Download New A level geography - Geographical Association

New A level geography:
key changes and challenges
Alan Kinder, Chief Executive
Geographical Association
Academic views
‘Academic writing, self-directed study, independent
inquiry & critical thinking skills are weaknesses of
undergraduates when they begin degree level study’
A level content – views from the geographical community
GIS/Big Data/spatial data
Embedded Skills
Progression from GCSE
More Choice
Fieldwork
Independent Research
People-Environment
Processes
Local Content
Less Choice
Teachers Rigour in PhysicalAcademics
Geography
Suitable for a
diversity of learners
Balance of
Physical and
Modern
Human
Contemporary
Geography
and Engaging
Sense of Discipline
Numeracy
ALCAB: Key areas of discussion
• Progression from new GCSE and preparation
for further study, retaining accessibility
• Areas not well covered (physical process,
cultural geography, spatial analysis &
quantitative skills?)
• Balancing breadth, depth & choice
• Centrality of fieldwork
• Co-teaching AS/A-level
A level content headlines
• Core content 60%
• Two core physical and two core human themes
(one each for AS) plus geographical skills
• At least half non-core content to address
people-environment questions and issues
• Minimum 2 AS fieldwork days, 4 A level days
• ‘New’ human content e.g. identity and
belonging
• Greater rigour in physical systems and
processes
A level assessment
Headlines
• AS decoupled
• A level independent
investigation
incorporates fieldwork
and research
• A level NEA 20%
• AS level 100%
terminal exam
• New objectives
Assessment objectives
1. Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of places,
environments, concepts,
processes, interactions and
change, at a variety of scales.
2. Apply knowledge and
understanding in different contexts
to analyse, interpret and evaluate
geographical information and
issues.
3. Use a variety of relevant
quantitative, qualitative and
fieldwork skills ...
Water and carbon cycles
• Stores, pathways and
processes – e.g.
decomposition, runoff
generation
• Climate change as a
link between systems
• Varied approaches –
physical themes,
water/energy security,
global systems, life
support systems
Landscape systems
• Drylands, coastal or glaciated
incl. non UK (can include
coastal dunes)
• Geomorphological processes flows of energy and materials
create specific landforms
• Landscape character, evolution
and climate change
• Human activity and landscape
• A view from the drylands, Goudie,
Geography 1994 (3)
Global systems and governance
• Systems: trade; development/life expectancy; migration
• Governance: global commons, human rights; sovereignty
• Economic, political, social, environmental interdependence
• Stability, growth and development but also inequalities,
conflicts and injustices
• Unequal power relations and geopolitics
• Norms laws and institutions regulating and reproducing
global systems
• Taking on the world – Massey, Geography, spring 2014
http://www.geography.org.uk/Journals/Journals.asp?articleID=1156
Changing place, changing places
• Local place and at least one
further contrasting place
• Relationships and
connections:
Demography/culture,
economic change/social
inequality or food production
• Meanings and
representations: place
making/marketing,
cultural/artistic approaches or
lived experience of place
Geographical skills
• Well-evidenced
conclusions and extended
written argument
• Interviews, coding and
ethical issues
• Data - qualitative,
quantitative, ‘big’ and geolocated
• Descriptive & inferential
statistics & correlation
• Sampling, measurement
and errors
• http://www.geography.org.uk/resources
/conductingstatisticaltestsforfieldwork
Fieldwork
AS – exam only
• physical and human
geography
• field research questions
• observe and record
phenomena
• devise and justify practical
approaches
• apply existing knowledge
and concepts to the field
• coherent analysis of
findings
A level – 20% NEA
• independent investigation
(any focus)
• question or issue defined
and developed by the
student
• data collected individually
or in groups
• draw on the student's own
research and/or
secondary data
• independently
contextualise, analyse and
draw conclusions
Implications for schools
• Knowledge
▫ Progression to A level in terms
of concepts and new material
▫ Changing Place(s) - challenge
for teachers trained pre 1990?
▫ Elements of carbon cycle may
be new.
• Practice
▫ How to teach big data and
spatial data
▫ How to manage independent
investigations and fieldwork
Place progress?
• KS3 ‘acquire locational
knowledge and use detailed
place-based exemplars’
• GCSE - use locational contexts,
understand geographical links
and demonstrate overview
knowledge of the UK
• A level
• explore place as a concept
• understand place processes
• global processes/systems
• landscape character/formation
http://www.geography.org.uk/news/2014n
ationalcurriculum/assessment/
Get help!
/getinvolved/branches/
/news/alevelreform/