Teaching
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Undergraduate Teaching
Deborah's specialist teaching is in the area of International Development where she is involved in a range of courses at both undergraduate and at Masters level. She currently runs an undergraduate fieldclass in development geographies which critically examines contemporary development discourse and practice by providing students the opportunity to explore and research development issues in the field and to enhance their understanding of grass-roots outcomes. This field class is currently based in the West Pokot District of Kenya bordering Uganda and is one of the least developed districts in Kenya. This module uses a range of small-group teaching methods and involves student-led research projects.
Deborah's specialist teaching on undergraduate courses includes:
GEO367 Development Geographies Fieldclass
All staff also engage in personal supervision and tutoring of individual students at all three levels in the following modules:
GEO163 (Information & Communication Skills for Geographers)
GEO263 or GEO264 (Research Design in Human or Physical Geography)
GEO356 (Geographical Research Project)
Masters Teaching
Deborah is actively involved in teaching on three postgraduate Masters programmes in International Development where emphasis is placed on specialised teaching to equip students with the skills to take on key international development challenges in the workplace. These courses have an applied emphasis to ensure that students engage with the complexities of international development as played out in everyday life. As such she is involved in a core fieldtrip to a country in the Global South providing students with practical field skills in a unique environment and is also involved in the Masters placement-based dissertation offering students the opportunity to work within a development organisation in Europe or the Global South whilst conducting their dissertation, gaining valuable experience for future careers.
Deborah's teaching on Masters courses includes:
GEO6002 Research Design in Human Geography
GEO6801 Ideas and Practice in International Development
GEO6803 Professional Skills for Development
GEO6804 International Development Field class
GEO6805 Dissertation with Placement
Deborah was awarded the Good Work Towards Employability award at the 2011 Sheffield Students' Union Academic Awards. These are awards run, nominated and given by students in recognition that good teaching has an enormous positive impact on student's learning experience. Her citation for the award reads:
"Deborah's hard work and passion for the field has mobilised a year group of academically successful and employable Development students."
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Key Publications
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- Sporton, D., Valentine, G. and Nielsen, K.B. (2006). Post-Conflict Identities: Practices and Affiliations of Somali Asylum Seeker Children. Children's Geographies, 4(2), 203-217.
doi:10.1080/14733280600807062
- Twyman, C., Sporton, D. and Thomas, D.S.G. (2004). 'Where is the life in farming?': The viability of smallholder farming on the margins of the Kalahari, Southern Africa. Geoforum, 35(1), 69-85.
doi:10.1016/S0016-7185(03)00030-7
- Dougill, A., Twyman, C., Thomas, D.S.G. and Sporton, D. (2002). Soil degradation assessment in mixed farming systems of southern Africa: use of nutrient balance studies for participatory degradation monitoring. Geographical Journal, 168(3), 195-210.
doi:10.1111/1475-4959.00048
- Sporton, D. and White, P.E. (2002). Fertility. In: Haskey, J. (ed.) Population Projections by Ethnic Group, A Feasibility Study. ONS, HMSO. 81-92. ISBN: 0116215569
Online version
- Sporton, D. and Thomas, D.S.G. (eds.) (2002). Sustainable Livelihoods in Kalahari Environments: A Contribution to Global Debates. Oxford University Press, Oxford. ISBN: 978-0-19-823419-7
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Other information
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Deborah has served on the Committee of the Institute for British Geographer's Population Geography Research Group and the BSPS Council. She has acted as external examiner for the University of Sussex's MA in Environment, Development and Policy. She has also undertaken consultancy and advisory work for the ONS, DWP and DFID.
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