The role of student fieldwork activities in the education of Spatial Management on the example of classes at the University of Gdańsk

Abstract

In tertiary education, especially in vocational and Earth science-related fields of study, fieldwork activities are of great importance. They are a form of practical activities, complementing the students’ work experience and the theoretical knowledge imparted in lectures. This is especially true for courses in which human interaction with the environment creates new spaces and new conditions for the functioning of the geographical environment – including geography, environmental protection, landscape architecture, urban planning, spatial management. Contact with real situations in geographical space, the possibility to see natural and anthropogenic phenomena, the possibility to observe the objects of research, phenomena and features of space and natural conditions for spatial management, and above all the confrontation of theoretical information with their direct and material physical dimension are all fundamental elements for students to build their knowledge and skills. This applies to spatial analysis and creative thinking, leading to the ability to combine facts, as well as to the levelling of knowledge between individuals. More than 40 years of experience with fieldwork activities conducted for students of geography and more than 15 years of experience working at the faculty of spatial management at the University of Gdansk, clearly indicate the very high importance of field classes in the didactics of these majors, and even the dominant role in the consolidation of acquired theoretical knowledge. The authors share their experiences of conducting such classes, present the core curriculum and subject matter of field classes, indicating their significant educational importance and positive reception by students.