Internships in the applied geography curriculum

ABSTRACT
The internship is a necessary and important part of an applied geography curriculum. At Ryerson, this takes the form of a three-month placement with a sponsoring agency whose area of operation relates directly to a student's field of specialisation. At the same time, non-academics are encouraged to participate in the organisation, design and teaching of the formal undergraduate programme. This helps to develop a closer integration of course material and placement experience.

Internships in the liberal arts undergraduate programme: an example from Erindale College, University of Toronto

ABSTRACT
The one-week internships discussed here aim to encourage the critical evaluation of planning practice and planning as a career choice. Internships provide for a change in the mode of learning, for spontaneity and immediacy, and for access to 'informants' about planning practice. So far it has proved difficult to provide students with great insights into planning practice through brief participation in the daily work of the planner. However, a good deal of contact between students and planners has been accomplished, and the students have at least a firmer base for evaluating urban planning as a potential career.

Reflections on work experience and community

ABSTRACT
A series of 'Community Involvement' courses were developed at Toronto since 1970. In them, students spent time in the field as interns. Their purpose was generally to develop a critical awareness of the city society and organisations, to give job experience and career exploration, and to foster community development by making connections into the activities of the city. These courses have now been discontinued, apparently because they were not sufficiently conventional, and as a result a critical edge of academic life has been dulled.

Development of a geographical student internship programme: a mini manual

ABSTRACT
This paper provides step-by-step guidance on how to develop an internship programme for geography students. Alternative approaches are presented and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.

Phenomenology, geography and geographical education

ABSTRACT
Phenomenology is a way of study which explores and describes the essential nature of things and experiences as they are in their own terms. Phenomenology has value to geographical education; first, because it introduces the student to a way of understanding that requires openness and quiet attentiveness; second, because it provides important insight into the nature of environmental experience and behaviour; and third, because it says much about how people dwell on the earth and how they might dwell better.

Electrical conductivity: a useful technique in teaching geomorphology

ABSTRACT
The electrical conductivity of a water sample is proportional to its total dissolved solids content. Since conductivity can be measured easily and quickly by commercially available meters it is admirably suited to geomorphological field work on the dissolved solids content of natural waters. The technique lends itself to exercises involving work in the field, the classroom and the laboratory and it therefore allows integration of these three approaches to geomorphology teaching.
The conductivity of a given sample varies with temperature and is heavily influenced by hydrogen ions when the pH is below about 5.5. This paper describes the methods used to correct for these effects, and the procedure for constructing calibration curves of conductivity and total dissolved solids. It gives the characteristics of commonly available field instruments, and some guidelines for choosing an instrument. Some exercises involving conductivity are outlined.

The Geography Discipline Network would also like to thank Taylor & Francis Ltd for permission to reproduce abstracts from the Journal of Geography in Higher Education