M McGuinness

Going global? Long-haul fieldwork in undergraduate geography

Fieldwork continues to underpin undergraduate geography in the UK and elsewhere. In recent years fieldwork destinations in UK geography programmes have grown more global in scope. This paper examines the pressures and processes that underpin the increased reach of fieldwork in undergraduate geography. Based on a recently implemented research practice module that includes long-haul fieldwork, the academic value of such fieldwork and its positioning in subject benchmarking statements are discussed, and the implications of long-haul fieldwork, in particular for effective module design and assessment forms, are further considered. The authors suggest that reflective research diaries are a particularly useful assessment form for students to fully engage and consider the political and ethical dimensions of long-haul fieldwork.

Putting themselves in the picture: using reflective diaries in the teaching of feminist geography

This paper looks back on the use of reflective diaries as an assessment tool in a feminist geography module over several years. It considers the ways in which reflection on practice and the valuing of the everyday could be seen as a specifically feminist pedagogic practice. It considers the alignment of module content with assessment format. The paper includes discussion of extended examples of student reflective writing and considers the practical and ethical drawbacks of using subjective modes of assessment with undergraduate geographers.

Linking teaching and research through departmental research conferences for student project work

Abstract Organising a departmental conference involving student research papers can be a useful vehicle for bringing together pedagogic issues and research activities. It can also help refine academic and personal transferable skills. The conference provides opportunities for students to disseminate research findings and demonstrate higher-level skills to a wider audience of students, staff, external agencies and/or the public. It provides a forum for the sharing of ideas and experiences of research projects. Although challenging for students, such conferency increase their range of learning experiences and improve their employability.

Student experiences of multidisciplinarity in the undergraduate geography curriculum

Abstract This paper explores the student experience of multidisciplinarity within the undergraduate Geography curriculum. It considers the drivers that have underpinned this development before considering the findings of research into student experiences in two universities in the south of England. The results suggest that most students view this development positively and recognize a number of advantages that it brings, citing expanded opportunities for learning, working with people from other disciplines, expansion of perspectives and perceived benefits to employability. However, for a minority this development is more problematic. The research points here to issues with specialist knowledge and disciplinary pedagogies, social issues within the classroom and class organization and some reservations regarding groupwork. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations.