STARTER ACTIVITY What enquiry questions could you pose at each of these field sites?
The future assessment of fieldwork
Rob LucasChief Executive, Field Studies Council
Sponsored by WJEC
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Start teaching reformed GCSE and new GCE
Final controlled
assessment
First assessment reformed GCSE and new GCE
Qualification reform
Spring 2014
Summer2014
Autumn2014
Spring2015
Summer 2015
Autumn2015
Spring2016
Summer 2016
Autumn 2016
reformed GCSE
criteria published
reformed GCSE and new GCE specifications
available
Timeline for development of new geography qualifications
Awarding Organisations develop new specifications
Launch and CPD for new specifications
First teaching
GCE consultation
What is the position of fieldwork in reformed GCSE?
“Fieldwork is crucial to the strong role envisaged for geography in the revised and more challenging curriculum at all levels”
“The scheme of assessment must include an identifiable element or elements assessing fieldwork. This must include assessment of students’ own experiences of fieldwork”
“Fieldwork will be assessed though examination only. It will comprise 15% of the total assessment weighting”
Presentation aims
1. Get students thinking geographically throughout the enquiry process with a view to improving current and future assessment outcomes
• Explore strategies for engaging students in fieldwork enquiry
• Analyse Assessment Objective (AO) weightings and consider what these tell us about possible future models of assessment of fieldwork
What is fieldwork for?1 awe and wonder
Respect for nature and care for the state of the planet
Provoke and raise curiosity
What is fieldwork for?2 collaborative working
Enable learners to co-operate, participate and take responsibility
What is fieldwork for?3 enactive learning
Enable learners to engage with understanding of broad scientific principles such as spatial patterns, change, and sustainability
What is fieldwork for?4 learning to think like a geographer
Engaging learners in the enquiry process
A deficit model of fieldwork?
QuestionPlan
ObserveCollectRecord
RepresentAnalyseApply
Review
In some cases learners have one opportunity to get this right
Transmission > tasks
Work scientifically > think geographically
QuestionPlan
ObserveCollectRecord
RepresentAnalyseApply
Review
Creating a need to knowAsking questions to: Identify issues / problems Be creative Hypothesise Make links with existing
geographical knowledge
Reflecting on learningTo be critical in relation to:
Data sources Techniques used / sampling
strategies Stakeholder views How the enquiry could be improved The value of what was learnt
Using dataUsing primary & secondary data to: Locate / contextualise the enquiry Collect evidence Select evidence Represent the evidence
Making senseQuery the evidence to: Analyse Recognise relationships Reach conclusions Make decisions / solve problems Relate findings to existing knowledge
Acknowledgement: Margaret Roberts
Closed task Framed enquiry Independent enquiry
Questions
A task is presented. Questions are not explicit.
Enquiry questions are selected by teacher but are explicit.
Students decide enquiry questions, framed by teacher input.
Data
Decisions about fieldwork procedure are made by teachers. Data is presented as authoritative evidence.
Decisions about fieldwork procedure are made largely by teachers. Data is presented as information to be interpreted.
Students are involved in key decisions about fieldwork procedure and data sources.
Making sense
Activities devised by teacher to achieve pre-determined objectives. Students follow instructions.
Methods of representation are open to discussion and choice. Analysis is independent.
Students independently analyse evidence and make decisions / reach conclusions.
Reflection
Predictable outcomes. Students discuss what they have learnt; different outcomes.
Students consider the validity of evidence / reliability of data and methods.
Acknowledgement: Margaret Roberts
STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP STUDENT’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENQUIRY PROCESS
THINKING LIKE A GEOGRAPHER
Top Trumps
• Used to develop understanding of locations and environments
• Application of understanding• Development of sampling strategies
Taunton
Population: 58241
People per hectare:
Mean age:
% homes owned outright:
35.04
38
70.48
Minehead
Population: 11699
People per hectare:
Mean age:
% homes owned outright:
30.00
47
53.65
Bishops Lydeard
Population: 1975
People per hectare:
Mean age:
% homes owned outright:
37.98
42
68.94
Watchet
Population: 3710
People per hectare:
Mean age:
% homes owned outright:
40.33
41
61.53
Williton
Population: 2599
People per hectare:
Mean age:
% homes owned outright:
27.36
48
59.41
Wiveliscombe
Population: 2084
People per hectare:
Mean age:
% homes owned outright:
35.32
42
67.07
Carhampton
Population: 780
People per hectare:
Mean age:
% homes owned outright:
29.17
44
38.37
Dunster
Population: 489
People per hectare:
Mean age:
% homes owned outright:
21.03
49
43.27
Interception
Interception Interception Interception Evapo-transpiration Interception
Dew pointCondensation Stem-flow Stem-flow Stem-flow Evapo-
transpiration Stem-flow
Run-off Infiltration Infiltration Infiltration Stem-flow Infiltration
Run-off Run-off Through-flow
Through-flow
Through-flow
Through-flow Infiltration Infiltration
Saturation Saturation
Interception
Interception Interception Interception Evapo-transpiration Interception
Dew pointCondensation Stem-flow Stem-flow Stem-flow Evapo-
transpiration Stem-flow
Run-off Infiltration Infiltration Infiltration Stem-flow Infiltration
Run-off Run-off Through-flow
Through-flow
Through-flow
Through-flow Infiltration Infiltration
Saturation Saturation
Observation skills
• Verbal field sketches• ‘Geography Parrot’• Breaking News
Verbal field sketches
• In pairs facing each other• Person A describes. Person B marks according
to a predefined mark scheme• The twist..... Person A is describing the
landscape behind them, without looking.
‘Geography Parrot’
• Only ever says one sentence...• Encourages next steps on from
labels in field sketches• Begins to consider
– Processes– Consequences– Implications– Future scenarios
So what?
‘Breaking News’
• Either as preparation to the study or on-site• News Headlines
• Brief summary• Information (including details/facts)
• Analysis• Letters to the Editor
Developing Questions
• Questions are generated through observation
• Best done prior to fieldwork to enable ‘whole enquiry’ approach
• In-situ questioning allows ‘anomalies’ to be identified
Assessment of fieldwork
Which parts of the enquiry process do we assess / could we assess?
Creating a need to knowAsking questions to: Identify issues / problems Be creative Hypothesise Make links with existing
geographical knowledge
Reflecting on learningTo be critical in relation to:
Data sources Techniques used / sampling
strategies Stakeholder views How the enquiry could be improved The value of what was learnt
Using dataUsing primary & secondary data to: Locate / contextualise the enquiry Collect evidence Select evidence Represent the evidence
Making senseQuery the evidence to: Analyse Recognise relationships Reach conclusions Make decisions / solve problems Relate findings to existing knowledge
Acknowledgement: Margaret Roberts
Does assessment of AO3 focus our attention on a sub-set of fieldwork skills?
Could we assess this sub-set of skills using other assessment models?
Creating a need to knowAsking questions to: Identify issues / problems Be creative Hypothesise Make links with existing
geographical knowledge
Reflecting on learningTo be critical in relation to:
Data sources Techniques used / sampling
strategies Stakeholder views How the enquiry could be improved The value of what was learnt
Using dataUsing primary & secondary data to: Locate / contextualise the enquiry Collect evidence Select evidence Represent the evidence
Making senseQuery the evidence to: Analyse Recognise relationships Reach conclusions Make decisions / solve problems Relate findings to existing knowledge
Acknowledgement: Margaret Roberts
Do we provide opportunities for students to demonstrate that they can apply their wider geographical understanding to the study area – what we currently term AO2?
How do students access AO2 in their fieldwork enquiry?
How many of you have visited the Lingen Alps in Norway?
Which of these photographs was
takennearest the source?
HOW DID YOU KNOW?
Application of knowledge and understanding
Grade C descriptionAO1 Candidates recall, select and communicate knowledge and understanding of
places, environments, concepts and locations across different scales. They use geographical terminology appropriately.
AO2 They apply their knowledge and understanding of geographical concepts, processes and patterns in a variety of both familiar and unfamiliar physical and human contexts.They understand relationships between people and the environment, identifying and explaining different problems and issues and making geographical decisions that are supported by reasons, including sustainable approaches.
AO3 They select and use a variety of skills, and appropriate techniques and technologies to identify questions and issues to undertake investigations. They collect and record appropriate evidence from different sources, including fieldwork. They analyse and interpret evidence and recognise some of the limitations of evidence to reach plausible conclusions.
Rivers follow a typical pattern
source
mouth
discharge friction Sediment size
smallest greatest greatest
greatest smallest smallest
Not all rivers are typical
Start with the application (AO2)
What are the wider geographical issues, concepts or processes that underpin the enquiry in this specific place?
Sphere of influenceQuality of life
Positive and negative externalities
Inner urban regeneration
Gentrification
Significant changes to AO weightings in fieldwork
reformed GCSE Fieldwork AOs
GCSE WJEC CA weightings
Knowledge & understanding Application
Geographical skills
What are the implications when the weighting for Application is increased and skills decreased?
25% of all assessment
15% of all assessment
Other presentations that may interest
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