Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The aim of this module is to enable students to build skills in field techniques and observations,
teamwork and presentation skills. The module is based around a residential field course during
which the students will conduct a range of field exercises spanning environmental science (including
both terrestrial and aquatic components) and earth science.

The students will benefit from the location in the Southern Lake District of England, allowing easy access to geological formations of international significance, a range of plant and wildlife habitats from salt marshes to woodlands, and a range of lakes to enable hands-on practical exercises in aquatic science. In addition, the students will augment their ability to apply GIS data to real world exercises.

Outline Of Syllabus

The majority of this module will take place in the last week of Semester 1 at a field study centre in
the Southern Lake District of England. The field course is designed to complement the Stage 1 lectures and practicals by placing the theory and practice taught in these modules into the
context of environmental and earth science projects.

Students will choose two out of three field exercises covering terrestrial environmental science, aquatic science, and earth science. Students will develop their observational and recording skills, and learn and apply a variety of field techniques.

The students will incorporate GIS into at least one of their filed exercises.

Prior to the residential element, students will be briefed on the tasks required for the fieldwork element, and carry out some GIS data processing.

Students will be briefed further throughout the field course via a series of lectures providing additional instruction for day to day activities.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of the module students will be able to:

- Survey and describe water column structure and its inherent properties

- Describe and compare the various methods for measuring water quality and quantity

- Describe and compare the methods for habitat survey e.g. Phase 1 and Phase 2 habitat survey

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of the module students will be able to:

-Identify rocks and minerals in the field

-Produce geological maps recording key geological data

-Undertake geological field measurements

-Use field data to interpret the geology of an area

-Process field data using GIS Geoprocessing toolsets

-Create a basic site plan to show the data captured and analysed during the field course

-See the development of their ability to work as part of a team and also their interpersonal
communication skills

-Appraise their field work using scientific report writing

-Know how aquatic ecosystems are surveyed and sampled

-Visualize water-column structure using GIS

-Conduct water quality and quantity surveys

-Conduct habitat surveys e.g. Phase 1 and Phase 2

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The teaching elements within this module are necessarily varied in order to support the range of learning outcomes stated.

Practical sessions before the field course (CEG1702) will be used for students to develop their GIS skills.
During the residential element of the module, students will spend the majority of time working in groups in the field, using their knowledge and skills to solve a variety of earth science, aquatic science and environmental science exercises.

Once they have obtained raw data they will process and analyse it. As a group they will then draw all the
data together into a group report, clearly showing their results, allowing for group working and reflection.
A series of evening small group teaching activities (including group formative presentations) will facilitate progress through the duration of the field course, summarizing the day's learning objectives and explaining the tasks which need to be completed the next day.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

For largely a fieldwork based module it is appropriate that the assessment is 100% coursework. The coursework
will consist of a single summative element to be completed and marked by the end of the residential week, comprising:

• Group report and plots detailing the fieldwork performed and results obtained including diagrams and computations. This allows each group to bring together and present their complete portfolio of fieldwork in one document to clearly show their results.

The formative assessment provides groups with the chance during the field course to work as a group to deliver and obtain feedback on a presentation, helping to consolidate learning and develop teamwork, presentation and data synthesis skills.

General Notes

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