Year 6 & 7
AS/A LEVEL GEOGRAPHY
Geography is a subject which covers and gives an overall insight into areas of the physical and man made environments around us; it can be classified both as a science and arts subject.
The AS/AL Geography course has a distinctive approach in recognising the essential unity of a very wide subject while allowing students to study discrete areas of the subject. The interrelationships between the physical and human environments are studied and how these in turn affect and are influenced by the environmental factors.
The AS /Advanced London GCE syllabus requires the geography student not only to develop a knowledge of geographical concepts, principles, theories, terminology etc. but also to develop a deep understanding of these geographical issues and realise the potential and limitations of concepts, theories and data in the real world.
The AS/AL Geography course has a distinctive approach in recognising the essential unity of a very wide subject while allowing students to study discrete areas of the subject. The interrelationships between the physical and human environments are studied and how these in turn affect and are influenced by the environmental factors.
The AS /Advanced London GCE syllabus requires the geography student not only to develop a knowledge of geographical concepts, principles, theories, terminology etc. but also to develop a deep understanding of these geographical issues and realise the potential and limitations of concepts, theories and data in the real world.
Course structure:
The scheme of assessment is in two parts. Three units (1,2,3) make up the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) assessment, and a further three A2 units (4,5,6) make up the six units required for Advanced GCE Assessment.The AS units, that is Units 1,2 and 3, with half the Advanced GCE content will be taught in the 6th form and assessed at the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) standard. The remaining three Units (4,5,6) will be offered for those who carry on with the subject to the 7th form to complete and acquire a full Advanced GCE qualification.
| 6th form AS |
7th form A2 |
|
| Half of the Advanced GCE Content assessed at Advanced Subsidiary standard |
Half of the Advanced GCE content assessed at A2 standard |
|
| + | = | ADV. |
| Unit 1 | Unit 4 | GCE |
| Unit 2 | Unit 5 | |
| Unit 3 | Unit 6 | |
Summary of course structure:
UNIT 1 Physical Environments:
- Earth Systems
- Fluvial Environments
- Coastal Environments
UNIT 2 Human Environments:
- Population Characteristics
- Settlement Patterns
- Population Movements
UNIT 3
either 3a Personal Enquiry ( fieldwork/coursework)
or 3b Practical Geographical Skills
or 3b Practical Geographical Skills
UNIT 4 Physical Systems,Processes and Patterns:
- Atmospheric Systems
- Glacial Systems
- Ecosystems
UNIT 5 Human Systems, Process and Patters:
- Economic systems
- Rural-Urban Interrelationships
- Development Processes
UNIT 6 Synoptic: People and their environments:
- Physical environments influence human activity
- Human activities modify physical environments
- Physical and human resources may be exploited, managed and protected
- Communities and their governance influence geographical interrelationships at a range of scales
Summary of course content:
1) Physical environments
While studying the world of natural sciences Geography can be seen to relate to the three sciences. Thus, Geophysical, Geochemical and BioGeographical topics are three areas of study increasingly met in a world growing more environmentally conscious. Subject areas such as meteorology, weather forecasting, climatic change, plate tectonics, earthquakes and vulcanicity, hydrology, rivers and drainage basins, coasts, glacial systems and ecosystems are still an integral part of the Geography course but increasingly with the human dimension added .The geography student is now expected not just to understand these but to be able to see how natural resources may be exploited and managed in a sustainable manner. Hazards, natural and/or man-made, their causes, impact and environmental management strategies including cost-benefit-analyses are now are now a standard part of the syllabus.
2) Human environments:
Social sciences occupy a sizeable part of Human Geography. Population characteristics changes and related socio-economic and environmental implications are studied at a variety of scales ranging from the global, regional, national, down to the local level .The role and influence of governments and larger political organisations is also highlighted.
Settlements and the dynamic nature of cities is also studied .The changes cities are experiencing in their layout, transport networks, location of residential, financial and industrial activities plus the role government policies have in managing urban developments is examined in detail. Rural-urban inter-relationships, urbanisation in pre-industrial and post-industrial cities, the economic, social and political factors affecting cities and their waste management/water and air quality plus the production of food and agricultural systems adopted are some of the issues students are introduced to the impact of tourism on cities and rural areas proves to be a particularly useful and appropriate area of investigation for geography students in Cyprus.
It also looks at factors influencing industrial location, classical location theory, present day industrial location of manufacturing and high-tech industries, the role of governments, political processes, transnational, trading blocks, globalisation of production and the emergence of international division of labour. Once again the geography student is helped to go beyond the simple economic aspects of our world and see the need for management of industrial production with the aim of minimising the environmental impact in response to the changing values and attitudes within society as a whole.
Development Processes are examined beyond the simple economic aspect and extend onto a number of levels, including social, cultural and political. The geography student studies countries and regions at various stages of development, looks at the reasons for, and impact of regional development policies, core and periphery issues, the effects of neo-colonialism, dependency and the debt crisis, aid, trade, and lending institutions, NGOs, local authorities, pressure groups .The teaching of the concept of sustainable and unsustainable development at national and global scales help in the shaping of values and attitudes toward an increasingly interdependent world.
3) Personal Enquiry/Coursework/Fieldwork
The Personal Enquiry or Practical Geographical Skills Unit based on coursework/fieldwork experience has been introduced which carries 40%. This aims at helping students to develop the skills of hypotheses testing, by identifying questions and issues, selecting appropriate sources and methods, selecting and collecting evidence and data in the field, from geographical information systems/communication technology etc. and to proceed to describe, analyse, evaluate and interpret evidence, draw conclusions and present these.
An optional but tremendously useful and educational and unforgettable fieldtrip to the Cranedale Field Study Centre in Yorkshire, UK, has been organised for 6th/7th form Geography students for the last three years (see fieldtrips sheet for details) A visit to the website http://www.crandale.com would provide you with more information. Anything between 15-20 students attend this fieldtrip to the UK which involves a very rigorous teaching and research programme, with a hands on learning week long experience which prepares students for their Applied Geographical Skills Paper.
Application of information technology in the classroom:
In line with developments around the world, the English School and the Geography Department has gone down the path of using computers and information technology in education. The use of up to-date information from the Internet is already practised and incorporated fully in the classroom. Most A.L. books have recommended Websites at the end of every chapter which students are expected to visit.
There is a wide range of recommended CD-ROMs available on the market, which will offer additional interactive teaching packages, and these are gradually being introduced. The Internet has also enabled links to be established with other geography departments the world over and make use of information they freely offer on their websites.
H. Boyadjian
Head of Geography.
While studying the world of natural sciences Geography can be seen to relate to the three sciences. Thus, Geophysical, Geochemical and BioGeographical topics are three areas of study increasingly met in a world growing more environmentally conscious. Subject areas such as meteorology, weather forecasting, climatic change, plate tectonics, earthquakes and vulcanicity, hydrology, rivers and drainage basins, coasts, glacial systems and ecosystems are still an integral part of the Geography course but increasingly with the human dimension added .The geography student is now expected not just to understand these but to be able to see how natural resources may be exploited and managed in a sustainable manner. Hazards, natural and/or man-made, their causes, impact and environmental management strategies including cost-benefit-analyses are now are now a standard part of the syllabus.
2) Human environments:
Social sciences occupy a sizeable part of Human Geography. Population characteristics changes and related socio-economic and environmental implications are studied at a variety of scales ranging from the global, regional, national, down to the local level .The role and influence of governments and larger political organisations is also highlighted.
Settlements and the dynamic nature of cities is also studied .The changes cities are experiencing in their layout, transport networks, location of residential, financial and industrial activities plus the role government policies have in managing urban developments is examined in detail. Rural-urban inter-relationships, urbanisation in pre-industrial and post-industrial cities, the economic, social and political factors affecting cities and their waste management/water and air quality plus the production of food and agricultural systems adopted are some of the issues students are introduced to the impact of tourism on cities and rural areas proves to be a particularly useful and appropriate area of investigation for geography students in Cyprus.
It also looks at factors influencing industrial location, classical location theory, present day industrial location of manufacturing and high-tech industries, the role of governments, political processes, transnational, trading blocks, globalisation of production and the emergence of international division of labour. Once again the geography student is helped to go beyond the simple economic aspects of our world and see the need for management of industrial production with the aim of minimising the environmental impact in response to the changing values and attitudes within society as a whole.
Development Processes are examined beyond the simple economic aspect and extend onto a number of levels, including social, cultural and political. The geography student studies countries and regions at various stages of development, looks at the reasons for, and impact of regional development policies, core and periphery issues, the effects of neo-colonialism, dependency and the debt crisis, aid, trade, and lending institutions, NGOs, local authorities, pressure groups .The teaching of the concept of sustainable and unsustainable development at national and global scales help in the shaping of values and attitudes toward an increasingly interdependent world.
3) Personal Enquiry/Coursework/Fieldwork
The Personal Enquiry or Practical Geographical Skills Unit based on coursework/fieldwork experience has been introduced which carries 40%. This aims at helping students to develop the skills of hypotheses testing, by identifying questions and issues, selecting appropriate sources and methods, selecting and collecting evidence and data in the field, from geographical information systems/communication technology etc. and to proceed to describe, analyse, evaluate and interpret evidence, draw conclusions and present these.
An optional but tremendously useful and educational and unforgettable fieldtrip to the Cranedale Field Study Centre in Yorkshire, UK, has been organised for 6th/7th form Geography students for the last three years (see fieldtrips sheet for details) A visit to the website http://www.crandale.com would provide you with more information. Anything between 15-20 students attend this fieldtrip to the UK which involves a very rigorous teaching and research programme, with a hands on learning week long experience which prepares students for their Applied Geographical Skills Paper.
Application of information technology in the classroom:
In line with developments around the world, the English School and the Geography Department has gone down the path of using computers and information technology in education. The use of up to-date information from the Internet is already practised and incorporated fully in the classroom. Most A.L. books have recommended Websites at the end of every chapter which students are expected to visit.
There is a wide range of recommended CD-ROMs available on the market, which will offer additional interactive teaching packages, and these are gradually being introduced. The Internet has also enabled links to be established with other geography departments the world over and make use of information they freely offer on their websites.
H. Boyadjian
Head of Geography.
