TCP1026 : Understanding Place: Methods and Perspectives
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Ruth Raynor
- 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: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module aims to develop first year students reflexivity and critical thinking skills; introduce concepts related to 'place' and 'place-making;' introduce research skills and practice, and develop good practice in group working. The module will enable planning students to consider the importance of relationships between people and places, how places live, and are lived-in, through multi-disciplinary perspectives introduced in lectures, methods workshops and their own fieldwork. Specifically students will develop awareness of different places within Tyne & Wear gaining an understanding of key issues and opportunities in the local area.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module is designed to enhance students’ critical understandings of particular places within Tyne & Wear. The module is designed to introduce social science research knowledge and skills that will be built on in stage 2 (TCP2027) and prepare the student for undertaking an independent (supervised) research project on a topic selected by the student (TCP3099).
The module’s teaching and learning is provided through a) lectures exploring multi-layered concepts of place, including a range of issues such as atmosphere, emotion and lived experiences of place; feminist and post-colonial debates on place; power and place b) Methods workshops providing a range of approaches students might use to explore and understand place, and introduce the notion that there are different 'ways of knowing' place c) group work projects allow students to conduct research into a specific place in Tyne and Wear, and present their findings.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Lectures introducing creative and conceptual frameworks for understanding place. |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 120:00 | 120:00 | Collecting material and writing time focussed on group work and reflective commentaries. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Group presentations. |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | Engaging with set texts. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Workshops for students to learn different practical methods and approaches for understanding place, and to develop their group work. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 2 | 4:00 | 8:00 | Fieldwork walks to visit sites |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 1:30 | 3:00 | Drop-in for advice prior to presentations and feedback afterwards. |
| Guided Independent Study | Student-led group activity | 7 | 3:00 | 21:00 | Group presentation organisation, research, and preparation. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The structured guided learning activities provide a detailed explanation of the key issues and an examination of important literatures and methodological approaches in relation to the main theme of the project: place. The scheduled learning and teaching activities provide support for discussions about the application of the theoretical and methodological concepts presented in the lecture material to current urban issues. The guided independent study will enable students to both achieve the intended knowledge and skills outcomes identified for the module, as well as enabling to help them prepare for the creation of their assessment submission. There is opportunity for practical and group based learning, in a supported environment.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 2 | M | 35 | Short group presentation (10 minutes) providing an in-depth exploration of an allocated place in Tyne and Wear, drawing on chosen perspectives, and methods from the course. |
| Reflective log | 2 | M | 65 | This assessment reflects on the students individual contribution to the group project, drawing on their process, methods, perspectives as well as their learning from the group work. 2500 words. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The assesment allows students to develop group working skills, and try out creative methodologies to support their understanding of 'place.' Individual reflective logs outweigh group assesment grades, to ensure that students can 'have a voice' in their own work.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- TCP1026's Timetable