Field work in the DP presents a unique opportunity to actively apply classroom learning. Our grade 12 geography, biology and environmental systems and societies (ESS) students spent a week on Tioman island (Malaysia) in September to do just this.

The purpose of the trip was to investigate a range of different ecosystems and the impact of human disturbances on them. It provided students with the opportunity to carry out the sampling techniques studied in the classroom, and to put these skills into practice in the field. Students hiked through primary and secondary rainforests, freshwater streams and mangroves, and snorkeled across the Tioman coral reef.

The trip also allowed students to complete their IA (internal assessment), a core requirement of the DP. Students’ IA topics are diverse and ranged from the ‘impact of humans on the biodiversity of freshwater organisms’, ‘frequency of waving in fiddler crabs in the mangroves’, ‘comparison of biodiversity in primary and secondary rainforests’ and ‘the effects of disturbance on the re-opening time of mimosa’.

While the week was challenging physically, it was also rewarding. It was full of new experiences and allowed students to to connect and apply their knowledge and understandings in a real-world context.

A geography student’s perspective

By Marie-Claire Jalaguire, DP grade 12 geography student

In the first part of the trip, geography students had the opportunity to snorkel at 3 different sites to collect data on the health of coral reefs. Spending 6 hours in the water and under the sun was well worth it since everywhere we turned there were beautiful and diverse corals and marine species (even reef sharks)! The second part of the internal assessment (IA) involved investigating tourism in the coastal towns near the reefs we visited. We explored our research question about how tourism in coastal towns is influenced by the quality of coral reefs using both onshore and offshore data collection methods. We also spent time enriching our case study on coastal management strategies and how the Malaysian government has established Tioman as a marine park to encourage sustainable tourism.

Overall, Tioman was an enriching learning experience that expanded our field research skills. Furthermore, our knowledge has been enhanced even further when we were able to connect and apply what we learnt in class to what we see in the real world around us. All in all, the trip was amazing; I am so lucky to have experienced it with great peers and the most inspiring geography teacher!

Biology students’ perspectives

By Sundaram Sakthi Kumar, DP grade 12 biology student

In the first two days, we learnt about different ecosystems such as the mangroves, fresh waters, rainwater and intertidal zones. All these ecosystems were interesting and different from each other. We had great opportunities to perform some of the methods in each zone. For example, in the rainforest, we set up transects and studied about biodiversity, light intensity and the height of the trees. We got the unique experience of trying out these different methods we had learnt in class.

After a busy hands-on two days of investigation, biology students got to do their IA’s in one of their chosen ecosystems. Internal Assessment is an important part of IB where students are meant to conduct an experiment ( for science-related IA’s), and write a report on it, which is worth 20 percent of our final grade. With extended essay, TOK essay, and other subjects IA’s coming all together, being able to finish our IA’s in Tioman was a great opportunity. My IA was on the abundance of molluscs in the disturbed and undisturbed area of the intertidal zone. Those of us who conducted the experiment in the intertidal zone had to wake up at 2 am due to the low tide. Despite the difficulty of waking up very early, it was well worth it as studying the area in the dark was a whole new experience for Tristan, my partner who did a different study, and me.

On our last day on the island after finishing our experiments we had some snorkeling time in the ocean. This was my first time seeing different corals and some lucky people even saw sharks! Being in our final year at CIS, this was our last school trip filled with great memories, new skills and knowledge and a lot of fun times with great people!

By Jasmine Smith

I’ve been at CIS for nearly 7 years and have participated in an excursion trip every year across Asia. Although I’ve loved every excursion, our recent trip to Tioman stood out. I’ve never worked as hard as I did in the 5 days we were there, working more than 12 hours each day. I was exhausted - yet truly inspired. The ecologists who guided and educated us inspired me with their passion. Tioman has really changed my perspective about the world we live in and the way we treat it. All in all, it was a genuinely ‘awakening’ experience. The trip allowed me to take a break from my school routine and work in an environment surrounded by nature and rarity.

By Mabel Balhuizen

Tioman was an unforgettable, adventurous experience! The first 3 tough days were so worth it as we all left inspired by being exposed to environmental issues that are threatening the world. As we visited a range of ecosystems, we gained more knowledge about how the small changes we have made can positively contribute to these beautiful ecosystems. Never have I been exposed to such environments nearby, and my awareness for the importance of these ecosystems has changed completely.

An ESS perspective

The trip to Pulau Tioman was an unforgettable experience. As attempting ecological fieldwork in Singapore is nearly impossible, having the opportunity to explore an island with much less disturbance allowed us to investigate the authentic ecosystem of a tropical rainforest - one we had only read about in textbooks.

The ESS portion of the excursion included informative presentations on the biomes of the world, conservation strategies, and hands-on investigation methods for our IAs. We also had the chance to go snorkeling, trek through a rainforest and mangroves, and go on a night walk to observe nocturnal animals in their natural habitat.

As for me, this trip provided a look into what work in the field would look like, a more complex understanding of our impacts on the environment, and what the future may look like if we do not take the time to act against these impacts.