katharina Popig and Manuel Hundt depict the early European migration to New Zealand in their text, with an emphasis on the role of German or Bohemian settlers. In the following text Manuel Hundt shines a light on changing patterns in recent migration and takes a closer look on questions of integration in New Zealand, especially regarding the role of Pacific Islanders. After that, the text by Lilli Maier deals with tourism, examining its forms and its role in New Zealand economy. Natalia Kiselgof gives an overview both of physical geographical aspects and landscape forms in New Zealand as of the structure of New Zealand agriculture. In the last text, New Zealand’s forestry is subject to a critical analysis by Sören Sturm.