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Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

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the range of practical activities. Many of their diagrams and cross sections draw<strong>in</strong>gshow they have the technical skills to achieve this. The field notes made while pupilswere express<strong>in</strong>g their ideas on paper suggest that the type of follow-up activitiesundertaken after fieldwork may also have an <strong>in</strong>fluence on pupil understand<strong>in</strong>g. Thechildren were able to discuss ideas with each other. The research assistant noted thatthey were ask<strong>in</strong>g each other many questions and try<strong>in</strong>g to work out the answers <strong>in</strong>a social way. Future research may benefit from <strong>in</strong>vestigat<strong>in</strong>g how help<strong>in</strong>g pupils tocont<strong>in</strong>ue their geographical enquiries after fieldwork may help them to understandmore from their first hand experiences. This might <strong>in</strong>volve teachers mov<strong>in</strong>g awayfrom follow-up work which simply exists to presents f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs, but rather sees thefieldwork experience as one part of the process of geographical learn<strong>in</strong>g. This mayhave implications for how schools plan fieldwork <strong>in</strong>to their schemes of work, butthe sp<strong>in</strong>-offs may result <strong>in</strong> even deeper understand<strong>in</strong>g of experiences ga<strong>in</strong>ed out ofthe classroom.Overall, the data suggests that pupils do <strong>in</strong>crease their understand<strong>in</strong>g of theworld through fieldwork. The phrase ‘what I saw…’ was used by many of the pupils,suggest<strong>in</strong>g that the opportunity to see real world structures and processes is important<strong>in</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g their geographical understand<strong>in</strong>g.Geographical fieldwork <strong>in</strong> England is be<strong>in</strong>g challenged by time, curriculumdemands, costs, management perception and trade union concerns. As geographerswe need to have more evidence to match these challenges. In addition to evidencefrom pupils, it may be worthwhile to research the perceptions and values of thoseheadteachers and school governors who do believe that fieldwork and outdoorlearn<strong>in</strong>g is an essential part of primary school education. The headteacher of theschool <strong>in</strong> which the research was based sets very high standards <strong>in</strong> all aspects ofschool life. He expects fieldwork to take place <strong>in</strong> a variety of curriculum subjects. Heaccepts responsibility for pupils be<strong>in</strong>g on a beach dur<strong>in</strong>g an <strong>in</strong>com<strong>in</strong>g tide <strong>in</strong> orderto have first hand experience of coastal erosion. The result of this commitment tofieldwork by school management is perhaps best summed up by this piece of writ<strong>in</strong>gfrom a ten year old girl who took part <strong>in</strong> this rich fieldwork experience “By do<strong>in</strong>gthis we have remembered a lot A VERY LOT!!”References1. CLARE J. 2004. ‘Union tells teachers to end all school trips’, The Daily Telegraph, 19February.2. DUNNE E., BENNETT, N. 1990. Talk<strong>in</strong>g and Learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Groups, London: Macmillan<strong>Education</strong>.3. GREIG D. 2000. ‘Mak<strong>in</strong>g sense of the world: language and learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> geography’ <strong>in</strong>Lewis, M. and Wray, D. (eds.) Literacy <strong>in</strong> the Secondary School, London: David Fulton,pp. 69−90.4. HALOCHA J. 2005. <strong>Geography</strong> student teachers’ develop<strong>in</strong>g understand<strong>in</strong>g of fieldworkwith primary children, Paper to the Charney Manor Primary <strong>Geography</strong> ConferencePrimary <strong>Geography</strong> – 10 Years On, February 18−20 th5. MATTHEWS H. 1992. Mak<strong>in</strong>g Sense of Place: Children’s understand<strong>in</strong>g of large-scaleenvironments, Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf.37

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