A Day in the Life of a Fieldwork Tutor at Skern Lodge

Introduction

What does a fieldwork tutor do? My job is to get students outdoors, where they can observe people and places, collect data and apply classroom knowledge to real life examples in the field. Students experience enquiry-based learning, where they are in the heart of the decision-making process and learn to collect, analyse, present and evaluate their findings. It’s my job as a tutor to guide them through all these processes as well as teach them practical fieldwork skills and provide them with local case studies.

What are the benefits? It gets students outside of the classroom and in new environments, encouraging curiosity and different ways of thinking. It allows them to problem solve, collaborate with peers and gain new skills for the future. By engaging directly with their environment and addressing real-world concepts or problems, students learn to think more critically, creatively and collaboratively.

Where are you based? Skern Lodge is based on the North Devon coast and situated inside the internationally recognised UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. We are only a stone’s throw away from a variety of fieldwork sites, from the Taw-Torridge estuary and the landform of Pebble Ridge to the sand dunes at Braunton Burrows and the rocky peninsula of Hartland, providing us with ample opportunities for study.

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Behind the scenes

Or as I like to call it: ‘fieldwork prep’. By this, I mean everything that comes before the fieldwork e.g. preparing fieldwork handouts and worksheets, setting up the right slideshows on the computer, gathering fieldwork equipment, checking the weather forecast and packing the tutor bag.

Before heading outdoors for fieldwork, checking the daily weather report and tide times is crucial to ensure I’m prepared for varying conditions. It’s not ideal heading out to the coast to measure beach profiles when most of the beach is underwater! Luckily, there are many apps and websites out there that can provide this information. They then determine whether I’m telling students to pack sun cream and a hat or a waterproof coat and wellies. Packing and wearing the right gear is the difference between a good day of fieldwork or potentially a very soggy one (I know which one I would prefer!). It’s equally as important for the tutor to pack accordingly with essentials such as durable footwear, protective clothing, kit for data collection, water, food and a first aid kit.

Just your average day in the office

So, the fieldwork prep is complete, now what? Coastal fieldwork can be tailored to meet the needs of each school and age group, but a typical day for A Level students aiming to develop their fieldwork skills in preparation for their Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) usually unfolds like this…

9.00am: A day at Skern Lodge typically begins with a classroom workshop. Students meet their Skern tutor to review the day’s objectives, clarify what to wear and bring, and get an overview of the location and topic. During the workshop, students are introduced to the coastal landform of Pebble Ridge at Westward Ho!, which serves as an excellent case study for coastal geography. They learn about the area's history, explore the coastal landforms and processes that shape the landscape, and gain insight into the coastal management techniques in place. Additional activities include creating a risk assessment for the day, engaging in debates between different stakeholders' at Westward Ho!, and matching fieldwork kit and methodologies to relevant topics.

10.30am: We drive to Seafield in Westward Ho!, a fantastic example of a raised, relic beach with views looking out to Bideford Bay, including Lundy Island. This location offers students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom with first-hand experience of coastal processes and landforms. They can observe evidence of sea level change, erosion, and various coastal management techniques. Plus, it is a perfect spot for the first round of primary data collection – creating a field sketch!

11.30am: We walk along the coast path and promenade into the heart of Westward Ho!, where key features, maps, and noticeboards are highlighted to enrich the students’ case study. During the walk, additional data collection methods are introduced including wave counts, coastal defence analysis and land use mapping, providing students with valuable experience in using and evaluating various techniques.

12.30pm: Lunch at Westward Ho! village green provides a well-earned break after a busy morning of fieldwork. It’s also the perfect opportunity for students to grab that important ice cream or fish and chips (we’re at the seaside after all).

1.00pm: An introduction to human data collection methods follows, ensuring a balance between human and physical topics. We spend some time in Westward Ho! discussing potential areas of investigations, focusing on themes like regeneration, place-making and settlement dynamics. Students then apply various data collection methods including questionnaires, environmental quality surveys, and accessibility surveys, to explore these topics in depth.

2.00pm: Time for the beach investigation – Pebble Ridge, a large depositional landform in the shape of a spit, is perfect for pebble analysis and creating beach profiles. One example of an investigation title we follow looks a little like this:

Students investigate the effect of longshore drift on ridge morphology using ranging poles, clinometers, rulers, tape measures and pebble charts. All fieldwork kit is provided, and students receive a thorough briefing on how to properly use and look after each item, as well as how to process their data into the provided worksheets. They are guided through a step-by-step methodology, including sampling sizes, sampling strategies and fieldwork best practice. This investigation is repeated at multiple locations along the spit, allowing for easier analysis and presentation of the results later.

4.30pm: After returning to Skern Lodge, students head back to the classroom to collate their data, document their methodology while it’s still fresh in their minds, and evaluate the reliability, validity, and accuracy of their investigation. The day typically wraps up at 5.00pm, giving students (and tutors!) some well-deserved downtime before enjoying dinner, all provided on-site.

7.00pm: Students meet their Skern tutor in the classroom to discuss patterns and key learns from the day, while also considering potential next steps. The tutor-led skills workshop focuses on one of the following topics: methodologies and sampling strategies, data presentation for both human and physical investigations, statistics, or a breakdown of the Independent Investigation. Students then apply what they’ve learned, creating graphs, completing statistical tests, or drawing conclusions based on their findings from the day.

And there we have it – a complete coastal fieldwork day! After a day like this, students are equipped with a comprehensive coastal case study to reference in their upcoming exams, along with a wide range of fieldwork skills and techniques that will support them with their Independent Investigation.

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Top tips

• Embrace the challenges – whether it’s dealing with unpredictable weather or navigating tough terrain, these challenges are all part of the learning process. Embracing them fosters resilience, enhances critical thinking skills and deepens subject understanding.
• Take breaks – that’s one of the great things about fieldwork; you’re surrounded by beautiful nature, whether it’s a river, a beach, a glacier, or a town. Be sure to take time to soak it all in. These moments of pause can refresh your mind and deepen your connection to the place you’re studying.
• Enjoy it – whether you are the student or the teacher, fieldwork is a valuable and rewarding experience. It’s an opportunity to connect with the environment, apply classroom learning in real-world contexts, and develop practical skills.

If you would like to find out more about our fieldwork opportunities at Skern Lodge, please get in touch at Daisy.Scanes@skernlodge.co.uk

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