KE3004 - Transition Skills and Fieldwork in Geography and Environmental sciences

The introductory lecture will set the scene for the module delivery, assessment and its integration with your wider study programme. In the early weeks of the module, you will participate in two field trips. They will develop your team-work skills and field observation techniques and introduce some local geographical and environmental issues.

Interactive workshops will explore key aspects of the process of transition from further to higher education, including academic expectations, ideas around criticality and factors influencing your levels of engagement and motivation. During weekly group tutorials, you will interact with a small group of your peers- around 10 - 15 students from your foundation degree programme- and your designated personal tutor. Discussions will focus on student-centred activities relating to the above topics and assessment tasks, including formative feedback and how best to feed this forward into future assessments in this and other modules. You will also have an opportunity at least once to meet individually with your personal tutor to reflect on your academic progress, performance and future plans. Your personal tutor will also be your first line of support should you experience any personal difficulties which may impact on your studies.

As part of the induction process in the Department, you will be assigned to a dedicated personal tutor who will offer academic and pastoral support throughout your Foundation Year. Your tutor will also lead your group and individual tutorial sessions, guiding you through the subject content, overseeing the assessment and feedback process, and monitoring and supporting your performance and progress. They will support your transition from a largely teacher-centred, passive approach to learning in a further education context, to a more active and reflective student-centred approach to learning in a higher education context.

Your class materials will be further supported by on-line resources available via the module Blackboard site, including an interactive reading list. You will also have access to University-wide resources available via the University Library website. Your personal tutors have an open door policy during normal working hours, and are responsive to communication via e-mail to support your learning.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• MLO 1: Outline key academic issues of relevance to your subject discipline.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• MLO 2: Develop and apply a range of skills and practices (e.g. written prose, citation & referencing, oral presentation, field observation and independent research) that enable you to cope effectively with the demands of academic study at HE level.
• MLO 3: Communicate effectively to diverse audiences using a range of formats and media, recognising the need to justify your own opinions and to challenge your own thinking and the thinking of others.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• MLO 4: demonstrate the capacity for sustained independent work and the ability to work with others effectively as a member of a team.

• MLO 5: Value curiosity, collaboration and analysis as keystones in the creation of new knowledge and practice and establish good working relationships with staff and fellow students.

The summative assessments on this module are a field work notebook (40%) and an essay (60%). These assessments address different aspects of all five MLOs.

You will be given a notebook at the start of your field visit exercises, and you will use this notebook to record observational notes, reflections, and annotated field sketches during and after the fieldtrips. Your notebook will be assessed following a set scheme of marking provided by tutors (40%).

The essay (60%) will be set by your tutor and relate to a contemporary issue in Geography and Environmental Sciences. You will get the opportunity to submit a draft version of your essay to get formative feedback from your tutor before your summative submission. Your final submission will be assessed using the department’s essay marking criteria under the guidance and supervision of your tutor.

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In this module, you will develop the key intellectual skills and personal attributes required for effective study. This will be largely achieved through engagement with your dedicated Tutor who will provide academic support throughout your study. They will lead group and individual tutorial sessions, guiding you through the subject content, overseeing the assessment and feedback process, and monitoring and supporting your performance and progress.

Teaching and learning activities will give you the foundation you need for more substantive study at degree level. The module will be delivered through an introductory lecture, a series of induction activities, two local fieldtrips, interactive workshops, and weekly tutorials. You will also have access to a range of learning resources, including electronic reading lists, made available via the module eLP site. The module will be assessed by a field notebook (40% of the module mark) and an essay (60%).