Experiential learning in the field: Assessing the impact of a soil judging competition on participants knowledge, skills and attitudes

Abstract

Soil judging competitions (SJC) provide an experiential, pedagogically aligned approach to teaching. The SJC is designed to upskill participants in the ability to accurately describe soil profiles and make land use interpretation decisions, compared to an expert description/ interpretation. These competitions have been run in Australia since 2012 and in New Zealand since 2016. In 2024, the Moana Oceania Soil Judging Competition (MOSJC) was hosted in NZ, as part of the joint conference of the New Zealand Society of Soil Science and Soil Science Australia. This SJC involved over 200 participants and 35 teams from 9 countries in the South Pacific region: including 80 students and 70 working professionals. This study aimed to determine the impact of the MOSJC on participants’ learning of soil-related knowledge and skills and on their attitudes towards soil science. Participants were asked to complete voluntary pre- and post-competition surveys covering demographic information and self-reported understand and ability. Ninety-eight participants completed the pre-contest survey and 56 completed the post-contest survey. Results showed an increase in participants’ self-reported skill and knowledge of understanding soil judging characteristics (eg. soil morphology and site interpretation). Most participants had positive attitudes towards soil science and soil judging, with no significant change due to the competition. An intended outcome of this study is how we can inform the future development of soil judging competitions in NZ and Australia and aid the development of such educational initiatives in the South Pacific. The wider contribution of soil judging to society is built around increasing how we connect to the soil. If we can support people to have relevant soil knowledge and a deep understanding of the soil within the planet ecosystem, we can strive for soil security and a sustainable future. To achieve this, education is key to building enduring connections to soil.