CREATING THE SUCCESSFUL GEOGRAPHY CLASSROOM L3 STANDARDS ALIGNMENT Jane Evans Geography Facilitator 2013

AFTERNOON SESSION Issues in Geography Alignment Questions On the post-its provided write down any questions you have that have not yet been covered. Put on the sheets provided.

Latest Issues: Wording of some standards does not match L1 to 2 to 3. eg contemporary Issue and ‘assess’. We must be ready for review. L3 Exemplars are based on the first draft of standard not the final ie do not have to critically evaluate. Issues comparing Geography and History have been accepted by NZQA and are being ‘investigated’. Issues concerning number of credits in geography L3 for UE also being looked at.

What Are the Changes: Externals 3.1: The emphasis is more on the environment than just the natural processes. This means that spatial and temporal variations now apply to the environment not just the processes. This is easier as what students use to do but shouldn’t! Human modification aspect has gone BUT you can use if appropriate ie if dealing with a river basin that has been dammed you cannot discuss temporal changes without mentioning the human modification. What is means is that you do not have to find a human modification – if does not apply then don’t mention it.

What Are the Changes: Externals 3.1:Easier to teach – only 4 possible questions. 1. How the specific natural environment is shaped by interacting natural processes (includes features) 2. How the natural processes operate and interact in a geographic environment 3. How the natural environment shows spatial variations as a result of interacting natural processes 4. How the natural environment shows change over time (temporal variations) as a result of interacting natural processes.

3.2: Cultural process Only have to teach one environment though can teach more if wish. As long as students can give examples about the process based on an environment they can score up to excellence. Again emphasis on the environment as well as process. Factors causing change has gone BUT this should be incorporated into the temporal variations ie how has your process changed over time and for what reasons. This is much more logical than before. ‘Effects on people and place’ has changed to ‘impacts on people and environments”. Latter include the cultural (buildings and infrastructure) and natural environment.

3.2: Cultural process Again emphasis on the environment as well as process. Also only 4 questions. 1. How does the cultural process operate as a result of interactions between elements 2. How does the cultural process show spatial variation in different parts of environment(s) 3. How does the cultural process change over time (cultural environments) resulting in changes in environment(s) 4. What are the effects on people and the environment of the operation of the cultural process.

3.4:Skills More emphasis on the concepts Skills are ‘selected and applied” so less of being told which skill to use to interpret resources – students can choose. Environment can be one topic or theme in different parts of world.

Internals: 3.3 is new standard. What constitutes a ‘significant event”? How to get exemplars? How to access resources? How much detail is required? How can it be assessed? Need to evaluate the impacts.

Resources for 3.3 are on our wiki space (more contributions welcome!)

3.5: Research Changes in the presentation – 3 types and only to Merit Lack of concepts in findings but must incorporate for excellence Conclusion must relate to research Critical Evaluation of the research process

3.6: Contemporary Issue Issue must be a problem Need peoples values and perceptions about the issue (not the solution) Propose one solution (different to L2) Need to justify that solution by referring to alternatives

3.7: Global What is meant by spatial dimension? Pattern – only described with geographic terminology Must cover social AND economic significance of topic for people Need to evaluate the significance. How?

3.8: GIS Does anyone do this? What are the issues? Who to look to for help?

What Other Questions do you have that have not been covered?

THANK YOU!! Please get in touch at any time if you have any questions or issues to raise. Meanwhile try to interact with each other and share resources between you. It is pointless us all reinventing the wheel.