Activating the Classroom: Geographical Fieldwork as Pedagogical Practice
- 1 January 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Journal of Geography in Higher Education
- Vol. 33 (1), 89-102
- https://doi.org/10.1080/03098260802276383
Abstract
Much geographical scholarship on teaching and learning details the intellectual, technical and personal benefits stemming from residential field course offerings, reflecting characteristics of constructivist active learning. With the sustainability of these offerings in question given logistical and political issues, there is greater demand for changes in field course delivery and structure. This paper seeks to expand the range of pedagogical tools, contexts and ways in which geographical field experience can take place. It does so by reconceptualizing ‘the field’ based on the idea of ‘everyday life’ as a meaningful entry point within a classroom context, and as a space of learning in which students construct knowledge for themselves. An empirical investigation of student learning experiences explores the possibility of re-creating the benefits of residential field course offerings in a classroom-based field course.Keywords
This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit:
- 'An Unbelievable Academic and Personal Experience': Issues around teaching undergraduate field courses in AfricaJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 2002
- 'Geographical Expeditions': Assessing the benefits of a student-driven fieldwork methodJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 2002
- Developing Fieldwork in Social and Cultural Geography: Illustrations from a residential field class in Los Angeles and Las VegasJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 1999
- Fieldwork in geography teaching: A critical review of the literature and approachesJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 1997
- The undergraduate geography fieldweek: challenges and changesJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 1996
- Addressing the new agenda for fieldwork in higher educationJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 1996
- The changing national context of fieldwork in geographyJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 1996
- Fieldwork in the undergraduate geography programme: challenges and changesJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 1996
- Problem‐based learning and fieldwork: a better method of preparation?Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 1996
- Thirteen ways of doing fieldwork with large classes/more studentsJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 1994