Engaging with the (Un)familiar: Field Teaching in a Multi-Campus Teaching Environment

Abstract

Field trips have long been central to geography, but have been subject to assessment of the role of the 'field' in teaching. At the same time, academics face barriers to running field trips. Distance education and enhanced educational access for non-metropolitan students represented such an obstacle at an Australian university. These obstacles were taken as an opportunity to draw on the regional nature of the students and staff to enhance teaching goals, run critically informed field trips by and manage academic workloads. We evaluate the field trips by conducting surveys and interviews with students and tutors, and as an example of innovation within constraints. field teaching in a multi-campus teaching environment ABSTRACT Fieldtrips have long been a key part of geography but have been subject to assessment of the role of the 'field' in teaching. At the same time, academics face barriers to running undergraduate fieldtrips. Distance education and trends to enhance access to education for non-metropolitan students represented such an obstacle at an Australian university. These potential obstacles were taken as an opportunity to draw on the regional nature of the students and teaching staff to enhance teaching goals, run critically informed fieldtrips, and manage academic workloads. We evaluate the fieldtrips using surveys and interviews with students and tutors and as an example of innovation within constraints.

Same but different: sources of natural resource management advice for lifestyle oriented rural landholders

“…It is also possible that some farmers have provided net farm income rather than the gross value of production in their responses. Alternatively, we also know from earlier fieldwork (Gill, Klepeis, and Chisholm 2010) and long term networks in the area (Gill, Adams, and Eriksen 2012) that some older farmers and farmers with low debt have maintained dairy production at what are now low levels for the industry or developed small beef herds after the 2000 round of dairy restructuring. Some of these farmers are effectively semi-retired; others have diversified into work such as contracting.…”

Field trips as an intervention to enhance pharmacy students’ positive perception of a management module in their final year: A pilot study

“…[9] Cognitive learning is achieved when students can make connections among and interpret different aspects of a subject to apply what they have learned in other fields of practice or the profession. [7] Field trips also result in increased memory. [8] From the literature reviewed, field trips are commonly included in subjects such as geography and museum studies, [5][6][7][8][9] biology and ecology [10] and law.…”

“…[7] Field trips also result in increased memory. [8] From the literature reviewed, field trips are commonly included in subjects such as geography and museum studies, [5][6][7][8][9] biology and ecology [10] and law. [11] In this study, we used field trips as a strategy to influence students' perceptions regarding a management module as part of their training as future pharmacists.…”

“…[5] Such trips can contribute to and complement the textbook used during formal class lectures [6] and even present better learning outcomes than school-based learning. [7] Such trips assist students in the development of ideas and a deeper understanding around the field/profession and prevent the straightforward memorisation of facts. [6,7] Field trips enhance students' awareness on a cognitive and an affective level, [8] which often cannot be achieved in the classroom.…”

“…[7] Such trips assist students in the development of ideas and a deeper understanding around the field/profession and prevent the straightforward memorisation of facts. [6,7] Field trips enhance students' awareness on a cognitive and an affective level, [8] which often cannot be achieved in the classroom. [9] Cognitive learning is achieved when students can make connections among and interpret different aspects of a subject to apply what they have learned in other fields of practice or the profession.…”