How to prepare students for the fieldwork examination questions

1. Workshop 3 How to prepare students for the fieldwork examination questions Garry Simmons Head of Geography, Bethany School, Kent

2. Workshop Outcomes • You will walk out of the door with practical ideas 2. You will have prepared materials ready to use with your students. 3. To network with other teachers on the same A Level spec.

3. The Purposes of Fieldwork

4. The ‘Planning to exam’ sequence

5. Virtuous Sequence– This is the idea that the fieldwork and research process needs to be ‘closed’. This means fully written-up in a way suitable for the exam once the field day has been completed. This should be a shared group activity to cover the work more quickly.

6. What are the options for follow-up?

7. How do the Exam specifications compare?

8. How do the Exam specifications compare? • All exam specifications have a balance of fieldwork and research.

9. Edexcel Questions Answer BOTH questions: January 2010 Unit 2 AS paper; 40 minutes for both Qs

10. Edexcel Questions This sort of compulsory question sometimes appears: January 2009 Unit 2 AS paper; 10 minutes

11. AQA Questions – Unit 2 compulsory Q2: Answer all parts May 2009 Unit 2 AS paper; 30 minutes

12. AQA Questions – Unit 4 optional Section A: Answer all parts Specimen Unit 4 A2 paper; 60 minutes

13. AQA Questions – Unit 4 optional Section B: Answer all parts Specimen Unit 4 A2 paper; 30 minutes

14. OCR Questions Section A: Choose ONE of three questions like this: Specimen Unit 4 A2 paper, 30 minutes

15. OCR Questions Section B: Answer BOTH questions: Specimen Unit 4 A2 paper, 60 minutes

16. Example of revision notes

17. Extract from a techniques matrix Adapted from Unit 2 Guide – Philip Allan Updates This can be a useful way of reviewing and revising the topic of study. Sharpens terminology and fieldwork range. Customise and adapt this generic list to hit your fieldwork and research

18. AQA Unit 2 Geographical Skills Paper: The exam will assess the ability of candidates to apply their knowledge and skills to unseen information/resources and with reference to fieldwork. A range of skills taken from at least three of the six categories – basic, investigative, ICT, graphical, cartographical and statistical will be examined in each exam series. AQA Fieldwork skills needed for Unit 4 optional A2 exam

19. Plenary Cue Card Q&A Further Training: Edexcel –Philip Allan updates courses AQA - OCR – Don’t forget to exchange email addresses

20. Plenary: Workshop Outcomes • You will walk out of the door with practical ideas 2. You will have prepared materials ready to use with your students. 3. To network with other teachers on the same A Level spec.

22. Fieldwork rigour • It is important to remember that fieldwork & research questions are trying to assess skills, as well as application of knowledge and understanding. • Correct use of language, as well as reference to sampling may be appropriate (sample type and sample size). • Discuss how sites were chosen; consider the suitability of different presentation and analytical tools (means and medians etc). • Make sure that any conclusions drawn relate to the original aims of what you were trying to study. Geography Review, GeoFile and GeoFactsheets may all be relevant

23. Research in the exam – important to mention • There are lots of that you can use…but get to together a hot picks list (quote URL / organisation in exam) • List of local sources, e.g. Newspaper, Local Authority, Wildlife Trusts, blogs / forums etc. • Other publications

24. Common mistakes and pitfalls

25. Moving up the Mark scheme..understanding the Q Your own work Fieldwork AND research Watch for urban / rural rubric issues You need to address this part to access the higher level marks

26. Mark schemes....make the leap from L3-L4 Look at past mark schemes and reports to see how it is possible to make the leap from L3 – L4. You need to include details + judgments in our Edexcel example linked to rebranding