GEO2232 : City of Crisis, City of Hope: Amsterdam field course
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Caleb Johnston
- Lecturer: Professor Jen Bagelman
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
- Capacity limit: 35 student places
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module intends to:
To introduce field techniques in human geography.
To move from the theoretical into the everyday.
To develop skills in analysis, interpretation, and creative methods.
To take inspiration from case studies in which people are responding pressing societal issues.
Provide an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in a number of ways.
Outline Of Syllabus
There will be 4 introductory lectures and workshops at the beginning of term 2.
The field course will aim to take place during the Easter vacation.
Day 0 Travel to Amsterdam
Day 1 Arrival and orientation
Day 2 Community meeting 1, Group project work
Day 3 Community meeting 2
Day 4 Group project work
Day 5 Community meeting 3, Group project work
Day 6 Group project work, presentation
Day 7 Departure
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 20 | 1:00 | 20:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 20 | 1:00 | 20:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 5 | 8:00 | 40:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 110 | 1:00 | 110:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The course intends to provide students with grounding in the spatial, social, historical and methodological issues shaping contemporary Amsterdam. Issues covered may include introduction to the ways in which predictions of crises are driving new innovation and social action on pressing societal issues. The course intends to introduce pre-set readings (and other media) which aim to help students develop their analytic and critical skills. The fieldtrip hopes to revolve around 2 central activities: 1) ‘community encounters’ with different innovators, activists and organisations in Amsterdam, and 2) students’ independent group work organised around a central issue.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2 | M | 40 | This is a 1250-word essay to be completed on selected theme and written prior to field trip. |
| Design/Creative proj | 2 | M | 60 | This is an audio documentary created as group project (10-15 minutes). |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Assessments aim to enable students to work and think critically and independently. Group research projects ask students to share and develop ideas with their colleagues and to co-operate to design and carry out field work in Amsterdam. The group project work also asks students to develop and demonstrate new digital skills (a podcast or soundscape) which will not be assessed for its technical competence but for its content, its use and integration of existing qualitative skills (i.e. interviews), and understanding of the issue selected for exploration. Written essay require students to develop their own ideas and arguments, putting concepts into practice, find and use relevant literature, and to develop and hone their own writing skills.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- GEO2232's Timetable