A Place for Serendipitous Mistakes? Selling Mixed Methods Fieldwork to Students in a Digital Age

Abstract

I draw on over a decade of experience teaching two required mixed methods geography field courses at my university. I reflect on teaching field-based courses in a digital age when a large proportion of our students have no intention of either using mixed methods or even doing fieldwork. Yet, my department passionately defends the fieldwork tradition in geography, and continues to require these classes much to the dismay of our students. This paper explores why we continue to require such field classes, especially when students increasingly do not want them. Furthermore, I discuss why we should promote mixed methods when deeply entrenched qualitative vs. quantitative research camps persist and remain in our field. I also explore “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” of teaching mixed methods and taking students to the field, all while arguing that doing fieldwork is a place to find one’s “Zen.”

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