Liberating learning: Thinking beyond ‘the grade’ in field‐based approaches to teaching

This paper is positioned within current debates on education development and the value of fieldwork as a pathway to fostering a nuanced, sophisticated and empathetic world view among students. Here, we focus on one form of field‐based teaching within geography, that is, intensive field studies courses taught abroad. We draw on our experience as cofacilitators of a six‐week intensive field course conducted in various parts of Thailand. The course we discuss in this paper was focused on teaching students both applied research skills (critical engagement, ethnographic research methods and ethical research practice) and substantive content (the social, cultural, political and economic aspects of Thailand from a geographer's perspective). We argue that the value of field studies lies in the ability of such a course to help students enhance and deepen broad, generalisable skills such as problem solving; ethical research practice; critical engagement with complex social issues; and independent research skills.     

Tertiary teaching excellence: The CETLs scheme in England

Abstract:  This article describes the establishment of Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs) by the Higher Education Funding Council in England. It outlines this approach to enhancing effective university teaching and learning and discusses four CETLs that are closely related to university geography departments and dedicated to the themes of active learning, spatial literacy, experiential learning and education for sustainable development.     

Youth transitions and going to university: the perceptions of students attending a geography summer school access programme

This paper contributes to understandings of youth transitions in childhood and youth geographies through the use of a participatory diagramming exercise with students studying geography in a summer school access programme at a Scottish university. In particular, the paper explores young people's perceptions about adult/child binaries and their hopes and fears in applying to university. The discussion highlights the extended nature of youth transitions: the usefulness of participatory diagramming as a research method and teaching technique for this group; and the consequences that the increasing interest in childhood and youth geographies might have on teaching and learning in human geography.     

Learning to do geography? University students posing questions in GIS laboratory exercises

In many higher education curricula, pre-structured step-by-step laboratory exercises in introductory courses in geographical information systems (GIS) are an important part of the training of future geographers. The reasons for this approach to teaching GIS are manifold, such as large numbers of students, off-the-shelf desktop software that is often complex, technical challenges, and scarce faculty resources. Often the reasons are well agreed upon by members of a university faculty and among the students. Research in other fields has shown that the use of a controlled manual for laboratory work often provides low learning potentials. However, not much empirical research has dealt with this issue within a GIS learning environment. Inspired by research on the value of student-generated questions within science education, the authors take a closer look at the type of student-generated questions and their relation to students' self-image of their learning approach in two pre-structured GIS laboratory settings at two Danish universities. They conclude that the vast majority of student-generated questions are of a basic information type and independent of the students' self-image of their learning approach. Further, it is found that wonderment questions, i.e. questions that are reflective in nature and show students the process towards acquiring extended geographical knowledge and software proficiency, are rarely asked.     

Are teachers and students ready for the new middle school geography syllabus in Sweden? Traditions in geography teaching,current teacher practices,and student achievement

The article examines the relationship between selective traditions in geographical education, what middle school teachers choose to emphasise in geographical education, and student achievement. The study, conducted in Sweden, is based on observations made by students in teacher training programmes, interviews with teachers, and analyses of a test administered to middle school students. It shows that selective traditions in geographical education are strong, resulting in a focus on country-related knowledge and map-reading skills. Both teachers and students seem unclear about what other subject-specific skills geography teaching provides. Furthermore, students have difficulty achieving a high level of geographic reasoning. The authors argue that a subject-specific language in geography is important in both teaching and assessment. They stress that students need more practice in geographic reasoning, since this is required by the new curriculum and in the national test in geography for Year 6 (i.e. pupils in the age range 12–13 years). The study adds to earlier research by highlighting Swedish middle school teaching, which is a neglected field within curriculum studies, and by using a combination of methods to analyse the impact of selective traditions.     

Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days: Helping Teach the National Geography Standards

Abstract

Consistent with developments in American education pedagogy, geography educators have made great strides exploring a wide range of high- and low-tech methods for teaching and learning geographic concepts. This article draws on a qualitative analysis of essays in which college students discuss tenets of the National Geography Standards in the context of Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. Most of the students in this study reported that not only did their knowledge of the world increase after completing the course assignment but that their interest in the discipline increased as well.     

Bridging the Divide: The Potential Role of Contemporary Geographical Research in Schools

This article examines the implementation and impacts of a program intended to improve research-led teaching in schools. Little consideration is given to the role of research-led teaching in schools; the argument is that this is a consequence of fractures between schools and universities. A program was developed to bring contemporary geographical research of university scholars into schools. Examining this program, the finding is that being exposed to research: improves access to up-to-date knowledge; heightens student enthusiasm; and informs choices students make about their learning. This article calls for bridges to be built between universities and schools upon the nexus of teaching and research.     

“学生化”的城中村社区——基于广州下渡村的实证分析

学生化作为绅士化现象的一种类型,是高等教育规模扩张背景下学生群体对于城市空间进行重构的现象。起因于学生群体的居住偏好,以及投资者与房屋所有者的寻租行为,面向学生群体的居住空间开始产生并聚集,形成独特的学生化社区,并由此产生一系列的社会,经济与文化影响。基于对学生化现象相关研究的综述,本文对于广州市中山大学邻近的下渡村学...     

地方文化环境与大学教学科研融合发展的模式初探——基于英美若干研究型大学的经验研究

教学科研的深度融合是研究型大学的共同特点,但各个大学实现融合的模式仍存在差异。本文拟基于地方文化传统和周边产业发展需求,探索地方对大学主导功能的影响,并结合对英美典型研究性大学的案例剖析,研究不同大学教学科研融合发展的主要立足点不同的内在原因。研究显示,地方不仅为大学的发展提供资金和基础设施等方面的支持,也需要大学提供人力资本、知识创新等方面的服务,因此,大学的主导功能与地方文化经济环境密切相关,而教学科研的融合则往往立足于大学的主要功能。例如,牛津大学以人才培养为重点就深受英国传统文化的影响,哈佛在基础研究方面的卓越贡献也与其追求真理的文化传统有关,而斯坦福大学以服务产业发展促进人才培养与科研紧密融合的模式也受到实用教育理念的影响。总的看来,研究型大学都应该力促教学科研的深度融合,这是其承载文化传播和知识创造功能的基础,但就具体大学而言,很有必要适应特定地方的文化环境,探索适合的教学科研融合发展模式,而不要陷入盲目模仿的误区。     

昆明地区高校校园绿地植物的教学效用

2010年11月～2011年11月,4次对昆明9个高校校园进行了植物组成、植物挂牌和学生识别植物的调查。结果表明,昆明高校9个校园内共发现高等植物593种,隶属397属143科,包含了中国目前通用植物学教科书提及到的91%以上的植物科,储存了丰富的植物学教学实体材料;识别植物的学生里,有60%的是根据植物标牌来识别植物的,但1/3的高校校园没有给植物挂牌。因此认为,昆明高校校园绿地植物具有重要的潜在教学效用,但因缺乏足够的教学服务而未得到发挥。     

In search of meaningful assessment in the university curriculum: the case for culturally relevant pedagogy

ABSTRACT

The poor performance of Pacific students at university is a concern for every level of society. Conventional models of teaching, learning and assessment have overlooked the cultural background of students, yet the effects of this oversight have been disastrous, alienating and disempowering. Studies of and developments in education in the Pacific and elsewhere offer opportunities to rethink the methods of teaching, learning and assessment of Pacific students in ways that are congruent with their home culture. Informed by the principle of so’a lau pule (the Samoan concept of consensus through consultation and conversation) and ethnographic research methods, this study describes an attempt to rethink ways of teaching, learning and assessing student performance in a third-year course on Resource Conservation and Management in the School of Geography, Earth Science and Environment at the University of the South Pacific. Introduced in 2007, the Student Innovative Contribution to Knowledge (SICK) allows students to participate in key decisions concerning teaching, learning and assessment. SICK is grounded in the principles of inclusiveness and participation. It takes account of the skills and abilities of Pacific students and is aligned with the philosophical basis of Pacific cultures. One hundred and fifty-eight students took part in this study over a 5-year period. Analysis was based on students’ written reviews of the semester’s work, in-depth conversation with individual students and the end-of-the-course evaluation. The findings show that, while students embrace the need for non-conventional forms of teaching, learning and assessment, the most frequently cited responses for non-participation are poor time management and varying perceptions of what is considered an innovative assessment. This study shows that understanding the cultural background of students is critical to creating culturally inclusive learning environments.     

基于义务教育校际分异的学校类型及其空间分布模式——以大连市初中为例

利用2015年大连市初中学校多维数据,在分析社会群体间分异状况及其空间表现的基础上,概括了学校的基本类型及其空间分布特征,总结了义务教育校际分异的空间模式。在市域范围内存在4类学校,即成绩较好的城市综合社会群体子女学校;成绩一般的产业工人及一般技术人员子女学校;成绩优异的教师、政府和企事业单位管理者及专业技术人员子女学校;成绩落后但生均教育资源充沛的农村地区学校。4类学校在市域范围内分异明显,形成了从内向外的5个教育圈,即城市中心教育圈、城市郊区教育圈、城市新区教育圈、外围城镇教育圈和外围乡村教育圈。教育资源在教育圈之间呈高低相间分布的特点,教学成绩和学生家庭社会经济地位呈现出从中心向外围逐步降低的特征。     

Content-Based Language Instruction: A New Window of Opportunity in Geography Education

Abstract

The use of content-based language instruction (CBI) offers an innovative and effective method for teaching core geographic concepts and skills while students study a second language. This article focuses on a collaborative initiative developed and tested by university and high school level geography and second-language educators. The goal of the MOSAIC project is to develop and disseminate rigorous instructional modules using CBI to reach students in language classrooms who may or may not ever enroll in a stand-alone geography course.     

Integrated Teaching of Geographic Information Science and Physical Geography Through Digital Terrain Analysis

Abstract

We present an outline of a course in digital terrain analysis that provides students with integrated instruction in geographic information science (GISci) and topics in physical geography and earth science. Integrated teaching of GISci and other sub-fields of geography has value because it presents GISci technologies in the context of their application. Nevertheless, the design of college and university geography courses is often fragmented rather than integrated. Our course provides one potential model for such integration. Assessment of student reaction, using focus groups of both enrolled and non-enrolled students, revealed a generally positive attitude toward the course and pointed out the barriers that prevent some students from taking it.     

Fresh thing for freshman: Exploring a blended method on teaching the history of geographic thought

It is necessary for undergraduates majoring in geography to learn the history of geographic thought. Although there are different cultural and educational backgrounds between China and the West, teaching methods such as text teaching, students’ presentations and group learning are suitable for most of teachers and students even from different countries and regions. The blended method is helpful to popularize history of geographic thought and improve the level of teaching and learning. Owing to lack of the class on the history of geographic thought in countries like China, the authors try to explore a blended method for the first-year geography undergraduates and to assess the effects of this teaching based on some questionnaires. The students have different benefits and responses to this class. A special group consisting of one teacher and several undergraduates does the research and coauthors the paper through making questionnaire, interviewing and analyzing materials from 67 freshmen majoring in human geography and geography science (teacher-training) in China. For the undergraduates especially from the countries like China, it is well worth making the history of geographic thought become a necessary and interesting class.     

Teaching physical geography at university with cartoons and comic strips: Motivation,construction and usage

This article presents the cartoons and comic strips that the author draws and has used in his teaching of physical geography at the undergraduate level since 2011. In the context of an image‐based culture, this article discusses the pedagogic goals that cartoons and comic strips fulfil: enhancing learning and creativity, associating pleasure with learning, pushing students to think ‘outside the box’ and relating the students' learning experience to a media framework popular with students. Cartoons and comic strips also answer particular necessities related to the teaching of physical geography. Using characters placed in hypothetical situations, they explain the process of doing geography and being a physical geographer.     

高师《世界地理》教学内容与方法探索

高师《世界地理》教学需要教师有效实施探究式教学策略,扮演课程学习的组织者、引导者和合作者的角色,以期达到调动学生在学习过程中的积极性、主动性和研究性的目的。本文基于曾必修《肚界地理》的高师地理科学（师范）专业的本科在学、硕士研究生、中学地理教师的访谈与问卷调查,探索以学生为主体的教学改革,对近年来《世界地理》教学效果进行总体评价,廓清现今教学内容与方法面临的主要问题,并尝试提出优化调整方案,以提高《世界地理》教学效果。     

面向可持续发展的师范院校环境教育分析

调查发现,可持续发展教育在师范院校滞后于中小学教育、环境类课程设置未形成常态、相关课程教学形式单一及教学效果不佳、缺乏可持续发展教育的良好校园氛围。因而师范院校有必要重建面向可持续发展教育的环境教育学科体系,完善课程设置,强调渗透教育,将环境教育实践纳入师范教育实践计划、落实环境教育的必修课地位、丰富课堂形式、鼓励与引导师范生积极参与环保实践活动。     

杭州下沙高教东区学生行为时空特征研究

以杭州下沙高教东区为例,尝试探讨空间要素对大学生生活、学习等行为的时空影响,从大学生的需求出发,为完善大学城规划发展提供案例数据和思路。通过访谈和问卷调查方法,以杭州下沙高教东区部分大学的大学生日常行为调查问卷为基础,对其行为的时空特征进行调查和分析,并与处于市区的老校区学生进行对比。调查表明,新生和高年级学生行为空间模式和空间选择存在差异,新老校区的学生之间同样也存在差异。进而,探讨了造成这些差异的原因,总结出目前高教东区空间布局对学生行为的影响主要有:(1)功能分区;(2)校园区位与对外交通;(3)树形空间结构;(4)公共空间及设施布局。由此提出建议:(1)东区有必要考虑优化管理体制提高配套设施的共享效率;(2)加强高校与城市社区的互动;(3)大学城规划建设进一步"以人为本"满足师生合理的空间需求。     

全球化背景下的《世界地理》教育教学改革探索

《世界地理》是一门从自然和人文相结合的角度认识世界的区域科学,是地理学科的重要组成部分。随着全球化的持续发展、当代地理学科发展呈现新趋势及我国素质教育改革的不断深入,我国高校《世界地理》教育教学面临着严峻的挑战。因此,《世界地理》课程必须从教学思想、教学目标、教学计划、教材体系、教学手段和教学评价等方面进行全方位的改革,才能摆脱目前严重滞后于时代和学科发展的困境,以走上健康发展之路。