Margam Discovery Centre. AQA Fieldwork Options. AS & A Level Geography AQA FIELD STUDIES COUNCIL

Transcription

1 Margam AS & A Discovery Level Geography Centre AQA Fieldwork Options FIELD STUDIES COUNCIL is set in 600 acres of deer park, surrounded by a rich diversity of environments, including small catchments and woodland systems. The Centre itself is an example of sustainable building design, and has excellent road and rail links, making Margam an ideal location for any length of course. The surrounding area has an unrivalled range of physical and human environments to investigate, including South Wales Heritage Coastline, Gower Peninsula and Brecon Beacon National Park. is close to the major urban Centres of Cardiff and Swansea, as well as a range of smaller towns and villages. These fieldwork locations, together with South Wales industrial heritage of past and present, make Margam an ideal location to illustrate the interaction between the natural and human landscapes. We offer a number of fieldwork options to match the topics covered within the AQA AS and A level specifications. These are designed to deepen students understanding of the physical and human topics through exploration and enquiry. Fieldwork days provide students with the opportunity to develop geographical and fieldwork skills to support them in both papers, and in working on their Individual Investigation. From our options you can build a course that could; Iincorporate a range of qualitative and quantitative geographical skills that students are required to understand, including the use of GIS technologies. Complete the full fieldwork requirements for A level (min. 4 days) and AS level (min. 2 days) consisting of inspiring geographical fieldwork, relating to both the human and physical topics. Collect data and develop skills for the individual investigation, worth 20% of the total A level. Prepare A level students for fieldwork examination questions, with fieldwork opportunities which address the specified fieldwork themes. Deliver a rich practical experience for students through an immersive learning environment of dedicated fieldwork time, carefully facilitated to enable the students to explore the world in which they live, and their values and actions as part of it, through engaging and topical learning.

2 Coastal systems & landscapes The South Wales coast is a diverse landscape; the coastline is dotted with internationally significant natural and historical sites protected for their natural, cultural or scientific importance. The Gower Peninsula AONB, The Heritage Coast, and Kenfig SSSI/ NNR, as well as Special Protected Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) form a stunning backdrop for our fieldwork, punctuated with evidence of centuries of human settlement. Seaside holiday destinations, sites of present and bygone industries make our stretch of coastline a fascinating place to do fieldwork. Coastal and landforms Students will visit the beautiful Gower coast, investigating the Location: Pwlldu coastal system, its and associated landforms. They will Bay, Gower assess the impact of coastal (with particular reference to Peninsula wave type and longshore drift) on beach shape and dimensions. They will apply sampling techniques to investigate the process of sediment movement along a beach. Field work techniques will include sediment size and shape, field sketches and beach profiles. Patterns of sediment distribution will be analysed using descriptive and analytical techniques (e.g. spearman s rank/ t test). Time dependent, a visit to three cliffs bay can also be arranged, so that students can have first hand experience of coastal landforms, including cliffs, platforms and arches Coasts as natural systems Systems and Coastal landscape Quantitative and Case studies Half day/ Location: Dunraven & Southerndown, Glamorgan Heritage Coast May also be done at Three Cliffs Bay, Gower Half day/ Location: Newton & Porthcawl Coastal landforms Students will focus on the formation of coastal landforms: They will have the opportunity to observe and measure coastal features from the mouth of the River Ogmore and its dunes and raised beaches, to the dramatic cliffs of Dunraven and Southerndown on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Coastal management Students will undertake fieldwork, investigating the impact of coastal on people. They will assess different coastal management strategies using cost-benefit analysis and bi-polar surveys, in order to compare hard and soft engineering structures. Along the stretch of coastline from Newton to Porthcawl, they will investigate how coastal modify the beach dimensions and how this relates to coastal management and erosion. Students can also visit Merthyr Mawr SSSI to assess the impacts from all users on the fragile coastal ecosystem. Techniques include stakeholder interview, footpath analysis and litter survey Coastal landscape Coastal management Quantitative and Case studies Coasts as natural systems Systems and Coastal landscape Quantitative and Case studies

3 Glacial systems & landscapes From the Brecon Beacons to the Gower Peninsula, successive glacial advance and retreat over the past 1.8 million years has molded a stunning glaciated landscape with a wealth of erosional and depositional glacial features, making it a fantastic location to study glacial landforms. Glaciation landscapes Students will explore the post glacial landscape of the Brecon Location: Brecon Beacons or Gower Peninsula, and consider the glacial and postglacial involved in the creation of landforms. Fieldwork Beacons OR Gower Peninsula could include recording glacial landform morphology, field sketching and mapping orientation. For a complete study of the impact of glacial on South Wales, fieldwork may be carried out in both locations over two days Glaciers as natural systems Systems and Glaciated landscape Quantitative and Case studies Water & carbon cycles (3.1.1) Positioned between sea and hills, woodland and rivers, Margam is within reach of a diverse range of catchments at a variety of scales. Past economic activity, current forestry and flood management practices have changed the way our rivers respond to the high rainfall in the area and how carbon is stored. Studying carbon stores and fluxes in the landscape around the centre enables students to investigate carbon stores and consider the ways it is moved through the landscape. Half day/ The Water cycle A local catchment will be investigated to explore patterns of water Location: movement within the system, the catchment water balance or Margam Park imbalance, and the resulting impacts of these on the physical and OR social landscape. Fieldwork techniques may include storm Afan Valley simulations to investigate landuse, measures of discharge and infiltration rates. Links will be drawn with seasonal variation and patterns at different scales Water and carbon cycles as natural systems The water cycle Quantitative and Case studies Half day/ Location: Margam Park not The Carbon cycle This session will allow students to explore the carbon cycle, investigating transfers, flows and storage of carbon in woodland and grassland ecosystems. Students will carry out fieldwork to examine such as photosynthesis, respiration and sequestration. They will relate their data to the wider area, at a variety of scales, and explore issues that may cause a future change in carbon store e.g. deforestation Water and carbon cycles as natural systems The carbon cycle Quantitative and Case studies

4 Ecosystems under stress (3.1.6) With large urban populations adjoining a diverse range of habitats, many protect a SSSIs, NNR and more, South Wales offers an interesting environment through which to study the nature and functioning of ecosystems and their relationships to the nature and intensity of human activities Half day Ecosystems & Woodland ecosystems Students will collect data to understand the concept of biodiversity. Location: They will consider the inter- connections between climate, Waungalad vegetation, soil and topography, through qualitative and Wood, Margam quantitative fieldwork techniques. They will analyse fieldwork data Park to examine the characteristics of this temperate woodland biome. not Half day Location: Nant Phillip OR New Pond, Margam Park Ecosystems & Freshwater ecosystems By sampling in a freshwater ecosystem, students will collect data on the invertebrate fauna, and examine the structure of energy flow through this system Ecosystems and sustainability Ecosystems and Ecosystems in the British Isles over time Local ecosystems Case studies Ecosystems and sustainability Ecosystems and Ecosystems in the British Isles over time Case studies not Location: Kenfig NNR or Crymlyn Burrows SSSI Succession in a sand dune ecosystem Students will consider the process of succession in a lithosere. Concepts of succession, from pioneers to climax community, will be investigated by sampling through the dunes. Students will survey vegetation, considering the adaptations of flora and fauna to the changing conditions. Soil samples and abiotic factors will also be measured. The management of this important NNR and how this has influenced characteristics of the ecosystem, may be considered Coastal landscape Ecosystems and sustainability Ecosystems and Ecosystems in the British Isles over time Local ecosystems Case studies

5 Changing places (3.2.2) and Population & the environment (3.2.4) Incorporating the two contrasting cities of Swansea and Cardiff, this is an area with diverse economic history and a strong cultural heritage. South Wales continues to change and evolve, and offers a fascinating location in which to explore the nature of place. Changing places Demographic & social focus Through their very nature, places are constantly being shaped and A level/ AS level The nature and Location: changed, affecting the identity and lived experience of those who importance of places. Swansea OR dwell there. During this day, students will gather information on: Changing Places - Port Talbot relationships, connections, connections formed between this place and others, its heritage meaning and and how this informs its sense of place, and the economic, social, representation cultural and demographic factors (where applicable to your Relationships and specification) that have changed over time. To do this, students Connections will use historic and recent data sets such as census statistics, Meaning and analyse historic textual sources and compare to modern day. representation Fieldwork will include photography, the use of historic maps to compare with the present and qualitative techniques such as semi-structured interviews, allowing students to form a deeper understanding of how it has changed. Contrasting media representations will be compared. Location: Swansea required/ not Half day Location: Port Talbot Changing Places - Economic and Social inequalities focus Using the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation as a starting point, students will consider the ways in which deprivation and inequality across an area can be measured and the effect this has on the lives of those who live there. Students will use quantitative techniques to measure the extent to which each area is affected by different aspects of deprivation and will also use qualitative techniques such as participant observation. In conjunction with secondary data sources, this will help students to uncover the lived experiences of those that dwell in these places. Understanding Place Students will spend time considering the concept of place, and what it means in the context of Port Talbot. They will consider the ways in which a sense of place is constructed, and use a variety of qualitative techniques such as ethnographic mapping, semi-structured questionnaires and analysis of creative media. Through this, they will critically evaluate both their response to this place, the way in which it is given meaning and how this is shaped by both internal and external factors. If considering a full day option in human geography, this half day session forms an ideal introduction to alternative ways of thinking about and investigating place. Optional A level The nature and importance of places Changing Places - relationships, connections, meaning and representation Relationships and Connections Meaning and representation The nature and importance of places Changing places relationships, connections, meaning and representation Relationships and connections Meaning and representation

6 Geographical investigations plus an evening preparation Non examined assessment Location: One or more field sites (dependent on size of the group) may be Geographical investigation In the evening prior, students will develop aims, hypotheses and questions, based on their experiences and observations from the preceding fieldwork days. This is a great opportunity for students to undertake risk assessments and explore the wider geographical context in which their study area sits. Students will spend the day in the field at their chosen fieldwork location(s) collecting the data they require. Their tutor will be on hand to help address any problems that should arise and act as an advisor. Students will spent the evening starting to process their data with the support of their tutor. They will use our catalogue of data presentation methods and the expert knowledge of the tutor to ensure they present and analyse their data in the most appropriate way.

7 Individual geography fieldwork investigations (NEA) We also offer field course which facilitate your students individual investigations. An example of a 5 day course with Independent data collection is outlined below. If this does not meet your requirements, please contact us to discuss possible alternatives. Prior to arriving at, we ask that the students begin to develop an area of interest which they would like to undertake an individual investigation (Pre course support provided). You will need to decide which geographical area(s) you would like to undertake the individual investigations in and discuss this with the education team prior to your arrival. Day AM PM EVE 1 Arrive Midday Students and staff will be given a tour of the centre and a welcome talk from their tutor. Formulating geographical questions Students will go on a guided walk around the park and undertake some activities designed to get students asking geographical questions in preparation for their individual study. The walk will take in a great viewpoint where they will be able to get a locational context for many of the study locations. 2 Explorative geography Students will visit fieldwork locations and start to develop potential aims, hypotheses and questions. This is a great opportunity for students to collect photographs, undertake risk assessments and explore the wider geographical context in which their study area sits. The afternoon will be spent finalising their questions and undertaking appropriate literature research to inform the start of their write up. This will also be a good opportunity to refine the maps they have collected. 3 Data collection Students will spend the day in the field at their chosen fieldwork location(s) collecting the data they require. Their tutor will be on hand to help address any problems that should arise and act as an advisor. 4 Secondary data collection & GIS Students will use the day to collect relevant secondary sources of data which their course tutor will be able to direct them to. They will use this data to back up their primary data collected and to start to draw some conclusions. There is also an opportunity for an additional visit to their fieldwork site should they need to collect more data. There will also be opportunity through the day for students to use ArcGIS online to display and query their data as well as access big data sets to further their understanding. 5 Catch up session Depart after lunch This session will be flexible for students to work on whatever section is most important for them. There will be opportunity for peer/tutor review against the assessment criteria. Geographical enquiry process Students will identify the 6 constituent parts of a geographical enquiry and start to undertake the initial phases including developing an understanding of their chosen fieldwork location and collecting appropriate maps. Developing a methodology Using our extensive range of fieldwork techniques students will choose appropriate data collection methods using our catalogues. Students will be guided by their tutor so that they collect the most appropriate range of qualitative and quantitative data. Data refinement and presentation Students will spent the evening starting to process their data with the support of their tutor. They will use our catalogue of data presentation methods and the expert knowledge of the tutor to ensure they present and analyse their data in the most appropriate way. Conclusions and evaluations Students will take part in a workshop in which they will start to think about how to write up their investigation and the language they need to use.

8 The Course options listed in this booklet can be selected to put together a programme designed to meet the requirements of your specification. However, if you need something that is not catered for in the field work investigations we can discuss possible alternatives. Contact us: If you would like to discuss course options in more detail or have any questions then please do not hesitate to contact our team at enquiries.mp@fieldstudies-council.org, or by phone What is included in the fee? Up to 10 hours of expert tuition a day, with fully trained staff Full board accommodation. Catering includes cooked breakfast, packed lunch, homemade cakes and evening meal Use of facilities including workrooms, recreational space, ICT and centre grounds Established health and safety procedures and 24 hour emergency cover Access to specialist equipment and resources Support before and following the course Quality tuition The tutor delivering the course plays a vital role in ensuring successful learning outcomes are achieved. This is why we have taken care to develop a team of highly trained and CRB checked field tutors, working full time, throughout the year. Not only are they talented tutors, with an expert knowledge of their subject and field work locations, but a real passion for the External Recognition of Quality has been awarded the Quality Badge by The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom. The badge is awarded to organisations that have demonstrated that they consistently deliver high quality teaching and learning experiences and manage risk effectively. This means that you will have to complete less paperwork when visiting our centre. Protecting Fieldwork Opportunities Growing pressures on outdoor learning has led the FSC to take on an important role; championing the rights and opportunities for people of all ages to experience the environment at first hand. The FSC has led in campaigns to reverse the continuing decline in fieldwork within secondary schools and to build opportunities for out-of-classroom learning. The FSC continues to work closely with the Government and other partners to develop out-of-classroom learning. As a registered charity, the FSC receives no statutory funding. It relies solely on fees charged for courses and membership. Therefore, by visiting an FSC Centre not only are you receiving a high quality educational experience for your students, you are also helping to protect fieldwork opportunities for everybody.