{"id":2343,"date":"2024-07-05T15:50:55","date_gmt":"2024-07-05T22:50:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/easeil\/?page_id=2343"},"modified":"2025-08-29T10:58:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T17:58:16","slug":"geographical-sciences-field-course-geos-309","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/easeil\/geographical-sciences-field-course-geos-309\/","title":{"rendered":"Geographical Sciences Field Course (GEOS 309)\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Geographical Sciences Field Course (GEOS 309) <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Instructors involved in EaSEIL  <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nina Hewitt<\/span><\/mark><\/a> and Brett Eaton<\/span><\/mark><\/a>* (Course Designers and Instructors)\u00a0\u00a0
*Instructor from 2022 to 2024\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Context: Course Description   <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Level:<\/strong> 3rd<\/sup> year  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credits:<\/strong> 3 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Term:<\/strong> Summer <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Capacity:<\/strong> ~25 students <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional fees <\/strong>(2024-2025):<\/strong> $ 1195 (transportation, meals, accommodation) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instructional team: <\/strong>2 instructors, 2 teaching assistants <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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This is a multi-day course<\/strong> (~11 days) held in late May-early June at the UBC-Teck Geological Field Station<\/span><\/mark><\/a> (Syilx Lands<\/span><\/mark><\/a> – Oliver, British Columbia, Canada) with day trips to various field sites in the local area.\u00a0
Note<\/strong>: GEOS 309 was first taught on this location in the Summer of 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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n\u0295aylintn \u201cnye-lin-tin\u201d (McIntyre Bluff). Photo credit: Nina Hewitt, 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Overarching Learning Goals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course builds student knowledge and skills on the basic methods\/techniques of field work in geographical sciences including surveying and mapping, field sampling, instrumentation, electronic data acquisition, and the design and implementation of field projects. Students engage in peer-to peer and student-to-instructor learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Typical Schedule and Activities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Prior to Field Course<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2 required meetings<\/strong> (1.5 hours each) to prepare for field week. Meeting 1<\/em> (virtual): Meet-n-greet, review safety procedures and equipment needs; and Google Earth mapping exercise. Meeting 2 <\/em>(hybrid\/mandatory): short lesson, overview of safety, travel arrangements.
Pre-requisite mandatory forms<\/strong> (signed code of conduct; emergency medical and diet information) and safety training <\/strong>(Heat stress awareness online course).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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During
Field Course
(11 days; 8-5 pm)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Day trips<\/strong> in the area, guest-lectures\/workshops with community as co-educators<\/strong>. Opportunities to practice survey, data collection, field observation, sketching, note taking. Daily field assignments<\/strong> (individual reflections\/write ups, field notes, summaries, sketches; 3 group technical reports).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Other<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Breakfast and dinner at the field station, packed lunch for field day.
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Students practice careful field
observation via landform sketches1<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Biogeography & Soils1<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Fire history1<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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1<\/sup>Photo Credits: Nina Hewitt, 2022<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Curricular Development<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Goals (G) and Motivation <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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G1: <\/strong>To offer a place-based<\/strong>, contextually grounded and cooperative field experience <\/strong>that includes voices, Knowledges and perspectives of local Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members as co-educators<\/strong>. This goal recognizes local community connections to and knowledge about the land, adding knowledge that we (instructors) cannot supply. The objectives were to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \na. Enhance student and instructor cultural awareness and knowledge about local Indigenous communities and honour their perspectives, Land rights, cultural and historical legacies;\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    Visit to Nk\u2019Mip Desert Cultural Centre<\/a>1<\/sup>

    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"
    Jenna cn\u00fak Bower, leading visit to Nk\u2019Mip
    Cultural Centre1<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    1<\/sup>Photo Credits: Nina Hewitt, 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Enhance student knowledge about regenerative farming; FireSmartBC practices; local grassland ecology and soils; river restoration and management; and geomorphic\/landform processes. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \n
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      Gene Covert \u2013 Regenerative Farming
      Workshop at Covert Farms1<\/sup>

      <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"
      Teaching assistant and PhD candidate in fire
      ecology, Daniel Robinson, demonstrates a
      jackstraw stand2<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
      <\/div>\n\n\n\n
      \n
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      \"\"
      Dr. Jason Jones, Fire Risk Ecology and
      management workshop that informs annual
      fire hazard assessment GEOS 309 does at the
      UBC-Teck Geological Field Station2<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"
      Okanagan Nation Alliance<\/a> – Okanagan River
      Restoration Initiative delegate, Zoe Eyjolfson,
      teaches about River restoration and channel
      features3<\/sup>
      <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
      <\/div>\n\n\n\n

      Photo Credits: Nina Hewitt 1<\/sup>2022; 2<\/sup>2023; 3<\/sup>2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/div>\n\n\n\n

      G2:<\/strong> To develop accessible activities<\/strong> that build on field techniques in Geosciences and teach skills of soils, vegetation and landform interpretation and exploration pertinent to new field location <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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      Debris flow landform analysis; soils activity on a local landowner\u2019s property. Photo credits: Nina Hewitt, 2023<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      G3:<\/strong> To enhance inclusion and accessibility <\/strong>by adding approaches that make the course more accommodating for a diverse array of students and building a sense of belonging prior to the course\u202f<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      Activities<\/strong> <\/th>\n2022-2023<\/strong> <\/th>\n2023-2024 (Ongoing)<\/strong> <\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n
      Prior to Field School<\/strong> <\/td>\n\nG1: New Land acknowledgement in syllabus, established and continued building reciprocal relationship with local community members, pre-field assignments about nsyilxc\u0259n language (designed by co-educator J. cn\u00fak Bower \u2013 Nk\u2019Mip Desert Cultural Centre<\/a>) <\/td>\n\n<\/tr>
      <\/td>\nG2: Implemented New pre-field mapping exercise to introduce students to local Okanagan geomorphology and included information of local and Indigenous place names 
      G3: New short activities in pre-field meetings to establish peer connections, introduce pronouns; offered Virtual tour of the UBC-Teck Geological Field Station<\/a> to prepare students for field week so they could focus on learning  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n
      During Field School<\/strong> <\/td>\n\nG1: Visit to Nk\u2019Mip Cultural Desert Centre<\/a> (optional \u201822, embedded in course as of \u201923; tailored to course as of \u201824); research sensitivity & language revitalization with J. c. Bower (co-educator) plus reflection (this activity did not happen in 2024 or 2025 due to limited time and funding, and the addition of an experience with Okanagan Nation Alliance, below) 
      G2: 3 new local community members as co-educators \u2013 workshops\/guest lectures\/activities <\/td>\n\n<\/tr>
      <\/td>\nG1&G2: New local community member as co-educator (Okanagan Nation Alliance<\/a> Representative) to learn about the Okanagan River Restoration Initiative (ORRI) in the field 
      G2: Changed focus of\/extended with applied activities some guest lectures, re-connected with landowner to access their land for study 
      G3: Collaborated with students to create sleeping arrangement, changed language to refer to groups (diverse not co-ed) <\/td>\n\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Note:<\/strong> For a detailed description of Goal 1 and related activities, refer to:\u00a0
      Hewitt, N., Mazabel,S., Lukes,L., Eaton,B., Bower, J. cn\u00fak. (2025).\u202fFostering a sense of place and partnership in geoscience field education with Indigenous and other communities.<\/em>\u202fIn J. E. Wessell (Ed.), Experiential Learning in Geography II: The World as our Classroom (pp. 45-60). Springer Nature.\u202f      http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-3-031-82575-0<\/span><\/mark><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      Impact <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Students<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Total number of students enrolled 2022-2025<\/strong> (four course offerings): 86 undergraduate<\/strong> students, plus 5 MSc students<\/strong> (the latter choose it to expand their field techniques and obtain credit toward Engineering Geoscientists of BC certification) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Students enrolled in GEOS 309 Summer 2024 (n=21) completed an online anonymous survey <\/strong>at the end of the course. They were asked to share with instructors about their experience in sessions with community members as co-educators in which speakers shared knowledge, experiences and perspectives relevant to the subject of study. More details in forthcoming publications\/presentations.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      “This was an excellent class and I would recommend it to all students in the environment\/geography disciplines. The breadth of opportunities<\/strong> presented in just 11 days allowed me to pick up so much knowledge and skills, make long<\/strong>\u2013lasting connections with peers <\/strong>in my discipline, and also figure out which area of geoscience I was most interested in<\/strong> and continue pursuing courses in said areas. I also enjoyed the focus group I felt that was a pretty exciting way to get involved in the department.”<\/em> [The focus group was about updates to the BSc program in Geography of which GEOS 309 is a capstone course] (anonymous student comment in Student Evaluation of Teaching Survey, 2025 \u2013 shared by instructor on July 11, 2025) <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      Instructors’ Reflections <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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      \u201cThe students said the community engaged aspect was really important<\/strong> to them, because they heard from people that loved the place<\/strong> and had managed to deal with the wildfire risks in particular ways, and even embrace them.\u201d [Instructor reflective interview, Aug.\u201923] <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      [The virtual tour of the field station<\/strong>] \u201cIt was clear to me that some students had done it and used it and that it was helpful <\/strong>because they were saying things that came out of that\u201d (Instructor reflective interview, Aug.\u2019 24) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      \u201cOne of the most important things about field camps is those peer-to-peer relationships<\/strong>\u201d (Instructor reflective interview, Aug.\u201923) \u2026 \u201c[The students] were able to have an introduction with 3 or 4 different people [in the meet-n-greet<\/em> pre-field activity<\/strong>], I think it was nice, it contributed to an atmosphere that this is about peer connections<\/strong>\u201d (Instructor reflective interview, Aug.\u2019 24) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      \u201cPartnering with community members as co-educators<\/strong> contributed to student understanding of professional competencies<\/strong> relevant in the field of study such as fire ecology and management; viticulture and sustainable farming; and in forging meaningful, reciprocal relationships with Indigenous and other non-Indigenous communities. Students built an appreciation of the importance of including multiple perspectives<\/strong> to understand topics of interest, and of the value of learning from those with lived experience in the place of study.\u201d (Instructors, Advancing Community Engaged Learning Final Report, Nov.\u201923) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      \u201cAnother surprising outcome of partnering with community members as co-educators was its role in reshaping the co-instructor perspectives on field camp<\/strong>. Traditionally, geographical sciences field camps have tended to revolve around rather western forms of engagement with place \u2013 instrumentation, measurement and other approaches that treat the space as an object of study. Thus, by reaching out and engaging with local peoples, we learned that there was more to the space than we could uncover with our field methods, when viewed through the lens of those who call it home<\/strong>; We did not only enhance our cultural awareness and knowledge about local Indigenous communities, in terms of language and ecology and values, we also witnessed the power of community storytelling as a means to decolonize field-teaching practices<\/strong>.\u201d (Instructors, Advancing Community Engaged Learning Final Report, Nov.\u201923) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Key Lessons Learned  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n