Reimagining Geography Fieldwork in Higher Education: An Experiential, Inclusive, and Technology-Enhanced Learning Framework from Kerala, India

Jayarajan Kunnampalli; Dhanya Punnoli; Sreelu Sreepadi; Sreelesh Tharayankoth

doi:10.69606/geography.v4i3.565

Authors

Jayarajan Kunnampalli Department of Geography, Govt College Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5532-4390
Dhanya Punnoli Department of Geography, Govt College Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9957-8766
Sreelu Sreepadi HSST Geography, GHSS Kayanna, Kozhikode, India https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0749-5070
Sreelesh Tharayankoth Department of Geography, Government Arts and Science College Nilambur, Malappuram, Kerala, India https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2753-0798

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69606/geography.v4i3.565

Keywords:

fieldwork, Geography Education, experiential learning, technology integration, GIS, inclusivity, higher education, Kerala

Abstract

Fieldwork remains a fundamental component of geography education, enabling students to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world landscapes, environmental processes, and community contexts through experiential and enquiry-based learning. However, contemporary higher education faces several challenges in sustaining effective field-based learning, including limited institutional support, financial constraints, safety concerns, unequal participation, gender-based barriers, and disparities in access to technology. Despite its recognized pedagogical significance, empirical understanding of how these challenges influence geography fieldwork in the Indian higher education context, particularly in Kerala, remains limited. This study aims to critically examine current fieldwork practices in higher education institutions in Kerala and explore pathways for developing an experiential, inclusive, and technology-enhanced model of geography field education. The study employed a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods research design involving six higher education institutions affiliated with the University of Calicut, University of Kerala, and Kannur University during the academic year 2024 to 2025. Data were collected from 170 participants, including faculty members, students, curriculum planners, and technical staff, through surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, participant observations, and document analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis using NVivo 12. The findings demonstrate that fieldwork significantly improves students’ geographical understanding, with statistically significant gains observed in pre- and post-fieldwork assessments. However, the study identified institutional disparities in funding, GIS infrastructure, faculty training, and digital resources. Technology adoption remained uneven, and female students faced notable safety, mobility, and accessibility concerns. The study recommends curriculum integration, institutional investment, capacity-building, equitable technology access, gender-sensitive protocols, and interdisciplinary collaboration to strengthen fieldwork practices.

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