Do you have natural history expertise and a desire to inspire and engage others in your learning?
The Field Studies Council has an 80-year history of delivering high quality natural history courses across the country, and we want to up-skill and invest in new tutors to continue to inspire and engage others with the natural world.
As a result, we are piloting a natural history tutor accreditation programme funded as part of the Trees for Climate Action project.
What will the course cover?
- Theories of teaching and learning
- Examples of virtual engagement tools
- Management of online groups
- Zoom display settings for tutors



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This training course will cover the core skills and considerations needed deliver an effective online natural history session.
This course includes two hours of self-study content followed by a live webinar.
By the end of the course, you will:
- Have further developed skills to inspire, engage, and train others in your area of expertise.
- Have networked with other experts, connecting and learning from each another.
- Have gained new ideas to enhance your teaching and shared effective approaches with others.
Who should attend? – anybody who wishes to further develop their in-person training skills to inspire and engage others with the natural world is welcome to register. However, if you are attending with the intention of becoming a Field Studies Council tutor, please note that we ask that you can demonstrate the following:
- Expertise in your chosen area of biodiversity/natural history/ecology.
- Experience in training of adults to achieve learning outcomes for their personal interest or professional development.
- Experience of managing groups safely in an outdoor environment (if interested in delivering courses in person).
Prior Knowledge – we require anyone who becomes a Field Studies Council course tutor to complete our foundation course. This is a two hour self-led course covering the basics of tutoring with the organisation. We highly recommend that you complete this course prior to attendance on the bookable courses. This course can be accessed from 21st August.
Please note – bookings will close two working days before the course start date to allow for all participants to be enrolled to the online platform – bookings will not be taken after this time.*
*Bookings will close sooner if course capacity is reached
Understand how our online courses are delivered here.
Live Webinar Information
You will attend one hour long live webinar as part of this course. You will have the option to attend either of the below dates (both sessions contain the same material):
- 05th October 2023 – 13:00 – 14:00
- 09th October 2023 – 19:00 – 20:00
Please note – webinars will be recorded and uploaded to the virtual learning platform for learners unable to attend.
About the Tutor
Dan Asaw
Dan is a keen educator and Coleopterist. He has experience working within education as a teaching assistant and loves the opportunity to share his experiences and knowledge with a range of audiences. Dan’s interest in invertebrates started at a young age and as a teenager he was already rearing praying mantids in his bedroom. From there, he began rearing exotic invertebrate disease vectors for scientific research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
In his spare time, he has volunteered integrating UK beetles into the Natural History Museum Collection. He is often found digging through wood piles and utilising a variety of trapping methods to find and identify beetles. He is an active member of the Herts Invertebrate project and Hertfordshire Natural History Society, and has helped generate some significant county records in this capacity.
Example Timetable
Timetable
Self study content goes live 26/09/2023 at 10:00. This will take approximately 2 hours of your time.
You are given a choice of attending one of the below options for your hour long live webinar:
- 05th October 2023 - 13:00 - 14:00
- 09th October 2023 - 19:00 - 20:00
Webinars will be recorded and made available 24 hours after the call has ended.
What's Included
The course has been carefully created to help you continue to build and develop your knowledge as the course progresses. With content crafted to the online Moodle Platform and bespoke to the Field Studies Council.
The course includes:
- A 60 minute long interactive Zoom webinar to connect with the tutor and other participants
- Expert tuition for which the Field Studies Council is renowned
- Tailored course completion certificate
Recommended Devices
It is recommended that you access your course through a PC or laptop. Please be aware that there will be reduced functionality if you decide to access the course through a tablet or smartphone. The Field Studies Council is unable to email content directly to you.
Bursaries and Subsidies
Trees for Climate Action
Field Studies Council is able to offer places on this training course thanks to the wonderful support of the ‘Trees for Climate Action’ project led by Trees for Cities. This project is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. The project will deliver intergenerational, tree-related activities for young people to build their knowledge and learn new skills from environmental professionals and experienced volunteers, mobilising young people to take positive action against climate change.
To learn more about the project, please click here.
Before You Attend
Accessing Your Course
- Once you sign up you’ll receive an email at least 24 hours in advance of the course opening with details of how to access our easy-to-use platform, Moodle.
- Moodle can be accessed through a browser or an app.
- Webinars are via Zoom so you won’t need any new software to attend.
Course Preparation
We require anyone who becomes a Field Studies Council course tutor to complete our foundation course. This is a 2-hr self-led course covering the basics of tutoring with the organisation. We highly recommend that you complete this course prior to attendance on the bookable courses. This course can be accessed from 21st August.
Opportunities to attend this course
This course is not currently available to book. Dates will follow soon.
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Progress Your Learning
This is a training course from the Field Studies Council, delivered by expert tutors with an approachable learning style. After attending this course, you may like to progress your learning with further relevant courses or branch out into other areas of natural history. The Field Studies Council offers both online and in person courses, so you can choose the learning style that suits you best.
The course gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a new subject and acquire novel skills. Our online portal gives you time to study at your own pace and fit the lessons around your own schedule.
If you have any questions about our courses please check out our Frequently Asked Questions or email [email protected].