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Reflections on the First A Level Cycle How has it gone?. Dan Cowling & Grace Healy GA Post 16 Committee. Plan for the workshop. Introduction: 'Reflections from the first cohort' The journey: Workshop activity’ Not reinventing the wheel Approaches to marking Concluding comments.
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Reflections on the First A Level CycleHow has it gone? Dan Cowling & Grace Healy GA Post 16 Committee
Plan for the workshop • Introduction: 'Reflections from the first cohort' • The journey: Workshop activity’ • Not reinventing the wheel • Approaches to marking • Concluding comments
Reflections from the First Cohort • What has been the highlight of teaching the new A Level course? • And the lowlight?
Reflections from the First Cohort • Greater depth of new subject content • Teaching of ‘new’ or unfamiliar topics • Terminal exams (as opposed to modular progress) and preparing students for the final push • The Non-Examined Assessment (coursework component) • Researching new or up to date case study materials • Moving beyond the textbook • AS v A Level conundrum
The Journey What is working well Areas for improvement
Not re-inventing the Wheel Using the Teaching Geography archive • Many of the ideas developed with reference to the legacy specs are still useful
Approaches to Marking • How have you found the process of marking student work during the two year period? • How have you sought to moderate your marking of student work? • What challenges has marking student work presented?
Approaches to Marking • Importance of assessment objectives • Planning of answers so that they flow well • Need to draw answers to substantiated conclusions • Wider range of case study material – beyond the textbook • More in depth, focused and detailed case study material
Approaches to Marking Students need more practice in the following areas: • the specific ‘command’ words used in the specifications, and their full definitions • fieldwork management strategies in a variety of locations, not just the one they have learned or which is in the textbook • planning extended answers, using a sufficient range of ideas and comparing and assessing them to reach a clear judgment. ‘How Can the AS Examiners’ Reports Help Improve Your Students’ Performance at A Level’ Teaching Geography, Volume 43, Number 1, Spring 2018
Conclusions • How is the second cohort fairing – what have we changed? • How is a A Level Geography recruitment? • What will the first examination series tell us?