Global Digital Divide Fieldwork assessment at AS and A2

Fieldwork assessment

The difference between AS and A2

David Redfern

Foto

lia

Global Digital Divide Fieldwork assessment at AS and A2

What this presentation covers

The nature of investigative (fieldwork) skills at AS and A2

The requirements of the assessment of fieldwork at AS

The requirements of the assessment of fieldwork at A2

A summary of the progression from AS to A2.

Global Digital Divide Fieldwork assessment at AS and A2

Investigative (fieldwork) skills at AS and A2

These are the same for both levels:

Identifying aims, geographical questions and issues, and effective approaches to enquiry.

Risk assessment and identification of strategies for minimising health and safety risks.

Identifying, selecting and collecting quantitative and qualitative evidence, including the use of appropriate sampling techniques, from primary (including fieldwork) and secondary sources.

The processing, presentation, analysis and interpretation of evidence.

Drawing conclusions and showing an awareness of the validity of those conclusions including evaluation and further research opportunities.

Global Digital Divide Fieldwork assessment at AS and A2

The starting point of the investigation

ASDescribe the purpose of your

fieldwork enquiry.

Describe the characteristic

features of your study area.

Draw an annotated sketch map

showing its characteristics.

Describe the underlying theory,

concept or issue which formed

the basis of your enquiry.

A2Explain the reasons why you

selected this aim for investigation.

Explain the importance of the

choice of location for your

investigation in relation to your

aim(s).

Explain how the location of your

fieldwork was relevant to the

theory/concept/issue being

investigated.

Global Digital Divide Fieldwork assessment at AS and A2

Health and safety and risk assessment

ASDescribe the measures you

took to minimise the health

and safety risks involved in

your investigation.

A2Justify the measures you

took to minimise the health

and safety risks involved in

your investigation.

Global Digital Divide Fieldwork assessment at AS and A2

Types of data and data collection

ASOutline one method of primary

data collection used in the field in

your investigation

Describe a sampling technique

you used to collect data.

Outline how you obtained and why

you used secondary data in your

enquiry.

A2Evaluate the suitability of this method

of primary data collection.

Justify how you made sure that the

data collected were as accurate and

reliable as possible.

Justify improvements you would

make to a method of data collection

that you used.

Global Digital Divide Fieldwork assessment at AS and A2

Data presentation and analysisAS

Describe one method you used to

present data collected in your

fieldwork investigation.

With reference to one technique to

present data in your enquiry,

justify the choice of this

technique.

Describe advantages of a

technique used to analyse your

data.

A2Assess the usefulness of one

method of data presentation that you

used in your investigation.

Describe one technique of data

analysis that you used and justify

its inclusion in your investigation.

Explain how far the data you

collected made your analysis

technique appropriate.

Global Digital Divide Fieldwork assessment at AS and A2

The outcomes of the investigation

ASReferring to your results, outline

the main conclusions of your

enquiry and suggest further areas

of research.

Summarise the main findings of

your fieldwork enquiry.

Explain how your fieldwork

enquiry could have been

improved.

A2Evaluate the usefulness of the

conclusions reached in your

investigation and consider their

potential implications.

Evaluate the success of your

investigation.

Discuss how your investigation

helped your understanding of

geographical theory.

Global Digital Divide Fieldwork assessment at AS and A2

What is the essential difference between AS and A2?

A2 assessment is more challenging than the AS equivalent. The questions have

to demonstrate elements of progression, ‘synopticity’ and ‘stretch and

challenge’.

Essentially, the differences between the two levels can be summarised as:

AS: assesses what you did on your fieldwork.

A2: assesses why you did what you did on your fieldwork.

In other words, questions at A2 are all evaluative.