The Best Field Trip Ever: An Artistic and Scientific Analysis of the Value of Field Trips to an Environmental Center

Abstract

The Center for the Urban River at Beczak is a 3900-square-foot environmental education and research facility located on 2 acres of Hudson riverfront park in downtown Yonkers. It is operated by Sarah Lawrence College in cooperation with the Beczak Environmental Education Center. The objective of this study was to measure the effects of a field trip to CURB on students’ environmental empathy, environmental engagement, cultural awareness, and interest in CURB. This was achieved with qualitative and quantitative measures, including a multi-case study (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998) and a quantitative survey. The qualitative multi-case study, in the field of participatory action research (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000), included note-taking and observation of students attending CURB programs.