Reflections on the Pedagogy of International Field-schools: Experiential Learning and Emotional Engagement

Abstract We explore how field-schools can be used to enhance the learning of students who are interested in studying China to augment their non-Chinese Studies undergraduate or postgraduate programmes, drawing on relevant areas of the teaching and learning literature to help structure and make sense of our reflections. In the first part we consider subject-specific knowledge and its use in developing transferable skills and enhancing employability. In the second part we reflect on our approach, with a focus on activity design and the central place of the learning diary. In the third part we discuss the role and management of affective responses to the subject and mode of learning. While we can make no specific claims beyond the study of China, we suspect that our programmes and observations may provide useful insight for specialists in other fields seeking to draw new students and programmes into their orbit as well as those seeking insights from non-traditional modes of higher education to enhance practice more generally.