This study extends the ownership of learning model by using e-portfolios in a field experience placement to examine student-teachers' attitudes towards learning in relationship to personal value, feeling in control and taking responsibility. The field experience e-portfolio pilot commenced in spring 2011, involving a cohort of 77 year 3 field experience student-teachers enrolled in the Bachelor of Education English Language Programme at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, and approximately 20 supervisors. A research model is presented based on research into ownership of learning. The student e-portfolio ownership of learning questionnaire (SEOLQ) was developed. Seventy-seven participants completed the survey measuring their responses to ownership of learning components of attitudes towards learning (ATL), personal value (PV), feeling in control (FIC), and taking responsibility (TR). Data were used to test the hypotheses postulating the main effects of ATL using e-portfolio on the constructs PV, FIC, and TR. The results of the study indicated that ATL had a significant influence on PV, FIC and TR. The results suggest the student-teachers valued the integration of the e-portfolio into the field experience and developed a sense of control of their learning. Responsibility-related findings suggest that participants were sensitive to both the means of manipulating the e-portfolio and the results of their efforts doing so. By providing student-teachers with the opportunity to reflect critically upon their work as educators, e-portfolios can serve as an invaluable resource for promoting effective ownership of learning.
[Copyright of Australasian Journal of Educational Technology is the property of ASCILITE. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet.html]

This study investigated the environmental learning of a group of senior geography students through a problem-based learning (PBL) field program to see if the goals of education for the environment could be accomplished. In the PBL field program, the students were given a problem statement concerning a real-life scenario of an old lady living in a remote village of Hong Kong. During the PBL field program which also has adopted an action research framework, the students were observed to have identified the problem statement, set hypotheses, constructed the research methods and collected empirical data in an authentic environment all by themselves. This paper reports on the first cycle of this piece of action research. Data were collected both quantitatively and qualitatively via questionnaires, students' reflective journals, field observation notes and group interviews. The initial finding of this PBL field program reveals that students had acquired more in-depth knowledge and extended their comfort zones in learning. They were able to develop and practice their critical thinking and problem-solving skills while they were working on the problem in the field. Although there was no evidence of sustained self-directed learning among the students, the PBL field program offered them a framework for developing self-directed learning. An initial conclusion is that PBL in the field can provide a useful framework and direction for EE to accomplish the goals of education for the environment.
[Copyright of International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.2167/irgee230.0]