Looking forward to the new A levels

Looking forward Looking forward to the to the

new A levelsnew A levelsBob 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 Rank at AS

Rank at A2

English 1 1

General Studies 2 2

Maths 5 3

Biology 4 4

History 7 5

Psychology 3 6

Art and Design 6 7

Chemistry 8 8

Geography 12 9

Media Studies 9 10

Physics 13 11

Social Science 11 12

PE 14 13

Technology Subjects 16 14

Expressive Arts 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 questions 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



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 Edexcel OCR WJEC AS content and weighting

Unit 1 35% 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

Unit 2 15% Applied Geography Assesses skills (which must include fieldwork) taught in Unit One

Unit 1 30% Global Challenges Two elements World at Risk (Hazards

and Global Warming) Going Global

(Population & Migration)

Unit 2 20% Geographical Investigations Four elements; select one phys and one human Physical (Extreme

Weather or Crowded Coasts)

Human (Unequal Spaces & Re-branding Places)

Unit 1 25% Managing Physical Environments Choice is not explicit Š except through the assessment requirements Either River environments or Coastal environments AND either Cold environments or Hot arid and semi-arid

environments

Unit 2 25% Managing Change in Human Environments Either Managing urban

change or Managing rural change AND either The energy issue or The growth of tourism

Unit 1 25% Changing Physical Environments Two themes: Investigating climate

change Investigating tectonic

and hydrological change

Unit 2 25% Changing Human Environments Two themes: Investigating

population change Investigating

settlement change in MEDCs

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

Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC Style of assessment at AS

Total 3 hours Unit 1: 2 hours Progression from short to extended written responses Unit 2: 1 hour Structured skills questions, with fieldwork question

Total 2.5 hours Unit 1: 1.5 hours Resource-based questions. Do all of Section A and B Unit 2: 1 hour Do 2 from 4 essay-style questions (with parts a, b and c) on themes taught in Unit 2

Total 3 hours Units 1 and 2: 1.5 hours each Section A Two

structured data response questions

Section B one extended writing

Total 3 hours Units 1 and 2: 1.5 hours each Structured data

response questions on each theme

Question on research and out-of-classroom work, including fieldwork in relation to each theme.

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

Unit 3 30% Contemporary Geographical Issues Focuses on a range of themes, for research 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

Unit 3 30% Contested Planet. Focus on use and management of resources, and issues arising: Energy Security Water conflicts Biodiversity under

threat Superpower

geographies Bridging the

development gap The technological fix?

Unit 3 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

Unit 3 30% Contemporary Themes & Research in Geography Section A Contemporary Themes

Choose one from: Extreme environments Landforms and their

management Climatic hazards

and one from Development Globalisation Emerging Asia Š India or

China Section B: Research Enquiry 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 4What kind of content at A2? Unit 4Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC A2 content and weighting Unit 4

Unit 4 20% Either Unit 4A Geography Fieldwork Investigation A 1.5 hour examination paper based on candidatesÕ own individual fieldwork investigation. The exam focuses on evaluation. Or Unit 4B Geographical Issue Evaluation A pre-release booklet available 2 months before the examination.

Unit 4 20% Geographical Research Teachers or candidates select a specialism in one area: Tectonic activity and

hazards Cold Environments Š

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 Š leisure and tourism

Unit 4 20% Geographical Skill 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

Unit 4 20% Sustainability Four themes Sustainable food

supply Sustainable water

supply Sustainable energy Sustainable Cities

What kind of assessment at A2?What kind of assessment at A2?Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC Style of assessment at A2

Total 4 hours Unit 3 2.5 hours A progression from short structured questions, to extended paragraphs, plus one essay Unit 4 1.5 hours Either Unit 4A a 1.5 hour exam evaluating candidatesÕ fieldwork investigation. Or Unit 4B a 1.5 hour exam on a pre-release issue analysis.

Total 4 hours Unit 3 2.5 hours. 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) Unit 4 1.5 hours. Candidates answer one essay on pre-released theme.

Total 3 hours Unit 3 2 hours Section A: 3 structured questions requiring data response, and extended writing. Section B: 2 essays Unit 4 1.5 hours Section A: 2 questions to be done about different stages of their investigation. Section B: 1 piece of resource-based extended writing based on process of geographical investigation

Total 4 hours Unit 3 2.25 hours 2 essays, one from each optional theme studied one question based on the individual research enquiry from the findings of the pre-released topic area. Unit 4 1.75 hours 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?Progression in assessment AS to A2?Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC Styles of assessment

Units 1 & 2 Progression from short to extended responses, includes skills questions Unit 3 Progression structured answers to essay Unit 4 Analytical and / or evaluative extended writing depending on choice

Unit 1 Resource-based structured questions Unit 2 Essay Unit 3 Extended responses plus synoptic issue analysis Unit 4 Single Extended Essay

Unit 1 and 2 Progression from Section A (structured data response questions) to B (extended writing) Unit 3 Progression from structured answers to essays Unit 4 Single piece of extended writing

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

How is Ōstretch and challengeÕ achieved?

Clear statement about use of open-ended questions, and higher order stems Š analyse, evaluate etc. Š plus use of extended writing

Clear statement about use of open-ended questions, and higher order stems Š analyse, evaluate etc.

Use of extended writing

ŌImproved synoptic assessmentÕ

By general suggestions to teach beyond the concepts at AS.

General reference about differentiation. Use of extended writing in Unit 3. Final question of Unit 4

How much assessment? How flexible?How much assessment? How flexible?Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC Total examination time over 2 years

7 hours

6.5 hours

6.5 hours

7 hours

Timing of AS units

Unit 1 and Unit 2 available in both exam cycles

Unit 1 January and June Unit 2 June

Not specified, but implies that both available in January and June.


Timing of A2 units


Unit 3 Jan and June Unit 4 June only

Not specified, but implies that both available in January and June.


Pre-release materials?

Yes, if Unit 4B is selected (6-8 weeks ahead)

Yes, in each of units 3 and 4 (3 weeks ahead)

No Yes, Unit 4 (6 weeks ahead)

How is the synoptic element assessed?

Assessed through Units 3 and 4 Š generic statement rather than specific references

As a part of Unit 3 Š pre-released resource analysis

Assessed through Units 3 and 4 Š generic statement rather than specific references

Assessed in Units 3 and 4; specific elements related to synopticity

Where’s the fieldwork or research? Where’s the fieldwork or research? Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC How is fieldwork and investigative research approached?

Explicit requirement

for Unit 2 In Unit 2,

examination fieldwork forms basis of Q2

Explicit requirement

in specification Candidates

expected to use fieldwork in Unit 2 examination

Recognised as an element of teaching Units 1 and 2, but not prescribed or formally assessed

Explicit requirement in specification

Integrated into questions assessing Units 1 and 2, with one specific question focused on fieldwork

How is fieldwork and investigative research approached?

Fieldwork is an option for Unit 4

Investigative research in Unit 4. Fieldwork might assist depending upon theme chosen.

Dedicated Unit 4

Fieldwork may be essential for Unit 3 depending upon theme selected by Board.

Where assessed, can fieldwork or research be taken into the exam?

If Unit 4a chosen, yes

No

No

Not stated but assume not.

How much guidance is there for teachers? How much guidance is there for teachers? Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC Specification Approach Š conceptual vs content, thematic or place

Generic approach Content lists to

provide guidance about what should be taught. These are usually presented as themes or components of the main units

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

Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC ŌNewÕ approaches / content / concepts; inclusion and importance of contemporary topics?

Concepts AS Š Food and energy supply, Health (though not new to this spec)

A2 Š Globalisation, Contemporary conflicts and challenges Š very open choice

Concepts AS Š globalisation, climate change, re-branding places, unequal places and spaces

A2 Š new superpowers, energy security, water conflict, consumerism, technological fix.

Biodiversity, not ecosystems

Very up-to-date exemplars used in Guidance

Concepts AS Š energy issues

A2 Š Environments under threat, globalisation

Concepts AS Š climate change, urban process & change in MEDC, sustainability and flood risks etc

A2 Š New Superpowers; plus options e.g. Crime, Deprivation, Geography of Disease, Environmental Psychology

Unit 4 focus explicitly on sustainability

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 Edexcel OCR WJEC Options or compulsory?

Units 1 & 2 Core plus choice of 1 from 3 Unit 3 Choice of 3 from 6 Unit 4 Choice of style of assessment; freedom of choice if fieldwork chosen in Unit 4a

Units 1 and 3 Compulsory Unit 2 Choice of 2 from 4 Unit 4 Choice of 1 from 6

Unit 1 and 2 Choice of 2 from 4 in each unit Unit 3 Choice of 3 from 6 Unit 4 Freedom of choice of topic for fieldwork / investigation

Units 1, 2 and 4 Compulsory Unit 3 Choice in ¤A 2 from 6 Choice in ¤B made by WJEC

Final thoughts? Final thoughts? Criteria AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC Other remarks or features of note

An update from

the present specification

A lot of curriculum

choice; choice in every Unit.

Probably the

shortest specification and the simplest to follow.

An explicit attempt

to merge two specifications.

A significant

update from the present B specification, with integrated concepts and content from the A specification

Significant choice. Explicit use of

themes and concepts current within HEI.

Big on

sustainability. Very up-to-date

exemplars

An explicit attempt

to merge two specifications.

Offers choice in

every unit. Probably the most

traditional specification in appearance, but does not have to be taught in this way.

An update from

the present with a lot of contemporary concepts and issues.

More compulsory

content than others, but flexible Units at A2 reduce this and give the feeling of choice.

Big on

sustainability.

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!

Documents

Looking forward to the new A levels