Looking forward Looking forward to the to the

new A levelsnew A levels

Bob Digby

University College School, London

Acknowledgments and thanks to:

– Subject officers at the 4 main English and Welsh subject boards;

– Sue Warn, for insight into candidate numbers post-16; – Simon Oakes for the use of his research into HEI

attitudes towards school geography; – Matt Gregory at Edexcel for the use of Edexcel research; – The GA and the RGS for their positioning statements

regarding Geography and its status; – The RGS for their annual analysis about candidate

numbers in Geography

1. Where we are now– Revisions to the new 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: submission now, approval June, in

schools September 07, first teaching 2008, first AS/A2 awards in 2009/2010

– Compliance with QCA subject criteria e.g. ‘stretch and challenge’

– One specification per Board, and the implications of that. The death of specifications with low take-up e.g. OCR B?

– 4 modules not 6; when will candidates take these?

2. Questions – Will change actually reduce the burden of assessment?

Or will the Boards shoe-horn 6 modules into 4?– No coursework permitted: will this impact upon the

number of candidates in Geography?– What happens to fieldwork? How will the different

Boards preserve fieldwork as an integral part of Geography?

– How far has the introduction of AS/A2 and modularity benefited Geography?

– Time to reflect - what have been the advantages and disadvantages of the present system?

– We now have a generation of exam-wise 16-18 year-olds – but are they better geographers?

Decline in Geographycandidates at GCSE2000-2006

Now 8th most popular subject at GCSE in England and Wales(though 5th in Wales itself)

3. Where have all the Geographers gone?

Decline in A levelGeography Candidates 1989 - 2006

The 9th most popular at A2

Subject Ra n k a t AS

Ra n k a t A2

Engl ish 1 1

Ge n e ral St u d ie s 2 2

Maths 5 3

Bio logy 4 4

His t ory 7 5

Ps ych ology 3 6

Art an d De s ign 6 7

Ch em is try 8 8

Ge o gr a p h y 12 9

Med ia St u d ies 9 10

Ph ys ics 13 11

S ocia l S cie nc e 11 12

PE 14 13

Te chn o logy S u bj e ct s 16 14

Exp res sive Art s 19 15

But it increases into A2 - where retention is good

Geography’s popularity decreases from GCSE (8th) to AS (12th)

So - those who ‘get it’ enjoy it and stay with it

The problem is getting students on board in the first place - at age 14, then at 16

4. Several factors in play– All specifications down except WJEC– Edexcel B is down by about nearly 2000 to 10000 a) The loss of large post-16 colleges; AS fieldwork requirements in year 12 a

big problem if you have 200 titles to arrange b) The loss of large colleges alone resulted in a loss of nearly 500 candidates

in this one specification c) Increases in fees. In my own school; AS units Edexcel B are double the

cost; about £1000/year on a 2 year cycle. In a large college, that’s one teacher.

– The ability to get modular marking and appeals right at an early stage in 2001, and the attitude of subject officers to this

– School location and catchment, particularly multi-ethnic schools and colleges, in which Geography is a non-option

– The impact of changes to KS3 and 4, particularly post-1996; the impact of falling GCSE numbers; numbers fell 10 000 between 1998 - 2002

5. What’s the competition?– The move to IB, especially in independent and

traditional schools– Bigger range of subjects available - e.g. the

continued rise of psychology– Sexier subjects! Increase in candidates 2003-4: Media/Film/TV studies; 12.5%. Business and Communication Studies; 8.7%. Information and Communication Studies; 6/9%. Home Economics; 5.9%. – Vocational courses

6. The Fieldwork problem– The removal of coursework; how will post-16

fieldwork survive? be assessed? – The issue of coursework and whether its

removal will be seen as a plus or a minus by students

– Fieldwork and examinations do not have a good track record; exam fieldwork questions tend to be predictable and routine

– Will schools and colleges preserve fieldwork as a part of the curriculum - or will it be ‘extra-curricular’?

At AS – Edexcel Spec A Most popular and appropriate

At AS – Edexcel Spec B Most popular and appropriate

• Structured short answer questions

a) Structured short answer questions

• Skills exercises b) Skills exercises • Annotated diagrams c) Annotated diagrams • Extended prose d) Extended prose • Pre-released resources e.g.

issues analysis e) Centre marked (moderated)

coursework Least Popular and appropriate

Least Popular and appropriate

• Centre marked (moderated) coursework

• Full essays

• Multiple choice • One word answer quest ions • One word answer questions • Multiple choice

7. What kind of Assessment? •Will it matter if two specifications merge?•Edexcel researched teachers of the current Specifications A and B; what did they feel were the most appropriate means of assessment at AS?

8. What kind of assessment?

At A2 – Spec A Most popular and appropriate

A2 Assessment – Spec B Most popular and appropriate

• Full essays • Extended prose • Skills exercises • Full essays • Extended prose • Research reports • Annotated diagrams • Pre-released resources eg

issues analysis • Pre-released resources eg

issues analysis • Skills exercises

Least popular

Least Popular

• Centre marked (moderated) coursework

• Centre marked (moderated) coursework

• Multiple choice • One word answer questions • One word answer questions • Multiple choice

Edexcel research at A2 into what schools thought was the most appropriate means of assessing candidates at A2

So - marrying two specifications should not present difficulties in terms of assessment style

9. How far will the subject get a facelift in the new specifications?

Eleanor Rawling’s lecture at the 2005 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’

10. How should the subject be updated?

• The GA’s Action Plan and the curriculum work within the GA and the RGS

• Time for place-focused learning - NOT case studies!• 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 - e.g. of

sustainability

The new specificationsThe new specifications

• 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?What kind of content at AS?Criteria AQA Ede xcel OCR WJEC AS content and we ighting

Unit 1 35 % Phys ic al an d Huma n Geography Two el e me nts • Physical (Rivers pl usone of Col dEnvironment ,s Coast alEnvironments or Ho tdese rts an dmargins)

• Human (Glob alpopulati on change pl usone of Food Supply Issue ,s Energy Supply Issues or Health Issues

Unit 2 15% Applied Geography Assesses skills (whic hmust include fieldwork) taught in Unit One

Unit 1 30% Global Challenges Tw o elements • World at Risk (Hazard sand Global Warmin )g

• Going Globa l(Population & Migratio )n

Unit 2 20% Geographic alInvestigations Fo ur elemen ;ts selec tone phys a nd on ehuman • Physical (Extreme Weather or Crowd edCoast )s

• Human (Uneq ualSpaces & Re-brandin g

)Places

Unit 1 25% Managing Physic alEnvironments Choice is n ot explicit – except throu gh t heassessme ntrequirements Either • River environments or • Coastal environments AND either • Cold environments or • Hota rid and semi-ari denvironments

Unit 2 25% Managi ng Chan ge i nHuman Environments Either • Managi ng urba nchange or

• Managi ng rural change AND either • The energy issue or • The growth of touris m

Unit 1 25% Changing Physic alEnvironments Tw o the :mes • Investigating climat echange

• Investigating tecto nicand hydrologic alchange

Unit 2 25% Changing Huma nEnvironments Tw o the :mes • Investigatin gpopulati on change

• Investigatin gsettlement change in MEDCs

What kind of assessment at AS?What kind of assessment at AS?

Criteria AQA Edexc e l OCR WJEC Styl e of assessme nt at AS

Total 3 ho urs Unit 1: 2 ho urs Progre s sion fr om shor t to e xtende d written re s ponses Unit 2: 1 ho ur Structure d s kills question s , with fieldwork que s tion

Total 2.5 hours Unit 1: 1.5 h ours Resource -base d question s . Do all of Sectio n A an d B Unit 2: 1 ho ur Do 2 from 4 es s ay-style que s tions (wit h part s a , b a nd c) on them e s taugh t in Unit 2

Total 3 ho urs Units 1 a nd 2: 1.5 hours ea c h • Section A Twostructured da tarespons equestions

• Section B on eextended writing

Total 3 hours Units 1 and 2: 1.5 hours each • Structured da tarespons equestions on eac htheme

• Question o nresearch and out-of-classroom work,

includingfieldwor k in relation to eac h

theme.

What kind of content at A2? Unit 3What kind of content at A2? Unit 3Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC A2 c ontent and weighting Unit 3

Unit 3 30% Conte mporary Geogra phical Issues Focus e s on a range of themes, for research Se lect three ; one physi cal and one hum a n minimum Physi c al • Plate tectonics • Weather andC limatea nd hazards

• Challenges fac ingecosystems

Human • WorldCities • Development and Globalisation

• Contemporary conflict and challenge

3 30%Unit Contested Planet.

Focus on use and management of

, resources and iss uesarisin :g • EnergySecurity • Water conflicts • Biodiversity under threat

• Superpower geographies

• Bridging the development gap

• The technological ?fix

3 Unit 30%

Global Issues

Three chosen from :six Environmental :issues • Earth hazards • Ecosystems and

environments under threat

• Climatic hazards Economic :issues • Population and

resources • Globalisation • Development and

inequalities

3 30%Unit Contemporary Themes & Research in Geography

Section A Contemporary Themes

Choose one :from • Extreme environments • Landforms and their management

• Climati c hazards andone from

• Development • Globalisation • Emerging Asia – India or China

Section B: Research Enquiry Board setsone investigative theme a year for each of these option :s

• Crime • Deprivation • Disease • Environmental Psychology • Leisureand Recreation • Microclimates • Pollution • Retailing • Rivers • Ecosystems

What kind of content at A2? Unit 4What kind of content at A2? Unit 4

Criteria AQA Ede xcel OCR WJEC A2 c onte nt and we ighting Unit 4

Unit 4 20 % Either Unit 4A Geography Fie ldwork Inves tigation A 1.5 hour e xamination pa per ba s ed o n cand ida tes’ o wn individual fieldwork invest igat ion. The e xam focus es on eva luat ion. Or Unit 4B Geographic al Is s ue Evaluation A pre -rele ase b ooklet availa ble 2 months be fore the exa mina tion.

Unit 4 20 % Geographic al Res e arc h Te ac hers or ca ndidate s selec t a s pec ialism in one a re a: • Tectonic activity an dhazards

• Cold Environments – landscap es and change

• Life on the mar : gins thefood supply

problem • The wo rld of cultu raldiversity

• Pollution a nd huma nhealt h at risk

• Consuming the ru rallandscap e – leisur eand tourism

Unit 4 20% Geographical Skill • Identifyin g a suitabl egeographi cal questio nor hypothesis f orinvestigation

• Developing a pl anand strategy f orconducti ng th einvestigation

• Collecti ng an drecordi ng appropriat edata

• Presenting t he dat acollected i nappropriate forms

• Analysin g an dinterpreting t he data

Unit 4 20% Sustainability Four themes • Sustainable foo dsupply

• Sustainable wate rsupply

• Sustainable energy • Sustainable Cities

What kind of assessment at A2?What kind of assessment at A2?Criteria AQA Ede xcel OCR WJEC Style o f as s es sm e nt at A2

Total 4 h ours Unit 3 2. 5 hou rs A progressi on from s hort stru ctured quest ions , to exte nded p a ragra phs , plus one es s ay Unit 4 1. 5 hou rs Either Unit 4A a 1.5 h our e xam eval uating candida tes’ fieldwork inve stigation. Or Unit 4B a 1.5 h our e xam on a pre-re lea s e iss ue anal ysis.

Total 4 h ours Unit 3 2. 5 hou rs. Includes p re-rele as e d synoptic re s ource mater ial 3 weeks before exam. Candida tes ans wer 2 exte nde d writte n que s tions from Secti on A (Contes ted Plane t) a nd all of B (Synoptic Investi gation) Unit 4 1. 5 hou rs. Cand ida tes ans wer one essa y on pre-re lea s ed the me.

Total 3 ho urs Unit 3 2 ho urs Secti on A: 3 st ructured que s tions requiring da ta res pons e, a nd exte nded writing. Secti on B: 2 es s ays Unit 4 1. 5 hou rs Secti on A: 2 quest ions to be done a bout diffe re nt s tages of their invest igat ion. Secti on B: 1 piece of res ource-ba s ed exte nded writing bas e d on proces s of ge ograph ical invest igat ion

Total 4 h ours Unit 3 2. 25 h ours 2 es s ays , one from eac h optiona l theme s tudie d one quest ion ba s ed on the individual res e arch en quiry from the findings of the p re-rele as e d topic a rea. Unit 4 1. 75 h ours Pre -rele as e d bo oklet cove ring combinat ion of some or all of the 4 the mes . S ynoptic Secti on A; candida tes dra w on othe r s tudie s from course.

Progression in assessment AS to A2?Progression in assessment AS to A2?Criteria AQA Ede xcel OCR WJEC Style s of as s es sm e nt

Units 1 & 2 Pro gress ion from s hort to e xte nde d res pons es , include s skills quest ions Unit 3 P rogres sion stru ctured a nswe rs to essa y Unit 4 Analytical an d / or eva luative ex te nded writing dep e nding on choice

Unit 1 Res ource-bas ed stru ctured quest ions Unit 2 Es s ay Unit 3 Extende d res pons es plus synoptic iss ue a nalysis Unit 4 S ingle Exte nded Essa y

Unit 1 a nd 2 Pro gress ion from Secti on A (s tructure d da ta res pons e que s tions) to B (extende d writing) Unit 3 P rogres sion from s tructured ans wers to ess a ys Unit 4 Single pie ce of exte nded writing

Units 1 & 2 Res ource-bas ed; progressi on from short to e xte nde d res ponses Unit 3 Two ess ays and one quest ion ba s ed on the individual res e arch en quiry Unit 4 Extende d anal ytical writing

How is ‘stre tc h and c halle nge’ ac hieve d?

Clea r st a te me nt a bout use of op e n-ende d que s tions, an d highe r order st e ms – a nalys e, eval ua te e tc. – plus use of e xte nded writing

• Clear stateme ntabo ut use of open-end ed questio , nsand higher ord er

stems– analyse, evaluate et .c

• Use of extende dwriting

• ‘Improv ed synopti casses ’sment

By gener alsuggesti ons to tea chbeyond the concepts at

. AS

General referen ceabo ut differentiation.

Use of extende dwriting in U 3.nit Final question of U 4nit

How much assessment? How flexible?How much assessment? How flexible?Criteria AQA Edexc e l OCR WJEC Total exam ination time ove r 2 years

7 hours

6.5 ho urs

6.5 ho urs

7 hours

Timing of A S units

Unit 1 and Unit 2 available in b oth exa m cycles

Unit 1 Janua ry and June Unit 2 Jun e

Not specifie d, but implies tha t bot h avail able in J a nuar y and Jun e .

Unit 1 and Unit 2 available in b oth exa m cycles

Timing of A2 units

Unit 3 and Unit 4 available in b oth exa m cycles

Unit 3 Ja n and June Unit 4 Jun e only

Not specifie d, but implies tha t bot h available in J a nuar y and Jun e .

Unit 3 and Unit 4 available in b oth exa m cycles

Pre -releas e materi als?

Yes , if Unit 4B is selecte d (6-8 wee ks ahead)

Yes , in ea ch of units 3 and 4 (3 wee ks ahead)

No Yes , Unit 4 (6 weeks ahead)

How is th e sy noptic elem e nt assesse d?

Ass e sse d thro ugh Units 3 a nd 4 – generic s ta teme nt rathe r tha n sp e cific refere nces

As a pa rt of Unit 3 – pre -release d resourc e anal ysis

Ass e sse d thro ugh Units 3 an d 4 – generic s ta teme nt rathe r tha n sp e cific refere nces

Ass e sse d in Units 3 and 4 ; sp e cific element s rela ted to synopt icity

Where’s the fieldwork or research? Where’s the fieldwork or research?

Criteria AQA Edexc e l OCR WJEC How is fieldwo rk and inve sti g ative res earch app roached?

• Explicit requiremen t

forUni t 2 • In Uni 2, texaminatio nfieldwork forms basi sof Q2

• Explicit requiremen t

inspecification • Candidate sexpected t o u sefieldwork in Unit 2 examination

Recognise d a s a nelement o f teachin gUnits 1 an d 2, bu t n otprescribe d or form allyassessed

• Explicit requiremen t inspecification

• Integrated int oquestion sassessing Unit 1 sand 2, with on especific questio nfocuse d o nfieldwork

How i sfieldwork a ndinvestigativ eresearc happroach ?ed

Fieldwork isa n optio n

forUni t 4

Investigativ eresearch i n Uni 4.t Fieldwork migh tassis t dependin gupo n them e chose .n

Dedicated U 4nit

Fieldwork m ayb eessential for Uni t 3 dependin g upo ntheme selecte d b yBoar .d

Wher eassessed, can fieldwor k

or researc h be taken int o

the exa ?m

If Unit 4 a chosen, yes

No

No

Not state d b utassum e n .ot

How much guidance is there for teachers? How much guidance is there for teachers?

Criteria AQA Edexc e l OCR WJEC Spe c ification Approach – conc eptual vs content, the matic or place

Generic a pproac h • Conte nt lists toprovide guida nceabout what should b etaught. These a reusually present ed asthemes o rcomponents of th emain units

Gen eric approach • Key Questions to focus the topic

• Key Ideas whic hprovide guidance

• Guidance f orteaching and learnin gto provi de focus o ntheme, pla ce an dscale, and sometimes how it mi ght be taugh t(e. .g stud entresearc )h

Gen eric approach • Questions to focu s

thetopic • Key Ideas whic hprovide guidance

• Guidance f orteaching and learnin g

toprovi de focus o ntheme, pla ce an dscale, and sometimes how it mi ght be taugh t(e. .g stud entresearc )h

Gen eric approach • Key Questions to focus the topic

• Content whic hprovides guidance fo rteaching and learnin g

toprovi de focus o ntheme, pla ce an dscale

• Illustrative example s ofresearch to hel pfocus teachi ng an dlearning

• Suggest edexamples which provides guidance o nplace and/or scale o rcurrent issues

• Links to other units, forcurriculum

mapping

Criteria AQA Edexc e l OCR WJEC ‘Ne w’ approa c he s / conte nt / conce pts; incl us io n an d importanc e of conte mpora ry topic s ?

Conce pts • AS – Food andenergy supply,

Health(though no t new to this s )pec

• 2 A – Globalisation, Contemporar yconflicts an dchallenge s – ver y

open choice

Concepts • AS – globalisation, climate change, re-

branding places, unequal place s

and spaces • 2 A – new superpowers, energy security, water conflict, consumerism, technological fix.

• Biodiversity, no tecosystems

• Very up-to-dat eexemplars used i nGuidance

Concepts • AS – ener gyissues

• 2 A – Environment sunder threat, globalisation

Concepts • AS – climat echange, urba nprocess & chan ge in MEDC,

sustainability an d flood risks etc

• 2 A – Ne wSuperpowers; plu soptions .e g. Crime, Deprivation, Geography o fDisease, Environmenta lPsychology

• Unit4 fo cusexplicitly onsustainability

How fresh or up-to-date are the new specs? How fresh or up-to-date are the new specs?

How much freedom of choice is there? How much freedom of choice is there?

Criteria AQA Edexc el OCR WJEC Options or compu lsor y?

Units 1 & 2 Core p lus ch oice of 1 from 3 Unit 3 Choi ce of 3 from 6 Unit 4 Choi ce of s tyle of as sessment; freedo m of choice if fie ldwork chosen in Unit 4a

Units 1 and 3 Compulso ry Unit 2 Choi ce of 2 from 4 Unit 4 Choi ce of 1 from 6

Unit 1 a nd 2 Choi ce of 2 from 4 in ea ch unit Unit 3 Choi ce of 3 from 6 Unit 4 Freedo m of cho ice of topic for fieldwork / invest iga tion

Units 1, 2 and 4 Compulso ry Unit 3 Choi ce in §A 2 from 6 Choi ce in §B made by WJEC

Final thoughts? Final thoughts? Criteria AQA Edexc e l OCR WJEC Other re marks or fe ature s of no te

• An upda te fro m

the presen tspecification

• A lot of curriculu mchoice; choice inevery Unit.

• Probably th eshortes tspecification an dthe simples t to

. follow

• An explicit attemp tto merge tw ospecifications.

• A significan tupdate fro m thepresent Bspecification, wit hintegrate dconcepts an dconten t fro m the Aspecification

• Significant choice. • Explicit use o fthemes an dconcept s curren t

withinHEI. • Big o nsustainabilit .y

• Very up-to-dat eexemplars

• An explicit attemp tto merge tw ospecifications.

• Offers choice i nevery unit.

• Probably the mos ttraditiona lspecification i nappearance, bu t

does not ha ve to be taught in thi s.way

• An upda te fro m

the present with a loto f

contemporar yconcepts an dissues.

• More compulsor yconten t thanothers, bu t flexibl e

Unitsa t A2 reduc e this and give th e

feelingof choice. • Big o nsustainabilit .y

11. What of the future? Strengths of the subject

– Strengths of the subject shown in RGS findings; numbers hold up once students are on board– but it is getting the students in the first place.

– Post-16 teaching is generally good, and remains better than at KS3

– At HEI, geographers retain their employability, and relatively few drop out or switch courses

– Teaching quality in HEI is very good

12. What of the future? Weaknesses

– Geography is perceived as difficult / hard work by students in school. Different subjects make differing demands - my own students claim that responses in Economics require less explanation and content than Geography.

– Will coursework do us a favour in disappearing? At GCSE, geographical enquiries tend to be far more lengthy compared with e.g. requirements for History. Dos this put some students off?

– The continued encroachment of our own subject – e.g ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ used in English GCSE and Media Studies

13. What of the future? Opportunities

– Is this the right time to for Exam Boards to present more of the same?

– Or should specifications create a new view and definition of geography for the 21st century?

– There is a market for traditional geography. But – it is worth reminding ourselves that the greatest growth in candidate numbers occurred the 1980s with the 16-19 syllabus. The risks in updating might be worth taking.

– A new generation is gradually replacing an ageing profession. What are recently qualified teachers best qualified to teach? Should we close further the gulf between school Geography and HEI?

14. What of the future? Threats.

– Is difference between specifications OK?

– Do we want to be a subject that presents different interpretations of itself via different specifications? It’s not uncommon in other subjects!

– In selecting what should be taught, should we go for ‘popular’ themes? Historians have turned this into strength.

– The debate among geographers remains as ever – the pursuit of breadth? or depth? Traditional - or modern?

– Whatever we decide will live with us for the next 5-8 years. Let’s get it right!