TCP2035 : Study Visit
- Offered for Year: 2023/24
- Module Leader(s): Dr Georgiana Varna
- Lecturer: Dr Neil Adrian Powe, Mr Clive Davies, Dr Abigail Schoneboom
- Owning School: Architecture, Planning & Landscape
- Teaching Location: Mixed Location
Semesters
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
Aims
This module aims to enable students to gain an understanding of planning related practice in a particular place in another context, the actual location/s varying from year to year.
The main Intended Knowledge Outcomes are:
1. Greater awareness of different cultural approaches to planning, green infrastructure, design architecture, development in another country;
2. More knowledge and understanding of specific practice issues in another country;
3.Insight into the different ways in which planning, urban design, green infrastructure and architecture practices are conducted in other countries within different planning and legal systems
The main Intended Skills Outcomes are:
1.Development of analytical skills – ability to reflect critically on another country’s practice and to consider the UK’s practices in a more comparative light
2.Development of data collection skills in situ
3.Development of team work skills
4.Development of oral presentation skills
Outline Of Syllabus
This module offers a comparative exploration of aspects of planning, landscape and green infrastructure, urban design and/or architectural practices in another country. (The choice of destinations and foci of the field-trips will be confirmed/presented each year as part of students’ options choice presentation).
Given the differences in planning systems and planning/landscape and green infrastructure/architectural history across the world, focusing on a particular specified country, this module allows students to understand the different social, environmental, economic, cultural and political situations that practitioners in different national contexts face.
It allows students to become familiar with this particular country’s context for planning, landscape and green infrastructure, urban design, and/or architecture to understand how these influence planning, urban design, and/or architecture practices within this country.
And it allows students to critically reflect on this different country’s practices (and mainstream architectural and planning practices), and comparatively on practices that are available in the UK.
The main focus of the module is a (self-funded) field-trip but the course also includes workshops ahead of the field-trip, and a follow up groups presentation on our return. During the field trip students will work in small groups that will be set in advance of the trip.
Students should only choose this option if they intend to come on the field-trip.
The field trip will take place during term time either just before or just after the Easter vacation.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 90 | 1:00 | 90:00 | Preparatory topic and background reading pre-trip |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured non-synchronous discussion | 74 | 1:00 | 74:00 | Group work preparation of presentation inc hand-in (PowerPoint) and individual essay |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | Workshops to discuss planning aspects to be considered on field-trip |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 3 | 8:00 | 24:00 | Field trip days (ex travel) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 4:00 | 4:00 | Student led group presentations to invited audience post-trip |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Welcome & overall module introduction - expectation of students and rationale |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The workshops will unpack key issues relating to the country being visited, its context and practices before the commencement of a fieldtrip which will involve a great deal of independent and guided study. The workshops and the fieldtrip feed into the learning outcomes of the course because:
1) The workshops will draw out key contextual differences students need to be aware of and practice themes for the country in question.
2) The actual fieldtrip itself (and the visits to particular sites, and/or meeting particular practitioners) will allow students to experience different practice in a different situation first hand.
3) Both the workshops and the fieldtrip will allow students to understand how different practices differs between the UK and the country in question.
4) If for reasons to do with travel restrictions it is not possible to undertake an international trip then this will be replaced in the first instance by UK based alternatives and if this is not possible by group project study on campus or remote.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prof skill assessmnt | 2 | M | 40 | Students will undertake group presentations based on work undertaken during field trip including PowerPoint |
| Written exercise | 2 | M | 60 | 2000 word individual written assignment on a topic related to site visits covered |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The first assignment, the group presentation is meant to hone students’ group work skills, introduced in Stage 1 and which need consolidated in Stage 2 and is also meant to allow them to find a space to share their experiences and critical reflections on the visited location. The presentation also helps with developing students’ visual presentation skills needed in their future planning profession.
The second assignment, the individual essay asks students to develop their critical thinking skills related to comparative urban planning systems and dive deeper in the main concepts, themes and debates raised throughout the Course.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- TCP2035's Timetable