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A Residential Workshop for Recently Appointed Lecturers 2002

Monday 20 - Tuesday 21 May, 2002, Hornton Grange, University of Birmingham

Contents

Workshop Description:
This workshop aims to help newly appointed teaching staff in Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES) learn about and evaluate a range of approaches, methods and resources for learning and teaching in these disciplines. By being discipline-specific this event will complement any generic-based institutional courses that delegates are attending or have taken.
When and Where?
Monday 20 - Tuesday 21 May, 2002 - Hornton Grange, University of Birmingham
Who Should Attend?
Anyone in Geography, Earth or Environmental Sciences who has started teaching in HE in the last three years who would like to develop and improve their teaching whilst extending their continuing professional development.
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Day One Programme

09:30 - 10:00 Registration and Coffee

10:00 - 10:15 Welcome and Introduction to the workshop (Gordon Clark , Mick Healey and Brian Chalkley)

10:15 - 11:30 Plenary Session 1: Fieldwork: Planning Fieldwork and Improving Practice (Jennifer Blumhof and Neil Thomas)

11:30 - 12:00 Coffee

12:00 - 13:15 Plenary Session 2: Learning Outcomes and Assessment in our Subjects (Brian Chalkley and Mick Healey)

13:15 - 14:30 Lunch

14:30 - 16:00 Parallel Workshop Session 1

16:00 - 16:30 Afternoon Tea

16:30 - 17:30 Plenary Session 3: Meetings with the LTSN-GEES Senior Advisors in subject groups (Jennifer Blumhof, Neil Thomas and Mick Healey) followed by Panel Question Time

17:30 - 18:30 Free Time (and time to look at GEES Learning and Teaching Resource Library)

18:30 - 20:00 Dinner

20:00 - 21:00 An Audience with Alan Jenkins - an entertaining and thought provoking evening with Alan Jenkins, where anything can happen!

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Day Two Programme

07:30 - 08:45 Breakfast

09:00 - 10:30 Plenary 4: Small group teaching in our subjects (Gordon Clark)

10:30 - 11:00 Coffee

11:00 - 12:15 Plenary 5 - Linking your teaching and research (Alan Jenkins and Mick Healey)

12:15 - 13:30 Lunch

13:30 - 15:00 Parallel Workshop Session 2

15:00 - 16:00 Plenary 6 - Individual planning and event profile - where next? (Gordon Clark)

16:00 Close, tea and depart.

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Everything else you need to know

Registration on the day

Official Registration will take place in the foyer of Hornton Grange on the morning of Monday the 20th of May.

Directions to Hornton Grange

For directions and maps of how to get to Hornton Grange by Train or Car visit this website: http://www.bham.ac.uk/conferences/location.htm.

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Parallel Workshop Descriptions

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Plenary Session Descriptions

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Profiles on Workshop Facilitators

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Profiles on Workshop Delegates

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Parallel Workshop Descriptions

Lecturing in our subjects (Gordon Clark)

The session on lecturing aims to:

Finally participants will outline a plan for an improvement to their own lecturing.

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Integrating skills development with academic content: a problem-based learning exercise (Jennifer Blumhof)

The aim of this workshop is integration at two levels. The first is to offer you an introductory first hand experience of the use of problem-based learning as a means of integrating skills with academic content. The second is to familiarise you with a learning vehicle (an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary case study) particularly suitable for promoting an integrative, multi-perspective view of an environmental problem.

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Supervising our research students (Gordon Clark)

In this session the participants will:

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Resource-based learning in our subjects (Mick Healey)

Resource Based Learning (RBL) involves the use by students of print and electronic-based learning resources in and out of taught sessions. This workshop will examine the nature of RBL activities, the way RBL can help you and your students, and how it can be used to enhance teaching and learning both within formal sessions and outside them.

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Plenary Session Descriptions

Day 1 (Plenary 1) Fieldwork: Planning Fieldwork and Improving Practice (Jennifer Blumhof and Neil Thomas)

Also, the fieldwork workshop summary is as follows:

This session aims to discuss the value of fieldwork in ensuring effective learning in our disciplines. On completion of this session, delegates should be able to:

  1. Outline the central importance of fieldwork to all three GEES disciplines.
  2. Share common and different L&T experiences of fieldwork.
  3. Identify and discuss the main L&T issues for fieldwork in their own disciplines.
  4. Prepare and discuss a L&T strategy for a given field scenario.
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Day 1 (Plenary 2) Leaning Outcomes and Assessment in our Subjects (Brian Chalkley and Mick Healey)

This session offers ideas on how to write effective learning outcomes in the GEES disciplines. Delegates will be given the opportunity to draft appropriate outcomes for a GEES module and to consider the link between learning outcomes and assessment.

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Day 1 (Plenary 3) Meetings with the LTSN-GEES Senior Advisors in subject groups (Jennifer Blumhof, Neil Thomas and Mick Healey) followed by Panel Question Time

This session will provide an opportunity for delegates to meet with the Subject Centre Senior Advisor for their relevant discipline. After breaking into discipline groups to discuss specific learning and teaching issues that delegates may have, the session will close with a question and answer plenary.

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Day 2 (Plenary 4) - Small-group teaching in our subjects (Gordon Clark)

In this session the participants will:

Finally, participants will outline a plan for an improvement to their own small-group teaching.

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Day 2 (Plenary 5) - Linking Your Teaching and Research (Alan Jenkins and Mick Healey)

Do you see your teaching and research as two separate activities ? Or would you want to better connect them and ensure that students develop an understanding of research as applied to your discipline ? If you are interested in connecting and linking then come along to this session. Beforehand you might want to visit this site http://www.brookes.ac.uk/genericlink/.

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Day 2 (Plenary 6) - Individual Planning and Event Profile - Where Next? (Gordon Clark)

In this session we shall provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on the key issues they have dealt with in the workshop and record these and their reactions to the workshop in a reflective commentary. Participants will also have an opportunity to plan their next steps in taking forward the lessons they have learned. Finally they will be asked to evaluate the workshop.

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Profiles on Workshop Facilitators


Mick Healey Mick Healey - University of Gloucestershire

Mick Healey is Professor of Geography at the University of Gloucestershire. He is also Director of the Geography Discipline Network, a consortium of twelve higher education institutions in the UK. For the first 20 years of his career he taught at Coventry University before moving to Cheltenham in 1994 to be Head of the Department of Geography and Geology, a post he held for three years. He has published about 50 articles and books in the field of economic geography. He has also written over 50 papers and books about learning and teaching geography in higher education. In 2000 he was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the Institute of Learning and Teaching.

Favourite websites:

http://www.rail.co.uk/ukrail/planner/planner.htm
Few web sites are so optimistic!

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Alan Jenkins Alan Jenkins - Oxford Brookes University

Alan Jenkins long taught geography at Oxford Brookes and was a founding editor of the Journal of Geography in Higher Education. While still being involved in various discipline based projects - including the Virtual Field Course Project (http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/vfc) and those organised by the Geography Discipline Network (http://www.glos.ac.uk/el/philg/gdn/) - since 1990 he has worked full time as an educational developer/researcher at Oxford Brookes. He is currently a tutor on the SEDA/ILT accredited course for new staff at Brookes.
His research interests include student perceptions of staff research and he is completing a book on Linking Teaching and Research -; adviser to Project Link, on linking teaching and research in the Built Environment Disciplines ( http://www.brookes.ac.uk/schools/planning/LTRC/ ) and Project Director for Linking Teaching and Research in the Disciplines http://www.brookes.ac.uk/genericlink
Like Brian Chalkley he is a firm opponent of DIY and gardening : however, though considering a divorce from Oxford United has no intention of transfering his affections to Brentford.

Favourite websites:

http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club - London

http://www.ultimatedianakrall.com/
Diana Krall website

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Neil Thomas Neil Thomas - Kingston University

Neil is a Solid Earth geophysicist, specialising in the application of palaeomagnetism to global geodynamics. His major L&T interests include: the integration and assessment of Key Skills in Earth Science degree programmes; use of problem-based learning in Earth Sciences; integration of career development skills in degree programmes. As a Welshman, Neil's main interests include rugby (though on current form, he wouldn't like to admit this in public!), singing and consuming the odd pint of ale! Neil has a 3 year old son and 9 month old twin daughters so is becoming adept in multi-tasking!!

Favourite website:

http://www.uh.edu/~jbutler/anon/anonfield.html
The Virtual Geoscience Professor - This site includes heaps of excellent resources (as well as some that are not so good!) for L&T in Geosciences.

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Gordon Clark Gordon Clark - Lancaster University

A rural geographer by research interests (just started a new EU-funded project on rural tourism), I am a long-time member of staff at Lancaster University who has developed interests in teaching developments over several years. These have resulted in papers in the Journal of Geography in Higher Education, workshops and booklets for the Geography Discipline Network, and various projects in Lancaster University on teaching matters.

Favourite websites:

http://news.bbc.co.uk
BBC news

http://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk
Dundee Weather Station

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Brian Chalkley Brian Chalkley - LTSN-GEES Subject Centre

Brian is Director of the LTSN National Subject Centre for Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences which is based at the University of Plymouth. He combines this post with a continuing commitment to teaching and research in the Plymouth Department of Geographical Sciences. His main pedagogic interests lie in the areas of key skills, work-based learning and student employability. His main areas of geographical specialisation are in urban policy and Australia. Brian is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Geography in Higher Education and of the Education Committee of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers (RGS/IBG). When not wearing his academic hat, Brian is known as a fan of Glen Miller, Fred Astaire and Ella Fitzgerald (musical tastes his family label as 'sad'). Worse still, he is a lifelong supporter of Brentford Football Club and a lifelong opponent of DIY and gardening.

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Jennifer Blumhof Jennifer Blumhof - University of Hertfordshire

Jennifer has been lecturing in environmental sciences for the past twelve years, but increasingly she has become interested in the pedagogy of our disciplines especially in skills development in HE.

Favourite website:

http://www.herts.ac.uk/envstrat/HILP/
Not surprisingly, is the one we have developed as part of a four-year funded project focussing on integrating skills with academic content.

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Geoff Robinson Geoff Robinson - University of Leicester

Geoff Robinson is an Associate Teacher in Geography and Warden of Digby Hall at the University of Leicester. He has published extensively on topics ranging from fluvial geomorphology and environmental hydrology to various applications of quantitative geography, including regional development in Malaysia. Most recently Geoff has worked on the diffusion of education technology. Nearly 40 years experience of using computers in research and teaching culminated in his role as Director of the CTI Centre for Geography, Geology and Meteorology from the beginning of 1992, and as Co-director of its associated Teaching and Learning Technology Programme project that produced the widely used GeographyCal® materials in 1997. He now acts as Senior Advisor (C&IT) for the LTSN Subject Centre for Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences and also chairs subject reviews for the Quality Assurance Agency.

Favourite websites:

http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/main.html
The (USA) National Weather Service's (NWS) Internet data source. It contains excellent graphical displays that well illustrate what a weather information site can look like at its best.

http://www.ciesin.org/
Center for International Earth Science Information Network at Columbia University - a very rich website.

http://www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/index.php
Ian West's Geology Directory - an excellent example of a personal website that is developing as a rich resource for students.

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Steve Gaskin Steve Gaskin - LTSN-GEES Subject Centre

Steve's first degree was in Physical Geography with Geology. In 1999 he obtained a PhD in Environmental Science from the University of London where he worked in south-east Asia for several years. His responsibilities at the Subject Centre include developing and managing the Centre's advisory and enquiry service, production of the Centre's publication PLANET, organising conferences and workshops, and overseeing the Centre's communications. Steve also has an interest in graduate transition to HE and graduate employability.

Favourite website:

http://www.squashdiscount.com (Cheap Balls!)

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Profiles on Workshop Delegates

Dr Claire Mercer - Department of Geography - University of Leicester

I have taught in Geography Departments (Swansea, now Leicester) since 1998, focussing mainly on development geography and Africa (which link to my research interests) and more broadly on globalisation, philosophy and geography, and qualitative methodologies.

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Vicki Howe - Earth Sciences Department - Cardiff University

A part time lecturer and professional marine biologist. I have been teaching for about two and half years. First within the Maritime Department of Cardiff University and for the past 18 months in the Earth Science Department. I am also a professional diving instructor which has provided valuable teaching experience and training.

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Pete Langdon - Department of Geography - School of Geography and Archaeology - University of Exeter

I have a PhD in Holocene peatland palaeoecology from Southampton Uni and am interested in Holocene environmental (specifically climatic) reconstruction using peatland and lake sediments. I am currently teaching a level 3 module on palaeoecology and palaeoclimates and a level 2 module on lakes. I have also taught on local fieldclasses as well as overseas in Iceland and Spain.

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Paul Mumford - Department of Geography - University of Sheffield

I am now lecturing part-time at the Geography department at Sheffield university after having done my undergraduate degree and PhD (almost completed) there. My experience of teaching so far includes lecturing and taking tutorials and laboratory classes. I get the impression at times that some of the students would rather be elsewhere and am trying to decide if this is their problem or mine.

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Philippe Guyard - School of Earth and Environmental Sciences - University of Portsmouth

Trained as Oceanographer, Southampton Oceanography Centre.
After my PhD I started as Pathway Leader for Marine Environmental Science in October 2000. I now lecture in oceanography, environmental modelling, conservation, and navigation. I run a level II 6 day residential field course and organise the pathway as a whole.

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Dr Godfrey Yeung - School of Social Sciences - University of Sussex

I have been teaching at Sussex for about one and half years. The subjects that I am teaching including "Geographies of Development and Inequalities", "Population and Development", etc. My research interest is to investigate the impacts of globalisation on the transitional economy in China.

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Jacqueline Homan - Division of Geography - School of Applied Sciences - University of Wolverhampton

Before taking up a post as a full-time Lecturer in Human Geography at Wolverhampton University I was a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham - I did some teaching there but did not have responsibility for courses or assessment of modules. I am now a module leader on a couple of courses (Nature, Risk and Society and the Geographies of Development) and will also be responsible for leading the human geography element on field trips in the near future. I am hoping to gain a greater awareness of how I could better deliver my teaching material in ways that engage the students and also how to incorporate my research into what I teach effectively.

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Joanna Southworth - School of Geography and Environmental Sciences - The University of Birmingham

I began teaching in September 2001 and during the course of the year have used various teaching methods such as formal lectures, interactive lectures, practical classes, tutorials and fieldwork. I am also enrolled on a PG certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. I hope this workshop will enable me to improve the standard of my teaching and to learn from and exchange ideas and experiences with people in a similar situation to myself.

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Edward Hanna - Institute of Marine Studies - University of Plymouth

I'm a relatively new lecturer in marine science and I'm interested in improving my teaching methods and trying out new techniques that can better engage our broad range of students. I'm currently enrolled on the LTHE course. I'm looking forward to engaging here with my peers and more experienced colleagues.

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Michael Winklhofer - School of Ocean and Earth Science - University of Southampton

I had been teaching geophysics in Munich for about one and a half years before I came to the Southampton Oceanography Centre last October to take up a teaching replacement position. Here, I amn teaching a level 4 module on geodynamics, and a level 2 module on exploration geophysics, mainly for geology students. I hope I can learn some "recipies" on this workshop as to how to better address 60 and more students, which I find quite difficult and strenuous.

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The Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences,
Buckland House, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
Email: info@gees.ac.uk Tel: ++44 1752 584529 Fax: ++44 1752 584880