Transcript Reviewing the new A level specifications Bob Digby Community Geographer, Geographical Association Key changes – Revisions to A levels for the first time since 2000 – More.

Reviewing the
new A level
specifications
Bob Digby
Community Geographer,
Geographical Association
Key changes
– Revisions to A levels for the first time since 2000
– More than just new specifications – an expression of
the subject for the next few years
– Time scale: first teaching from 2008, first AS/A2
awards in 2009/2010
– Compliance with QCA subject criteria e.g. ‘stretch
and challenge’ and a new A* award.
– One specification allowed per Board; so 4 available in
England and Wales instead of the previous 7.
– 4 modules not 6; can be taken any time or as a linear
qualification.
– The death of coursework.
Questions
– Will change actually reduce the burden of
assessment? Or will the Boards shoe-horn 6
modules’ content into 4?
– Will the removal of coursework impact upon the
number of candidates in Geography?
– What happens to fieldwork in schools? Can the
exam boards preserve fieldwork as an integral
part of Geography?
– We now have a generation of exam-wise 16-18
year-olds – but are they better geographers?
Has Geography had a facelift in the
new specifications?
Eleanor Rawling’s lecture at the 2005 GA conference highlighted ten concerns
• Forces of change & public concerns about e.g. globalisation, global
warming
• Spatial awareness of e.g. the ‘new’ Europe
• Scale & scale linkage – inter-connectedness
• Environmental Interaction – footprints and management
• Technology – opportunities for GIS
• Greater curriculum flexibility, choice & freedom needed
• Special contribution to global concepts e.g. sustainability
• Geographical enquiry – active questioning approach, less didactic
• Significant changes in university geography (cultural, ethnographic,
place….)
• ‘14-19 awarding bodies have tended to standardise content…fear that
innovation will lose customers anxious to play safe & maintain high
grades’
How should the subject be updated?
• Simon Oakes research into the School-HEI
‘Gap’ (2006) highlights several issues including:
• Human geography in school ‘out of step’
• Theory levels are poor (compare Sociology)
• Learning tends to be ‘case-study based’, not
theoretical - focused on ‘facts, not thinking’
• Little critical questioning of concepts at A levele.g. of sustainability
The new specifications
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Content of AS versus A2
Assessment type at AS and A2
Styles and Flexibility of assessment
Assessment load
Where’s the fieldwork?
Guidance for teachers?
How fresh or up-to-date?
How much choice?
What kind of content at AS?
Criteria
AS
content
and
weighting
AQA
Unit 1 35%
Edexcel
Unit 1 30%
OCR
Unit 1 25%
WJEC
Unit 1 25%
Physical and Human
Geography
Two elements
 Physical (Rivers plus
one of Cold
Environments, Coastal
Environments or Hot
deserts and margins)
 Human (Global
population change plus
one of Food Supply
Issues, Energy Supply
Issues or Health Issues
Global Challenges
Two elements
 World at Risk (Hazards
and Global Warming)
 Going Global
(Population &
Migration)
Managing Physical
Environments
Choice is not explicit
except through the
assessment
requirements
Either
 River environments or
 Coastal environments
AND either
 Cold environments or
 Hot arid and semi-arid
environments
Changing Physical
Environments
Two themes:
 Investigating climate
change
 Investigating tectonic
and hydrological
change
Unit 2 15%
Unit 2 20%
Unit 2 25%
Unit 2 25%
Applied Geography
Assesses skills (which
must include fieldwork)
taught in Unit One
Geographical
Investigations
Four elements; select
one phys and one
human
 Physical (Extreme
Weather or Crowded
Coasts)
 Human (Unequal
Spaces & Re-branding
Managing Change in
Human Environments
Either
 Managing urban
change or
 Managing rural change
AND either
 The energy issue or
 The growth of tourism
Changing Human
Environments
Two themes:
 Investigating
population change
 Investigating
settlement change in
MEDCs
What kind of assessment at AS?
Criteria
AQA
Style of
Total 3 hours
assessment
at AS
Unit 1: 2 hours
Progression from
short to extended
written responses
Unit 2: 1 hour
Structured skills
questions, with
fieldwork question
Edexcel
Total 2.5 hours
Unit 1: 1.5 hours
Resource-based
questions. Do all of
Section A and B
OCR
Total 3 hours
Units 1 and 2: 1.5
hours each
 Section A Two
structured data
response
Unit 2: 1 hour
questions
Do 2 from 4 essay Section B one
style questions (with
extended writing
parts a, b and c) on
themes taught in
Unit 2
WJEC
Total 3 hours
Units 1 and 2: 1.5
hours each
 Structured data
response
questions on each
theme
 Question on
research and outof-classroom work,
including fieldwork
in relation to each
theme.
What kind of content at A2? Unit 3
Criteria
A2 content
and
weighting
Unit 3
AQA
Edexcel
OCR
WJEC
Unit 3 30%
Unit 3 30%
Unit 3 30%
Unit 3 30%
Contemporary
Geographical Issues
Contested Planet.
Global Issues
Contemporary Themes &
Research in Geography
Focuses on a range of
themes, for research
Focus on use and
management of
resources, and issues
arising:
Three chosen from six:
Section A Contemporary
Themes
Select three; one
physical and one human
minimum
Physical
 Plate tectonics
 Weather and Climate
and hazards
 Challenges facing
ecosystems
Human
 World Cities
 Development and
Globalisation
 Contemporary conflict
and challenge
 Energy Security
 Water conflicts
 Biodiversity under
threat
 Superpower
geographies
 Bridging the
development gap
 The technological fix?
Environmental issues: Choose one from:
 Earth hazards
 Extreme environments
 Ecosystems and
 Landforms and their
environments under
management
threat
 Climatic hazards
 Climatic hazards
and one from
 Development
Economic issues:
 Globalisation
 Population and
 Emerging Asia Š India or
resources
China
 Globalisation
 Development and
Section B: Research Enquiry
inequalities
Board sets one investigative
theme a year for each of
these options:
 Crime
 Deprivation
 Disease
 Environmental Psychology
 Leisure and Recreation
 Microclimates
 Pollution
 Retailing
 Rivers
 Ecosystems
What kind of content at A2? Unit 4
Criteria
A2 content
and
weighting
AQA
Unit 4 20%
Edexcel
Unit 4 20%
OCR
Unit 4 20%
WJEC
Unit 4 20%
Either Unit 4A
Geographical Skill
Sustainability
Unit 4
Geography Fieldwork
Investigation
A 1.5 hour examination
paper based on
candidates’ own
individual fieldwork
investigation. The exam
focuses on evaluation.
Geographical
Research
Teachers or candidates
select a specialism in
one area:
 Tectonic activity and
hazards
 Cold Environments –
landscapes and
change
 Life on the margins:
the food supply
problem
 The world of cultural
diversity
 Pollution and human
health at risk
 Consuming the rural
landscape – leisure
and tourism
 Identifying a suitable
geographical question
or hypothesis for
investigation
 Developing a plan
and strategy for
conducting the
investigation
 Collecting and
recording appropriate
data
 Presenting the data
collected in
appropriate forms
 Analysing and
interpreting the data
Four themes
 Sustainable
supply
 Sustainable
supply
 Sustainable
 Sustainable
Or Unit 4B
Geographical Issue
Evaluation
A pre-release booklet
available 2 months
before the examination.
food
water
energy
Cities
What kind of assessment at A2?
Criteria
Style of
assessment
at A2
AQA
Total 4 hours
Edexcel
Total 4 hours
OCR
Total 3½ hours
WJEC
Total 4 hours
Unit 3 2.5 hours
Unit 3 2.5 hours.
Unit 3 2 hours
Unit 3 2.25 hours
A progression from short
structured questions, to
extended paragraphs,
plus one essay
Includes pre-released
synoptic resource
material 3 weeks before
exam. Candidates
answer 2 extended
written questions from
Section A (Contested
Planet) and all of B
(Synoptic Investigation)
Section A: 3 structured
questions requiring
data response, and
extended writing.
Section B: 2 essays
2 essays, one from
each
optional theme studied
one question based on
the individual research
enquiry from the
findings of the prereleased topic area.
Unit 4 1.5 hours
Either
Unit 4A a 1.5 hour exam
evaluating candidates’
fieldwork investigation.
Unit 4 1.5 hours.
Unit 4 1.5 hours
Unit 4 1.75 hours
Candidates answer one Section A: 2 questions
essay on pre-released to be done about
theme.
different stages of their
investigation.
Or
Section B: 1 piece of
Unit 4B a 1.5 hour exam
resource-based
on a pre-release issue
extended writing based
analysis.
on process of
geographical
investigation
Pre-released booklet
covering combination of
some or all of the 4
themes. Synoptic
Section A; candidates
draw on other studies
from course.
Progression in assessment AS to A2?
Criteria
Styles of
assessment
AQA
Units 1 & 2
Progression from short
to extended
responses, includes
skills questions
Unit 3 Progression
structured answers to
essay
How is ‘stretch
and challenge’
achieved?
Edexcel
Unit 1
Resource-based
structured questions
Unit 2 Essay
OCR
Unit 1 and 2
Progression from
Section A (structured
data response
questions) to B
(extended writing)
Unit 3 Extended
Unit 3 Progression
responses plus
from structured
synoptic issue analysis answers to essays
Unit 4 Analytical and / Unit 4 Single Extended
or evaluative extended Essay
writing depending on
choice
Clear statement about  Clear statement
use of open-ended
about use of openquestions, and higher
ended questions,
order stems – analyse,
and higher order
evaluate etc. – plus
stems – analyse,
use of extended writing
evaluate etc.
 Use of extended
writing
 ‘Improved synoptic
assessment’
Unit 4 Single piece of
extended writing
WJEC
Units 1 & 2
Resource-based;
progression from short
to extended responses
Unit 3 Two essays and
one question based on
the individual research
enquiry
Unit 4 Extended
analytical writing
By general
General reference
suggestions to teach
about differentiation.
beyond the concepts at
AS.
Use of extended
writing in Unit 3.
Final question of Unit 4
How much assessment? How flexible?
Criteria
AQA
Total
examination 7 hours
time over 2
years
Timing of AS Unit 1 and Unit 2
units
available in both
exam cycles
Edexcel
OCR
WJEC
6.5 hours
6.5 hours
7 hours
Unit 1 January and
June
Unit 2 June
Not specified, but
Unit 1 and Unit 2
implies that both
available in both
available in January exam cycles
and June.
Timing of A2 Unit 3 and Unit 4
units
available in both
exam cycles
Unit 3 Jan and June
Unit 4 June only
Not specified, but
Unit 3 and Unit 4
implies that both
available in both
available in January exam cycles
and June.
Pre-release
materials?
Yes, if Unit 4B is
selected (6-8 weeks
ahead)
Yes, in each of units No
3 and 4 (3 weeks
ahead)
Yes, Unit 4 (6
weeks ahead)
How is the
synoptic
element
assessed?
Assessed through
Units 3 and 4 –
generic statement
rather than specific
references
As a part of Unit 3 – Assessed through
pre-released
Units 3 and 4 –
resource analysis
generic statement
rather than specific
references
Assessed in Units 3
and 4; specific
elements related to
synopticity
Where’s the fieldwork or research?
Criteria
How is
fieldwork and
investigative
research
approached?
How is
fieldwork and
investigative
research
approached?
Where
assessed,
can fieldwork
or research
be taken into
the exam?
AQA
Edexcel
OCR
WJEC
 Explicit requirement
 Explicit requirement  Explicit requirement Recognised as an
in specification
for Unit 2
in specification
element of teaching
 Integrated into
 In Unit 2,
 Candidates
Unit s 1 and 2, but not
questions
examination
expected to use
prescribed or formally
assessing Units 1
fieldwork forms basis
fieldwork in Unit 2
assessed
and 2, with one
of Q2
examination
specific question
focused on
fieldwork
Investigative
research in Unit 4.
Fieldwork is an option
for Unit 4
If Unit 4a chosen, yes
Dedicated Unit 4
Fieldwork might
assist depending
upon theme chosen.
No
No
Fieldwork may be
essential for Unit 3
depending upon
theme selected by
Board.
Not stated but
assume not.
How much guidance is there for teachers?
Criteria
AQA
Specification Generic approach
Approach Š
 Content lists to
conceptual vs
provide guidance
content,
about what should be
thematic or
taught. These are
place
usually presented as
themes or
components of the
main units
Edexcel
OCR
WJEC
Generic approach
 Key Questions to
focus the topic
 Key Ideas which
provide guidance
 Guidance for
teaching and learning
to provide focus on
theme, place and
scale, and sometimes
how it might be taught
(e.g. student
research)
Generic approach
 Questions to focus
the topic
 Key Ideas which
provide guidance
 Guidance for
teaching and learning
to provide focus on
theme, place and
scale, and sometimes
how it might be taught
(e.g. student
research)
Generic approach
 Key Questions to
focus the topic
 Content which
provides guidance for
teaching and learning
to provide focus on
theme, place and
scale
 Illustrative
examples of
research to help
focus teaching and
learning
 Suggested
examples which
provides guidance on
place and/or scale or
current issues
 Links to other units,
for curriculum
mapping
How fresh or up-to-date are the new specs?
Criteria
AQA
Concepts
Edexcel
Concepts
OCR
Concepts
WJEC
Concepts
AS – Food and
AS – globalisation, AS – energy
AS – climate
‘New’
energy supply,
climate change, re- issues
change, urban
approaches /
Health (though not
branding places,
process & change
content /
new to this spec)
unequal places
A2 – Environments in MEDC,
concepts;
and spaces
sustainability and
under threat,
inclusion and A2 – Globalisation,
flood risks etc
globalisation
importance of Contemporary
A2 – new
contemporary conflicts and
superpowers,
A2 – New
topics?
challenges – very
energy security,
Superpowers; plus
open choice
water conflict,
options e.g. Crime,
consumerism,
Deprivation,
technological fix.
Geography of
Disease,
Environmental
Biodiversity, not
Psychology
ecosystems
Very up-to-date
exemplars used in
Guidance
Unit 4 focus
explicitly on
sustainability
How much freedom of choice is there?
Criteria
AQA
Units 1 & 2
Options or
Core plus choice
compulsory? of 1 from 3
Unit 3
Choice of 3 from
6
Edexcel
Units 1 and 3
Compulsory
OCR
Unit 1 and 2
Choice of 2 from
4 in each unit
WJEC
Units 1, 2 and 4
Compulsory
Unit 2
Choice of 2 from
4
Unit 3
Choice of 3 from
6
Unit 3
Choice in ¤A
2 from 6
Choice in ¤B
made by WJEC
Unit 4
Unit 4
Choice of style of Choice of 1 from
assessment;
6
freedom of choice
if fieldwork
chosen in Unit 4a
Unit 4
Freedom of
choice of topic for
fieldwork /
investigation
Final thoughts?
Criteria
AQA
An update from
the present
Other remarks
specification
or features of
note
A lot of curriculum
choice; choice in
every Unit.
Probably the
shortest
specification and
the simplest to
follow.
Edexcel
OCR
WJEC
An explicit attempt An explicit attempt An update from
to merge two
to merge two
the present with a
specifications.
specifications.
lot of
contemporary
concepts and
A significant
Offers choice in
issues.
update from the
every unit.
present B
specification, with Probably the most More compulsory
integrated
content than
traditional
concepts and
others, but flexible
specification in
content from the A
Units at A2 reduce
appearance, but
specification
this and give the
does not have to
feeling of choice.
be taught in this
Significant choice.
way.
Big on
sustainability.
Explicit use of
themes and
concepts current
within HEI.
Big on
sustainability.
Very up-to-date
exemplars