Learner-Centered teaching and assessment in an undergraduate field analysis course

Abstract

Undergraduate geography field courses are relatively rare at American univers-ities, though they can exemplify well the fundamental tenets of learner-centered education. This article reports on an intensive three-week field analysis course taught at Northern Arizona University at Flagstaff, within the Department of Geography, Planning, and Recreation. Co-taught by the authors since 1999, Field Analysis (GGR 480) serves as the department's capstone course in geography, required of all undergraduate majors. Nine years of experiences, lessons learned, teaching and assessment strategies, assigned projects, and course development are described herein. Educators with little field experience are encouraged to develop their own field-based course in geography that applies learner-centered education and assessment techniques.