Evaluating thematic models for field course development in ornithology

In response to the growing demand for innovative talent cultivation in higher education—particularly under initiatives such as “New Forestry and Science”—this study empirically compares the effects of four field-teaching methods on students' skill acquisition, motivation, and research engagement. Using longitudinal data from a three-year (2022–2024) birdwatching internship involving 174 undergraduate students in Zixi Mountain, Yunnan Province, we evaluated learning outcomes across three dimensions: knowledge acquisition, skill proficiency, and post-internship research continuation. Data were collected via systematic assessments of bird identification performance, structured questionnaires, and follow-up academic records. Results showed that all methods significantly improved identification skills, with gains in the following order: Line Transect List Method Point Transect Mixed Flock Observation. However, no statistically significant differences were found among the methods in terms of enhancing students' interest in ornithology. Furthermore, the methods did not yield statistically significant differences in final bird identification proficiency among students. Notably, students who continued research after the internship demonstrated significantly greater skill improvement than those who did not. These findings underscore the importance of task-skill alignment in cognitive development and suggest that low-interaction, high-repetition designs—exemplified by the Line Transect method—are particularly effective for novice learners in field-based settings. Additionally, thematic field internships appear to foster the internalization of a research identity. We propose that universities adopt a spiral, progressive field-teaching model grounded in the zone of proximal development, and research-identity formation to better support the development of innovative talents in forestry, ecology, and sustainability-related disciplines.