Geography, Science and
Fieldwork
Learning to make an Impact at
KS2/3
GA Annual Conference 2015 University of Manchester
Fieldwork is crucial
In geography, learning in the
‘real world’ expresses a
commitment to exploration and
enquiry, and geography’s
concern to discover and to be
curious about the world.
In the sciences it is that sub-set
of practical science that is
particularly valuable for
introducing students to
investigating the complexity and
messiness of the real world
Geographical fieldwork can
be used ‘to inspire in pupils a
curiosity and fascination
about the world and its
people that will remain with
them for the rest of their
lives’ (DfE, 2013)
It is in the nature of laboratory
and classroom experiments to
separate objects from their
environments … But in the
‘natural’ sciences it is only by
putting objects and laws in
particular contexts that we can
see how they work in terms of
empirical effects” (p 88).
(Hawley, D. 2012)
The importance of Place
• Place is a way of seeing, knowing and understanding the
world
• Attachments and connections between people and places
• Worlds of meaning and experience
• Resistance, reaction exclusions
• Place as we choose to think about it and protect it
Geographical (and scientific)
vocabulary is best learnt
through first hand
experience (Ward 1998)
Place is space given meaning
(Tuan 1974)
Not One Geography
• Understanding of place is affected by who we are;
Sex and gender
Growing evidence shows that current
Age
approaches to encouraging sustainable
living do not result in long-term, largeEthnicity
scale, social change. This is because
Sexuality
they do not address the deep seated
Life cycle stage
social, cultural and psychological
We become ‘rooted’ to places
and form deep attachments
that promote feelings of
stewardship and concern.
(Tuan 1974)
structures that hold many
unsustainable patterns of behaviour in
place. (WWF 2012)
Dialogic sharing and evaluation of an
environment supports creativity.
(Lambert, & Owens 2012)
Curriculum making with the academic disciplines as a resource
Students’
geographical
and
scientific
lives
Geography
and sciences
as school
subjects
Geography and science
teachers
A Fieldwork Continuum
GEOGRAPHY
The Scientific
Tradition
Systematic
sampling and
data collection,
controlled
structures.
Serendipity and
Exploration
Unsystematic
sampling and data
collection, flexible
and changing
structures.
Is there a ’best time’ for Fieldwork?
To initiative
interest and
formulate
questions
To test
hypotheses and
questions
MID
To review,
apply or
consider next
steps
END
EARLY
Enquiry
REVISIT
To test over time,
evaluate changes and
consolidate learning.
Set location(s)
Traditional
scientific
approach,
rigid and
precise data
collection.
Quantitative
Precise data
collection but in
random settings.
Good for
comparing same
data, different
location.
Different &
varied
perspectives to
an identified
location
A
C
B
D
Serendipitous and
explorative
approach. Personal,
empathic and
emotive.
Random location(s)
Fieldwork:
what, where
and how?
Qualitative
A Critique of Quantitative Research
How often do we take students to interesting places, perhaps areas far
removed from their normal range of experience, and then get them to spend
most of their time looking at a clip board or measuring instrument?
(Taylor 2004)
A Critique of Qualitative Research
1. Qualitative research is too subjective
2. Difficult to replicate
3. Problems of generalization
4. Lack of transparency
Fieldwork in Science
• Easy access to a pond or natural water habitat – e.g. to study adaptations,
distribution of organisms, population dynamics, biodiversity, pollution
indicators
• Easy access to trees or hedges – e.g. to study invertebrate distribution,
biodiversity or adaptation
• Easy access to grassland (not just the school playing field) – e.g. to study the
ecology and the factors that influence the distribution of organisms
• Local access to an outside resource to demonstrate the different properties
of rocks; the effects of processes (e.g. erosion) on rocks; and to monitor air
quality. School grounds or further afield
• Easy access to an open space for a variety of activities – e.g. modelling the
solar system; measuring speed; launching rockets; measuring noise
pollution; estimating the speed of sound; measuring the irradiance from the
sky; carrying out solar furnace investigations etc.
• Easy access to a real functioning renewable energy source that can be used
in teaching – e.g. photovoltaic or wind
Synergy and potential for geography and
science fieldwork
Practical fieldwork activity
1. What is the potential for synergy (and collaboration) between
science and geography?
1. Discuss the different possible learning outcomes through
science and geography
2. Planning your fieldwork sessions – routes, equipment,
techniques etc.
3. Reflect and share – new questions?
You have 30 minutes for fieldwork, reflection and sharing
Contact details
• Marianne Cutler, ASE
mariannecutler@ase.org.uk
• John Lyon, GA
• JLyon@geography.org.uk
• Paula Owens, GA
• POwens@geography.org.uk
References and further reading.
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Fuller, D. Askins, K. Mowl, M. Jeffries, J. & Lambert, D. (2008) Mywalks: Fieldwork and living geographies Teaching Geography
Summer 2008 Sheffield: Geographical Association
Hawley, D. (2012) The ‘real deal’ of earth science: why, where and how to include fieldwork in teaching, School Science Review,
94(347), 87-100.
Kaplan, R. and Kaplan, S. (2011), Well-being, Reasonableness, and the Natural Environment. Applied Psychology: Health and
Well-Being, 3: 304–321.
King, F., Young, M., Drivere-Richmond, K. & Schrader, P (2001). Defining Distance Learning and Distance Education. AACE Journal
9 (1): pp.
Lambert, D. And Owens, P. (2012) in Jones, R. & Wyse, D. (Eds) Creativity in the Primary Curriculum, Abingdon: David Fulton.
Louv, R. (2008) Last Child in the Woods Chapel Hill: Algonquin Pub
Mezirow, J. (1995). "Transformation Theory of Adult Learning." In: In Defense of the Lifeworld, edited by M.R. Welton, pp. 39–
70. New York: SUNY Press.
Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 74, 5–12.
Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning as Transformation: Critical Perspectives on a Theory in Progress. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Owens (2008) MYWALKS: Walk on the Child Side Primary Geography Autumn 2008
Payne, P. & Wattchow, B. Phenomenological Deconstruction, Slow Pedagogy, and the Corporeal Turn in Wild
Environmental/Outdoor Education. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 14, 2009pp.15 – 32
Pretty J. Angus C. Bain M. Barton J. Gladwell V. Hine R. Pilgrim S. Sandercock, S. and Sellens, M. 2009. Nature, Childhood, Health
and Life Pathways, Interdisciplinary Centre for Environment and Society Occasional Paper 2009-02.University of Essex, UK.
Taylor, E. W. (2001) Transformative learning theory: a neurobiological perspective of the role of emotions and
unconscious ways of knowing Int. J. Of Lifelong Education, VOL. 20, NO. 3 (May–June 2001), 218–236
Torosyan, Roben. (2007). Teaching for Transformation: Integrative Learning, Consciousness Development and Critical Reflection.
Unpublished manuscript. http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/rtorosyan/
Tuan, Yi-Fu (1974) Topophilia: A Study of Environmental Perception,Attitudes and Values. Prentice Hall. Englewood cliffs, New
Jersey.
Ward, H. (1998) ‘Geographical Vocabulary.’ In Scoffham, S. (ed.), Primary Sources: Research Findings in Primary Geography.
Sheffield: The Geographical Association. Pp. 20–21.
WWF (2012) http://www.naturalchange.org.uk/about-the-project/ accessed 23.02.2012