GA Post-16 National Conference, 22 June 2010
Urban Fieldwork
Exciting and Motivational
Geography
Dr Viv Pointon
1
Planning fieldwork
Things to consider:
• Choice of location
• Health and safety
issues
• Fieldwork strategies
• Background research
• Writing up
2
Decisions, decisions…
Location?
Which
topic?
Timing?
Methods?
3
Places to see
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•
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•
•
•
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Shops and places to eat
Public services
Parks and open spaces
Museums and galleries
Industry and commerce
Transport facilities
Residential areas
4
Calculating risk
Who is at risk?
• Learners
• Teachers
• Other employees
• General public
Probability of occurrence:
• Unlikely
• Rarely
• Infrequently
• Sometimes
• Often
Worst case outcome:
• Inconvenience
• Minor injury
• Injury/illness
• Major injury
• Fatality
Risk rating =
Worst case outcome x
probability of occurrence
PLAN YOUR RESPONSE!
5
Using photographic images
• Find photos of your fieldwork area from
http://www.geograph.org.uk (just key in the
grid square).
• Or use Google Earth to focus on the study
area.
• Other images may also be found on the local
council website.
• Or visit the area before, take photos and show
these in class.
• Print and laminate photos for group work –
encourage students to identify features that
could be investigated.
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Things to study
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•
•
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Pedestrians
Traffic
Shops/business
Bi-polar analysis
•
•
•
•
CBD models
Microclimate
Building material
Street furniture
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Disabled access
Building design
Sound mapping
Urban art
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Getting started…
Identify and define key concepts and/or
processes:
• Is there a relevant theory or model?
• What processes are shaping the area?
• What are the variables that can be measured?
eg: Core-frame models
– redevelopment
– pedestrian flows
– zonation or quarters
8
Data collection strategies
Locate the study area
Delimiting the area
Using appropriate maps
Identify methods to investigate the question
or hypothesis
Prepare questionnaires and log sheets
Carry out pilot surveys
In the classroom
In the school grounds
At home
Identify sampling methods
Random, systematic, stratified?
How many responses?
Describe and justify these methods
Learners should make notes from the outset
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Doing what works
• Effective fieldwork is studentcentred not teacher-led.
• Learners should be able to
take ownership of their
fieldwork.
• This will enable them to
respond the requirements of
the assessment more
effectively.
• Use qualitative and
ethnographic methods of data
collection as well as more
traditional quantitative
methods.
10
Preparation:
Things learners can do:
• Write down descriptive words – first impressions?
• Take photographs – what would you see?
• Note land uses – what wouldn’t you see?
• Listen – what would you hear?
• Assess light and lighting – how safe is it?
• Study buildings – age, design, materials?
• Consider accessibility – can a buggy get there?
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Sampling
Sampling strategies:
Random (numbers generated
using chart or calculator)
Systematic (select an
appropriate and representative
sample)
Stratified (select proportionate
amounts from more than one
area or population)
See http://www.scool.co.uk/alevel/sociology/met
hods/sampling-methods.html for
good advise on sampling
methods.
12
Using equipment
Sound – use noise meters to gather data for sound pattern
maps
Light – this can affect pedestrian flows (sunny side of
street or defensible space)
Distance – measure length of shop fronts, distance to car
parks (tapes, pacing, large-scale maps or GPS)
Ecology – simple quadrat and transect surveys will work in
parkland, copses and playing fields
Microclimate – measure wind speed and direction and wet
and dry bulb temperatures
Pollution – (as well as noise meters) monitor acidity of
rainfall, survey particle deposition, or the pollution of an
urban water course
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Using photography
Most learners now have digital cameras on their
mobile phones
Use both wide
angle and
close-up shots
Monitor change
over time
Assess flow
volumes
Use video
sequences
14
Secondary data sources
• Local libraries have reference
sections which may still have
very useful map resources
(such as Goad plans) and
planning documents.
• Other useful organisations
may include your local
university, environmental
pressure groups, tourist
information offices, etc.
• Online resources are
dependent on what the local
authority provides but can be
a rich source of information.
15
Online data sources
• http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/regional-statistics/
index.html - for census and other official data.
• See also local authority websites with useful links.
• See ratinglists/voa.gov.uk for rateable values for
business properties.
• See http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk for data and
graphs using earlier census data.
• Find property values at
http://www.houseprices.co.uk.
• Use http://www.upmystreet.com/local/neighbours
for ACORN profiles.
• See also insurance quote websites for
comparisons of similar properties.
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Producing a report:
Data Presentation
Analysis and Interpretation
Conclusion and Evaluation
http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/sm/ocr_13331_sm_gce_unit_f764.doc
is very useful
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Data Presentation
• Learners should know how to collate and
sort the information collected and how to
present it in appropriate ways.
• They should record what they have
learned and what the information shows.
• Limitations and improvements should be
identified at every stage.
•
See http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/08/02/datavisualization-modern-approaches/ for some really wacky
inspiration!
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Using simple ICT (Excel)
Garden waste
Paper &
cardboard
Kitchen waste
General
household
Glass
Wood/furniture
Scrap
metal/white
goods
Dense plastic
Soil
Plastic film
Textiles
Metal cans/foil
Disposable
nappies
Determine the most effective methods.
25
The composition of household waste in the UK
Paper &
cardboard
20
General
household
15
Garden w aste
Wood/furniture
Paper & cardboard
Kitchen w aste
10
Dense plastic
General household
Plastic film
Glass
5
Wood/furniture
Metal cans/foil
Scrap metal/w hite goods
0
0
Dense plastic
10
20
30
Soil
Disposable nappies
Plastic film
Textiles
M etal cans/foil
Metal cans/foil
Textiles
Disposable nappies
Plastic film
Soil
Dense plastic
20
18
20
18
17
9
7
5
5
4
3
3
3
3
2
Scrap metal/white goods
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Wood/furniture
14
12
Glass
10
General household
8
6
Kitchen waste
4
Paper & cardboard
2
0
Garden waste
General
household
Scrap
metal/white
goods
Plastic film
Disposable
nappies
Garden waste
0
5
10
15
20
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Analysis and Interpretation
Learners should know how to
describe, interpret and analyse their
results. Suitable quantitative
techniques include:
Mean, median and mode
Percentages
Inter-quartile range
Standard deviation
Nearest neighbour analysis
Mann Whitney U test
Spearman rank correlation
Chi squared analysis
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Conclusion and Evaluation
• Learners should be able to
relate their conclusions to their
results and initial question or
hypothesis.
• They should identify any
problems encountered in
carrying out the research.
• They should comment on the
accuracy of their results and the
validity of the conclusions.
• And they should know ways in
which the investigation may be
improved and extended.
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Is Geography about
fieldwork?
Or is fieldwork about
Geography?
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How many field trips have
killed learners’ interest in
Geography?
How many learners have
you seen come alive on a
field trip?
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Fieldwork should inspire,
enthuse and energise
learners…
it is worth much more than a
means to an end for
assessment!
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