Abstract
This short commentary summarises findings from an undergraduate dissertation exploring the ‘gap’ in physical geography teaching and learning between school and university. For human geography, CitationMarriott (2007) reported a gap in both knowledge and skills, noting particularly that academic staff perceive a gap in particular learning skills such as note taking, essay development and writing, and in general organisational skills. This study explores staff and student perceptions of the skills disconnect focussing on physical geography. Whilst the same skills gaps are identified as for human geography, centred around writing, organising and understanding, a further significant gap is identified around field, laboratory (analytical) and numerical skills. To narrow this gap, dialogue is required at the FE/HE boundary, highlighting to degree applicants and teachers the ever-growing importance of scientific approaches in physical geography. Enhanced training in scientific approaches is also required, in schools and early in university degree programmes. The means to more closely connect school and university geographies requires further debate and action, and this commentary calls for students to be included as partners moving forward.
Introduction
Ideally, geography education would be seamlessly integrated at all levels, providing a natural progression between school and university (CitationKeylock 2006). There is, however, evidence of a growing discontinuity in content and approach at the FE/HE boundary (e.g. CitationRawling 1996, CitationCastree et al. 2007, CitationMarriott 2007), which most commentators agree needs to be reduced (CitationStannard 2003, CitationPykett & Smith 2009, CitationHill & Jones 2010). In human geography, academic staff perceive the growing ‘gap’ to be most prominent in terms of student’s learning skills, such as essay writing, developing ideas, note taking and organisation (CitationMarriott 2007). This study investigates whether the same skills gap is seen across the breadth of the geography discipline and whether the diversity of skills required to conduct research, such as field, laboratory and numerical analyses, also produce barriers to learning in physical geography.
Student and staff insights into the skills gap - highlights
Student insights (in italics below) into barriers to learning between school and university were sought through questionnaires distributed to 2nd year (FHEQ Level 5) physical geography students at Northumbria University. Comments identified the existence of a skills gap and hinted at the need to close this gap in order to facilitate a smoother transition to university:
‘There is not enough emphasis on quantitative study in 6 th form. It was mostly observational geography at A-level’
‘I think at school level you should be taught more research skills and do small research projects’
‘A basic introduction (to modelling and other IT related work) should be provided at A-level’
Staff insights (in italics below) into barriers to learning were also sought through questionnaires. Nine physical geography lecturers, drawn from both teaching and research intensive UK Universities, responded to the questionnaire. All staff had more than 7 years teaching experience. Eight of the staff highlighted the skills issue:
‘I spend a lot of time helping students with their skills rather than teaching them geography’
‘I have to spend much remedial time (on) maths, IT (and) how to read and write scientifically’
‘Geography A-level is ideal for students who are not going on to study geography at university. However, for students who will go on to University, it would be better to get a grounding in basic sciences and mathematics’
Staff and students were also asked to reflect on how to close the skills gap. Student insights highlighted the need to ‘pull down’ knowledge and teaching and learning approaches from universities so that they become acquainted with these before progressing to university. Comments included:
‘Make a module at school about university work to prepare school pupils’
‘Uni is more about independent study so any gaps in modules can be looked into’
Staff focused on the clear need to capture and solve the skills gap early in the university programme:
‘It would certainly be a huge help if students came to uni better prepared, but if they don’t, then universities have to be prepared to fill in the gaps’
‘The first semester at university is critical and a suitable skills course is needed from day 1’
Staff also focused on the need to better understand the gap:
‘There needs to be more awareness across the FE/HE transition. HE tutors need to know more about FE curricula/expectations and vice versa’
Commentary
These insights suggest that HE lecturers need to be made more aware of changes in content and pedagogic approach in the school curriculum and this knowledge exchange must be reciprocal. As CitationBirnie (1999) commented, HE lecturers are unlikely to have an appreciation of the current geography curriculum for school years 12 and 13 (the old '6th form') and school teachers are often unfamiliar with current advances in the discipline led by academic research. Enhanced dialogue between teachers and lecturers in FE and HE would facilitate continuity and progression, although as CitationRawling (1996), CitationJeffrey (2003) and CitationHill & Jones (2010) comment, the desire to develop closer relationships is stymied by current pressures on all education professionals. Outlining the importance of the scientific basis of physical geography and the skills required to train geography teachers in current disciplinary advances, through university outreach, teacher conferences, training events and Geographical Association (GA) events is invaluable. In addition, work by the GA through the launch of its ‘A Different View’ manifesto, aimed at enthusing students about geography in schools, could be extended to support skills development.
Echoing the findings of CitationHill & Jones (2010), ideas from students about how to bridge the divide were based around de-mystifying the university experience for prospective students. These ideas extended to the provision of university summer schools and placement opportunities at universities for 6th form students to provide an appreciation of topics and skills taught at University. Students also suggested that the school curriculum be made more challenging, including formal teaching of research skills, approaches to independent learning, modeling techniques and statistics for data analysis.
Perhaps more controversially, one staff respondent suggested moving away from geography as the feeder discipline for physical geography undergraduate taught programmes saying:
‘Universities should discourage entrants to geography degrees from taking geography A-level, and promote physics, maths, chemistry and biology instead’
CitationKeylock (2006) suggested that reforms are required to the school curriculum to provide base level training that adequately equips students to contribute to contemporary research in physical geography. This view resonates with concerns raised by CitationChurch (2005) that school education is becoming disconnected from the research discipline. It appears that as university departments enhance skills training in areas such as modelling, geobiology, geochemistry and geophysics, in order to produce research competent graduates, students are feeling ever more underprepared by their schooling to meet the challenges of a university degree in physical geography. It would certainly be dangerous to dispense with geography A-level as the key preparation for its study at university. Over time, this is likely to reduce the numbers of university entrants to the discipline – bridging the skills gap is a stronger way forward for the discipline.
To conclude, whilst there continues to be a divide perceived by students and staff between school and university disciplines (with a history of recognition dating back to the 1990s - CitationGoudie 1993, CitationRawling 1996), there is increasing activity in the HE and FE sectors to close these gaps. As a recently graduated student, one author (S. Mathison) is heartened to see initiatives come on stream such as the Higher Education Academy funded Transitions Special Interest Group, which prompted the recent publication of ‘Re-thinking undergraduate students’ transitions to, through and out of university: Examples of good practice in the GEES disciplines’ (see http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/disciplines/GEES-student-transitions). This publication offers practical steps on how to connect the student journey from school right through to employment. Students need to be challenged appropriately at all academic levels. There must not be too big a step-change at any one point in their journey as this will lead to poor success and retention. Let us continue the dialogue, including students as partners, so we can move forward together. This short commentary is a step towards such integrated conversation and we invite responses from other students and teachers.
References
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