1. Exciting and Motivational Geography Dr Viv Pointon
GA Post-16 National Conference, 22 June 2010
Urban Fieldwork
Exciting and Motivational Geography
Dr Viv Pointon

2. Planning fieldwork Things to consider: Choice of location
Health and safety issues
Fieldwork strategies
Background research
Writing up

3. Decisions, decisions…

4. Places to see Shops and places to eat Public services
Parks and open spaces
Museums and galleries
Industry and commerce
Transport facilities
Residential areas

5. Calculating risk Who is at risk? Worst case outcome: Learners
Teachers
Other employees
General public
Worst case outcome:
Inconvenience
Minor injury
Injury/illness
Major injury
Fatality
Probability of occurrence:
Unlikely
Rarely
Infrequently
Sometimes
Often
Risk rating = Worst case outcome x probability of occurrence PLAN YOUR RESPONSE!

6. Using photographic images
Find photos of your fieldwork area from (just key in the grid square).
Or use Google Earth to focus on the study area.
Other images may also be found on the local council website.
Or visit the area before, take photos and show these in class.
Print and laminate photos for group work – encourage students to identify features that could be investigated.

7. Things to study Pedestrians Traffic Shops/business Bi-polar analysis
CBD models
Microclimate
Building material
Street furniture
Disabled access
Building design
Sound mapping
Urban art

8. Getting started… Identify and define key concepts and/or processes:
Is there a relevant theory or model?
What processes are shaping the area?
What are the variables that can be measured?
eg: Core-frame models
redevelopment
pedestrian flows
zonation or quarters

9. Data collection strategies
Locate the study area
Delimiting the area
Using appropriate maps
Identify methods to investigate the question or hypothesis
Prepare questionnaires and log sheets
Carry out pilot surveys
In the classroom
In the school grounds
At home
Identify sampling methods
Random, systematic, stratified?
How many responses?
Describe and justify these methods
Learners should make notes from the outset

10. Doing what works
Effective fieldwork is student-centred not teacher-led.
Learners should be able to take ownership of their fieldwork.
This will enable them to respond the requirements of the assessment more effectively.
Use qualitative and ethnographic methods of data collection as well as more traditional quantitative methods.

11. Preparation: Things learners can do:
Write down descriptive words – first impressions?
Take photographs – what would you see?
Note land uses – what wouldn’t you see?
Listen – what would you hear?
Assess light and lighting – how safe is it?
Study buildings – age, design, materials?
Consider accessibility – can a buggy get there?

12. Sampling Sampling strategies:
Random (numbers generated using chart or calculator)
Systematic (select an appropriate and representative sample)
Stratified (select proportionate amounts from more than one area or population)
See for good advise on sampling methods.

13. Using equipment
Sound – use noise meters to gather data for sound pattern maps
Light – this can affect pedestrian flows (sunny side of street or defensible space)
Distance – measure length of shop fronts, distance to car parks (tapes, pacing, large-scale maps or GPS)
Ecology – simple quadrat and transect surveys will work in parkland, copses and playing fields
Microclimate – measure wind speed and direction and wet and dry bulb temperatures
Pollution – (as well as noise meters) monitor acidity of rainfall, survey particle deposition, or the pollution of an urban water course

14. Using photography
Most learners now have digital cameras on their mobile phones
Use both wide angle and close-up shots
Monitor change over time
Assess flow volumes
Use video sequences

15. Secondary data sources
Local libraries have reference sections which may still have very useful map resources (such as Goad plans) and planning documents.
Other useful organisations may include your local university, environmental pressure groups, tourist information offices, etc.
Online resources are dependent on what the local authority provides but can be a rich source of information.

16. Online data sources
index.html - for census and other official data.
See also local authority websites with useful links.
See ratinglists/voa.gov.uk for rateable values for business properties.
See for data and graphs using earlier census data.
Find property values at
Use for ACORN profiles.
See also insurance quote websites for comparisons of similar properties.

17. Producing a report: Data Presentation Analysis and Interpretation
Conclusion and Evaluation
is very useful

18. Data Presentation
Learners should know how to collate and sort the information collected and how to present it in appropriate ways.
They should record what they have learned and what the information shows.
Limitations and improvements should be identified at every stage.
See for some really wacky inspiration!

19. Using simple ICT (Excel)
Garden waste 20
Paper & cardboard 18
Kitchen waste 17
General household 9
Glass 7
Wood/furniture 5
Scrap metal/white goods
Dense plastic 4
Soil 3
Plastic film
Textiles
Metal cans/foil
Disposable nappies 2
Determine the most effective methods.

20. Analysis and Interpretation
Learners should know how to
describe, interpret and analyse their
results. Suitable quantitative
techniques include:
Mean, median and mode
Percentages
Inter-quartile range
Standard deviation
Nearest neighbour analysis
Mann Whitney U test
Spearman rank correlation
Chi squared analysis

21. Conclusion and Evaluation
Learners should be able to relate their conclusions to their results and initial question or hypothesis.
They should identify any problems encountered in carrying out the research.
They should comment on the accuracy of their results and the validity of the conclusions.
And they should know ways in which the investigation may be improved and extended.

22. Is Geography about fieldwork? Or is fieldwork about Geography?

23. How many field trips have killed learners’ interest in Geography
How many field trips have killed learners’ interest in Geography? How many learners have you seen come alive on a field trip?

24. Fieldwork should inspire, enthuse and energise learners… it is worth much more than a means to an end for assessment!