Geography module wins Innovative Teaching Award

Dr. Ed Hall and Dr. Alistair Geddes have been awarded the University of Dundee 'Award for Innovative Teaching' for their module 'Research Methods in Human Geography'. The module involves student groups undertaking 'real world' research projects for external organisations, including an investigation into anti-social behaviour in a deprived area of Dundee for Tayside Police, and a study of Eastern European in-migration into Dundee for Communities Scotland. As well as putting into practice research methods such as interviewing and questionnaires, students learn valuable lessons of research design and execution, problem solving and negotiation with organisations. The results of students work is fed back to the organisations in a presentation and a report. Tayside Police commented that 'The results of this project were extremely interesting to us and the students excelled in presenting their projects to the Chief Inspector'. The module prepares students for the subsequent dissertation, and has already shown clear signs of improving student performance. The Award will be presented at a dissemination event in the autumn.