Dr Helen Walkington
Dr. Helen Walkington comes from York. She studied for a BSc in Geography at the University of Durham, then a PGCE at the University of Cambridge. As a VSO volunteer for 2 years Helen taught Geography at O and A level in a rural secondary school in Zimbabwe. After a MSc in Pedology, Soil Survey and Land Evaluation at the University of Reading Helen became a lecturer in Geography Education and got her PhD in 1999 (University of Reading). She then moved to Oxford University to take up a post as Research Fellow in soils in a small interdisciplinary Geoarchaeology unit. Missing student contact, Helen then took on a part time post as lecturer in geography at Oxford Brookes University, where she now works full time. She has maintained her interests in soils at archaeological sites through her own research, and in education through her role as Principal Lecturer for Learning and Teaching in her school.
Embedding undergraduate research opportunities in the Year 2 geography curriculum at 4 HE institutions
The project team (from Oxford Brookes University, University of Reading, University of Gloucestershire, Queen Mary, University of London) will embed research opportunities in the curricula at their institutions in order to support students in carrying out personal and collaborative research in Geography for academic credit. The project will focus on developing the curriculum at each institution and exploring the ways in which differing institutions can enhance undergraduate (year 2) research opportunities. The project team has been working together since September 2006 on piloting a national undergraduate research journal for geography called Geoverse
. This e-journal would provide the means for students to disseminate the research work they have undertaken in Year 2. Curriculum development is the progression which will enable students to write research articles for the e-journal.
