CPD Geography GCSE spec A Autumn 2012 Controlled Assessment Developing decision making skills

Step 1 Choose a context where there is no clear best decision Candidates need to be challenged to consider the merits of each option. They must weigh up the evidence rather than simply describe it. Sorting / sifting / prioritising / ranking are all higher order skills and should be clearly evident in level 3 and 4.

Step 2 Choose an issue where people have different opinions Candidates can engage with different opinions even at lower levels and use them as part of their decision making process At higher levels candidates should comment on bias / vested interest of a range of stakeholders group Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 A Y N B C D

Encourage students to demonstrate decision making skills

The development compass NATURE How will the landscape, wildlife, ecosystems, air or water be affected? N ECONOMY What are the positive or negative multipliers? Will the economic benefits be short or long term? WHO are the: stakeholders? decision makers? gatekeepers? E W S SOCIETY How will different groups of people be affected?

Banning fishing on sections of the reef that have suffered overfishing Diamond ranking Allowing one area to become sacrificed to visitor pressure eg the reef at Cancun Banning visitors from damaged sections of the reef to allow times for recovery Restricting the number of divers to some fragile sites, perhaps by increasing the cost of access to the reef Conservation and restoration of the ecosystem. This includes careful monitoring of the effects of pollution and diving on the corals. Educating divers and tourists to be more sensitive to the needs of the environment Offering alternative employment to fishermen, eg as visitor guides Spreading visitors over a wider area so that their impact on each section of reef is minimized Making rainforest sites, such as Bermudian Landing, much more accessible to tourists

Cost / benefit analysis Advantages Disadvantages SOCIAL ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTAL

Sequence of six thinking hats (De Bono) Develop goals/objectives Outline reactions to the problem. Who is affected and how? What is the solution? What do we know about this solution? What are the advantages? Who benefits? What are the potential problems and for whom? Which solution best meets the objective? Why?