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’

Fieldwork

Processes

Balance of Physical and Human

Less Choice

Sense of Discipline

More Choice Rigour in Physical Geography

Progression from GCSE

Embedded Skills

Contemporary and Engaging

Modern Geography

Independent Research

People-Environment

Suitable for a diversity of learners

Local Content

GIS/Big Data/spatial data

Numeracy

A level content – views from the geographical community

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 assessmentHeadlines

•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 2014http://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 geo-located

•Descriptive & inferential statistics & correlation

•Sampling, measurement and errors

• http://www.geography.org.uk/resources/conductingstatisticaltestsforfieldwork

FieldworkAS – 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

• 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

Implications for schools

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/2014nationalcurriculum/assessment/

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