ABSTRACT
Fieldwork is seen as a vital element to many disciplines. This case study reports the experience of a group of geographers who, faced with declining staff-student ratios succeeded in holding on to quality by radically changing how students learn on field courses. There are elements of control in the strategies used; for example, the use of teacher-defined fieldwork trails. Most of the strategies however are independence strategies and require students to work generally in small groups that shape their own objectives, strategies of enquiry and how they use their time. This innovation involves self- and peer-assessment and as students are largely assessed as a group the assessment loading on staff is limited. Such group work requires skilled staff support and monitoring.
