At Leysin American School, experiential learning plays an important role in helping students connect classroom theory with the real world. It’s not just about what they read in textbooks, it’s about what they observe, explore, and discover in the real world. Recently, our Grade 11 IB Geography students stepped outside the classroom and into the Swiss Alps for a hands-on field trip to the Grande-Eau River in nearby Les Diablerets.
We are so lucky to live in the Alps, amongst amazing ecosystems and areas of natural beauty. This field trip for our IB Geography students marked a key milestone in the IB Diploma programme: the Internal Assessment (IA). For their IA, students select a research question, conduct fieldwork, gather data, and write a 2,500-word report. This trip gave them the perfect opportunity to apply what they’ve been learning in class to a real-world context while ticking off a significant part of their coursework.
In their current unit (the Freshwater Module), students have explored the Bradshaw Model, a framework that outlines how river characteristics typically change from source to mouth. For this fieldwork, each student chose three variables to investigate along the Grande-Eau, testing how closely the river fits the Bradshaw Model’s predictions.
The students measured variables including velocity, width, depth, discharge, sediment size, roughness, and gradient. Data was collected at ten sites spread across a one-kilometer stretch of the river. Using a web-based app and GIS (Geographic Information System) software, students were able to efficiently record, analyze, and compare their data in real time, putting their theoretical knowledge to the test! With data collection complete, students will now focus on writing up their reports over the summer, with feedback to follow in the next academic year.
While coursework is an essential part of every IB subject, the enthusiasm our students bring to fieldwork shows how valuable these experiences are. Engaging directly with geographical processes not only deepens their understanding but also increases their confidence, preparing them for their exams and any future geographical studies they take part in. We are so lucky to live in the Alps, amongst amazing ecosystems and areas of natural beauty, and we can’t wait to provide even more opportunities like this in the future!
