Teaching and learning geography in higher education – an introduction to this handbook

Walkington, Helen; Hill, Jennifer; Dyer, Sarah

Abstract

This chapter outlines the values that underpin the handbook and its structure, then provides a flavour of each chapter in turn, so the reader has a sense of the breadth of coverage, before delving further into the specifics.

The handbook have been written with a diverse student body in mind, and ideas about inclusivity are embedded throughout, as well as recognition that internationalisation of the student body, through greater student mobility, requires ongoing curriculum internationalisation. There is also recognition that resource constraints are part and parcel of many university and college contexts, despite more people accessing higher education. Partially in response to this, but also as a result of ongoing innovations, the utility of technology for reaching larger numbers of students also permeates the book. Student engagement is central to all chapters and a wide range of learning contexts relevant to the breadth of spaces and places in which geography teaching takes place are used to provide examples of how this can be enhanced. In addition, case study sections provide context from of a range of sub-disciplinary approaches.

This handbook is important because it provides a comprehensive evidence base through a mix of literature and empirical data, as well as reflections on practitioners’ own teaching practice, supported with authentic case studies and exemplars. All the submissions represent ‘original’ research, either in terms of a new synthesis of the literature and ideas, or inclusion of the authors’ own empirical findings relating to geography higher education pedagogy (of course many do both). Individual chapters present expert scholarly analysis and offer a vital reference point for further research that can inform and enhance practice. Taken as a whole, the handbook conveys a wide-ranging picture of the current state of knowledge in the field of teaching and learning in geography in higher education.

Citation

Walkington, H., Hill, J., & Dyer, S. (in press). Teaching and learning geography in higher education – an introduction to this handbook. In H. Walkington, J. Hill, & S. Dyer (Eds.), Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Geography (1-17). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing

• Acceptance Date: Apr 30, 2019
• Deposit Date: May 1, 2019
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 1-17
• Book Title: Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Geography
• ISBN: 9781788116480
• Keywords: geography, teaching and learning, higher education, transitions, pedagogies, autonomous learning
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/847916