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Yi Ling Elissa Goh

Fieldwork 

Deepening Secondary Students’ Understanding of Coastal Management at Labrador Park through Fieldwork

Author/s:

Yi Ling Elissa Goh (New Town Secondary School, Singapore) Keywords Geography Secondary School Fieldwork The impetus for action research on experiential learning of geography stems from a desire to introduce a more “engaged” form of geography, whereby students move beyond the academic study of geography in the classroom to making sense of geography in relation to […]

Yi Ling Elissa Goh (New Town Secondary School, Singapore)

Keywords
Geography
Secondary School
Fieldwork

The impetus for action research on experiential learning of geography stems from a desire to introduce a more “engaged” form of geography, whereby students move beyond the academic study of geography in the classroom to making sense of geography in relation to their reality (Morgan, 2012). Through an environmental scan of the inclusion of fieldwork into the new Geography syllabus commencing 2013, we sought to find out how fieldwork is integral to the study of geography in Singapore schools. The choice of coastal geography as a topic for inquiry was strategically aligned to its inclusion in the new syllabus and its relevance to Singapore’s geography as an island. The feedback obtained from teachers participating in Professional Learning Circles (PLCs) also suggested that students found it challenging to understand abstract geography concepts, in particular, physical geography processes and how they take place in real world contexts. As such, a “disconnect” or a learning gap has been created between geography presented to the students in the textbook to that of their real world contexts. The decision to explore how to bridge students’ learning gaps through fieldwork as a pedagogical practice was also guided by our Humanities Department action plan to effectively engage our students through Outdoor Classroom Experiences (OCE). We chose Labrador Park as a research site due to various factors, such as its geographical proximity to the school, evidence of human management of coasts, preservation of historical features, and availability of resource materials.

Methods
The research was conducted from April to October 2011 and consisted of three key phases: planning, data collection and data analysis (see Table 1).

Phase	Focus	Time frame
1	Planning Environmental and subject scanning Brainstorming of research ideas Formulation of thesis question and sub-questions Defining research scope Recce of field sites Development of fieldwork booklet	April to June
2	Data Collection Administration for fieldwork (e.g., information to students and parents) Selection of students Fieldwork activity on 20^th July Class reflection	July to August
3	Data Analysis Transcription of interviews Categorization of student responses Evaluation of student responses Consolidation of findings	September to October

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Related Teaching Materials

Attachment	Size
Activity 1	22.49 KB
Activity 2	20.41 KB
Activity 3	20.5 KB
Reflections- Why protect the coast at Labrador Park	1.48 MB
Appendix 2-4	20.96 KB

The Role of Geographical Investigations In Developing Students’ Cognitive Thinking

Author/s:

Lim En Qi

Lim En Qi (National Institute of Education ) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Geographical Inquiry Fieldwork Cognitive Thinking Abstract In Singapore, there has been a shift in education towards more inquiry-based learning to equip students with skills for the future. Geographical Investigations (GI) have been introduced as a form of geographical inquiry where students participate […]

Lim En Qi (National Institute of Education )

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School
Geographical Inquiry
Fieldwork
Cognitive Thinking

Abstract
In Singapore, there has been a shift in education towards more inquiry-based learning to equip students with skills for the future. Geographical Investigations (GI) have been introduced as a form of geographical inquiry where students participate actively in knowledge construction through fieldwork. Fieldwork deepens students’ understanding of content and aids in students’ affective, social, and cognitive development. However, there is limited local research on the value of Geography fieldwork in influencing students’ cognitive thinking. This paper, therefore, examines the role of GI in developing Secondary students’ cognitive thinking in Geography. Using a case-study approach, Secondary 2 students in one secondary school were interviewed before and after their GI on the topic of Transport. Data was analysed using an adapted model of Bloom’s Taxonomy. All students showed an improvement in higher-order cognitive skills after GI, specifically in the development of higher-order cognitive thinking skills and deeper thinking at particular cognitive levels.

Introduction
Fieldwork is an essential part of Geography. Defined as supervised learning that encourages first-hand experiences outside the classroom (Lonergan & Anderson, 1988), fieldwork can be categorized into various types depending on the degree of teacher and student involvement: This ranges from traditional teacher-led field trips to more student-centred inquiry-based field projects and self-discovery (Kent, Gilbertson & Hunt, 1997). Among these, student-centred activities and inquiry-driven fieldwork have been recognised as most effective in facilitating deep learning where students play a more active role in making sense of knowledge (Kent et al., 1997; Oost, De Vries & Van der Schee, 2011). Recently, there has been an increased emphasis on inquiry-based learning for education in Singapore. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has highlighted geographical inquiry as the recommended pedagogical approach for Geography education (Curriculum Planning and Development Division [CPDD], 2014). In line with this change, Geographical Investigations (GI) was introduced to develop students’ 21st Century Competencies, cultivating them to become confident, self-directed learners through inquiry-driven fieldwork (CPDD, 2014).

Fieldwork provides students with an avenue to better understand subject content by bridging the gaps between theoretical ideas learnt in class with real-life experiences (Chew, 2008; Das, 2014). It aids in students’ affective (Boyle et al., 2007), personal and social development which concomitantly supports cognitive development (Foskett, 1999; Oost et al., 2011). Nevertheless, most studies adopt a generic stance to analysing fieldwork, neglecting how the nature of fieldwork influences students’ learning and development. Empirical studies on how fieldwork contributes to cognitive development are still limited with regard to Geography, and even more so for school Geography in Singapore.

Considering the shift towards more inquiry-based learning and how fieldwork is a defining feature of Geography, there is a need to contemplate how active, inquiry-driven fieldwork develops students’ thinking. Thus, this study examines the role of GI in developing secondary students’ cognitive abilities. More specifically, it focuses on the effects of a Transport GI on Secondary 2 students’ thinking. It aims to compare students’ cognitive abilities before and after undergoing a Transport GI.

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Sampling in Geographical Fieldwork Using GIS Techniques

Author/s:

Heidi Tan Sheng Ting

Tan Sheng Ting, Heidi (National Institute of Education ) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Fieldwork GIS Remote Sensing Sampling Geography Education Abstract Sampling is a fundamental and essential component in geographical fieldwork. Sampling is the process of gathering data from purposefully selected sites, such that the data collected best represents the general phenomenon being studied. […]

Tan Sheng Ting, Heidi (National Institute of Education )

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School
Fieldwork
GIS
Remote Sensing Sampling
Geography Education

Abstract
Sampling is a fundamental and essential component in geographical fieldwork. Sampling is the process of gathering data from purposefully selected sites, such that the data collected best represents the general phenomenon being studied. In geography education, teachers often have to look for suitable sites for students to conduct fieldwork, for example, which location to conduct interviews. However, many teachers are afraid to venture out into unchartered territories where the potential site for fieldwork is unfamiliar. This paper seeks to illustatre the use of GIS techniques to determine the suitability of an unfamiliar site for sampling in geographical fieldwork through coastal research done on a coastline along Cha-am, Thailand.

Unfamiliar territories
The research conducted was about the impact of coastal erosion on Cha-am’s beach and Cha-am south beach and the shops along the coast. The research was conceptualised in Singapore, hence making it a challenge to visit the research site beforehand. In addition, there was no prior secondary research about coastal erosion and coastal retreat along Cha-am’s coastline. To overcome this challenge, GoogleEarth and GIS remote sensing techniques were utilitised to determine the suitability of various sites for research on coastal erosion.

Utilising GoogleEarth Satellite Imagery
Firstly, GoogleEarth was used to get an overview of possible sites along Cha-am’s coastline. Through GoogleEarth, the coastline was analysed using satellite images from various time scales through the time slider feature in GoogleEarth. The satellite images revealed that there was indeed coastal retreat along Cha-am coast over the years. Hence, by comparing the coastline in the different time scales, two sites along Cha-am’s coastline were identified – one at Cha-am beach as a ‘low erosion site’ and the other at Cha-am south beach as a ‘high erosion site’ (Figure 1).

The ‘low erosion site’ was identified for having the least significant coastal retreat compared to the rest of the coastline. In addition, the ‘low erosion site’ had the largest stretch of beach, which is a key coastal depositional landform (Figures 2a, 2b and 2c).

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Geography Fieldwork is Not Mission Impossible

Author/s:

Kah Mun Yuen

Yuen, Kah Mun (Commonwealth Secondary School, Singapore) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Fieldwork eography teachers face numerous difficulties in conducting fieldwork for their students. While the national curriculum is shifting towards a field inquiry approach, some pre-existing problems remain, such as the issues of large class sizes, the lack of suitable sites due to our […]

Yuen, Kah Mun (Commonwealth Secondary School, Singapore)

Keywords

eography teachers face numerous difficulties in conducting fieldwork for their students. While the national curriculum is shifting towards a field inquiry approach, some pre-existing problems remain, such as the issues of large class sizes, the lack of suitable sites due to our highly urbanised landscape, and teachers who do not have an understanding of the role fieldwork plays in constructing meaning in Geography. Having an understanding of how geographical knowledge has evolved will allow teachers to adopt meaningful strategies in the field in order to maximise the construction of geographical concepts and learning of geographical skills. In this paper, I propose a simple matrix that identifies purpose and strategies as two key goals that can help teachers work towards the implementation of a meaningful fieldwork programme for students.

Introduction

Geography is possibly the most exciting discipline in the Humanities and Social Sciences group of subjects. Physical landscapes lend an authentic lens to contextualise the discipline. The need to measure and observe in order to infer and generalise are geographical skills that students find intriguing. When students venture out of their classrooms, the world becomes more apparent and real. The demand for quantification also necessitates collaboration amongst classmates. Suddenly, the Shy Shirley begins to talk, and Reticent Richard starts to come to life. Friendships, attitudes and values are forged and strengthened. Those who have gone through a cycle (or two) in fieldwork can easily testify to these positive outcomes.

While many geography teachers are excited at the prospect of geographical fieldwork re-emerging as a key driver for geographical education in Singapore, real challenges exist. A small handful of teachers still bemoan the lack of physical landscapes to conduct “real” fieldwork in Singapore (though this has been partially overcome by the somewhat generous government subsidy for overseas fieldtrips). There are also sceptics who think that fieldwork is just another round of “wave-counting” exercises and nothing else; and others who believe that the huge class size deters any form of fieldwork.

The aim of this paper is, therefore, to correct the misconceptions that fieldwork

requires an expensive trip out of Singapore
cannot be conducted in big groups
is a boring data collection exercise

First, I provide a brief background to the evolution of fieldwork that developed with progress of geographic thought in the twentieth century. Knowledge of this development is important because it allows the teacher to understand the purpose of fieldwork. I then propose a simple framework that challenges educators to think about geographical fieldwork strategies based on the aims of the discipline. In this way, teachers can design focused and meaningful tasks for their learners.

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HSSE Online

Index

Yi Ling Elissa Goh

Authors List

Authors List

Deepening Secondary Students’ Understanding of Coastal Management at Labrador Park through Fieldwork

The Role of Geographical Investigations In Developing Students’ Cognitive Thinking

Sampling in Geographical Fieldwork Using GIS Techniques

Geography Fieldwork is Not Mission Impossible

HSSE Online

HSSE Online