Different types of fieldwork

The Geographical Association advocates a diverse range of methodologies, from discovery-based learning to hypothesis testing, each serving specific educational purposes.

Through fieldwork, students engage with Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle (ELC) (see Learning theories and geography) starting with the underpinning concepts and theories to investigate. They then plan how to test these theories, undertake the concrete experience of data collection, and finally reflect on their findings in light of their understanding.

However, hypothesis testing is not the only way to structure fieldwork. Several different approaches exist, each with its own purpose and learning style. A well-rounded geography curriculum should provide students with a variety of fieldwork experiences.

Commonly used approaches include:

• fieldwork excursion
• scientific approach (hypothesis testing)
• geographical enquiry
• discovery fieldwork
• earth education.

Most geographers will be familiar with the traditional field excursion, where students are guided through a landscape. This approach, often described as ‘look’ and ‘see’, provides an immersive and teacher-led learning experience. Sometimes, the field leader may be a local expert.

Students focus on recording skills such as note-taking, field sketching, photography, and developing an appreciation of landscape and place. Teaching is primarily through exposition, though some questioning and discussion are usually involved

The scientific approach to fieldwork, also known as field research, is common in schools and is based on hypothesis testing. The teacher, sometimes in collaboration with students, develops a clear, testable statement about a geographical relationship or pattern. They decide what data to collect in order to support or refute the hypothesis.

This method creates clearly structured fieldwork, emphasising data collection techniques (mainly quantitative), as well as data presentation and analysis. However, the research element of forming hypotheses from geographical theory often takes a back seat, and conceptual understanding may not be as prominent as it could be.

Geographical enquiry is also a structured approach, but it begins with an overarching question that drives the fieldwork. It draws on students’ broader geographical knowledge rather than specific theories. Students are often involved in formulating the question. The process is not limited to quantitative data; it often includes qualitative data such as people’s opinions and attitudes.

In enquiry-based fieldwork, students take an active role and assume responsibility for their learning. Geography becomes more tangible and relevant as they connect different elements in the ‘route for enquiry’ with their interpretations and conclusions forming essential parts of the process.

The final two approaches are qualitative approaches. These are concerned with developing students’ appreciation and respect for nature and the environment and a sense of place.

Discovery fieldwork is an experiential, open-ended approach that encourages students to look closely at an environment and explore it for themselves. Sensory fieldwork and creative fieldwork are subsets of this approach. These methods engage the senses, foster curiosity, and promote independent learning. Students often choose their own focus and methods of investigation, making these approaches particularly effective when introducing new locations or concepts.

Earth education involves helping students understand the environment through interactive methods such as games and role play. The teacher orchestrates events to create immersive experiences, often aiming to evoke emotional responses and deeper connections with the natural world.

David Job (1996) classified fieldwork strategies into these categories, providing a useful way to think about fieldwork. The diagram illustrates how these strategies range from teacher-led to student-centred and also range from those approaches that emphasise quantification to those that are more concerned with qualitative issues and affective learning.