How long in the field-Fieldwork for Unit4A?

[marie roe]

Just starting to think about the 'post AS' phase of the AS year- reading the spec information I cannot see any guidance on time required in the field. With the old AQA A2 the spec stated '2 days in the field'. Does anyone know whether this is still the expectation for primary data collection, or whether 1 day would be sufficient?

Any thoughts welcome!

[Mark OLLIS]

I am probably going to try and design a project after the exam witht eh students. Probably based on the Urban element their skills are up to speed at the moment and this could fill the remainder nicely.

[marie roe]

Think I will be doing the same- Derby's CBD has undergone redevelopment in 2007, so seems ideal material for the World Cities case study (lots of impacts and responses to be seen!) Could then double up for 4A for those that want to use this.

I remember reading (on this forum I think) that it had been suggested at an AQA meeting that candidates could comfortably sit the 4A unit in Jan? I am due to go to a meeting in June so will investigate further, but would like to be clearer before AS group return. What are people's thoughts?

Also, I have been making enquiries to do a day's fieldwork in next academic yr at Prestford Montford FSC on the succession/ biome section- they have designed a quarry investigation to fit new A2 spec with different stages of succession seen around a range of quarry sites, using Chi-Squared as part of follow-up. The only problem is that I only have 4 girls and their minimum group size is 10 (for data collection and costings). Would anyone else in the midlands or further afield be interested in joining us? (We are in Derby- independent girls) No date set as yet.

[Chris Critchlow]

Hi Marie,

I am thinking about the World Cities and Plate Tectonics Options for A2. I am away in London at the moment so haven't thought about the 4A Unit yet. Wil let you know.

[Gillian Troup]

We were told by the chief examiner that we could use the same fieldwork data that we used for our AS course. We collected data in two days on two rivers, it allows us to use a comparison or one river alone. We've based what we do on how we handled the former edexcel spec. He did not specify how much time was needed to be spent in the field, although we did spend a week out of school and combined other data collection techniques etc. Will be looking at it in more detail over the next week. However will be going to the A2 meeting, but this isn't until 25th June, not early enough to help.

[Sarah Dixon]

Is anyone thinking of using their fieldwork write up for the EPQ?

[Kerry]

Not really - could be a little to close to the SoW, my understanding of the EPQ is that it should not allow dual accreditation. Students can choose a part of the course and then develop it beyond AS/A2 syllabus - a student at Greenhead College investigated and evaluated Population policies based on work they had done about Malthus and Boserup.

Although there is no reason why a student cannot carry out their own fieldwork data collection and then write it up - independent of school.

[Andy Harmsworth]

The SoW in the Teacher Resource Bank suggests 4hrs in the classroom and at least a day's fieldwork.

[Victoria Ellis]

At the A2 meeting today, I asked about the time requirement the fieldwork investigation, and David Redfern said "We haven't put anything in the spec, have we? So it's up to you". He went on to say that some schools are using the AS fieldwork for A2, and also mentioned that some schools are entering students for 4A in June of Yr12.

My thinking is to get students started with it now, and for them to do their own individual investigations in a similar way to GGA6 on the old spec A.

Regarding the EPQ, David suggested speaking to whoever is EPQ Coordinator at school, but said that as they will never have to send in their fieldwork report for Geography, it could well be submitted for the EPQ.

[Catherine]

Have you seen my booklet thingy under the AS returners section? It is designed to help students plan their individual investigations and so might be of use.

[Victoria Ellis]

I hadn't Catherine, but I've just had a look now - it will be really really useful... thank you!!!

[Catherine]

I'm looking at using these investigations for the AQA extended project - bonus UCAS points & good for retention. What do you think?

[Simon]

Hi,

I'm taking my 'AS' students on field trips - 2 groups on different days when they start back for the last 3 weeks of college. They are technically starting their A2 year but I'm reluctant to begin teaching the unit 3 options before September. We're going to Spurn Point which is the nearest exmple of sand dunes to us - I'd like to take then to Gibraltar Point but it's too far to go from us in a day.

One group will look at the estuary side of the spit and the other will look at the seaward side of the spit. Each group will collect a range of data with 3 teams per group each doing a seperate transect from the strand line inwards to the centre of the spit. We will have 6 transects in total (3 each side of the spit) and once all done, each student (hopefully) will have access to a large-ish data set from which to work.

They will be collecting data systematically along each transect; wind speed, dune gradient and biodiversity data based upon Simpson's diversity index. Soil samples will be taken for later lab analysis along each transect too. I've managed to book the biology labs for the last 2 weeks of term (they dont anticpate using them much now that the A2 students have gone) where we will test each soil sample from each transect fo pH, salinity (if they have a meter), moisture content and organic matter content. They will also have larger soil samples taken 4 times on each transect inland which they will do soil texture analysis in jars with water and washing powder (settling out - can't remember what its technically called).

I'm going to get them to write up 'coursework' between the start of the summer and Christmas with each student choosing 3 related hypotheses from the large data set. This will be marked internally and form one of their progress grades as well as preparing them properly for the unit 4a exam which I will enter them for in January.

I'll have to explain spearman's rank and mann whitney to them next year for thei analysis but we'll be able to tick off a good part of the skills listed in the spec with this piece of coursework. They willalso get chance to record gps data and upload into memory map and / or google earth to kind of cover the GIS angle.

In the field, I'll explain succession and zonation to them in preperation for the first option in unit 3 - ecosystems.

I've uploaded the files relating to our field trip if useful to anyone.