Geographic Inquiry -Geography skills and practice ECU103 Geographic Inquiry -Geography skills and practice

Geographic Inquiry Geographic inquiry involves the ability and willingness to ask and answer questions about geospatial phenomena. http://education.nationalgeographic.com.au/education/geographic-skills/1/?ar_a=1

Assignment 2 and 3 Assignment 2 is a plan of your geographic inquiry (a proposal and a template is provided) Assignment 3 is where you conduct the inquiry and report on results and answer the question (a template will be provided when you are given feedback from assignment 2) Keep the inquiry local, make sure you can visit the study site, but then relate to global significance and related issues - what is the relationship of the local to the global.

Remember the Geographic Perspective

The 5 Geographic skills Ask geographic questions Acquire geographic information Data collection phase – quantitative/qualitative/both Organise geographic information Map/tables/graphs/themes/trends/attitudes/opinions Analyse geographic information Relationships/counts/comparisons/statistical Answer geographic questions What does the analysis of data tell you in relation to the question?

Asking Geographic Questions According to the National Geographic Education site a geographic question has characteristics that set it apart from other questions Where is it located? Why is it there? What is this place like? With what is it associated? What are the consequences of its location and associations? Significance of the place and location? These points may be explicit or implicit within the question Forming the question is a most important part of and inquiry as it directs the process and conclusion – practice questions and think about them.

Remember to consider Spatial distribution (spread/clustering/organisation of things over an area) Place (context in space/what the spaces mean to people) Location (locality in space/where things are) Scale and perspective (relative size in relation to generalisation) Patterns (any repeats, sequences or designs that allow you to make predictions about ‘what comes next?’)

Example Questions How does canopy density in Rapid Creek affect water temperature? Is there a relationship between tree distribution and growth patterns and water quality in Rapid Creek? What time of day is most popular for tourists at Bondi Beach? What factors influence number of tourists at Bondi Beach? Make sure the inquiry is do-able – can you access the data you need in the time allowed?

How happy are YOU with your geographic question? Is it do-able? Can you collect the data you need in the time you have? Does it relate to a real world issue that concerns you? Is it a local question that has global implications? Is it a geographic question?

The 5 Geographic skills Ask geographic questions Acquire geographic information Data collection phase – quantitative/qualitative/both Organise geographic information Map/tables/graphs/themes/trends/attitudes/opinions Analyse geographic information Relationships/counts/comparisons/statistical Answer geographic questions What does the analysis of data tell you in relation to the question?

Skill 2: What data would you need to collect? What kinds of data? (we’ll cover this shortly) . . . From books/the internet/archives? Interviews (with whom, about what)? Surveys (with whom, about what, how done)? Measurements (of what? Taken how)? Observations (how different to a measurement?)

Skill 3: How would you organise? Map/tables/other ways of ordering or sorting your data How would you organise it BEFORE you collect it (e.g. survey organisation, map scale and type) How would you organise it AFTER you have collected it (e.g. plotting data or a map, creating a graph, or table or time-line)

Skill 4: How would you analyse Analysis: detailed examination of the ELEMENTS or STRUCTURE of something ‘breaking things down’ ‘deconstructing’ Complex reasoning skills that help you analyse (Dim 3) Comparing, Classifying, Inductive Reasoning, Analysing Perspectives Graphic organisers that can help you analyse: T charts, Y charts, fishbone charts (for cause and effect analysis), SWOT analysis, PCQ charts

Skill 5: Answer geographic questions Reporting and supporting conclusion Raising new questions or implications for future study Linking to ‘real world’ implications and decisions that can be made to . . .