Professional Focus Paper
Course: Geography
1.
Level: National 4
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for teachers and other staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards
Geography National 4.
Curriculum for Excellence is a unique opportunity to raise achievement and to ensure that all learners are better
prepared than they have been in the past for learning, life and work. This is because the new curriculum gives real
scope to build learning from 3–18 in a joined-up, seamless way. As a result, progression in learning can be much
stronger with a clear focus on attributes and capabilities, skills (including higher-order thinking skills), and
knowledge and understanding. These are delivered through the experiences and outcomes of the 3–15 Broad
General Education (BGE) and, at the senior phase, through programmes that build directly on the BGE leading to
qualifications. Because of a strengthened focus on the nature and quality of learning experiences, self-motivation is
likely to be increased and learners consequently more engaged and enthused. To ensure continuity and
progression, qualifications at the senior phase have been designed to embrace this unambiguous focus on highquality learning.
Curriculum for Excellence has the flexibility to meet the needs of all learners in their local circumstances, enabling
each to achieve their very best. For example, some centres may take the opportunity to offer qualifications over two
years which might involve learners bypassing qualifications at a given level, whereas others may enable learners to
work towards qualifications within one year. In both cases, the advice in this paper is relevant to the learning and
teaching approaches that learners will encounter. This paper, then, is intended to stimulate professional reflection
and dialogue about learning. It highlights important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements at this SCQF level.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the BGE, to meet the needs of learners?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
Geography National 4 consists of four Units, providing learners with the opportunity to develop a wide range of
transferable skills which can be applied over a range of contexts.
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Physical Environments
Human Environments
Global Issues
Added Value Unit: Assignment
To achieve Geography National 4, learners must pass all of the required Units including the Added Value Unit.
GEOGRAPHY
Key aspects of National 4 Geography
Integrated approach to skills development
Learning experiences will enable learners to develop a wide range of transferable skills including: using and
interpreting a range of geographical information; interpreting and explaining geographical phenomena; using a
range of maps and other data to process and communicate geographical information; and researching skills,
including fieldwork.
The skills will be developed and applied over a range of physical environment, human environment and global
issues contexts. If Units are taken as part of a course then evidence for mapping skills or research skills may be
presented in the context of either the Physical Environments Unit or the Human Environments Unit. Skills in the use
of numerical and graphical information will be presented in the Global Issues Unit. It is important to stress,
however, that these particular skills have been allocated to particular Units for assessment purposes only to avoid
over-assessment. All skills should permeate throughout all Units.
Wider range of evidence of learning
There is a new emphasis on learning that can lead to naturally occurring evidence and combined assessments.
Staff can make use of a wider range of learning experiences that lead to evidence for assessment, including, for
example, digital or oral presentations, recorded DVD/video, written work, podcasts and wall displays.
Hierarchy of Units
Programmes of learning should be planned to encourage young people to aim for the highest level of achievement.
The hierarchical nature of the Geography National 4 and respective Units, allows for the delivery of National 4 and
National 5 with groups at a variety of different stages. The degree of choice within the Units further allows for new
areas of study for those who are able to progress from one level to another, while ensuring that all learners are not
required to repeat content from one level to the next. The hierarchy of Units allows for a flexible approach, enabling
learners to tackle assessments at the appropriate level. The requirements of the National 4 Added Value Unit and
the assignment at National 5 have been designed to facilitate flexible delivery. Careful planning, however, will be
required for any movement between National 5 and National 4 to ensure that learners complete the Added Value
Unit.
Added Value Unit
To achieve Geography National 4, learners will also be required to complete an Added Value Unit. Learners will
have an open choice of topic or issue to be researched and there will be flexibility in the form of presentation used.
The assignment should be seen as an opportunity for learners to demonstrate their skills and abilities and give
them an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the topic chosen. Where possible, practitioners are
encouraged to take learners out of the classroom to gather data, for example, in the school grounds, or on field
trips and visits.
How will you ensure that the Added Value aspect will reflect learners’ progress throughout the course?
GEOGRAPHY
Key features of Geography National 4
Learning independently
Learners undertaking Geography National 4 will continue to develop as independent learners either working
individually or in groups. Learners can develop confidence and self-motivation through activities that offer a choice
of approaches, for example, by making decisions, solving problems and initiating their own learning. Learning
activities will encourage learners to develop important attitudes including respect for the values, beliefs and
cultures of others, an increased understanding of the environment and sustainability and a sense of responsibility
and global citizenship.
How will you plan opportunities for learners to work independently?
Responsibility for learning
With much greater emphasis on personalisation and choice, learners are expected to take more responsibility for
their own learning and develop an understanding of how best they learn. Learning activities could be planned in
consultation with learners, taking account of interests, aspirations and prior learning. This will promote motivation
and ensure that individuals are challenged appropriately.
Learners should be encouraged to monitor their own progress and set targets, aiming to make effective use of
feedback to improve. By planning regular opportunities to discuss and review learning, including self- and peerevaluation, staff will help learners engage with this process and set meaningful targets for improvement.
How might you develop a more flexible approach embedding personalisation and choice? How will you ensure that
learners are making informed decisions about where they are in their learning and what they need to do to
progress?
Active learning
Throughout Geography National 4, it is essential that learners have opportunities to engage and challenge their
own thinking and to develop the higher-order thinking skills required to do so. Staff will want to reduce the focus on
teacher-led activities and place a greater emphasis on learners’ experiences. Opportunities for practical work,
including fieldwork, should be included. Fieldwork encourages a ‘hands on’ approach to problem solving, engaging
learners in real-life scenarios and allowing them to evaluate the impact of environmental issues on themselves and
society as a whole.
How will you encourage self-motivation and resilience in your group of learners?
Collaborative learning
Learning and teaching approaches should encourage and develop collaborative working. Collaborative working
helps to develop essential social and interpersonal skills and challenges learners to think independently and
engage in discussion, debate and activity. Effective collaboration makes the learning process visible and
encourages deeper and more reflective thinking.
GEOGRAPHY
Learners can work together in pairs or groups to research topics in all Units, for example, by studying the same
human development issue in different developing countries they can then share their learning and provide
information and explanations to others. They can work on team challenges, for example, Mapping from Memory.
They can take on roles and responsibilities, for example, considering land use in a national park. They can debate
current issues to develop informed views, for example, the siting of a wind farm.
As learners become more confident they could begin to collaborate with learners from other establishments locally,
nationally and internationally allowing an increased awareness of citizenship at a global level. In planning activities,
staff should provide opportunities for learners to collaborate more widely with others, recognising that learning
takes place both within and beyond the classroom. Working with partners provides the relevant and real-life
contexts and situations that promote investigative and problem solving approaches.
How will you ensure that learners have the confidence to take on appropriate roles and responsibilities in
collaborative tasks?
Applying learning
Learning experiences should enable coherent study that explores the interaction of human and physical processes.
There will be many opportunities throughout to deepen learning and explore current topical issues. Learners should
be encouraged to be open to new ideas and to develop their ability to think critically and creatively.
Geography lends itself to the development of literacy and numeracy skills including, in particular, reading, writing
and information handling. Geographers have used thinking skills approaches for some time now and staff will
continue to develop and apply these in their teaching and learning. Citizenship will be an important feature of
learning. Exploring current global and environmental issues and how they impact on themselves, other individuals
and society at large will raise learners’ awareness and encourage them to see the relevance of their learning.
Learning outdoors, going on field trips and engaging with employers through visits and speakers will broaden their
horizons and help prepare learners for the world of work.
Links with a range of curriculum areas such as science, mathematics and other social studies subjects are
essential to help learners apply and make connections in their learning. This will help to ensure their skills are
reinforced and transferrable.
How can you ensure that learners can access opportunities to apply their learning in different curriculum areas?
GEOGRAPHY
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides you with the following documents:
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Assessment Overview
Course Specification
Unit Specification
Support Notes
Course Assessment Specification
Unit Assessment Support Packages
Full information on arrangements for qualifications is available at the SQA website:
Geography National 4: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47441.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/curriculumareas/socialstudies/principlesandp
ractice/index.asp
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nationalqualifications/subjects/geography.asp
Support materials have been produced over the last year to support Curriculum for Excellence and further support
materials and events are planned. This downloadable list is updated quarterly with the most up-to-date details
available from the page below.
Published and planned support for Curriculum for Excellence:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/publishedandplannedsupport
T +44 (0)141 282 5000 E enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk W www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
© Crown copyright, 2012
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