Thirteen Ways of Doing Fieldwork with Large Classes/More Students

ABSTRACT
The problems of maintaining geography fieldwork with increased student numbers is outlined. Thirteen strategies for coping with these problems are described. Individuals and, in particular, departments are urged to redesign their fieldwork programme using and developing these suggestions to address their own educational priorities.

KEYWORDS
Large classes, increased SSRs, fieldwork.

A Scheme for the Effective Use of Role Plays for an Emancipatory Geography

ABSTRACT
Role plays are a form of educational simulation. They constitute a continuum of activities which usually have the common elements of characters issue scenarios and student interaction. The effective use of role plays depends in part on the adoption of the most appropriate type of role play for the learning needs of a particular group of students. The options for constructing and using role plays are summarised. It is argued that a role play used effectively can be an emancipatory learning experience for students and tutors in a number of ways.

KEYWORDS
Role plays, geography, effective learning, emancipatory education.

QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND MODULAR GEOGRAPHY CURRICULA

ABSTRACT
Characteristics of quality for modular degree courses are that programmes of learning have progression, balance and coherence. A gastronomic analogy is used to clarify these characteristics, and a staff development exercise exploring them is outlined Aspects of progression, balance and coherence are discussed in the context of geography.

KEYWORDS
Quality, curriculum, modularisation, progression, balance, coherence.

QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF TEACHING: INPUTS, PROCESSES AND OUTPUTS

ABSTRACT
The nature of quality in teaching and learning is outlined, as a prelude to a discussion of the processes of quality assessment to teaching being employed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England. Despite claims that the latter defines quality as 'fitness for purpose' there are strong indications that 'quality as standard' is what is generally being applied. The implications of this procedure are discussed, both generally and for English university departments of geography.

KEYWORDS
Teaching, quality assessment, geography.

RELEVANT ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY: TEACHING THE GEOGRAPHY OF CONSUMPTION

ABSTRACT
Economic geography should not be taught in isolation from the political and the social if contemporary issues are to be understood. Agents are embedded in broader structures and their decisions are affected by stimuli and constraints which are not purely economic, at whatever scale they operate. This argument is developed with reference to teaching the geography of consumption. Health and retailing are chosen to illustrate consumption because of their contrasting delivery chains and patient/customer expectations, and because of their divergent/convergent trends between the UK and LDC experience. These enhance awareness of the economic, and its relationship to the social and the political, and of value judgements, which is necessary for critical understanding.

KEYWORDS
Economic geography, teaching, relevance, consumption

TEACHING INTRODUCTORY ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY: ONE AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE

ABSTRACT
This paper describes experiences in teaching introductory economic geography in a large American university. Selection of a textbook, preparation to teach a course, monitoring the business press for current illustrations of salient points, supplemental readings and course evaluation procedures are discussed. It is argued that an emphasis on 'real-world' examples CIS opposed to theory helps to spark .student interest in the economic geography of our world.

KEYWORDS
Economic geography, introductory teaching, textbooks, empirical examples.

ADAPTATION AND CHANGE IN THE TEACHING OF ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY: INNOVATIVE ASSESSMENT METHODS FOR GROUP RESEARCH PROJECTS

ABSTRACT
Economic geography is in a state of flux. This paper argues that there is a need to develop a relevant and theoretically informed economic geography. Some of the more difficult challenges facing both teachers and students are outlined and the author describes how such difficulties have been tackled through an Enterprise in Higher Education initiative centering cm innovative assessment procedures for group research projects. The project is evaluated in terms of potential gains to both staff and students.

KEYWORDS
Economic geography, teaching, group research projects.

TEACHING INDUSTRIAL LOCATION-SECONDARY DATA: SECOND BEST?

ABSTRACT
The study of industrial location has undergone several changes of emphasis. Neo-classical location theories have been supplemented by studies based on the locational behaviour of individual firms. In turn, the value of these has been challenged by those of a structuralist persuasion. In order to engage in the resultant academic debates in an informed way, students need to know how specific businesses use geographic space. Ways of enhancing their knowledge by linking documentary searches with group presentations and field days are described here, both in general terms and by means of a case study.

KEYWORDS
Industrial location, teaching, secondary data, spatial biographies.

MONITORING THE MEDIA: STUDENT PRODUCTION AND USE OF NEWSPAPER RESOURCE FILES IN ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT
This article discusses the use of newspaper resource files in economic geography, in particular focusing on a simple method of production involving student participation. It connects two related issues: first, the question of topicality in course content; and second, the problems associated with the collection and collation of up-to-date material at a time when there are both teaching pressures and an unrelentingly wide array of information and sources available to economic geographers. Against this background, the paper discusses the rationale for such a student-based media monitoring activity, the simple procedures that might be used, and the advantages and disadvantages involved. It concludes that media monitoring is useful for students in maintaining up-to-date ideas and information in their course activity and that it may also trigger a series of valuable debating points, adding to the richness of the educational experience in economic geography.

KEYWORDS
Economic geography, teaching, newspaper resource files.

IN SEARCH OF THE DIFFERENTIAL SHIFT: INTEGRATING FIELDWORK INTO THE TAUGHT PROGRAMME IN INDUSTRIAL GEOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT
How fieldwork has been successfully incorporated into a programme of industrial geography at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle is demonstrated. The theme of shift-share analysis has been used to integrate the lecture programme, seminar work, field study and an assignment. The work has proved challenging to the students and some of the resulting written work has been of high quality. The fieldwork was identified by the students as a particularly successful component of the course in a subsequent course review.

KEYWORDS
Industrial geography, teaching, shift-share analysis, fieldwork.

THE SNAKES AND LADDERS OF RESEARCH: USING A BOARD GAME TO TEACH THE PITFALLS OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DESIGN

ABSTRACT
The Snakes and Ladders of Research is a board game aimed at summarising and reinforcing the pitfalls and virtues of research design in undergraduate research projects. The game was used as part of a second-year research design course, in which an attempt was made to transfer knowledge of good and bad research practices from a passive learning environment to an active one. When played with two undergraduate classes the game was well received and the short-term recall of good and bad research practices averaged 73%.

KEYWORDS
Undergraduate research projects, board game.

CONTROL AND INDEPENDENCE STRATEGIES FOR LARGE GEOGRAPHY CLASSES

ABSTRACT
A variety of innovations from UK institutions are described that tackle the problems of larger geography classes and more students. Each is set out according to a common format. The introduction sets these UK innovations in the particular context of developments in North American higher education and in the wider context of control and independence strategies for dealing with higher student:staff ratios.

KEYWORDS
Teaching innovations, geography, large classes, student numbers.