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Pedagogic Research Project

Pedagogic Research Project . American Studies Field Trip. Outline. American Studies Programme at Winchester. Offers a Field Trip module to American Studies second year students since 2001 Taught mainly in the US over 12 day period, plus 5 introductory tutorials in UK.

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Pedagogic Research Project

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  1. Pedagogic Research Project American Studies Field Trip

  2. Outline • American Studies Programme at Winchester. • Offers a Field Trip module to American Studies second year students since 2001 • Taught mainly in the US over 12 day period, plus 5 introductory tutorials in UK. • Recognise not unusual in itself, but is unusual for American Studies which has focused on exchange programmes.

  3. Locations:Las Vegas

  4. Mojave National Preserve

  5. American Studies Field Class themes & structure. • From Las Vegas & Boulder City. • Rationalise as America writ large – the urban scene. • Safe city; walk-able areas; variety. • To the Grand Canyon & Colorado River. • History & environmental issues – water/land management. • Experience and physical activity. • Back along part of Route 66 • History and tourism – iconography of the route. • Small town & rural America (Williams, Seligman, Chloride) • Literal re-enactment. • To the Mojave desert • Wilderness and ex-urban America (sometimes camping out, sometimes at Desert Research Center, sometimes in motels) • Experience and physical activities

  6. Reasons for field experience: • Decline and unsuitability of exchanges for some students, eg non-standard entry. • Ability to offer an intensive experience. • For Area Studies subject like American Studies offers more “hands on”. • Novelty - fact of previous student visits to USA, but character of trip makes it distinctive. • All requires careful planning.

  7. The ‘Experiential Environment’.

  8. Transport.

  9. Landscape Iconography.

  10. Steinbeck Seminar on Route 66

  11. Seminars in the Field

  12. Student seminar papers

  13. Environmental Extremes.

  14. Randomness

  15. Some practical specifics: • Organisation of trip • vital to provide variety • in places visited and in activities • educative does not just mean visits to sites such as museums, galleries, etc • also physical activities • also processes, eg journeys • Time on the road in the USA

  16. Planning Issues. • Airfares • Group bookings vs individual tickets • Vehicle rentals & insurance • On line vs direct, US vs UK • Motel bookings • Cheap vs safe (note fear factor) • Daily expenses • Student budgeting and money management • Costs to absorb • Portion of vehicle rental, gas, entry fees

  17. Costs • Airfare = £300- £350 • Accommodation = £100 • Contribution to rental, gas, fees = £100 • Remainder of rental, gas, fees paid by Dept • Tutor airfare, accommodation paid by Dept • £550 • A lot of money? • Sufficient advance notice vital • Bale out notice, eg non-refundable tickets

  18. General Points of Summary:1. Intensity • Trip is tiring • For students • For staff (eg driving) • Careful to build in free time/down time • Awareness of issues such as drinking age • Group cohesion • Careful management • Techniques to manage, eg in seating in vehicles

  19. 2. Opportunities and challenges • Trip serves significant purposes beyond content • Self-confidence • Sense of real achievement students’ report • Relationship with students • Diffuses out into wider year group • Achievement and physical challenge • Need to be aware of limits • Students with disabilities

  20. 3. Risks • Legal situation re institution & liability • Risk assessment essential. • Insurance • Medical and other not discretionary. • Not in loco parentis, but need to have rules and maintain authority.

  21. 4. Assessment • Diary of trip – Field Notes • Not “What I did on my holidays” • Photographic assignment • Theme is important • Academic essay • Requires trip be related to the student’s knowledge of America – what has been learnt

  22. 5. Student feedback on the learning experience • ‘A critical understanding of the everyday’ • A critical grasp on the ‘ordinary’ as manifested in landscapes & lifestyles • ‘A critical understanding of space’ • Regionalism & Spatiality • ‘A critical understanding of disciplines’ • Inter & multi-disciplinarity • Students described this in terms of starting with a grounding in Geographical approaches, and developing multi- and inter-disciplinary approaches out of this

  23. More student feedback on the learning experience • Cross references within the programme. • Intensive & specialised. • Staff & Student learning strategies.

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