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Abstract

As an alternative to traditional upper-level physical geography pedagogy (labs, quizzes, tests, papers, and occasional field exercises), this article outlines and analyzes a 10-week large-group research endeavor conceived and executed by undergraduates where they explored aspects of project construction, methods, analyses, and group dynamics. These experiences are then critiqued from both instructor- and student-based perspectives. We suggest that pedagogies linking physical geography and traditional humanities disciplines should not be overlooked, especially in physical geography-based courses, as they can expose students to high-level thinking skills such as: not limiting research projects to quantitative observations in a natural setting; implementing a student-friendly medium; putting into practice the (sometimes dryly-delivered) geomorphologic content. Additionally, we note that fostering humanities-science inquiry can enhance students’ overall learning, while encompassing an upper-division class’ primary focus of providing meaningful (to them) research experiences and generate crucial connections when applying knowledge to higher-level professional and academic research.

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