Apologies for cross-posting and to those readers for whom this is not of
interest.

We would be very grateful if you would pass the details of the research
studentship given below on "The effectiveness of fieldwork in promoting
student learning in undergraduate geography courses" to anyone who you think
may be interested.  This could be of interest to graduates not only in
geography and related field-based disciplines, but also to educational
psychologists and others with proven interests in student learning in higher
education.  Further details are pasted below and are available on the
Geography Discipline Network pages (http://www.chelt.ac.uk/gdn/).

As far as we are aware (though readers will no doubt quickly correct us if
we are wrong!), this is one of the first studentships in the UK about
learning geography in higher education.  The only other one, that we are
aware of, concerned assessment in geography, at the University of Leeds. It
was held by Joanna Bull (now at Luton University), who obtained her PhD last
year.   

Many thanks

Mick
________________________________________________
Professor Mick Healey
Director Geography Discipline Network
Geography and Environmental Management Research Unit
Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education
Francis Close Hall
Swindon Road
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire GL50 4AZ
UK

Tel:      +44 (0)1242 543364 (532971 Office)
Fax:     +44 (0)1242 532997
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.chelt.ac.uk/gdn
_________________________________________________


Geography and Environmental Management Research Unit
Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education

MPhil/PhD Research Studentship
"The Effectiveness of Fieldwork in Promoting Student Learning in
Undergraduate Geography Courses"

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for the above
Research Studentship based in the Geography and Environmental Management
Research Unit in association with the Geography Discipline Network.

Context
"Although research into teaching and assessment methods in geography and
their effectiveness has increased greatly over the last 10 years, many
questions remain, particularly in relation to fieldwork" (Kent et al., 1997,
328). 

"Effective learning cannot be expected just because we take students into
the field" (Lonergan & Anderson, 1988, 70).

Fieldwork is central to teaching geography and many related disciplines,
such as geology, environmental science, archaeology, anthropology and
ecology.  It is frequently asserted that fieldwork is a vital method for
achieving various subject-specific objectives and transferable skills and it
is an important way of contributing to the socialisation of students in the
discipline and their departments.  Moreover, field experience is seen as
essential in developing students as practitioners in all aspects of
geography, because most research in the discipline is fieldwork based (Gold
et al., 1991).  There is interest currently in the potential of 'virtual'
fieldwork (Williams & Jenkins, 1997).

Much has been written about fieldwork.  Kent et al. (1997) review almost 100
items, mostly published in the last 10 years.  It is clear, however, that
there are three important interrelated topics which have largely been
ignored in the research literature:
1.	Most significantly, despite the many claims in the literature and in
the prospectuses and course documents of HEIs, there is little objective
evidence about the benefits of fieldwork.  The effectiveness of student
learning in the field is mainly a statement of faith and is based largely on
anecdotal evidence.  This is all the more alarming given that it is the
single largest item of recurrent expenditure in most geography departments
and that students are being expected to pay an increasing proportion of the
costs (McEwen, 1996).  
2.	Most of what is written about fieldwork is from the viewpoint of the
staff organising the field experience and concerns how it contributes to
meeting course objectives and the challenges and changes departments are
facing (Jenkins, 1997; Livingstone et al., 1998; McEwen, 1996).  Relatively
little literature has considered fieldwork from the viewpoint of the
participating students.  Examination of the student experience is vital if
we are to understand what and how students learn from fieldwork.  The
experience of particular sub-groups (eg women, mature students) may be
distinctive.
3.	The nature of field teaching and learning has changed over the last
few decades and today several different types are practised, including
observational and participatory fieldwork (including site visits, field
trails and project work), participant observation and learner-practitioner
models (including workbased placements and cooperative departmental research
projects), and virtual fieldwork.  There are also a variety of assessment
methods used in fieldwork.  But there is, as yet, little systematic
empirical evidence on the relative benefits of different types of fieldwork
in geography degree courses and the different ways of assessing fieldwork
(Kent et al., 1997).

Aims
The proposed research topic addresses the above three important issues.  It
aims to:
*	assess the effectiveness of fieldwork in promoting student learning
in undergraduate geography courses
*	examine what and how students learn from fieldwork and compare the
experience of different subgroups (including male and female students;
recent school leavers and mature students)
*	contrast the relative benefits of different types of fieldwork and
different ways of assessing fieldwork

Methodology
It will be the responsibility of the research student to formulate a
suitable methodology to meet the aims of the research.  A mixture of
extensive and intensive research methods using quantitative and qualitative
data may be appropriate, including:
*	a review of the theoretical and empirical literature on a) how
students learn and b) fieldwork and other methods by which students develop
research skills and subject-specific knowledge and understanding
*	a survey of HE providers of geography to establish the extent and
nature of fieldwork undertaken - some of this information will be available
from a forthcoming register of fieldwork locations being compiled by the
RGS-IBG
*	an examination of course documentation and handouts relating to
fieldwork 
*	a comparison of evaluations of fieldwork modules with non-fieldwork
modules
*	a test of the skills, knowledge and understanding of students before
and after they have participated in a range of different types of fieldwork
experience
*	participant observation of students undertaking fieldwork
*	interviews and focus group discussions with students before, during
and after fieldwork  
*	discussions with staff responsible for designing, planning,
conducting and assessing different types of fieldwork

Geography Discipline Network 
The studentship is in association with the Geography Discipline Network
(GDN) and the successful applicant will be expected to work for the GDN for
one day a week.  The GDN is a consortium of geographers and educational
developers from nine old and new universities and colleges.  It is based at
Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education.  Its aim is to
identify and disseminate good practices in teaching, learning and assessment
of geography in higher education.  It is currently undertaking projects
funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England's Fund for the
Development of Teaching and Learning and the Department for Education and
Employment's Key Skills programme.  The GDN has recently published ten
Guides to teaching and learning geography (Gravestock & Healey, 1998).  The
GDN is also developing and maintaining a Web-based resource database of
teaching and learning practices in geography in higher education
(http://www.chelt.ac.uk/gdn).  The GDN is organising an international
symposium on Learning and Teaching Geography in Higher Education, which is
being held in Hawaii in March 1999.  As part of the symposium an Internet
discussion of the papers is to take place prior to the Symposium.

Candidates for the Studentship
Applicants for the Studentship should have, or expect to have, a 1st class
or 2.1 honours degree in geography or a related discipline and be able to
demonstrate interest in educational development.  Appropriately qualified
candidates from other disciplines (eg psychology, education), who are
familiar with educational research methodologies and who have an interest in
student learning through fieldwork, are also encouraged to apply.

Supervision
First Supervisor:  Professor Mick Healey, Director Geography Discipline
Network, GEMRU, CGCHE
Second Supervisor:  To be appointed
Advisor:  Professor Alan Jenkins, Oxford Centre for Learning and Staff
Development, Oxford Brookes University

Geography and Environmental Management Research Unit
GEMRU is one of three Research Units in the Faculty of Environment and
Leisure.  GEMRU builds on the established national and international
strengths  in academic research and the growing applied research and
consultancy expertise of the geography and environment area.  Further
details can be found on the College Web site at:
http://www.chelt.ac.uk/el/gemru

Further Information and Applications
Potentially interested candidates are encouraged to contact Professor Mick
Healey for an informal chat before applying (01242 543364; email:
[log in to unmask]).  Applicants should send a letter of application,
outlining their interest in, and suitability for, the studentship, along
with a cv, to Dr Lindsey McEwen, Head GEMRU, Cheltenham and Gloucester
College of Higher Education, Francis Close Hall, Swindon Road, Cheltenham
GL50 4AZ by 19 March 1999.

References
Gold, J et al (1991) Teaching Geography in Higher Education: a manual of
good practice, (Oxford, Basil Blackwell) 
Gravestock, P & Healey, M (eds) (1998) Guides to Good Teaching, Learning and
Assessment Practices in Geography, (Cheltenham, Geography Discipline
Network)
Jenkins, A (1997) Fieldwork with more students, (Oxford, Oxford Centre for
Staff Development)
Kent, M, Gilbertson, D D, & Hunt, C O (1997) Fieldwork in Geography
Teaching: a critical review of the literature and approaches, Journal of
Geography in Higher Education 21(3), 313-332
Livingstone, I et al., (1998) Fieldwork and Dissertations in Geography,
(Cheltenham, Geography Discipline Network)
Lonegran, N & Andressen, L W (1988) Field-based education: some theoretical
considerations, Higher Education Research and Development 7, 63-77
McEwen, L (1996) Fieldwork in the Undergraduate Geography Programme:
challenges and changes, Journal of Geography in Higher Education 20(3),
379-384
Williams, N & Jenkins, A (1997) What should be the educational functions of
a Virtual Field Course? Proceedings of CAL 97, University of Exeter


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