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Module

GEO3156 : Geography Community Engagement Project (Advanced) (Inactive)

  • Inactive for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Professor Helen Jarvis
  • Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 10
Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

This is an 'engaged learning' ‘project’ module which requires the student to undertake 50-70 hours of community engagement/project development in collaboration with an approved third sector partner (typically the community organising alliance, Tyne and Wear Citizens). The practical aspects of engagement comprise a blended format of desk-based action research via online collaboration with external non-profit partners, combined with in-person activities - campaigning or organizing for social change on and off campus.

Any student taking this ‘advanced’ community engagement project module will have successfully completed GEO2138 through group volunteering with an external VCSE organization. The aim is that they will develop a project proposal (of campus-community engagement, activism, campaigning etc.,) that strengthens mutually beneficial relationships with the external partner through agreed personal interests and goals.

Alongside the experience of community engagement and a personally rewarding project (of community organizing and voluntary social and/or environmental action), the course will give students further opportunities to reflect independently on first-hand experience of working in a voluntary sector, non-profit or social enterprise setting, strengthening skills of social responsibility and emotional resilience introduced at the start of this EL pathway in stage 2.

Students taking the ‘advanced’ module will benefit from continuing peer-support and supervision alongside students taking the co-taught GEO2238/GEO3338. In addition, they will be encouraged to share learning and insights with their peers as part of the workshops intended to build a community of practice for reflective learning.

This module provides a ‘pathway’ to advance:

Students’ skills in developing, undertaking and reporting on community engagement.

Opportunities to develop graduate employability skills and gain an insight into Geography-related graduate careers.

Opportunity to develop key transferable skills that are immediately relevant to a geography graduate career.

Outline Of Syllabus

Semester 1 and 2 (exact split flexible to suit the needs of the partner organization)
This is a practice-based ‘experiential learning’ (EL) academic module that counts towards a final degree. Expectations of directed and self-directed study are equivalent with the co-taught GEO2138/GEO3143 module, with shared classes to allow for peer learning and skills practice, and closely aligned with NCL3008 (Advanced Career Development – for students who have completed NCL2007).

As with Geo2138 before it, the syllabus is organized around 4 elements and ways of learning.
1. 10 x 2 hour workshops comprising a combination of taught content and interactive, collaborative learning.
2. Doing Geography via an individual advanced project in partnership with local organizations (50-70 hours) learning and practising skills of community organizing and coalition building (on a continuum of advocacy and activism).
3. Online collaboration with external partners and structured guided learning via a mix of online training and conference opportunities, and short films and documentaries to discuss. Collaborative online Structured guided learning with external partners:
4. embedded reflection and evaluation strategies that involve keeping a regular diary, contributing feedback to class, and preparing strength-based narrative scenarios (as if for a job interview).

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion1107:00107:00ML available by appointment for in-person assessment advice
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching31:003:00Online training and collaboration with careers on interview assessment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops102:0020:00Co-taught (GEO2238/GEO3338/GEO3156) with Module leader (and guests).
Guided Independent StudyProject work155:0055:00A blended format of desk-based and in-person community organising and action research activity with non-academic partner.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesFieldwork53:0015:00Field-based timetabled synchronous with staff or external partner
Total200:00
Jointly Taught With
Code Title
GEO2238Placing Community Organising: Theory and Practice
GEO3338Placing Community Organising: Theory and Practice
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The teaching methods relate to the different aspects of this module. The workshops combine elements of taught lecture content alongside interactive activities (circle arrangement). The supervised practical sessions provide learning opportunities tailored to the focus of the 'advanced' project, aiming where possible to distinguish this from group placements running alongside in the jointly taught modules Geo2238/GEo3338. Co-teaching benefits students working on individual project by practising critical pedagogy and peer support with conscious listening and reflective learning. Supervision also provides an opportunity for students to see the ML to discuss any aspect of the module throughout the academic year. The online small-group sessions allow for one-to-one support from career services for the interview assessment.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Oral Examination2M40Oral Presentation – mock job interview
Essay2M602,000 word essay assessing the linkages between the advanced project, community engagement, and themes in academic geography.
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
Prof skill assessmnt1MProject plan
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The three modes of assessment for this module provide the opportunity to assess the students in a variety of ways. The community-based placement plan ensures that the placement is well-organized and fits the requirements of the module. It assesses the student’s ability to explain how the placement will work and what they will gain from it. The oral presentation provides the students with an opportunity to develop their skill set by verbally presenting strengths, skills and insights gained by learning from experience (EL), in a mock job interview format. This will assess their ability to answer questions posed by the marker. This will be similar to the type of competency questions many may face in a ‘real life’ interview situation. The course essay assesses the ability of the student to make connections between their project, engagement with an external partner organization, and debates and research foci within academic geography.

Reading Lists

Timetable