The evidence for progression in the demands for geographical understanding in the curriculum for students aged 11 to 18, signalled by the external requirements at KS3, GCSE and A Level
The evidence for progression in the demands for geographical understanding in the curriculum for students aged 11 to 18, signalled by the external requirements at KS3, GCSE and A Level
The aim of the thesis is to examine critically the support for progression in the geographical understanding of secondary students provided by the formal requirements of Key Stage 3 of the National Curriculum, and of GCSE and A Level examinations, from 1997 to 1999. Preliminary consideration, drawing on a range of relevant literature, is given to the concepts of understanding and progression, and their application in geographical education; and to the implications of using the formal requirements for assessment as KS3, GCSE and A Level as sources of evidence about the nature and quality of the understanding expected.
The core of the thesis is a detailed analysis of the scope for progression within two content themes - 'weather and climate' and 'settlements' - which are recurrent elements in the 11 to 18 geography curriculum. Within each of the themes, particular attention is focused on the curricular specifications, assessment questions and mark schemes for specific subthemes. The amount and quality of the evidence available from these sources vary considerably, both between the three stages of secondary education, and between the different examination syllabuses at each stage.
The research reveals that the support for progression is uneven. There is little doubt that the geographical understanding required of 'weather and climate' and 'settlements', is progressively more demanding at each successive stage. But the very general nature of the specifications and official guidance for KS3 is inadequate to provide a sound base for progression in understanding in the secondary school curriculum. There is a marked advance in the quality of complexity and abstraction expected at A Level, compared to GCSE; and significant differences between the two themes in the nature of the progression, which may reflect differences between physical and human geography. There is no overall structure in place, designed to support progression in the development of geographical understanding across the three stages of secondary education.
University of Southampton
Bennetts, Trevor Harry
d617bb73-44a4-48f2-bac6-f1cc7c5f9b9d
2001
Bennetts, Trevor Harry
d617bb73-44a4-48f2-bac6-f1cc7c5f9b9d
Bennetts, Trevor Harry
(2001)
The evidence for progression in the demands for geographical understanding in the curriculum for students aged 11 to 18, signalled by the external requirements at KS3, GCSE and A Level.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
The aim of the thesis is to examine critically the support for progression in the geographical understanding of secondary students provided by the formal requirements of Key Stage 3 of the National Curriculum, and of GCSE and A Level examinations, from 1997 to 1999. Preliminary consideration, drawing on a range of relevant literature, is given to the concepts of understanding and progression, and their application in geographical education; and to the implications of using the formal requirements for assessment as KS3, GCSE and A Level as sources of evidence about the nature and quality of the understanding expected.
The core of the thesis is a detailed analysis of the scope for progression within two content themes - 'weather and climate' and 'settlements' - which are recurrent elements in the 11 to 18 geography curriculum. Within each of the themes, particular attention is focused on the curricular specifications, assessment questions and mark schemes for specific subthemes. The amount and quality of the evidence available from these sources vary considerably, both between the three stages of secondary education, and between the different examination syllabuses at each stage.
The research reveals that the support for progression is uneven. There is little doubt that the geographical understanding required of 'weather and climate' and 'settlements', is progressively more demanding at each successive stage. But the very general nature of the specifications and official guidance for KS3 is inadequate to provide a sound base for progression in understanding in the secondary school curriculum. There is a marked advance in the quality of complexity and abstraction expected at A Level, compared to GCSE; and significant differences between the two themes in the nature of the progression, which may reflect differences between physical and human geography. There is no overall structure in place, designed to support progression in the development of geographical understanding across the three stages of secondary education.
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Published date: 2001
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Local EPrints ID: 464587
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/464587
PURE UUID: 3a4d26ca-541f-4078-807a-56a5528d5164
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 23:49
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 19:37
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Author:
Trevor Harry Bennetts
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