Is the Use of Fieldtrips in Geography a Useful Way for Children to Learn between the Age of 5 to 11 - Essay Example

Geographical Fieldtrips Geographical Fieldtrips By: __________ d: ________________ Is the use of fieldtrips in geography a useful way for children to learn between the age of 5 to 11 years old, discuss. Before discussing ‘field trips’ it is important to discuss the importance of Geography in primary education. Geography in the early years is concerned with children’s developing understanding and appreciation of the human and physical dimensions of the world in which they are growing up. Early years geographical education must therefore take account of wide-ranging theoretical perspectives relating to developing conceptions of the physical environment and understanding of the world, which combine to influence children’s thinking and learning in this curriculum area. In short, early years geography is fundamentally about the development of the concepts of ‘space’ and ‘place’ and, entirely depends upon a wide range of classroom tasks and related learning activities that can contribute to effective learning of these concepts. Practical tasks with which children may engage to promote meaningful learning in geography draw upon a complex theoretical framework. Present space clearly does not allow for a comprehensive overview and analysis of this. Thus it is intended to highlight a number of key elements of the framework and to illuminate these with recent and relevant research evidence. (Birch & Palmer, 2004, p. 8) While the content of the National Curriculum for Schools in England underpins and guides the structure of the forthcoming text, it also discusses general principles of teaching and learning in geographical education that are transferable and applicable to all ‘early years’ children of nursery and school age. It is relevant to teachers, student teachers, policy-makers and all other providers of field trip education for children aged 5 to 11 years; that is, the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 in the language of the National Curriculum. We consider it to be both a difficult and inappropriate task to pursue any discussion of learning experiences relating to the subject matter of geography in the early years of schooling without making reference to the cross-curricular theme of education for sustainable development, closely allied to the area of learning which many know as environmental education. These learning experiences refer to a large extent of Geographical field trips which are inextricably linked in the work of primary education ranging from nursery to early primary classes. Therefore, their inter-relationships are considered with field trips and practical examples that take account of teaching and learning across the whole spectrum of geography and what might be termed ‘environmental geography’. Now, what Geography upholds for primary children depends upon the notion to what extent children are engaged in extra curricular activities regarding Geography. Of course, those activities are no other than fieldtrips and field work experience. The question which arises here is that are such children capable of remembering what they actually experience during their trips to geographical locations. If ‘No’, then the only source for children is through Internet and books. But, if one considers that primary children also possess the right and ability to learn through field trips, then one must know to what extent field trips and practical education are important in developing children’s abilities. Geography in ‘Curriculum’ Planning a curriculum and learning experiences about the geographical world need to take account of the learners’ understanding of their environment, their interactions with it and sources of information about it. Planning a curriculum and learning experiences about the geographical world need to take account of the learners’ understanding of their environment, their interactions with it and sources of information about it. The four key stages which follow the primary education are defined precisely with the Education Act of 1996. The age range 5-7, or Year Groups 1 and 2 constitute Key Stage 1. While above 7 is stage 2. Geography is one of seven non-core Foundation subjects to be Geography, like all National Curriculum subjects, Geography provides many openings within its Programme of Study for learning across the curriculum- that is, inter-disciplinary studies and the development of cross-curricular themes and skills. On entering the National Curriculum phase of education, pupils need to encounter a series of topics and issues which give opportunities to develop geographical skills, skills being one other key element of the Geography Policy. Children develop these skills through the field work in the form of research and investigation of the other four elements of the National Curriculum Geography. Field work must reflect proper understanding in various aspects of Geography in four key areas, i.e., Places (Field trips), Patterns and Processes (Individual or group learning), Environmental change (Exploring) and sustainable development (Remembering). Key Stages During every Key Stage pupils explore their local area and a contrasting area through field trips in the United Kingdom or abroad, finding out about the environment in both areas and the people who live there. The main point about field trip is that such trips help kids to find out more and more about the geographical features of the world, this quality enables them to conduct their research not only inside their premises or classes but also outside their classrooms. (DfEE, 1999). The Programme of Study calls upon teachers to ensure that four areas of learning are covered-geographical enquiry and skills, knowledge and understanding of places, knowledge and understanding of patterns and processes, and knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development. Geographical Fieldtrips – Advantages Kids gain knowledge and understanding of places they visit. This also makes them enthusiastic with ability to explore and remember what places are like. for example, in terms of landscape, jobs, weather, Children also start identifying and describing where places are for example, position on a map, whether they are on a river or not. They recognise the history of places and in this sense they learn history through making geographical fieldtrips. Later after primary education they recognise how places compare with other places for example, compare the local area with places elsewhere in the United Kingdom. They also discover and recognise how places are linked to other places in the world for example, food from other countries. When planning the Geography curriculum, teachers need to consider which information is intended to be used by pupils primarily as part of the process of learning, with no need for long-term recall, and which is intended to be memorised so that it can be recalled when required. This distinction has implications for teaching and assessment. There is no single principle for determining the sequence in which specific knowledge should be acquired, as much is dependent on context and use. Obviously, to be of value the knowledge must be both accurate and meaningful to the pupils. The broadening of a pupil’s knowledge is to a considerable extent a cumulative process, with the idea of progression becoming more pertinent when we consider how that knowledge is to be structured to develop understanding. (Smith, 2002, p. 88) However, as Slater (1987) asserts, the selection of teaching strategies is ‘as important as selecting content’. Successful teaching involves knowing what to do to bring about the desired learning and being able to do it. One of our main professional concerns as geography teachers should be to learn how to set up learning activities and use different teaching strategies to bring about the aspects of learning in geography that we intend for our pupils. Thus geography field trips and activities help the teachers to become ‘learners’, thereby developing their knowledge and understanding of processes of teaching and learning in the subject (Lambert and Balderstone, 2000, p. 233). Requirements The achievement aim in geography, is comprised of eight levels, each one possess the capability to increase levels of difficulty along with a level of exceptional performance beyond that which sets out the knowledge, skills and understanding that pupils of varying abilities and maturities should gain from the Programmes of Study for the key stages. Kids gain understanding of Patterns and Processes through fieldtrips help the children make observations about where things are located .For example, a pedestrian-crossing near school gates and about other features in the environment, seasonal changes in weather, recognise changes in physical and human features for example, heavy rain flooding fields. (Birch & Palmer, 2004, p. 32) Without doubt, ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) has a firm ‘foothold’ in geography, while having a substantial body of knowledge and understanding in its own right. It involves an understanding of key concepts such as interdependence, stewardship, needs and rights of future generations, quality of life, sustainable change and so on. It involves a wide range of skills such as critical thinking, weighing evidence and presenting reasoned argument on sustainable development issues; it involves an awareness of the needs of others, appreciation of diverse viewpoints, and an awareness of the complexity of issues. It involves areas of consideration such as climate; soils, rocks and minerals; water; materials and resources, including energy; plants and animals; people and their communities; food and agriculture; buildings, industrialisation and management of waste materials. Interpretation of these various elements and issues into topics and learning tasks is a matter for individual schools and teachers to pursue. Plans will necessarily build upon and incorporate the three inter-related components of environmental education, which ESD builds upon, namely: 1. Education about the environment (Basic knowledge) 2. Education for the environment (concerned with principles, attitudes and positive action for the environment) 3. Education through the environment (this refers to the geographical hands on experience through field work and various trips) These three components are inextricably linked, and are thus essential to the planning of educational programmes and tasks at all levels, including whole-school curriculum plans and specific programmes of work and activities for individuals and class groups. Part of the planning process should take account of the need to help learners understand the inter-relationships that exist among the three elements. A statement of proposed entitlement of pupils in environmental education was prepared in England by a group convened to examine this theme in the early stages of the development of the National Curriculum (NCC 1990). A summary (unpublished), still relevant today, follows. It is clear that the critical time for commencing an implementation of this entitlement is in the primary phase; indeed, in the early years. By the age of 16 all pupils should have had educational experiences, which range from local to global in scale. (Birch & Palmer, 2004, p. 32) Equipment An example of thinking on early year’s geography assessment which focuses on progression, assessment and recording of children’s work should ideally include a range of styles and formats for children’s work. The equipment involved includes various tools, computers, measuring tools, photographs and maps. Writing Tools: report, diary, story, questionnaire, letter, newspaper article, poem, list, description. Visual Tools: painting, poster, diagram, cross-section, video, photograph, graph, table, printout, map, three-dimensional work such as model, artefact or weather equipment use and creation. Oral Tools: presentation, role play, debate, interview, description, discussion. Miscellaneous: Special equipment, e.g. for weather recording, pond dipping, soil studies, working out direction. Models, e.g. landscape models, stream channels. Objects, e.g. examples of clothing, craft work from distant places, menus from foreign restaurants. (Birch & Palmer, 2004, p. 195) The essence of assessment in geography is thus communication between teacher and learner-communication which helps the learner to appreciate what has been learned, and the teacher to plan tasks and first-hand experiences that will promote future learning of impressions and skills or development of concern. In early years classrooms this will necessarily involve time for watching, listening and questioning individual pupils and groups as well as interpretation of children’s work. Attention is now focused on the teacher skills of observation, listening and questioning, which are of critical importance to geographical education because of its emphasis on experiential and investigatory learning. Observation should be approached as a skilled and strategic task, given that classroom observations may either be planned or spontaneous. Spontaneous observations are an important aspect of all classroom situations, perhaps particularly so when pupils go about their learning tasks in an independent way, knowing what their investigations involve and the availability of the resources necessary to perform them. Obviously no teacher can possibly record what is happening in a classroom all the time. It is far better to focus on specific features or interactions, and to record significant events in a variety of contexts than to watch a class without a focus. Suitable contexts in field trip may include individual learning and group learning. Example Model A group of children aged 6-7 are pursuing their studies in a topic on tropical rain forests. They are making collage pictures of the forest, and talking about what it would be like to visit a rain forest. This activity is but one of a wide range of practical tasks the children undertakes which link various curriculum areas. While geographical education is the core of their work, a great deal of language, art, music, mathematics and science is also incorporated. In this particular lesson, geography leads to some relevant and exciting art and craft work. Its production generates much discussion. The teacher’s aim is to establish meaningful links between concepts in science and geography, through the use of art. At the same time she is concerned with establishing levels and accuracy of existing knowledge. Therefore she is able to make use of learning capabilities of the students in exploring other subjects as well. One of the consequences of the increasing standardisation of the curriculum is that the content of school Geography has changed little in recent years and we have also seen the emergence of the ‘textbook as curriculum’ in many schools. The danger is that such ‘textbook curricula’ require ‘minimal skilled intervention’ by the teacher and can thus diminish ‘teacher professionalism’ (Leat, 1997, p. 144). Exploring other subjects through field trips is the project that offers teaching strategies and learning activities designed to promote pupils’ intellectual development through more stimulating and challenging Geography lessons. It also makes a significant contribution to our understanding of pedagogy in Geography through its focus on ‘fundamental concepts’ in Geography. Giving some attention to how pupils develop their conceptual understanding should help geography teachers to understand more about the use of teaching strategies that promote cognitive development. Despite all the facts about the advantages of geographical field trips, little has been written for early year’s teachers about the origins of children’s subject knowledge and conceptual development in the areas of geography and environmental education; that is, areas concerned with cognition of physical systems, spatial relationships, processes and environmental issues. Existing research literature defines and describes the term ‘environmental cognition’, or the ability to imagine and think about the spatial world, encompassing general ways of thinking about, recognising and organising the physical layout of an environment. So, there is a need to accept the importance of field trips through Geographical impact. References/ Bibliography Birch C. Joanna & Palmer A. Joy, (2004) Geography in the Early Years: RoutledgeFalmer: New York. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), (1999) The National Curriculum. Handbook for Primary Teachers in England. Key Stages 1 and 2. London. H.M.S.O Herbert T. David & Matthews A. John, (2004) Unifying Geography: Common Heritage, Shared Future? Routledge: New York. Lambert, D. and Balderstone, D. (2000) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience, London: Routledge Leat, D. (1997) ‘Cognitive acceleration in geographical education’, in Tilbury, D. and Williams, M. (eds), Teaching and Learning Geography, London: Routledge Slater, F., Lambert, D. and Lines D. (eds) Education, Environment and Economy: Reporting Research in a New Academic Grouping, (Bedford Way Papers), London: University of London Institute of Education Smith Maggie, (2002) Teaching Geography in Secondary Schools: A Reader: Routledge Falmer: London. Read More