An Evaluation of Foreign Fieldwork in Promoting Deep Learning: A preliminary investigation

Abstract

This article defines and evaluates the role of foreign fieldwork in promoting deep learning by university undergraduates of geography and environmental management. Empirical results show that students generally rose to the challenge of predictive-analytical learning to produce grades congruent with their Level 2 results. While some students began to question the acquisition of knowledge and came to realise its provisional nature, others met with considerable difficulty in achieving deeper understanding through problem-solving activity. Understanding was ultimately individually constructed and often assessment-driven. The academic integrity of fieldwork must be clarified in order to substantiate its continued place in higher education.