Promoting enquiry within fieldwork

This presentation was developed jointly by WJEC and FSC and first

given at the GA annual conference 2014

Presentation aims

1. Get students thinking geographically throughout the enquiry process with a view to improving current and future assessment outcomes

2. Explore strategies for engaging students in fieldwork enquiry

3. Analyse Assessment Objective (AO) weightings and consider what these tell us about possible future models of assessment of fieldwork

What is fieldwork for?1 awe and wonder

Respect for nature and care for the state of the planet

Provoke and raise curiosity

What is fieldwork for?2 collaborative working

Enable learners to co-operate, participate and take responsibility

What is fieldwork for?3 enactive learning

Enable learners to engage with understanding of broad scientific principles such as spatial patterns, change, and sustainability

What is fieldwork for?4 learning to think like a geographer

Engaging learners in the enquiry process

A deficit model of fieldwork?

QuestionPlan

ObserveCollectRecord

RepresentAnalyse

Apply

Review

In some cases learners have one opportunity to get this right

Transmission > tasks

Work scientifically > think geographically

QuestionPlan

ObserveCollectRecord

RepresentAnalyse

Apply

Review

Creating a need to knowAsking questions to: Identify issues / problems Be creative Hypothesise Make links with existing

geographical knowledge

Reflecting on learningTo be critical in relation to:

Data sources Techniques used / sampling

strategies Stakeholder views How the enquiry could be improved The value of what was learnt

Using dataUsing primary & secondary data to: Locate / contextualise the enquiry Collect evidence Select evidence Represent the evidence

Making senseQuery the evidence to: Analyse Recognise relationships Reach conclusions Make decisions / solve problems Relate findings to existing knowledge

Acknowledgement: Margaret Roberts

Closed task Framed enquiry Independent enquiry

Questions

A task is presented. Questions are not explicit.

Enquiry questions are selected by teacher but are explicit.

Students decide enquiry questions, framed by teacher input.

Data

Decisions about fieldwork procedure are made by teachers. Data is presented as authoritative evidence.

Decisions about fieldwork procedure are made largely by teachers. Data is presented as information to be interpreted.

Students are involved in key decisions about fieldwork procedure and data sources.

Making sense

Activities devised by teacher to achieve pre-determined objectives. Students follow instructions.

Methods of representation are open to discussion and choice. Analysis is independent.

Students independently analyse evidence and make decisions / reach conclusions.

Reflection

Predictable outcomes. Students discuss what they have learnt; different outcomes.

Students consider the validity of evidence / reliability of data and methods.

Acknowledgement: Margaret Roberts

Creating a need to knowAsking questions to: Identify issues / problems Be creative Hypothesise Make links with existing

geographical knowledge

Reflecting on learningTo be critical in relation to:

Data sources Techniques used / sampling

strategies Stakeholder views How the enquiry could be improved The value of what was learnt

Using dataUsing primary & secondary data to: Locate / contextualise the enquiry Collect evidence Select evidence Represent the evidence

Making senseQuery the evidence to: Analyse Recognise relationships Reach conclusions Make decisions / solve problems Relate findings to existing knowledge

Acknowledgement: Margaret Roberts

Does assessment of AO3 focus our attention on a sub-set of fieldwork skills?

Could we assess this sub-set of skills using other assessment models?

Creating a need to knowAsking questions to: Identify issues / problems Be creative Hypothesise Make links with existing

geographical knowledge

Reflecting on learningTo be critical in relation to:

Data sources Techniques used / sampling

strategies Stakeholder views How the enquiry could be improved The value of what was learnt

Using dataUsing primary & secondary data to: Locate / contextualise the enquiry Collect evidence Select evidence Represent the evidence

Making senseQuery the evidence to: Analyse Recognise relationships Reach conclusions Make decisions / solve problems Relate findings to existing knowledge

Acknowledgement: Margaret Roberts

Do we provide opportunities for students to demonstrate that they can apply their wider geographical understanding to the study area – what we currently term AO2?

Start with the application (AO2)

What are the wider geographical issues, concepts or processes that underpin the enquiry in this specific place?

Sphere of influenceQuality of life

Positive and negative externalities

Inner urban regeneration

Gentrification

Significant changes to AO weightings in fieldwork

reformed GCSE Fieldwork AOs

GCSE WJEC CA weightings

Knowledge & understanding Application

Geographical skills

What are the implications when the weighting for Application is increased and skills decreased?

25% of all assessment

15% of all assessment