TCP8003 : Engagement with environment, landscape and planning
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Mr Clive Davies
- Owning School: Architecture, Planning & Landscape
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
A critical awareness of the processes of environmental knowledge production and management is developed through an examination of various source - written, social, narrative, grey, and academic literature. Information about environmental issues often comes from varied and contradictory sources, and this module aims to develop in students the skills to be able to reflect upon and evaluate them in an increasingly sophisticated way. Thus, the focus of this module will be on theoretical, methodological, and practical issues.
In particular, the module focuses on how the knowledge we receive affects our own outlook and professional practice in particular for those who anticipate their future careers in shaping the environment at a landscape scale. Take for example, those who wish to work in countryside management, or the impact of planning in the context of climate change and other global impacts and how these work out at the local scale. Underpinning, all of this is the topic of reflective practice.
Outline Of Syllabus
The sourcing of environmental information and evidence through a variety of mediums; introduction to critical analysis; definitions; coursework briefing/setting up your interactive diary/blog post as a group work exercise.
Case studies:- 2 x 1/2 day (4 hour) local fieldwork exercises to establish environmental positionality in practice.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 32:00 | 32:00 | Writing up of written exercise |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 5 | 2:00 | 10:00 | Staff led and student led. |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 46 | 1:00 | 46:00 | Students will work one to one or in small groups with staff |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 1 | 4:00 | 4:00 | Briefing and feedback sessions |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 2 | 4:00 | 8:00 | Local fieldwork in and around Tyne and Wear accessible on foot, or by public transport |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lecture sessions will provide students with an overview of theoretical concepts, previous research, and the development of the field. Specialist input will provide a variety of views on the subject.
Small group work will encourage students to contribute through in-class discussions and presentations; participation will focus on an on-going survey of sources, and include students’ own consumption and production of knowledge through an interactive diary (blog). Participation is essential in this module since a range of theories, methodologies, and contexts will be explored, it is important that students engage with the sources and in discussions in order to critically assess these issues
The aim is to promote a discursive and dialogic type of learning environment in which learners exchange ideas and experiences under the guidance of tutors. Small group assignments throughout the semester will provide the basis for discussions and students will lead workshop sessions under the guidance of tutors.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective log | 2 | M | 100 | The final summary paper of 2000 words should reflect the ongoing interactive diary which will be monitored at set points by tutor(s) |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer assessment | 2 | M | 2 monitoring and feedback points. Formative feedback will be provided digitally |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The written coursework assignment is a reflection (a reflective essay) of how the student conducted the research, how the blogging worked and how they presented their research in the performance. This enables the students experiential learning to be evaluated at four stages (Kolb, 1984):
• Concrete experience (DO)
• Observation or reflection (REFLECT)
• Abstract conception (THINK)
• Experimentation (PLAN)
And also, cyclically (after Schon (1994), Thompson and Pascal (2012) namely:
• Reflection-in-action
• Reflection-on-action
• Reflection-for-action
At its heart is the process of discovering and deepening the learning gained through experience.
Hence students are encouraged to adopt a more informal style than a traditional essay, write personally with explicit permission to use the ‘I’ hence recognizing emotions, link to theory and literature and seek out learning points to inform studies/work. Key questions are posed to get the students started: -
• What did I do?
• Why did I do that?
• What happened?
• What did I think/feel?
• Why did that happen?
• What influenced it?
• Who thought that?
• Why did they think that?
• What would improve it?
• Why did that work well?
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- TCP8003's Timetable