Module Information

Module Identifier
GS29620
Module Title
Crete Fieldtrip
Academic Year
2020/2021
Co-ordinator
Professor Paul Brewer
Semester
Semester 2
Mutually Exclusive
ES20320
Mutually Exclusive
DA22420
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Due to Covid-19 students should refer to the module Blackboard pages for assessment details

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Individual write-up of group project  2500 words  50%
Semester Assessment Group presentation  based on student-led project. 10 minutes.  20%
Semester Assessment Short reports  based on staff-led projects. 1500 words  30%
Supplementary Assessment 2 x 2500 word assignments.  Students who attend the field course but fail the assessment will be given the opportunity to resubmit failed components by a date to be agreed with the module co-ordinator (marks for passed components will be carried forward). Students who miss the field course will need to resit the module in the following academic year by attending one of the geography fieldtrips available during their 3rd year of study. An alternative form of assessment (comprising 2 x 2500 word reports) is only available to students who are unable to participate in fieldwork, as a result of extenuating personal and/or medical issues that have been corroborated by an independent and appropriately qualified professional.   100%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Identify topical and relevant research problems in Geography.

2. Design field-based research strategies for data collection and analysis that are relevant to designated research questions.

3. Demonstrate proficiency in a range of data collection/analysis/presentation/interpretation techniques.

4. Communicate research findings through both written reports and oral presentations.

Brief description

Through analysis of relevant and topical themes in physical geography, and at the human/physical interface, the module will address the following objectives:
  • To provide an opportunity to apply theoretical, technical and/or scientific laboratory methods to the more complex, uncontrolled field environment, and to appreciate how processes that might be regarded as 'general' are mediated by the social and environmental character of a specific place.
  • To prompt students' capacity to identify a problem or research question, and to develop approaches to solving or answering this through hypothesis testing, research design and data collection.
  • To encourage, where appropriate, consideration of the ethical aspects of research processes.
  • To promote certain transferable skills required in practical work and seminars, such as teamwork and observation.

Content

The module objectives will be delivered through a series of lectures and other classes which will culminate in a residential field course. The topics covered in any particular year may vary, depending on the staffing arrangements, but will include generic and subject-specific themes such as:
  • Field health and safety
  • Research design
  • Training in field data collection, analysis and interpretation
  • Human impacts on the environment.
  • Natural hazards.
  • Interpreting the human and physical landscapes.
  • Aspects of environmental change.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Interpretation of numerical and graphical data is integral to geographical fieldwork. Students will be expected to record and interpret numerical data both in the field and their field reports.
Communication Fieldwork is inherently interactive, and students will be encouraged to communicate with each other through small group exercises. The module is designed to allow a high number of contact hours between staff and students to ensure development of strong communication, and ample opportunities for one-to-one and group discussions.
Improving own Learning and Performance The module is designed to introduce a variety of new field skills and instrumental training, whilst expanding on field skills acquired during the students’ first year. There will be opportunities for formative and summative feedback during the 7 day field course, enabling students to build on this feedback during the residential field course. Multiple independent field-based projects will ensure personal performance improvement throughout.
Information Technology Students will have the opportunity to use a variety of technical instruments in the field, alongside spatial datasets (e.g. satellite data) to aid mapping exercises.
Personal Development and Career planning Upon successful completion of this module students will have developed a range of practical field skills integral to many geographical career paths. They will develop geographical data collection and interpretation skills, understand how to survey an area to assess its morphology and environmental history, how to conduct independent field-based research, and how to produce a report.
Problem solving Throughout this module students will need to use a range of field skills to interpret different geographical problems e.g. geomorphological mapping, sediment sequence interpretation, hydraulic reconstruction. During the 7 day residential field course students will conduct independent research, where they will need to decide which field skills to employ and how best to represent their data.
Research skills Independent field research skills will be developed through conducting a variety of staff-led and student-led projects on the residential field course.
Subject Specific Skills Typically including geomorphological mapping, ground survey, sediment logging, lichenomtery, hydraulic reconstruction, slope stability analysis.
Team work The whole fieldtrip is based around group work in teams of 5 or 6 students. Initially groups will be tasked to execute staff-designed projects, but in the latter half of the fieldtrip students will be expected to design, execute and orally present their own group project work.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5