Generic Fieldwork Enquiry TasksFor award in 2014

The Controlled Assessment Fieldwork Enquiry tasks are for 2014 award only. Centres must choose from these 8 tasks and not those for 2013.

Centres should complete the Submission of Controlled Assessment form once they have decided on their task and read the accompanying supporting notes.

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The following generic Enquiry Tasks are available for candidates who receive their award in 2014.

Theme Generic task for the fieldwork Enquiry

The tasks are linked to the following enquiry questions from the specification

Page in specification

Page No.

1 An investigation into the effects of river processes on the lives of people.

1.3 How do these landforms and processes affect the lives of people living along rivers?

14 1-8

4 An investigation of push-pull factors that produce rural-urban migration in a specified area.

1.2 What are the push / pull factors that produce rural – urban migration and urban – rural migration?

16 9-11

5 An investigation into the benefits of globalisation in a specified area.

1.2 What are the benefits of globalisation and why do some see it as a threat?

17 13-14

6 An investigation into patterns of quality of life in one rural region.

1.2 What are the regional patterns of economic and/or social development in one country?

17 15-17

7 An investigation into the processes associated with the sea along a defined stretch of coast which has depositional landforms.

1.1 What processes are associated with the sea?

18 19-20

9 An investigation of a sand dune ecosystem.

1.1 How does the physical environment interact with living things to produce different large scale ecosystems?

or

2.1 In what ways do people use ecosystems?

19 21-23

10 An investigation of changing patterns of tourism in a specified area.

1.2 In what ways and why is tourism changing?

20 25-26

11 An investigation of high street retail change in a specified town/city.

2.2 How is retailing changing and what effects does this have upon people and the environment?

20 27-29

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Fieldwork Enquiry Task 2014 Rivers (Theme 1)

Theme Generic task for the fieldwork Enquiry

The tasks are linked to the following enquiry questions from the specification

Page in specification

1 An investigation into the effects of river processes on the lives of people.

1.3 How do these landforms and processes affect the lives of people living along rivers?

14

Contextualised titleCentres may provide candidates with an overarching enquiry question, such as How does the River Alyn affect landowners / residents of Buckley?

Alternatively, centres may present the task to their candidates as a hypothesis, such as:Bewdly is more vulnerable to flooding than Shrewsbury.

Unpacking the titleAreas of consideration for river processes could be: deposition, transportation, erosional, weathering or mass movement processes. Areas of consideration for the lives of people could be:

Economic e.g. increase in house prices Environmental e.g. loss of environment, farmland, pollution levels, change of

biodiversity / wetlands Social e.g. re-location due to flooding, improvement in social wellbeing / quality of life

due to flood defences and gentrification

Primary and Secondary Data

First Hand Data Resident / stakeholder perception / questionnaires surveys: e.g. flood management –

does it work? pollution incidents – does it happen often? has it affected the biodiversity of the river?

Visual / environmental impact assessment: e.g. approaches to flood management, areas of industrial activity, river erosion / deposition effecting people

Biodiversity surveys: e.g. Water species count – abundance and diversity such as Trent Biotic

Channel measurements e.g. velocity, depth, wetted perimeter, gradient etc. Bed load measurement e.g. shape and size Field sketches and photos that can be labelled and annotated e.g. sketches of river

management schemes, river features e.g. waterfalls Bank full measurements e.g. bank full width, bank full depth Infiltration data Land use transects / surveys Environmental surveys e.g. to look at the attractiveness of river features as local

income generators Risk / vulnerability indices

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Secondary Data Abstraction licences from the local water authority or the Environment Agency Discharge figures from local industries or processing plants Use of old photographs / maps to compare past and present landforms or river locations Use of local authority of wildlife groups to locate protected ecosystems / SSSIs Use of Geology maps Visitors numbers, income from tourists in relation to river features e.g. waterfall Past years data from same site

For example: Some of the areas in which rivers effect people: Flooding, water supply, tourism, recreation, industry, transportation. There are some examples in the table underneath, with one or two possible examples of data collection – there are many more!

Example of contextualised title

Possible wider geographical issues

Examples of primary data

Examples of secondary data

Possible useful resources for teachers.

How has River X affected the angling / kayaking / recreational opportunities at X?

Lower discharge levels in rivers, lower river capacity, and higher pollution levels. Ecosystem threats because of low flows, loss of biodiversity.

Velocity, width and depth (for discharge). Bedload size. Questionnaires from local angling club, inc. catch data over the years. (Kayak club, inc. how many days the river is ‘up’ for kayaking on) Mapping of rivers angling sites / recreational sites

Discharge data from environment agency. Local rainfall data. Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy.

Catchment abstraction management strategies (CAMS) http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/water/119927.aspxBritish Canoe Union http://www.bcu.org.uk/clubs-i-centres/

How has the River X affected the land use / land value along the river corridor?

Upper and lower courses of rivers have different characteristics which will affect the ways humans have interacted with the river.

Land use survey i.e. mapping of land use, estimated economic value, height above river etc. Bankfull velocity, width and depth for bankfull discharge levels. Mapping of significant river land forms

Business rates information. Industry and business locations along river. Locations of any flood management, water supply management.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/default.aspxCurrent river levels.

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Example of contextualised title

Possible wider geographical issues

Examples of primary data

Examples of secondary data

Possible useful resources for teachers.

To investigate to what extent does river X provide a sustainable ecosystem service to people

Ecosystem provide ‘services’ to people living in and around the ecosystem in a sustainable way. The river provides a water supply for industry / farming and an ecosystem service relating to discharge consents e.g. reed bed sewage systems

Biodiversity survey to look at current water quality, above and below areas with water discharge consents / farms / industry. Questionnaire to locals living within the river corridor / local industries

Mapping of any discharge consents along the river corridor. Website, newspaper articles about industry / farming

http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Fieldwork+techniques/Ecosystems.htmRoyal Geographical Society Schools fieldwork advice on Ecosystemshttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/consultations/122108.aspxemail link to online public registers of the discharge consents approved by the Environment Agencyhttp://www.fba.org.uk/recorders/publications_resources/sampling-protocols/contentParagraph/01/document/CourseInvertSamplingProtocol.pdfCollecting freshwater invertebrate samples from the Freshwater Biological Association

Town x is more vulnerable to flooding than town y

Different rivers have different characteristics and different flood events have different causes linked not only to precipitation but also catchment management and catchment characteristics.

Land use data. Risk and vulnerability mapping. Cost benefit of any existing flood defences. Bankfull data for discharge. Perception questionnaires of local residents looking at how ready they are for a flood, how vulnerable they might be. Geology. Catchment management plans.

Flood maps from the environment agency. Text analysis of newspaper articles of past flooding and responses to the flood event.

Interactive website showing the effects of rising sea levels on rivers. http://flood.firetree.net/Explanations of measuring flood likelihood and severity. http://www.geography-fieldwork.org/riverfieldwork/flooding/stage2.htmEnvironment Agency River Catchment planshttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/33586.aspxEnvironment Agency Flood Risk mapshttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/default.aspx

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Additional Useful weblinks

Displaying and presenting data in rivers fieldwork: http://www.geography.org.uk/projects/ks4ict/idea17/#top

RGS section on rivers fieldwork – has links to an activities document showing how to complete some of the measurements and what to think about when choosing a rivers site for fieldwork:http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Resources/Learning+locally+through+fieldwork/River+basins.htm

Past weather data from a range of stations using Google Maps http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/

Valuation Agency Site. Council tax and business rates for properties in England and Wales. http://www.voa.gov.uk/

Postcode code data including, house prices, social grades, crime rates etc.http://www.checkmyfile.com/postcode-check/SY5-9PR.htm

Maps and air photos using a postcode search.http://www.bing.com/maps/

Developing a fieldwork enquiry on flood risk

The generic 2014 Fieldwork Enquiry task for Theme 1 investigates the impact of river processes on people. One way to contextualise this task is by investigating the impacts of river floods on a community. Figure 1 suggests four possible approaches.

Figure 1 Four potential approaches to a river flood investigation

1. The links between weather, soil/rock types, land use and river discharge i.e. the links between movement of water through the drainage basin and the response of a river (its hydrograph).

2. Flood risk / vulnerability. Students could be asked to identify locations that are at highest flood risk within a community.

3. The effectiveness of flood prevention strategies such as flood warnings, preparedness, and hard/soft engineering strategies.

4. Flood perceptions in a community i.e. do different stakeholders have different views on the potential likelihood or impacts of flood events?

Clearly, this task encourages an investigation of the interaction between physical and human environments and, as such, is quite different to the traditional ‘physical geography’ investigation of the characteristics of a river. However, for those centres who wish to maintain a ‘traditional’ approach to the investigation, there is plenty of scope for the collection of primary data of a physical geography nature. The investigations outlined in Figure 1 are arranged in order, with the first investigation representing the most ‘physical’, those in the middle offering balance of physical and human, and the fourth investigation providing a more ‘human’ context.

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Physical

Human

Primary data collection

Whichever investigation is chosen, students must be involved in primary data collection. Some suggestions are given below. Clearly, you will want to select a range of data collection techniques that provide opportunities for your students to meet the criteria of the mark scheme. Some of the following techniques would be appropriate for all four of the approaches outlined in Figure 1, whilst others would be more suited to approach 1 or approach 4.

1. Infiltration rate experiments. Students could compare infiltration rates on a variety of soils and land uses within the catchment area of their chosen river to gain an insight into water movement in the drainage basin. For example, they could compare infiltration rates (on the same day) on the school playing field, in a ploughed field and in woodland. If the school has a weather station, then your students could collect weather data over a period of time. They could repeat infiltration rate tests in the same land use (e.g. the school playing field) at regular intervals to see the effect of long periods of rain or drought on infiltration.

2. Measurements of cross section and discharge in the river, as long as it is safe to do so, or in a tributary if that offers a more acceptable risk assessment. Students should measure the cross section right across the channel and include the slopes of the river channel, river cliff or slip off slope right onto the flood plain. In that way they will be able to calculate the cross sectional area of water at both low flow conditions and when the river is at bankful stage in the safety of the classroom!

3. Measurements of the height of the river when it was last in flood. Students can measure the height of debris (such as plastics) that has been caught in trees/shrubs along the river bank. This evidence can be added to their cross section diagrams and can be used to show the height of the river (when last in flood) and, therefore, a calculation of cross sectional area of the river (and wetted perimeter) can be made for that flood event.

4. A land use survey of a community close to the river. Students should classify and plot different land uses on to a base map. They can also annotate field sketches or photos showing land uses and locations they consider being vulnerable to flooding. Land use data can be analysed further, after the fieldtrip, with the use of an OS map. Students can assign each location they have visited with a flood risk index.

This can be calculated by:

(a) Scoring each land use. For example, score 1 for land uses that are relatively unaffected by flooding (such as recreational land) through to a score of 5 for high value land uses such as a High Street chain store. Your students can be involved in deciding on an appropriate scoring system.

(b) Calculating the height of the location above the river (using spot heights / contours on the OS map).

(c) Multiplying (a) by (b) to give a flood risk index. These index scores can then be mapped to identify locations at greatest risk, as shown in Figure 2.

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Figure 2 Screenshot of hazard risk map of Taunton produced by students working with FSC

A choropleth map showing presenting similar evidence could be hand drawn.

5. A survey of flood defences such as embankments, gabions, willow planting, flood walls or demountable defences. Local residents sometimes complain that flood defences are ugly and spoil their view of the river. Students could be asked to conduct a bi-polar survey of the flood defences they see. They could also plot flood defences on to a base map and annotate photos or sketches of the defences. A simple bi-polar is suggested below:

The flood defence at location (insert OS grid reference ………) is:

1 2 3 4 5attractive uglywell maintained badly maintainednatural unnaturalBlends into the urban environment Stands out in the urban environment

6. Students who are conducting a perception survey as part of their investigation will need to either ask questionnaires (with a mixture of closed and open questions) or conduct longer interviews with local residents, planners, businesses, emergency services etc. They could use their interviews to investigate a hypothesis such as Newcomers have a higher perception of flood risk than residents who have lived in the community for longer.

Useful websites for primary data idea

http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Fieldwork+techniques/Rivers.htm The Royal Geographical Society website, describing river fieldwork techniques

http://www.geography-fieldwork.org/riverfieldwork/flooding/stage1.htm Field Studies Council

Sources of secondary dataSecondary data can be useful in supporting the student’s work. At a simple level it can be used to support the idea that flooding is a problem in the community under investigation. Newspaper articles and photos of the river in flood can be used by students in their introduction when setting out their aims. However, a range of processed and raw secondary data can also be given to the students for them to select and then process, present and analyse. In doing so, they can add to their evidence for AO3.

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Useful secondary sources of data include: The Environment Agency, which can be used to find flood risk maps and discharge data; Websites (such as Geograph or Flickr) showing photos of rivers in flood; Newspaper articles on the impacts of a recent flood event

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ Environment Agency home page

http://www.geograph.org.uk/ Photographs of every grid square

The following pages include screen shots to show how secondary data from the Environment Agency could support a study of flood risk near Port Talbot.

Figure 3 Screen shot from Environment Agency locating gauging stations.

Click on the green circle to access information for that station.http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120756.aspxFigure 4 Screen shot from Environment Agency showing ‘live’ discharge data

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http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120756.aspx?stationId=4226

Figure 5 Screen shot from Environment Agency showing flood risk near Baglan

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Fieldwork Enquiry Task 2014 Changing Populations (Theme 4)

Theme

Generic task for the fieldwork enquiry

The task is linked to the following enquiry question from the specification

Page in specification

4 An investigation of push-pull factors that produce rural-urban migration in a specified area.

1.2 What are the push-pull factors that produced rural-urban migration and urban-rural migration.

16

Contextualising the taskThis study could look at the aspects of the places, which result from the rural-urban migration, as well as the how the push-pull factors exert an influence over time. Students should be assessing the relative importance of the factors.

This could be contextualised through either a hypothesis or an overarching question such as: The pull factors of jobs & recreational opportunities are important for people moving from Cornwall to Plymouth.

Which push-pull factors have the most importance in the Cynon Valley, Rhondda?

Areas of investigation could include different stakeholder opinions of urban areas, such as ‘bright lights’, job opportunities, recreational opportunities and access to services such as schools and hospitals. Also, rural areas might lack job opportunities and rising house prices for certain groups of people.

Collecting primary and secondary data

The types of primary data that students might collect could be: Observer Survey: A variation on a pedestrian count – at public-space locations

through-out both the rural area, perhaps taking a couple of village sites and locations in the urban area, students could log the numbers and ‘type’ of people in the areas, perhaps also logging what the people are doing. Combined with a land-use map this may provide evidence of the results of rural-urban migration.

Land-use mapping: This could be used to map the recreational opportunities e.g. investigating the cafe culture of a town which may be a pull factor.

Questionnaires: These could be done in both rural and urban areas and could include some of the attitude survey techniques to elicit deeper information.

Attitude Survey: This collects people attitude e.g. if they have moved why, why they think someone would want to move to or from an area or what might be the services on offer in that area. This could be done by a Likert Scale, which assesses the strength and direction of someone’s opinion of a series of statements E.g.

There are lots of varied recreational opportunities in Plymouth.1 2 3 4

Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree

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Bi-polar scales are another way to achieve this. It would also be possible to provide different stakeholders with a set of statements which are linked to the different push-pull factors and ask them to rank these.

Services Audit: This could be a combination of the range, diversity and types of services available, the catchment area of the services, how frequently they are available, if they offer specific services for particular user groups e.g. disability access, schooling for special needs, youth discounts at sports centres etc.

Types of secondary data that students might collect could be: House-prices: This data could be combined with a mapping exercise looking at the

number of derelict and / or empty houses. It might also be possible to obtain data on second homes in the area.

Census data: for information relating to the population structure, ages, migration, levels of unemployment etc.

Schools data: Information on quality of the results from schools as well as the location of the schools.

Location specific regeneration projects: Secondary information from development areas in terms of jobs, or improved infrastructure may provide some location specific information as to the relative importance of the pull factors.

Encouraging independence during the planning and data collection phaseIt is important to allow candidates to have the opportunity to demonstrate their independence in one or more of the following areas:

Planning the enquiry / posing enquiry questions Selecting and implementing data collection techniques or technologies.

This could be achieved if students were to focus on one or two specific stakeholder groups, e.g. different age groups of people. This could be achieved through using a class-wide resource to collect data and then students could modify aspects of it for their own study e.g. closed or open question additions to a questionnaire. Students could also use a Perception type survey to assess the rural and urban environments through the eyes of one of the stakeholder groups e.g. young student. It may also be possible for students to compare factors such as socio-economic or employment data in detail for the area.

AO2 ApplicationCandidates need to make a connection between the specific place they are investigating and the wider concepts, models, theories or processes of their geographical studies. For example, candidates could apply their knowledge of a case study and contrast it with the fieldwork region. At the highest levels this could involve the candidate comparing secondary data provided for a different region within Wales or England.

Students could apply their understanding of a number of concepts to their findings in the study area such as:

quality of life; perception of 'bright lights'; rural depopulation.

Students could apply their understanding of migration patterns on a national or European level to compare and contrast with the study area.

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Useful weblinks

http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/HTMLDocs/dvc25/Index.html#00PF,loc,from Neighbour Statistics site of migration statistics; this page is an example from Rhondda

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/ House prices information for the whole of the UK

www.statistics.gov.uk This is the official website of the UK National Census. You can search by postcode to find all sorts of data about each ward (an enumeration district) in your chosen city.

http://www.caci.co.uk/acorn-classification.aspxACORN is a geodemographic segmentation of the UK’s population which segments small neighbourhoods, postcodes, or consumer households into 5 categories, 17 groups and 56 types

http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/index.jsp A vision of Britain – historical land-use maps of Britain

http://www.geography-fieldwork.org/urbanfieldwork/inequality/stage1.htmField Studies Council information on urban fieldwork techniques

http://www.schoolsnet.com/uk-schools/schoolHome.jspSchoolsnet provides data on location, quality and sizes of schools.

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Fieldwork Enquiry Task 2014 Globilisation (Theme 5)

Theme

Generic task for the fieldwork enquiry

The task is linked to the following enquiry question from the specification

Page in specification

5 An investigation into the benefits of globalisation in a specified area.

1.2 What are the benefits of globalisation and why do some see it as a threat?

17

Contextualising the taskThis task must investigate the effects of one or more TNC’s on an area.

This could be contextualised through either a hypothesis or an overarching question such as: Tata Steel has provided benefits to the area of Shotton in North East Wales.

To what extent has Fakenham in Norfolk benefited from the Linda McCartney factory?

Independent retailers are threatened by the growth of trans-national companies in Shrewsbury town centre.

Areas of investigation could include any areas that would be considered a benefit to a particular stakeholder group, for example, job opportunities for locals, improved sales of local resources, products and services, sharing of ideas and lifestyles, earning potential and training opportunities, spending opportunities, infrastructure improvements and image of the area.

Collecting primary and secondary dataThe types of primary data that students might collect could be:

Environmental Quality / Impact: e.g. landscaping of the factory/industry site and / or surrounding area. Visual assessments could be made from various locations through-out the area. Contrasts could be made between existing landscape and the impact of the development.

Land-use mapping: Mapping of the local business to investigate the multiplier effect and / or categorisation of the type of business TNC, local etc. Mapping of the local recreational services e.g. pubs, cafes, restaurants could also be used.

Questionnaires: could collect data about different benefits from different stakeholder groups’ e.g. spending opportunities, job opportunities, image of the area changed etc.

Transport improvements: This could involve public transport and private transport opportunities and mapping these onto a base map. Frequency / density of public services could be mapped and over-laid onto a base map containing the TNCs. This could be annotated to explore if TNC location had provided improved transport opportunities in the area.

Architectural / Urban Survey: Photo / video / descriptive data to assess the richness, up-keep, diversity and design of new infrastructure / buildings / urban landscapes.

Photographic evidence: Photos could be taken of the development and annotated to look at the development of the area and how it has affected the image and / or landscape of the area.

Interviews: Interviews could be conducted to gain extra information e.g. local newspaper reporters for information that they have been collecting, information from the press office of any local TNCs, local business owners on their impressions of spending etc.

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Types of secondary data that students might collect could be: Infrastructure Mapping: Using maps and / or internet research to look at any

additions to the transport infrastructure, new schools, hospitals etc. Newspaper reports: Annotated and analysed for employment figures, training

opportunities, stakeholder views. Census data: for employment data TNC web-site: perhaps looking at information as to numbers of jobs created,

increases in training opportunities etc.

Encouraging independence during the planning and data collection phaseIt is important to allow candidates to have the opportunity to demonstrate their independence in one or more of the following areas:

Planning the enquiry / posing enquiry questions Selecting and implementing data collection techniques or technologies.

This could be achieved if students were to focus on one or two specific stakeholder groups, e.g. local residents, local business etc, or if they were to focus on a particular area of benefit, such as service/infrastructure improvements. This could be achieved through using a class-wide resource to collect data and then students could modify aspects of it for their own study e.g. closed or open question additions to a questionnaire.

AO2 ApplicationCandidates need to make a connection between the specific place they are investigating and the wider concepts, models, theories or processes of their geographical studies. For example, candidates could contrast the fieldwork region with a case-study, or knowledge about benefits of globalisation at a global scale or use their understanding of the multiplier effect to interpret their results.

Useful weblinks

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business-news/business-news/2012/04/18/shotton-says-hello-to-800m-tata-cash-boost-55578-30782086/ Newspaper articles can be used to collect secondary evidence of development and also stakeholder views. This is an example from 2012 about Tata Steel in North Wales.www.statistics.gov.uk This is the official website of the UK National Census. You can search by postcode to find all sorts of data about each ward (an enumeration district) in your chosen city.

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/?lang=enWelsh Government Site: information can be found showing new developments in infrastructure.

http://local.direct.gov.uk/LDGRedirect/Start.do?mode=1Site to search for your local authority in the UK. They will provide information on infrastructure, new business, development zones etc.

http://www.caci.co.uk/acorn-classification.aspxACORN is a geodemographic segmentation of the UK’s population which segments small neighbourhoods, postcodes, or consumer households into 5 categories, 17 groups and 56 types

http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/Neighbourhood Statistics

http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/National Portal for all major infrastructure planning applications.

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Fieldwork Enquiry Task 2014 Development (Theme 6)

Theme

Generic task for the fieldwork enquiry

The task is linked to the following enquiry question from the specification

Page in specification

6 An investigation into patterns of quality of life in one rural region.

1.2 What are the regional patterns of economic and/or social development in one country

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Contextualising the taskThis task must investigate spatial changes (change through-out the region) rather than temporal changes in one village. This could be contextualised through either a hypothesis (i), or an overarching question (ii), such as:

(i) In Waveney Suffolk, younger people have a better Quality of Life than older people.

(ii) How and why does the Quality of Life vary in Caerphilly Borough?

The fieldwork enquiry must be focussed on patterns of Quality of Life in a rural area, not how Quality of Life varies in a town or city.

Quality of life would look at general well-being of people or groups of people. Aspects of quality of life include built environment, access to service provision, crime and safety, physical and mental health, traffic noise and safety, recreation, social belonging and community cohesion as well as standards of income. These aspects will be different for different groups of people.

Collecting primary and secondary data

The types of primary data that students might collect could be: Crime perception: surveys, questionnaires or indices e.g. a questionnaire for village

residents or observations in different villages of the burglar alarms, rural watch stickers, anti-crime features. This could be combined with some secondary crime data into an index for each output area.

Environmental Quality: Indices or bi-polar scores to collect data about the general landscape and upkeep of the area. Students could combine this with photos that they take of the worst and the best images in each catergory

Questionnaires: could collect data about different aspects of quality of life or from different stakeholder groups e.g. views on community cohesion, do people eat 5-a day, safety perception crime / traffic / pollution etc.

Services surveys: in villages e.g. visiting libraries, post-offices, pub etc. Transport index: create an index which combines the frequency, length and cost of

public transport to main service provision. Buildings survey / Index of decay: create an index to look at the up keep or

conservation and upgrading of local heritage buildings or an index to look at the upkeep of the housing stock in the villages within a region.

Car Age Survey: for each of the cars parked in a survey area record its age – by taking a mean, the average age of the cars in an area can be worked out.

Extended interviews: for example with groups who might have set-up renewal projects, rural watch schemes, IT schemes, farm diversification etc.

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Communities’ activities mapping: data could be collected from web-sites, village notice boards or newsletters on the number of community or recreational activities. This could be combined on a map of the community infrastructure e.g. village halls, playing fields, libraries, drop-in centres etc.

Photographic evidence: Photos could be taken of the various areas within the region and annotated to take note of the building / environment / traffic / people / services / renewal schemes / upkeep etc. Or perhaps a photo that students think sums up the area – socially or economically.

Types of secondary data that students might collect could be: Mapping: for example, broadband coverage, crime statistics, diversification

schemes, creation of micro-enterprise and businesses, support for tourism schemes, village renewal schemes, conservation and upgrading of heritage, training schemes for groups, services e.g. schools, doctors etc.

Services Index: using GoogleEarth estimate distances to major supermarkets, schools, free cash points, computers etc.

Newspaper reports: reports detailing any of the quality of life indicators, schemes or groups views. These could be annotated and analysed to provide supporting evidence.

Census data: quality of life indicators and multiple deprivation indices e.g. socio-economic class, health data, education levels

Witness accounts / Blogs / YouTube: Villages and rural areas may have a blog and / or web-site which may provide evidence of the quality of life in different areas and suggestions of why this may be different for different people or for the different areas. For example, the text in blogs could be analysed by using websites such as Wordle.

Encouraging independence during the planning and data collection phaseIt is important to allow candidates to have the opportunity to demonstrate their independence in one or more of the following areas:

Planning the enquiry / posing enquiry questions Selecting and implementing data collection techniques or technologies.

One simple way that this could be achieved if the contextualized question is looking at the variability of quality of life across an area would be to allow students to add a closed and open question to a questionnaire to investigate different groups of people quality of life within a region. If the contextualised question is looking at the quality of life for different groups of people, students might be encouraged to filter some of the census data for different aspects of quality of life such as percentage long-term illness, educational ability, unemployment etc.

AO2 ApplicationCandidates need to make a connection between the specific place they are investigating and the wider concepts, models, theories or processes of their geographical studies. For example, candidates could contrast the fieldwork region with a case-study rural area that has undergone a significant improvement in technological communications, diversification, rural employment scheme etc.

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Useful weblinks

http://www.defra.gov.uk/crc/Commission for Rural Communities – good for inital research and background data for teachers.

http://local.live.com/ This website has excellent aerial photos and satellite images. You can use it to describe housing type and housing density. You can also use it to describe externalities: the features of the neighbourhood such as parks and busy roads that add positive or negative value to quality of life.

www.statistics.gov.uk This is the official website of the UK National Census. Like the sites above, you can search by postcode to find all sorts of data about each ward (an enumeration district) in your chosen city.

http://www.checkmyfile.com/postcode-check/SY5-9PR.htmPostcode code data including, house prices, social grades, crime rates etc.

http://www.walesruralobservatory.org.uk/eng/main-e.htmlWales Rural Observatory has many reports on the social and economic conditions of rural Wales.

http://www.caci.co.uk/acorn-classification.aspxACORN is a geodemographic segmentation of the UK’s population which segments small neighbourhoods, postcodes, or consumer households into 5 categories, 17 groups and 56 types

http://www.apho.org.uk/resource/view.aspx?RID=116449Health Profiles for Local Authorities

http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/Neighbourhood Statistics

http://www.broadband-notspot.org.uk/coverage-map.html#5,55.354,-4.8,all,2http://www.samknows.com/broadband/index.phpBroadband Coverage

http://www.police.uk/Crime Coverage

http://www.wordle.net/Wordle – a site for anaysing text

http://www.cpre.org.uk/Campaign for Rural England – good for initial research for England

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Fieldwork Enquiry Task 2014 Coasts (Theme 7)

Theme

Generic task for the fieldwork enquiry

The task is linked to the following enquiry question from the specification

Page in specification

7 An investigation into the processes associated with the sea along a defined stretch of coast which has depositional landforms

1.1 What processes are associated with the sea?

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Contextualising the titleCentres may provide candidates with an overarching enquiry question, such as:How and why do the characteristics of the beach at Walton on the Naze vary?

Alternatively, centres may present the task to their candidates as a hypothesis, such as:Longshore drift is the main process in operation on Borth beachOrSediment size increases with distance from the sea

Unpacking the titleThe focus of the 2014 task is the transportational and depositional process associated withdepositional landforms such as could be beaches tombolas and spits.

Primary and Secondary DataFirst Hand Data

Beach sediment measurement e.g. size and shape using a meter rule or callipers, Cailleux Roundness Index and Powers’ scale of roundness.

Beach profile e.g. a transect along the beach from sea level to the coastline (backshore/ berm/ sea wall/ dunes) to show the changing gradient and/ or transects at intervals along the beach.

Measurement of thickness of beach sediment along the profile. Quadrat analysis of beach material along a transect(s) or line/ systematic sampling. Wave types i.e. constructive or destructive. Wave approach information using a compass or Google earth/ aerial photos which

will show the predominant wave direction. Longshore drift evidence e.g. surface load information using painted corks. Groyne measurements e.g. vertical height to the top of the groyne from the

sand/pebbles on both the updrift and downdrift sides of the groyne. Field sketches and photos that can be labelled and annotated e.g. coastal features

e.g. beaches, pictures of differing pebble sizes and shapes from different locations on the beach, the effect of groynes.

Geological identification of pebbles to show source area. Prevailing wind direction.

Secondary data Use of old maps/photographs to compare past and present landforms and profiles Use of geology maps O.S. maps and aerial photographs Websites Newspaper articles

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Encouraging independence during the planning and data collection phaseIt is important to allow candidates to have the opportunity to demonstrate their independence in one or more of the following area:

Planning the enquiry / posing enquiry questions. Selecting and implementing data collection techniques and technologies.

For health and safety or logistical reasons the data collection could be common to the group of students as long as there are opportunities to demonstrate individuality. The individuality could be incorporated by students suggesting improvements to data collection, evaluating the nature and accuracy of sampling, choosing individual methods of data presentation and suggesting extensions to the study.

Presentation of dataThere are a wide range of ways in which data can be presented such as:

Annotated beach gradient profiles. Tables and bar graphs to show the depth of sand/rocks on the updrift and downdrift

sides of a groyne. These could be overlayed onto beach profiles to produce more complex techniques.

Pie charts to show the size/ shape of material in the quadrats along a transect. Compass rose to show the direction of wave approach. Annotated sketches and photographs.

These are some of the methods that could be used to present data/ information but there are many more.

AO2 ApplicationCandidates need to make a connection between the specific place they are investigating and the wider concepts, models, theories or processes of their geographical studies. For example, candidates could:

Apply their understanding of theories such as longshore drift to the formation of depositional landforms.

Apply their understanding of the link between coastal erosion, transportation and deposition to the formation of depositional landforms.

Compare their findings to other coastal locations with different depositional landforms e.g. sand dunes, spits.

Show their understanding of coastal environments as being dynamic and susceptible to change with, in storm conditions, even depositional coastlines can become eroded by high tides and destructive waves.

Useful weblinks

RGS section on coastal fieldwork techniques, limitations and data presentation techniqueshttp://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Fieldwork+techniques/Coasts.htm

Background information to coasts, fieldwork techniques and analysishttp://www.geography-fieldwork.org/coastfieldwork/lowenergy/stage2.htm

Maps and air photos using a postcode searchhttp://www.bing.com/maps/

Photos of every OS grid squarehttp://www.geograph.org.uk/

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Fieldwork Enquiry Task 2014 Ecosystems (Theme 9)

Theme

Generic task for the fieldwork enquiry

The task is linked to the following fieldwork enquiry question from the specification

Page in specification

9 An investigation of a sand dune ecosystem.

1.1 How does the physical environment interact with living things to produce different large-scale ecosystems?or2.1 In what ways do people use ecosystems?

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Contextualising the titleCentres may provide candidates with an overarching enquiry question, such as:How and why do the characteristics of the sand dune ecosystem at Studland Nature Reserve vary?OrWhat are the impacts of human activity on the sand dune ecosystem at Ynyslas?

Alternatively, centres may present the task to their candidates as a hypothesis, such as:The diversity of vegetation species increases with distance from the sea at Morfa Harlech.OrHuman activities have a negative effect on the sand dune ecosystem at Ainsdale

Unpacking the titleAreas of consideration for interactions between the physical environment and the ecosystem could be height of dunes, gradient, aspect, soil depth and pH, salt content, moisture content, vegetation cover and microclimate features such as temperature and wind speed. Areas for consideration for people and ecosystems could be the impacts of tourism, both positive and negative, or the management strategies employed in the dunes and their effectiveness.

For both ideas above, comparisons could be made of intensively managed and relatively un- managed areas, provided permission and accessibility do not prove to be an issue.

Primary and Secondary Data

First Hand Data Dune profiles using tapes, ranging poles and clinometers. E.g. a transect from the

embryo dunes to fixed dunes or woodland, depending on accessibility and the precise nature of the chosen location.

Sampling of vegetation cover using quadrats to identify percentage cover (or the inverse, % bare earth), and the presence of specific species, or total number of species. Sampling could be systematic at equal distances from the beginning of the transect, or stratified, e.g. in each dune slack, or on each ridge or slope to allow coverage of different environments and microclimates.

At each sampling point the following could also be measured: soil depth, soil colour, (an indication of organic matter), vegetation height, soil pH, wind speed, and temperature. Soil samples could be collected to be analysed later to calculate the moisture/ salt content. Sieves to see if shell content of the sand changes inland.

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Plant identification charts can be used to determine which species are present at specific points along the transect. http://www.field-studies-council.org/publications/pubs/plants-common-on-sand-dunes.aspx

Photographic evidence or field sketches that can be annotated to show changes along a transect in vegetation type, evidence of erosion from wind (blowouts for example) or human activity and management techniques.

Photographic evidence of erosion adjacent to footpaths compared to areas which are out of bounds to the public, or width and depth of footpath erosion.

Stratified sampling of survey points along a transect or within the public access area, e.g. number of pieces of litter within a specified radius.

Prevailing wind direction to show direction of windblown sand. Questionnaires to ascertain the frequency and nature of human use such as tourism,

attitudes towards tourists by local residents, e.g. who gains or loses? Bi – polar analysis / environmental quality surveys to consider evidence of litter /

damage from tourism. Vehicle counts in adjacent car parks Visitor number counts

Secondary data Use of aerial photos or Google Earth which can also be annotated for the purpose of the

study. Use of old maps/photographs to compare past and present location of sand dunes and

the nature of human activity, e.g. car parking is no longer allowed within the dunes. O.S. maps – current and historical Websites such as Where’s the Path? http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

The site shows an OS extract alongside an aerial photo of your search area. There is a daily limit on map downloads on this website, and later in the day a 1940’s version of the required area often appears. This could be a useful comparative tool if the nature of change is an element of the enquiry.

Newspaper articles / news websites

Encouraging independence during the planning and data collection phaseIt is important to allow candidates to have the opportunity to demonstrate their independence in one or more of the following area:

Planning the enquiry / posing enquiry questions Selecting and implementing data collection techniques and technologies

For health and safety or logistical reasons the data collection could be common to the group of students as long as there are opportunities to demonstrate individuality. The individuality could be incorporated by students designing data logging sheets, suggesting criteria for environmental quality surveys, suggesting improvements to data collection, evaluating the nature and accuracy of sampling, choosing individual methods of data presentation and suggesting extensions to the study.

Presentation of dataThere is a wide range of ways in which data can be presented such as:

Annotated dune transect profiles Tables to show slope and vegetation recordings along the transect(s) Located bar / pie charts showing vegetation cover or type Kite diagrams showing species distribution Tables and bar graphs to show the depth soil / soil pH / wind speed / temperature /

moisture / shell / salt content as it changes along the transect. Annotated or overlaid sketches and photographs Radial diagrams showing opinions / perceptions from questionnaire data

These are some of methods that could be used to present data/ information but there are many more.

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AO2 ApplicationCandidates need to make a connection between the specific place they are investigating and the wider concepts, models, theories or processes of their geographical studies. For example, candidates could:

Apply their understanding of theories such as dune formation or expected vegetation distribution to the situation found in the area of study.

Apply their understanding of the link between environmental or human factors to the height of dunes, % vegetation cover, or type of vegetation found.

Compare their findings to other dune ecosystems with different levels of human activity or management, accessibility, different microclimates.

Consider how their findings might differ at different times of the year or if the system was more or less intensively managed.

Acknowledge the dynamic and fragile nature of dune ecosystems and the complexity of the relationships between the ecosystem and human activity – both positive and negative.

Useful web links

Field studies council section on sand dune fieldwork. Follow the links from the page belowhttp://www.geography-fieldwork.org/ecologyfieldwork/sand_dunes/stage1.htm

RGS link to sand dune fieldworkhttp://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Fieldwork+techniques/Ecosystems.htm

Maps and air photos using a postcode searchhttp://www.bing.com/maps/

Photos of every OS grid squarehttp://www.geograph.org.uk/

In addition, Natural England, the National Trust and English Nature all have useful resources on specific dune systems.

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Fieldwork Enquiry Task 2014 Tourism (Theme 10)

Theme Generic task for the fieldwork enquiry

The task is linked to the following enquiry question from the specification

Page in specification

10 An investigation of changing patterns of tourism in a specified area

1.2 In what ways and why is tourism changing?

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Contextualising the taskThis task must investigate temporal changes (change over time) rather than spatial changes in the tourism sector. Note that, in order to comply with the enquiry question in the specification, the candidates should investigate both how and why tourism is changing. This could be contextualised through either a hypothesis (i), or an overarching question (ii), such as:(i) Attempts to rebrand Blackpool have been successful.(ii) How and why are tourist facilities in Barry Island changing?

When developing a contextualised task for this theme centres are urged to focus on recent or current changes. A historical approach would not be appropriate. For example, an investigation of the development of a new visitor attraction, such as the new visitor centre at the summit of Snowdon, would be appropriate. A historical study of post war tourism to holiday camps, such as Butlins, would not be appropriate.

The fieldwork enquiry must be focussed on how and why tourism is changing. A task that focuses on spatial patterns (such as the distribution of tourist accommodation or other tourist services) would not be appropriate. A task that focuses on the negative and positive impacts of tourism or its sustainability would not be appropriate either.

Do you have base data so candidates can reach a conclusion about change over time?This task requires candidates to make a judgement about how and why tourism is changing over time. You will, therefore, need some base data against which those judgements can be made. This base data could be gathered from:

A questionnaire of local residents / businesses on how they perceive tourism is changing (primary data in this cycle).

Published data, such as visitor numbers, researched from the local tourist information office or the internet (secondary data).

Raw data on visitor profiles collected by students in a previous year (which would be regarded as secondary data for this cycle)

If you do not have access to this type of base data, the task should not be attempted.

Collecting primary and secondary data

Assuming that your candidates have access to the type of base data described above, they could be involved in any of the following forms of data collection themselves:

Land use survey / classification of services available to tourists Pedestrian flows in locations visited by tourists Questionnaires of visitors / local residents / tourist related businesses Bi-polar surveys to analyse quality of the attraction / resort Photographs / micro-field sketches of tourist facilities / signage / interpretation

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Encouraging independence during the planning and data collection phaseIt is important to allow candidates to have the opportunity to demonstrate their independence in one or more of the following areas:

Planning the enquiry / posing enquiry questions Selecting and implementing data collection techniques or technologies.

One simple way that this could be achieved would be designing a questionnaire of closed questions to be used by all candidates and asking each candidate to add one closed and one open question of their own to this common survey.

AO2 ApplicationCandidates need to make a connection between the specific place they are investigating and the wider concepts, models, theories or processes of their geographical studies. In order to do this, candidates could be encouraged to compare the patterns they have seen to a model of tourism change such as the Butler Model. Alternatively, they could attempt to explain the changes they have observed in relation to the process of rebranding a tourist resort or evaluate possible future changes in terms of the legacy of a new visitor attraction / sporting venue.

Useful weblinks

The following link is the publication hub of the UK National Statistics Office for tourist related publications. It includes a number of very useful hyperlinks (on the right of the screen) to other organisations such as Visit Britain and Visit England.http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/people-places/people/tourism

The following link is to a Tourism hub on the Welsh Government website.http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/tourism/?lang=en

The Welsh Government site contains links to various research documents, many of which contain raw data on visitor numbers / attractions in Wales. These research documents are available from the following page:http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/tourism/researchl1/tourisminwales/;jsessionid=NwndQsZXTYNrybZJT868npScD12ldKdGM9LY1jQzpPpmBZHr5Mwf!989377147?lang=en

Blackpool has indeed considered a rebranding exercise, and there are several references to this in the press:http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/local/blackpool_needs_to_rebrand_says_tourism_boss_1_380619

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Fieldwork Enquiry Task 2014 Urban & Retail change (Theme 11)

Theme Generic task for the fieldwork enquiry

The task is linked to the following enquiry question from the specification

Page in specification

11 An investigation of high street retail change in a specified town/city

2.2 How is retailing changing and what effects does this have upon people and the environment?

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Contextualising the taskThis task must investigate temporal changes (change over time) rather than spatial changes in retailing. This could be contextualised through either a hypothesis (i), or an overarching question (ii), such as:

(i) Shrewsbury town centre is becoming a clone town.(ii) How has the opening of the St David’s shopping centre changed shopping patterns in

Cardiff’s city centre?

When developing a contextualised task for this theme centres are urged to focus on recent or current changes. A historical approach would not be appropriate. For example, an investigation of the recent impact of internet retailing on high street shops would be appropriate. A study of the development of supermarkets in 1960s and 1970s would not be appropriate.

The fieldwork enquiry must be focussed on how and why retailing is changing in the town centre (not an out-of-town retail park). A task that focuses solely on spatial patterns (such as the distribution of clothes shops in a town) would not be appropriate unless the pattern was compared/contrasted in two different years. The task may investigate the effects of retail change on people (shoppers and/or businesses) and the environment (eg improving the urban environment with signage, street furniture, CCTV etc associated with pedestrianisation schemes). However, a task that focuses entirely on negative and / or positive impacts of retailing without considering change over time would not be appropriate.

Do you have base data so candidates can reach a conclusion about change over time?

This task requires candidates to make a judgement about how retailing is changing over time. You will, therefore, need some base data against which those judgements can be made.

This base data could be gathered from: Raw data (eg number of shoppers, pedestrian flows, classification of high street

shops) collected by students in a previous year (which would be regarded as secondary data for this cycle)

A questionnaire of local residents / businesses on how they perceive retailing is changing (primary data in this cycle).

Published data, such as a GOAD plan showing the land use in a specific year (secondary data).

Dated photographs of high street shops.

If you do not have access to this type of base data, the task should not be attempted.

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Collecting primary and secondary dataAssuming that your candidates have access to the type of base data described above, they could be involved in any of the following forms of data collection themselves:

Land use survey / shop-type classification Pedestrian flows to determine core / periphery locations Questionnaires of shoppers / retailers Bi-polar surveys to analyse quality of the urban/retail environment Surveys of traffic / car parks / bus services to the town centre Photographs / micro-field sketches of high street environments

Encouraging independence during the planning and data collection phaseIt is important to allow candidates to have the opportunity to demonstrate their independence in one or more of the following areas:

Planning the enquiry / posing enquiry questions Selecting and implementing data collection techniques or technologies.

One simple way that this could be achieved would be to design 3 different bi-polar surveys that are conducted by all candidates and asking candidates to design another bi-polar survey of their own. For example:

1 Bus services currently provide shoppers with access to High Street shops that is best described as:

convenient inconvenientfrequent infrequentGood value for money Poor value for money

2 Shopping arcades in the High Street currently provide shoppers with an experience that is best described as:

varied monotonouswelcoming threateningAccessible to all Inaccessible for many

3 The pedestrian facilities (signs, street crossings, park benches) in the High Street currently provide shoppers with an experience that is best described as:

Safe DangerousSpacious CrowdedAdequate Inadequate

Now design a bi-polar survey that summarises your feelings about one of the following: Car parking facilities for shoppers Signage for pedestrians who are visiting the city centre for the first time

AO2 ApplicationCandidates need to make a connection between the specific place they are investigating and the wider concepts, models, theories or processes of their geographical studies. For example, candidates could:

Investigate the extent to which retail change is affecting both independent retailers and chain stores ie applying the concept of ‘clone town’

Apply understanding of theories of CBD morphology such as core and periphery, and of processes of CBD change which involve the interaction between core and periphery, and the changes that occur within zones of assimilation and discard.

Apply their understanding of planning issues that face many UK town centres and the measures that have been introduced to make town centres better, safer places in which to shop when faced with increased competition from neighbouring retail parks

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Useful weblinks

The following link is to a description of a ‘clone town survey’ developed by a school in Guildford, Surrey and posted on the Teaching Today websitehttp://www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk/fieldwork/info/local-learning/local-area-studies/clone-towns-a-fieldwork-investigation/

The New Economics Foundation (NEF) coined the phrase ‘clone town’. Follow this link to read their report on the state of Britain’s High Street. http://www.neweconomics.org/projects/clone-town-britain

The results of the survey can also be downloaded and students could use this as secondary data:http://www.neweconomics.org/sites/neweconomics.org/files/Clone_Town_Britain_1.pdf

A simple description of how to conduct your own survey can be found athttp://www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk/images/text/FW_clone_survey.pdf

Postcode code data including, house prices, social grades, crime rates etc.http://www.checkmyfile.com/postcode-check/SY5-9PR.htm

Maps and air photos using a postcode search.http://www.bing.com/maps/

Photos of every OS grid square:http://www.geograph.org.uk/

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