Preparing for A-level Geography GA Conference April 2017

Preparing for A-level Geography GA Conference April 2017
John Smith and Emma Rowe Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Follow us on

Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Aims of the session To understand the assessment objectives and how they are targeted in exam papers. To ensure teachers and students understand how to approach the different question styles. To share useful ideas for preparing students for the examination. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of places, environments, concepts, processes, interactions and change, at a variety of scales. Worth up to 40% of the overall AS and A-level. A very straightforward and fairly traditional assessment objective. It tests knowledge in isolation and recall of specification content. Multiple choice questions and low tariff questions are all testing AO1. Learned material as part of the course of study should be used to support answers. This includes the use of case studies, where they have been signified in the specification. AO1 also forms the basis of longer responses, ie it is the knowledge of the specification content which is used to underpin the 9-mark and 20-mark questions. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding in different contexts to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues. Worth up to 40% of the overall AS and A-level. The synoptic assessment objective. It’s a significant departure from previous approaches to the way in which questions are set. Previously AQA A-level papers set generally broad and overarching questions, which allowed students the opportunity to bring in their own synoptic links. This assessment objective encourages students to apply their knowledge to unseen material in the examination. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

AO2 – three elements The key difference between the old and new AO2 is that the question setter will identify links which students are expected to respond to. Here students are expected to respond to links made in the following ways: elements not specified within specification topics; novel situations which they are required to apply their knowledge and understanding to. These types of question will always come with a resource links made by the question setter within specification topics which are not stated in the specification links made by the question setter across specification topics which are not stated in the specification. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

AO3 Use a variety of relevant methods and techniques to:
investigate questions and issues interpret, analyse and evaluate data and resources communicate findings. AS A-level Worth up to 30% of the overall AS and A-level Skills are tested across all papers. Questions will link to a stimulus resource. Paper 2 is more heavily weighted towards AO3 (up to 20%) as Section B of this paper specifically tests fieldwork and geographical skills: theoretical aspects of fieldwork (AO1 & AO3) the candidate’s own experience of fieldwork (AO1 & AO2) practical skills tested using fieldwork data provided in the paper (AO3). The non-exam assessment is more heavily weighted towards AO3 (18%) as the Independent Investigation specifically requires students to demonstrate fieldwork skills. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Question styles These are the broad question types.
Low tariff questions (testing AO1) 3/4 marks Multiple choice questions (testing AO1) 1 mark Essays which test links within specification topics (testing AO1 and AO2) marks Higher tariff questions which test links within the specification topic which are not specified (testing AO1 and AO2) 4+5 marks Higher tariff questions which test links across specification topics which are not specified (testing AO1 and AO2) 4+5 marks Stimulus questions which require application of knowledge (testing AO1 and AO2) 2+4 marks Stimulus questions which are skills based (testing AO3) 6 marks In every series, students will have to attempt all question types above. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

AO1 in practice – multiple choice question guidance
Multiple choice questions will consist of three incorrect distractors and one correct answer. There may be some correct elements in the distractors, but there will also be at least one obviously incorrect element. Students should read these questions carefully to identify the correct answer or, if in doubt, use a process of elimination to eliminate the distractors and thereby determine the correct answer. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Questions with stimulus material – 6-mark questions
Task Look closely at the wording of the following two questions. What assessment objective(s) is each question targeting? Evaluate the usefulness of Figure 5a and 5b in showing the nature and extent of either economic change or demographical and cultural change in this area. (Figure 5a is a painting and 5b is a photograph. Both show the same area, 80 years apart) Assess the usefulness of house price data such as that shown in Figure 6 in helping to understand the nature of a local place, comparing it with other quantitative sources that you used in studying place. (Figure 6 is a table that indicates how average house prices in the local town have changed over a 30-year period) Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Questions with stimulus material – 6-mark questions
Notice how the first question simply requires the use of the resource to answer the question and gain all credit (AO3). Notice how the second question requires the application of knowledge to the unseen resource (AO1 and AO2). Ensure the students fully understand the different thrust of the questions. This is very important in order to ensure students do not lose relatively straightforward marks. Classroom activity: ask students to use the SAMs to identify the different question styles, for example: Paper 1, question 1.2 is testing AO3 whereas question 1.3 is testing application of knowledge and understanding and awards credit for AO1 and AO2. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

9-mark questions Task Look closely at the wording of the following two A-level 9-mark questions. What element of AO2 is each question targeting? To what extent do you agree that seismic events will always generate more widespread and severe impacts than volcanic events? [9 marks] Assess the importance of increased global interdependence in supporting the response to major seismic hazards. [9 marks] The first question is an evaluative question where the students are required to make links within the specification topic which are not stated. The second question is testing links across specification topics. This link is between Global Systems and Global Governance and Hazards. There will always be at least one question which requires links across specification topics to be made. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

20-mark questions (Essays)
Example: A-level Changing places ‘Conflict often arises when people who live in a place try to resist changes that appear to have been forced upon them by organisations, groups and individuals from outside that place.’ To what extent does this statement apply to one or more places that you have studied? [20 marks] This is an evaluative question where the students are required to make links within the specification topic which are not stated. There are 10 marks for AO1 and 10 marks for AO2. The big difference between ‘old’ style essays on GEOG3 and the ‘new’ 20-mark questions is synopticity. GEOG3 essays used to be broad and open-ended, inviting students to make their own synoptic links. The new questions require shorter, more concise and focused responses with very clear synoptic links which are shown in the question. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Writing extended responses
Breadth Make a broad range of relevant points in a coherently argued fashion. Depth Each point should offer appropriate detail, knowledge of content concept and process where appropriate. Offer analysis, evaluation and interpretation as appropriate. Support Use case studies to embed the knowledge concepts and processes in real world situations. Synopticity Make the links which are required by the question. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

AS: how topics are assessed
At AS, questions (excluding fieldwork) will follow this pattern. Question number Marks AO breakdown Question type 1 AO1 MCQ 2 3 Low tariff 4 6 AO3 Stimulus – data skills 5 9 AO1 (4) AO2 (5) 20 AO1 (10) AO2 (10) Links within topic Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

A-level: how topics are assessed
At A-level, Sections A and B of Papers 1 and 2 will follow this pattern. Question number Marks AO breakdown Question type 1 4 AO1 2 6 AO3 Stimulus – data skills 3 AO1 (2) AO2 (4) Stimulus – application 20 AO1 (10) AO2 (10) Links within topic Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

A-level: how topics are assessed
At A-level, Section C of both Paper 1 and Paper 2 will follow this pattern. Question number Marks AO breakdown Question type 1 AO1 MCQ 2 3 4 5 6 AO3 Stimulus – data skills 9 AO1 (4) AO2 (5) 20 AO1 (10) AO2 (10) Links within topic Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Summary of ideas Make sure students understand what is required by the different question types. Make sure students clearly understand the different assessment objectives. Ensure students understand that learning subject knowledge from a course textbook, without considering a whole range of potential connections between different aspects of their study, will only secure a limited outcome in the examinations. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Beyond the classroom How can we help our students to prepare for the new examinations? As teachers, we need to develop the geographer. Knowledge alone will not bring success, we need to help our students develop the overarching skills of a geographer. Working ‘beyond the classroom’ is vital. 18 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Beyond the classroom ‘Beyond the textbook’ sessions with RGS online lectures. London’s gentrification game What’s going on in Greenland? Available to all students. A chance to ‘be a geographer’ with other geographers. Cake! 19 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Beyond the classroom Reading ‘Beyond the textbook’ is vital for success. Scrapbooking and time to share through ‘show and tell’. Allowing time to discuss what has been read will help both high and lower ability students. Students encouraged to share. 20 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Key themes To help students to demonstrate the links, explicit focus on the key geographical themes/concepts is important. Can help with the 20-mark questions (essays). causality systems equilibrium feedback inequality representation identity globalisation interdependence mitigation and adaptation sustainability risk resilience thresholds 22 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Essays (20-mark questions)
Students need to understand what makes a good 20-mark answer (essay). Knowledge and application is vital. Give students the criteria which will be used in assessment – this will be generic for all 20-mark questions. Using a generic marking grid will ensure feedback can be quick, students can see specific areas to develop and (importantly!) save us time as teachers. Students also need to understand the ‘best fit’ concept – a grid will help. 24 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Evaluate the impacts of TNCs on their host countries TNCs create employment in host countries which leads to wider economic benefits for individuals in higher incomes and governments in more tax received. An example would be Wal-Mart who make electronic products in Malaysia and so contribute to the low unemployment rate of 3.3%. However, the reliance on foreign companies for employment may mean that fewer ‘home-grown’ industries develop in countries that host TNCs. 28 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Once the structure is consistent, timing becomes the new focus. ‘Time crunch Geography.’ Timed essay plans – you can see a lot through a detailed plan (the structure and knowledge will be demonstrated). 50-word answers to essay questions – actually very difficult to write that concisely. Very efficient for both student and teacher. 30 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Regular assessment Regular assessment is vital in the development of a good geographer. Schemes of work will have assessment built in at regular intervals. This includes the development of AO3 (skills). Regular moderation is also key – HoD over-marks a few assessments (another teacher over-marks the HoD). Moderation occurs within departmental meetings, even with teachers who do not deliver A-level. 31 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Summary of ideas ‘Beyond the textbook’ sessions Scrapbooking ‘Show and tell’ Generic marking grid and essay annotation Paper chains Timed essay plans 50 word answers Regular assessment Regular moderation Careful planning and integration of skills 32 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Preparing for A-level Geography GA Conference April 2017

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