Generic Decision-making Exercise Tasks
For award in 2016
The Controlled Assessment Decision-making Exercise tasks are for
2016 award only. Centres must choose from these 8 tasks and not
those for 2015.
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 DME tasks are available for candidates who receive their award in 2016.
Theme
Generic tasks for the Decision
Making Exercise / Problem solver
The tasks are linked to the
following enquiry questions
from the specification
Page in
specification
1
A report analysing the best approach
to drainage basin management,
which includes the candidate’s
reasoned and justified decision.
2.1 How successful are different
management approaches to the
problem of flooding?
14
4
A report analysing how successful
strategies may be that attempt to
reduce migration from rural regions
of LEDCs, which includes the
candidate’s reasoned and justified
decision.
1.2 What are the push / pull
factors that produce rural –
urban migration and urban-rural
migration?
16
5
A report analysing whether or not the 2.1 What have been the social
EU membership should be
and economic impacts of the
reduced/enlarged, which includes the enlargement of the EU?
candidate’s reasoned and justified
decision.
17
7
A report analysing the best way to
develop the Thames Estuary which
includes the candidate’s reasoned
and justified decision.
3.1 Why are sea levels changing
and how will these changes
affect people?
3.2 What is the most sustainable
way to manage our coastline in
the face of rising sea levels?
18
8
A report analysing the best ways for
a non-European country to reduce
the impacts of extreme weather
associated with high pressure,
which includes the candidate’s
reasoned and justified decision.
3.1 How can technology be
used to forecast extreme
weather and reduce the impact
of its effects?
19
9
A report analysing the best ways to
manage the Arctic or Antarctic
ecosystems sustainably, which
includes the candidate’s reasoned
and justified decision.
2.2 How can ecosystems be
managed sustainably?
19
10
A report analysing the extent to
which eco-tourism can be
developed sustainably which
includes the candidate’s reasoned
and justified decision.
3.1 How may tourism be
developed in a sustainable way?
20
12
A report analysing the best ways to
diversify Welsh farm incomes, which
includes the candidate’s reasoned
and justified decision.
2.1 How and why are these
patterns of work changing?
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Developing a DME on Water (Theme 1)
Generic task for 2016
Theme Generic task for the Decisionmaking Exercise / problem
solver
1
A report analysing the best
approach to drainage basin
management, which includes the
candidate’s reasoned and
justified decision.
The tasks are linked to the
following enquiry questions
from the specification
Page in
specification
2.1 How successful are
different management
approaches to the problem of
flooding?
14
Contextualising the task
The 2016 DME task focuses on the management of drainage basins. Severe winter weather
in 2013 – 2014 raised this issue in the public’s mind. Flooding of the Somerset Levels, in
particular, focussed the media’s attention on flood management strategies with much public
debate about why the River Parrett had not been dredged. This DME provides opportunities
for candidates to assess various methods of flood control within the drainage basin as well
as the opinions of numerous stakeholders. As with all DMEs, candidates must be given the
opportunity to demonstrate their decision making skills and should be discouraged from
writing a descriptive essay. I would suggest that there are two distinctly different ways to go
about contextualising this task:
1.
To ask candidates to make a yes / no decision on whether a particular settlement
needs to improve its flood defences. For example:
Should Tewkesbury scrap demountable defences and build permanent flood
walls instead?
2.
To ask candidates to decide which, of three options, would be the best way to
manage a particular drainage basin. For example:
Would Shrewsbury be better protected by improved flood defences in the town or
by a combination of soft engineering and land use changes in the upper
catchment of the River Severn?
Whatever context is chosen, it is important that candidates are faced with viable alternative
options. They will then have to carefully assess the possible advantages and disadvantages
of each option before coming up with their recommendation and justifying their choice.
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Suggestions for developing a DME on drainage basin management
Drainage basin management is a complex issue. It provides candidates with the opportunity
to consider the strengths and weaknesses of a number of different types of argument:

Should all homes and businesses be protected from floods or are the rising costs too
great to protect everyone?

Is it economically sustainable to continue to build hard defences along our rivers?

Are we building enough homes in the UK? If not, then is it sustainable to build them
on floodplains?

Are people to blame for floods? Should we radically change the land use
management of our upper catchments? What would farmers think if improved
grasslands in the uplands of mid-Wales were returned to moorland or forest?
This DME provides the most able candidates with opportunities to discuss the complexities
of economic, social and environmental sustainability as there are numerous interactions
between physical and human processes.
A DME does not require fieldwork or primary data collection but this particular DME could
be based on a field visit to a town that is vulnerable to river floods. Candidates could map
land uses and decide how vulnerable different parts of a town are to the flood risk. They
could photograph or sketch existing flood defences and annotate their images. Candidates
could conduct perception questionnaires with local residents looking at how ready they are
for a flood and how how vulnerable they might be to flooding.
Secondary data on flooding, flood risk and catchment management can be found in
numerous sources including: geological maps; catchment management plans; flood maps
from the environment agency; text analysis of newspaper articles of past flooding and
responses to the flood event.
Candidates should be presented with opportunities to consider the opinions of different
stakeholders when making their decision. During the 2013 – 2014 floods in Somerset, home
owners expressed anger that the River Parrett had not been dredged. The media initially
seemed to support the view that dredging the river would solve the problem. Later, however,
the media changed tack and reported that the Environment Agency had to apply a cost
benefit analysis before dredging was carried out and that the rising cost of flood prevention
meant that not all homes could be protected. When reading news articles you should
encourage candidates to consider what the source is saying, what it is inferring and what it is
not saying. The author may have a vested interest in the issue and sometimes what they
don’t say is as telling as what they do say!
Application AO2
Candidates investigating the management in a specific drainage basin could apply their
knowledge of other places by comparing the strategies used at their specific location to the
strategies used in other case studies. They could also apply their knowledge and
understanding of any number of ‘big ideas’ (processes, concepts, theories or models) to the
specific context of their DME. For example, they could:

Apply understanding of processes such as infiltration, interception, peak discharge, time
lag to the specific context of their DME.
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
Apply understanding of concepts such as unintended consequence, ‘soft’ engineering,
and hazard perception to their decision.
Websites for developing a DME on drainage basin management
In centres which have good access to IT facilities during lessons, use of the internet can be
an integral part of the research phase. Alternatively, the centre could devise a resource pack
for each alternative strategy. Where internet use is incorporated into the research phase,
centres are encouraged to focus the work of students by providing them with specific URL
addresses as opposed to just search words / phrases.
Candidates should be reminded that they must provide an accurate reference for each of
their sources.
Interactive website showing the effects of rising sea levels on rivers. http://flood.firetree.net/
Explanations of measuring flood likelihood and severity. http://www.geographyfieldwork.org/riverfieldwork/flooding/stage2.htm
Environment Agency Flood Risk maps:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/default.aspx
Environment Agency River Catchment plans:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/33586.aspx The River Severn
catchment flood management plan may be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/289103/River_
Severn_Catchment_Management_Plan.pdf
The River Parrett catchment flood management plan may be found here:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140328084622/http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/_CFMP_Parrett_2012.pdf
The BBC has numerous articles on flooding during the winter of 2013-2014:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-26808840 includes a useful description of
how dredging reduces flood risk and focusses on the River Parrett.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26462852 A video which questions whether dredging is the
best solution on the River Parrett.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25929644 Describes a variety of forms of rivr catchment
management and flood prevention schemes including demountable barriers and planting
trees.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25752320 Includes a video describing 'soft'
engineering methods used in the upper catchment area of rivers in Northumberland.
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Developing a DME on managing rural migration (Theme 4)
Generic task for 2016
Theme Generic task for the Decisionmaking Exercise / Problem solver
4
A report analysing the success of
strategies that attempt to reduce
migration from rural regions of
LEDCs, which includes the
candidate’s reasoned and justified
decision.
The task is linked to the
following enquiry
question from the
specification
Page in
specification
1.2 What are the push /
pull factors that produce
rural – urban migration and
urban-rural migration?
16
Contextualising the task
The focus of the 2016 DME task is rural depopulation and the ways in which rural areas may
be managed in order to reduce its adverse effects. Rural to urban migration in the poorest
countries can lead to social and housing problems in LEDC cities and therefore needs
careful management. Migration could be reduced if basic services such safe water,
electricity; education and health facilities were improved in rural areas.
As with all DMEs, candidates must be given the opportunity to demonstrate their decision
making skills and should be discouraged from writing a descriptive essay. Candidates
should, therefore, be asked to decide which options for improving rural quality of life are
most likely to be sustainable. Centres should choose one rural location in a developing
country as the context from their DME. They should then provide candidates with the
opportunity to make a decision, for example:
What are the best ways to diversify job opportunities in rural Kerala, India?
How can quality of life in rural districts of Limpopo best be improved to reduce the
flow of migrants to Johannesburg?
It is important that candidates are faced with a decision that involves choosing between
viable alternative options. They will then have to carefully assess the possible advantages
and disadvantages of each option before coming up with their recommendation and
justifying their choice. Students could analyse the strategies used by national and local
government, NGOs and local community groups to try to manage the effects of rural
depopulation in a rural region of your choice.
Remember that the focus of the DME in this cycle is the best way to reduce depopulation or
manage the negative impacts of migration in rural communities. A DME that focuses on
international migration patterns or the impacts of migration in cities is not appropriate in this
cycle.
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Suggestions for developing your DME
Rural to urban migration in many developing countries creates difficult issues in both rural
and urban environments. The focus of this DME is how best to manage the issues that affect
rural populations and, thereby, how the flow of migrants might be reduced. The centre
needs to choose a locational context for this DME. The choice depends on access to
resources (books and/or internet). Ideally you would want to present your students with
some data about this rural region so they can identify the specific push factors that are
causing the migration. Access to some raw data (for example, census data on health care,
access to safe water, educational standards etc.) will also give your students the opportunity
to present map or graphs and access higher levels for AO3. You will also need to provide
sources that describe three or more strategies that are being used/could be used in the
region to improve rural quality of life. These may be government initiatives or projects
organised by self-help groups or NGOs.
A number of sub-Saharan African or South Asian countries may provide a suitable context
for this DME. Improving primary health care, access to clean water, education services,
access to clean cooking fuel, rural electrification, agricultural training, and job diversification
are examples of some of the priorities for improving rural communities in these countries.
Your students could investigate the advantages / disadvantages, the effectiveness and
sustainability of three or four different options for improving standard of living and / or
quality of life in rural areas of one developing country.
You will find internet resources more readily available in English speaking countries such as
South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana and India. A rural area in South Africa, such as the
province of Limpopo, might provide a suitable context for this DME as it is resourced in the
Hodder core text book and a number of websites provide discussions of initiatives to improve
access to services in rural areas here. For example, students researching rural management
in South Africa could examine the advantages and disadvantages of three different
strategies:

Rural electrification schemes – providing electricity to areas that are currently off the
national grid.

Improved access to safe water – either using water transfer schemes or local selfhelp projects such as fog nets or rain-water harvesting.

Development of small scale, high cost ecotourism projects such as walking safaris.
Choosing South Africa for the DME also has the advantage of being able to access census
data so your students will be able to identify regional differences in provision of health and
access to clean water that may contribute to the push factors. Alternatively, you could teach
about Limpopo in lessons prior to beginning the DME and then focus on another rural
location in Africa or South Asia, India (for example) in the task itself. Your students would
then be able to apply what they learned about Limpopo to this new location and access
marks for AO2 (application of wider geographical knowledge and understanding).
It is important that your students consider different stakeholder views so they can comment
on bias and vested interest. Since many rural development projects are funded by national
and/or local governments, international aid organisations and local self-help community
groups it should be possible to analyse the views of two or more of these stakeholders. It
may also be possible for your more able candidates to compare the effectiveness of local
self-help projects with the top-down development approach of national governments.
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Application AO2
Candidates investigating the topic of rural to urban migration and its impacts on the rural
area could apply any number of ‘big ideas’ about rural management to their specific context.
For example, they could:



Apply their wider understanding of the factors that may cause rural to urban migration
in similar situations to the context studied by the students;
Apply their understanding of concepts such as quality of life, self-help, community
development projects, co-operative societies, micro-credit or top-down development
strategies to the locality that is chosen for the DME;
Apply their knowledge of a case study of another rural area that is suffering
depopulation by making comparative statements about management in their chosen
study area compared to a case study seen in a text book or DVD.
Useful websites
In centres which have good access to IT facilities during lessons, use of the internet can be
an integral part of the research phase. Alternatively, the centre could devise a resource pack
for each alternative strategy. Where internet use is incorporated into the research phase,
centres are encouraged to focus the work of students by providing them with specific URL
addresses as opposed to just search words / phrases.
Candidates should be reminded that they must provide an accurate reference for each of
their sources.
Specialised Solar Systems is a South African company that provides off-grid electricity
supplies in rural Africa. Their website is quite technical but extracts from it would provide a
stakeholder view from a company that has a clear vested interest in further investment of
rural electrification projects.
http://www.specializedsolarsystems.co.za/index.php/dc-microgrids-viable-africanenergisation/rural-africa-energisation-solutions/rural-elecrification
The South African government statistical website provides data that your students can use to
map such services as access to piped water or distance from water access point. Some of
this data is then available to view on an interactive map (GIS). Follow the link below and
click on 'filter' to reveal the choice of data:
http://geoinfo.statssa.gov.za/censusdigitalatlas/DigitalCensusOverviewMapsTestPage.aspx
South Africa's government website describes their Comprehensive Rural Development
Programme here:
http://www.info.gov.za/aboutgovt/programmes/rural_development/index.html
Rain Harvesting Systems is a South African company that installs … rainwater harvesting
systems. Follow the link to 'articles'. The site could be used by students to analyse opinions
of stakeholders.
http://www.rainharvesting.co.za/page.php?p_id=1
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A description of a fog net used to collect drinking water from fog in Limpopo. The article
contains links to other descriptions of this project and similar projects in other parts of South
Africa.
http://www.southafrica.info/about/sustainable/fognet-270810.htm
Practical Action is an international NGO that uses technology to tackle poverty. Their
website includes a section of resources for geography teachers:
http://practicalaction.org/schools
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Developing a DME on Globalisation (Theme 5)
Generic task for 2016
Theme Generic task for the Decisionmaking Exercise / Problem
solver
5
A report analysing whether or not
the EU membership should be
reduced/enlarged, which
includes the candidate’s
reasoned and justified decision.
The task is linked to the
following enquiry question
from the specification
2.1 What have been the
social and economic impacts
of the enlargement of the
EU?
Page in
specification
17
Contextualising the task
The focus of the 2016 DME task is changes to the membership of the EU. A number of
countries would like to join the EU. These include Turkey and Iceland. The decision for such
countries is controversial both within those countries and within existing EU members. At the
same time that some are considering enlargement of the EU others, notably UKIP, are
lobbying for the UK to sever ties with the EU.
As with all DMEs, candidates must be given the opportunity to demonstrate their decision
making skills and should be discouraged from writing a descriptive essay. Candidates
should, therefore, be asked to make a decision and to justify their choice. I would suggest
that there are two distinctly different ways to go about contextualising this task. Both involve
a yes / no decision.
1.
To ask candidates to make a yes / no decision on whether the UK should
leave the EU.
2.
To ask candidates to make a yes / no decision on whether Turkey (or another
candidate country) should join the EU.
Suggestions for developing your DME
Enlargement / withdrawal from the EU are complex issues. This decision will provide
candidates with the opportunity to consider the strengths and weaknesses of a number of
different types of argument:

Has migration within the EU created economic benefits or reduced job opportunities
for locals? Does migration need further control? Has EU migration actually resulted in
pressures on local housing, health and education services or are these media
myths?

Does migration reduce social cohesion? Has the EU reduced tensions within Europe
or led to a rise in nationalism and created greater calls for independence?

Are subsidies to deprived areas of the EU (including many rural parts of the UK)
outweighed by the cost of membership?
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
What might be the economic consequences if the UK were to withdraw from the EU?
Would UK businesses flourish as red tape is removed? Would major multi-nationals
like Nissan move its production from the UK to France?
Candidate should be presented with opportunities to consider the opinions of different
stakeholders when making their decision. The views of the major UK political parties are
strikingly different. What are their views and how do they justify them?
Application AO2
Candidates investigating EU enlargement / reduction could apply any number of ‘big ideas’
about globalisation to their specific context. For example, they could:


Apply their wider understanding of processes such as globalisation and economic /
international migration.
Apply their understanding of concepts such as interdependence, trade blocs, free
trade, diversity, social cohesion, national identity and the rise of nationalism.
Useful websites
In centres which have good access to IT facilities during lessons, use of the internet can be
an integral part of the research phase. Alternatively, the centre could devise a resource pack
for each alternative strategy. Where internet use is incorporated into the research phase,
centres are encouraged to focus the work of students by providing them with specific URL
addresses as opposed to just search words / phrases.
Candidates should be reminded that they must provide an accurate reference for each of
their sources.
http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/index_en.htm The website of the European Commission
includes this section on countries preparing to join the EU which include Turkey and Iceland.
The BBC website carries similar information here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe11283616
Russia Today is one of several European newspapers to carry a story on Turkey's accession
to the EU: http://rt.com/news/turkey-eu-membership-unlikely-191/ Students could analyse
these reports for fact and opinion and comment on possible bias and vested interest (ie
attempt to explain why views are held). Another view is reported in the Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/10325218/Turkey-will-probablynever-be-EU-member.html
The BBC has a useful summary of the arguments both for and against leaving the EU here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20448450
The European Movement is an organisation that promotes close EU ties. This webpage
describes, in detail, the economic benefits of EU membership for the UK:
http://www.euromove.org.uk/index.php?id=15296
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Developing a DME on coastal management strategies (Theme 7)
Generic task for 2016
Theme Generic task for the
Decision-making Exercise /
Problem solver
7
A report analysing the best
way to develop the Thames
Estuary which includes the
candidate’s reasoned and
justified decision.
The task is linked to the
following enquiry question
from the specification
3.1 Why are sea levels changing
and how will these changes
affect people?
3.2 What is the most sustainable
way to manage our coastline in
the face of rising sea levels?
Page in
specification
18
Contextualising the task
The 2016 DME task focuses on coastal management and economic development within the
region of the Thames Estuary. The UK government has identified the Thames Estuary as a
key region (the Thames Gateway) for future economic growth and the development of new
housing. Located to the east of London, the Thames Gateway offers opportunities for
housing development that would take some pressure off the demand for new housing in the
South East of England. However, this coastal region is vulnerable to coastal flooding during
storm surges and the level of risk is likely to increase as sea levels rise. This DME focuses
on the complex issue of coastal management within this rapidly developing region. As with
all DMEs, candidates must be given the opportunity to demonstrate their decision making
skills and should be discouraged from writing a descriptive essay.
I would suggest that there are two distinctly different ways to go about contextualising this
task:
1.
To ask candidates to make a yes / no decision. For example:
Should the Thames barrier be urgently replaced?
OR Should a policy of ‘advance the line’ be used to manage the Thames coastline so
that new developments, such as a Thames airport, can be built?
2.
To ask candidates to decide which, of three options, would be the best way to
manage a particular stretch of coastline. For example:
What are the most sustainable options facing planners in the coastal locations of the
Thames Gateway region?
You must avoid repeating tasks
The 2015 DME task focused on future management of coasts that are vulnerable to coastal
flooding due to sea level rise. If you chose this task in 2015 and used any other coastline
than the Thames estuary as your context then you may choose this task for 2016. However,
if you used the Thames estuary as your context in 2015 then, unfortunately, it may not be
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possible to select this task in 2016. In this case, you will be asked to demonstrate the
significant differences between the proposed task and he one used previously.
Suggestions for developing your task
The Thames estuary is an important growth area within the South East region of the UK.
Local and regional planners have designated large areas on both the north and south sides
of the estuary as development zones known as the Thames Gateway. Within close
commuting distance of London it has the potential to absorb huge numbers of new housing
developments. Many of these new houses will be in coastal locations. The Essex coastline is
also being developed with new port facilities in Essex. It has even been proposed that land is
reclaimed from the sea (a policy of ‘advance the line’) so that a new Thames airport can be
built to take pressure off Heathrow and Gatwick.
However, much of the Thames coastline is flat and low lying. This coastline is vulnerable to
storm surges as demonstrated by severe coastal flooding in 1953 and again in 2013. The
Thames barrier, which protects central London from coastal flooding, is being closed
increasingly frequently. If sea levels continue to rise will the Thames barrier be big enough?
Should a new one be built? Furthermore, are the planned developments in the coastal
regions of the Thames Gateway sustainable in the face of rising sea levels?
You should design a task that creates opportunities for candidates to make informed
decisions about these issues. The task could focus on a yes/no decision about the Thames
barrier or a new Thames airport. Alternatively you could provide information about three or
more coastal strategies within the Thames Gateway and ask candidates to prioritise them. In
this case, candidates need to carefully assess the advantages and disadvantages of each
strategy and then make reasoned decisions on what they feel are the best strategies to use
in the area. The choices they make could be linked to the importance of the area or its value
in terms of the local economy, environmental issues, housing, infrastructure,
communications etc. Candidates must also consider the views of stakeholders in order to
access the highest levels of AO3. When making their decisions, candidates will have to
assess the most sustainable approach in order for it to contribute to a sustainable future for
the area. Candidates will need to be aware that the economic, demographic, social and
environmental costs of coastal flooding are considerable.
A DME does not require fieldwork or primary data collection but for this DME it may be
practical for your students to visit a location on the Thames estuary. They would then be
able to examine the potential threat of coastal flooding, the types of land use at risk, and the
success/failure of existing coastal engineering strategies. The types of primary data that
could be collected are:

Environmental analysis / bi-polar scores for the area.

Photographs that could be annotated to show existing strategies and current land uses.

Questionnaires or longer interviews with local residents, business people, councillors.
Sources of secondary data could include:

Websites that provide estimates of future sea level rise in graph or map form

O.S. maps / historical maps / aerial photographs that could be annotated to show land
uses at risk of coastal floods.
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
Websites such as Flickr or Geograph that provide photo evidence of the coastline within
the Thames estuary. Students could conduct a ‘virtual fieldtrip’ identifying existing land
uses, coastal management strategies and areas at risk of future floods.

Shoreline Management Plans.

Websites or local newspapers to gain the opinions of stakeholders (such as local
residents, local councils, governments or engineering companies). When reading news
articles you should encourage candidates to consider what the source is saying, what it
is inferring and what it is not saying. The author may have a vested interest in the issue
and sometimes what they don’t say is as telling as what they do say!
Application AO2
Candidates investigating the coastal management could apply their knowledge of places or
understanding of any number of ‘big ideas’ (processes, concepts or models) to the specific
coastal location they are considering. Candidates could:



Apply their knowledge of the different types of coastal management strategies
available including hard engineering, flood warning, public education, and evacuation
plans to a specific location within the Thames Estuary.
Apply their knowledge of a case study of another coastal location by making
comparative statements about management of the Thames estuary compared to a
case study seen in a text book or DVD.
Apply their wider understanding of the reasons for sea level change and coastal
flooding. They might also apply their knowledge of the controversy surrounding
managed re-alignment (retreat) of the coastline to a specific location in the Thames
Estuary e.g. Abbots Hall Farm, Essex.
Useful websites for developing a DME on developing the Thames Estuary
In centres which have good access to IT facilities during lessons, use of the internet can be
an integral part of the research phase. Alternatively, the centre could devise a resource pack
for each alternative strategy. Where internet use is incorporated into the research phase,
centres are encouraged to focus the work of students by providing them with specific URL
addresses as opposed to just search words / phrases.
Candidates should be reminded that they must provide an accurate reference for each of
their sources.
The UK’s government website includes a summary of the future of Thames barrier:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/thames-estuary-2100-te2100/thames-estuary2100-te2100
Two of many news articles on whether a new Thames barrier is needed:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10646439/The-Thames-Barrier-has-savedLondon-but-is-it-time-for-TB2.html
http://www.channel4.com/news/floods-crisis-london-underwater
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Transport for London hosts a number of arguments in favour of a new Thames airport on its
website:
https://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/planning-for-the-future/a-new-hubairport-for-the-uk
The official website for London Thames Gateway Development Corporation:
http://www.ltgdc.org.uk/
The website of Thames gateway Transport partnership: http://www.thames-gateway.org.uk/
A report on the construction of the new Thames Gateway port in Essex
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21631569
The website of the UK Climate Change Programme:
http://www.ukcip.org.uk/
The site includes a number of useful resources, including maps showing predicted sea level
rise around the UK:
http://www.ukcip.org.uk/resources/ukcp09-sea-level-change/
The Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership has published a useful scientific report
summarising the possible impacts of sea level rise in the UK here:
http://www.mccip.org.uk/media/6896/mccip201011_coastalflood.pdf
Students can conduct a virtual fieldtrip and assess the vulnerability to flooding of any
coastline in the UK using this website. The site is a public photographic project which aims to
provide photographic evidence for every OS grid square in Britain. Use the site for a virtual
fieldtrip of your chosen coastal site.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/
WWF has a leaflet which describes the breach in the sea defences at Abbotts Hall Farm,
Essex:
http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/mu52.pdf
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/coasts/coastal_management_rev1.sht
ml The GCSE bite size revision pages on coastal management
http://cgz.e2bn.net/e2bn/leas/c99/schools/cgz/accounts/staff/rchambers/GeoBytes%20GCS
E%20Blog%20Resources/Data%20Files/Coasts/Coastal%20Management%20Techniques.p
df This web page has diagrams and descriptions of methods of coastal management.
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Developing a DME on preparing for extreme weather associated with
high pressure (Theme 8).
Generic task for 2016
Theme Generic task for the Decisionmaking Exercise / problem solver
8
A report analysing the best ways for
a non-European country to reduce
the impacts of extreme weather
associated with high pressure,
which includes the candidate’s
reasoned and justified decision.
The task is linked to the
following enquiry
question from the
specification
Page in
specification
3.1 How can technology
be used to forecast
extreme weather and
reduce the impact of its
effects?
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Contextualising the task
The focus of the 2016 DME task is on the preparation for high pressure events, such as
drought, in a non-European country and its consequent hazard reduction. As with all
DMEs, candidates must be given the opportunity to demonstrate their decision making skills
and should be discouraged from writing a descriptive essay. I would suggest that there are
two distinctly different ways to go about contextualising this task:
1.
To ask candidates to make a yes / no decision on whether a particular scheme
should be allowed. For example:
Should the Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujarat be increased in height?
2.
To ask candidates to decide which, of three options, would be the best way to
manage drought in a particular location. For example:
What is the best way to manage drought in Kenya?
OR What is the best way to protect the Australian public from forest fires?
Whichever of these contexts is chosen, it is important that candidates are asked to weigh up
(rather than simply describe) different options for dealing with the water deficit issue. They
will then have to carefully assess the evidence before making a decision and justifying why
they made that decision.
Centres may choose to base their DME on any high pressure hazard such as drought (and
associated water management strategies) in any geographical location outside of Europe.
A DME that focuses on reducing the effects of low pressure weather hazards (such as a
tropical storm) is not appropriate in this cycle. The centre must choose a non-European
context for the DME. Resources are available for water schemes in countries as diverse as
India, Kenya, South Africa and Australia.
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Suggestions for developing your DME
WJEC recommends that you teach the processes and concepts that underpin your DME
through a different locational context to the one you intend to use for the DME itself. So, you
could teach about the concept of drought / water transfer by using Barcelona as your case
study before setting a DME on drought and water transfer in Australia, for example.
The supply of safe water in drought zones is a complex issue. It provides candidates with the
opportunity to consider the strengths and weaknesses of a number of different types of
argument:

Do mega dams provide the best solutions? Are they always bad for the
environment? What ought to be done to compensate local people affected by the
creation of large dams?

What are the advantages of intermediate technologies? Do they provide solutions on
a wide enough scale?

Who should be responsible for supplying clean, safe water? Should governments,
NGOs or private companies take responsibility?
Water supply schemes in some regions of Africa and India have proved to be controversial.
The Indian government, for example, has supported the construction of numerous large
dams to improve water supply and provide water for agriculture and industry. The dams on
the Narmada River, for example, supply water to the drought affected regions of Gujarat and
Rajasthan but support for their construction has been controversial. The World Bank, who
initially supported the scheme, withdrew funding when objections were raised by groups
protesting about environmental issues, loss of land and poor compensation schemes for
people who lost their homes when the reservoirs were created. The Sardar Sarovar dam,
one of the largest in the scheme, has been increased in height on several occasions. Was
this the right decision? If the Indian government suggested that the dam should be increased
in height again, would your candidates support this decision?
In Australia, heatwaves often result in forest fires which threaten property. How should the
eucalypt forests of New South Wales best be managed? The prolonged drought of 20022003 affected 62% of the Australian landmass. Agricultural production was 30% lower than
normal. Approximately 70,000 jobs were lost, mainly in wholesale, retailing, transport and
food processing and the Australian government had to provide a huge aid package for
famers and their business who were affected by the drought. During January and February
2003 forest fires burned out of control in the states of Victoria and New South Wales
affecting many residential properties.
Forest fires can be controlled through careful forest management. However, some of these
methods are controversial. Aboriginal people use a technique known as ‘firestick’ farming to
clear thick undergrowth in the forest and encourage the growth of new grass. This technique
reduces the risk of an uncontrolled fire but firestick farming is less common than it used to
be. One reason is that the National Park authorities, whilst accepting that the controlled
burning of undergrowth is sometimes necessary, prefer to leave the forests as wild
environments. They argue that most of the fires in 2003 started in privately owned forests
(where controlled burning is commonly practiced) and spread into the National Parks. Home
owners do not like controlled burning either as it creates smoke and soot. Many home
owners attempt to protect their homes using sophisticated sprinkler systems. So, who is
right? What is the best way to manage forest fires in New South Wales?
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AO2 Application
Candidates need to make a connection between the specific place that is the focus of their
DME and the wider concepts, models, theories or processes of their geographical studies.
Students could apply their understanding of a number of wider geographical concepts to
their findings in the study area. For example, they could apply their wider knowledge /
understanding of the following to the locational context of their DME:




Understanding of the concept of low and high atmospheric pressure and the
resulting, typical, weather patterns to the location that has been chosen for the DME;
Understanding of the concepts of water deficit and water surplus and knowledge of
patterns of deficit and surplus in the specific location chosen for the DME.
Understanding of the physical processes associated with drought such as
evapotranspiration, ground water recharge or over-abstraction.
Knowledge of a case study of another drought event either in another part of the
world which can then be compared to the location used for the DME?
Useful websites
Candidates should be reminded that they must provide an accurate reference for each of
their sources.
http://water.org/ is the homepage of Safe Water, a charity providing low cost solutions in
regions of the developing world that are affected by drought.
http://www.wateraid.org/uk is another charity providing safe water and sanitation across
parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
The Sardar Sarovar dam, on the Narmada River in India is one of many controversial dams
in the Gujarat region of India. A basic description of the dam and its increasing height can be
found on the wiki site at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narmada_Dam
http://www.sardarsarovardam.org/Client/Index.aspx Is the official website of the owners of
the Sardar Sarovar dam.
http://www.fivas.org/sider/tekst.asp?side=112 A detailed description of the dams on the
River Narmada and their impacts. This website has been created by a Norwegian pressure
group which is opposed to large dam schemes.
Sites about bush fires / water management in Australia
http://www.mdba.gov.au/about-basin is the official website of the Murray Darling Basin
Authority in Australia. Use the menu in the left of the screen to find information under 'Basin
Environment' to find general information about environmental issues including drought. You
can find weekly updates on the amount of water stored in each part of the catchment by
following this link: http://www.mdba.gov.au/river-data/water-storage
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http://www.bom.gov.au/ is the website of the Australian Met Office. Follow the link to ‘Climate
and past weather’ to find details of past drought events including data that candidates can
map / graph to access marks for AO3.
http://www.bushfirecrc.com/ Is an Australian website dedicated to research into forest fires
and hazard mitigation of these events. The home page links to a section on fire management
here: http://www.bushfirecrc.com/category/bushfiretopic/fire-management
http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/fire Is part of the Western Australia Parks and
Wildlife website. This site provides several useful links to external websites.
http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/ is the website of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service which
includes a link to a live map showing current forest fires. The site also includes advice to
householders on how to survive a bush fire – some of which is presented on video.
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Developing a DME on Arctic / Antarctic ecosystems (Theme 9)
Generic task for 2016
Theme Generic task for the Decisionmaking Exercise / problem solver
9
A report analysing the best ways to
manage the Arctic or Antarctic
ecosystems sustainably, which
includes the candidate’s reasoned
and justified decision.
The task is linked to the
following enquiry
question from the
specification
Page in
specification
2.2 How can ecosystems
be managed sustainably?
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Contextualising the task
The 2016 DME task focuses on ways in which the ecosystems of either the Arctic or
Antarctic might be managed to ensure a sustainable future. Both regions contain valuable
natural resources, including oil and gas, and a number of countries are keen to exploit these
resources. However, Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to both
pollution and climate change. How can the exploitation of these ecosystems best be
managed? As with all DMEs, candidates must be given the opportunity to demonstrate their
decision making skills and should be discouraged from writing a descriptive essay. I would
suggest that there are two distinctly different ways to go about contextualising this task:
1 Candidates could be asked to decide which human activities should be controlled in order
to maintain healthy Arctic or Antarctic ecosystems. Given that both regions contain valuable
natural resources and that local livelihoods (in the Arctic) need to be maintained, banning all
human activity is not necessarily an option! However, international agreements can be made
to ban or limit the activities that cause stress. So, for example:
Which human activities should be controlled in order to conserve Antarctic
ecosystems?
2 Candidates could be given a yes/no decision to make about an economic development
that could affect the Arctic / Antarctic ecosystems. So, for example:
Should the Russian government be allowed to exploit oil reserves in the Arctic?
OR Should all whale hunting in the Arctic be banned?
Whatever idea is chosen, it is important that candidates are faced with viable alternative
options. They will then have to carefully assess the possible advantages and disadvantages
of each option before coming up with their recommendation and justifying their choice.
Remember that the focus in this cycle must be ecosystems in the Arctic or Antarctica. A
DME that focuses on tropical rainforests or coral reefs is not appropriate in this cycle.
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Suggestions for developing your DME
The Arctic and Antarctic regions are rich in natural resources. As technology improves and
the price of commodities rises, it is becoming increasingly economically viable to exploit
these resources. Furthermore, in both regions, a number of different countries are competing
to develop extractive industries. However, the Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems are
particularly fragile. Plants in the Arctic grow very slowly due to the low temperatures and
short summer season; pollution accumulates in the region; and the Arctic climate is warming
comparatively quickly. Consequently, environmentalists are keen to protect the Arctic and its
ecosystems from further damage caused by extractive industries.
A DME based in the Arctic or Antarctic regions would allow candidates to explore one or
more controversial issues:

What ought to be done to conserve fish and whale populations? Should the
moratorium on whaling be lifted? Is Japan justified in whaling for ‘scientific
purposes’? Should indigenous peoples be allowed to hunt whale in order to conserve
their culture?

Should Russia be allowed to extract oil and gas from the Arctic? What might happen
to Arctic ecosystems if Canada continues to exploit oil shales? When is it right for
protestors to take direct action?
Application AO2
Candidates investigating the topic of sustainable futures for the Arctic or Antarctic could
apply their knowledge of places or understanding of any number of ‘big ideas’ (processes,
concepts or models) to their specific context. For example, they could:




Apply an understanding of the physical processes connecting living and non-living
elements in the Arctic or Antarctic ecosystem;
Apply their understanding of how ecosystems benefits people;
Apply what is meant by sustainable futures – by considering the social, economic and
environmental impacts of their choice;
Apply their knowledge of a case study by making comparative statements about
management in their chosen study area compared to a case study seen in a text book
or DVD.
Useful websites
In centres which have good access to IT facilities during lessons, use of the internet can be
an integral part of the research phase. Alternatively, the centre could devise a resource pack
for each alternative strategy. Where internet use is incorporated into the research phase,
centres are encouraged to focus the work of students by providing them with specific URL
addresses as opposed to just search words / phrases.
Candidates should be reminded that they must provide an accurate reference for each of
their sources.
Arctic whale species are described on this scientific site which also briefly describes the
indigenous hunt for Bowhead whales: http://icestories.exploratorium.edu/dispatches/bigideas/arctic-whales/ This article on the same site describe the indigenous people and their
lifestyle in more detail: http://icestories.exploratorium.edu/dispatches/big-ideas/the-peopleof-the-arctic/the-inupiaq-people-of-barrow-alaska/
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Hunting for pilot whales in the Faroe Islands is condemned by many but this article in The
Spectator takes a more balanced view: http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9126932/whywe-should-let-faroe-islanders-hunt-whales/ The WDC website includes data on the number
of different species of whale hunted in the Faroe Islands each year:
http://us.whales.org/issues/whale-and-dolphin-hunts-in-faroe-islands
A summary of the controversy over oil exploration in the Canadian arctic is summarised on
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Refuge_drilling_controversy. The arguments
could be contrasted by looking at a pro-drilling website such as http://www.anwr.org/ with a
protest website such as: http://savethearctic.org/ which is a website uploaded by
Greenpeace.
A number of news sites have carried recent stories on exploitation of resources in the Arctic
such as:
Sky news http://news.sky.com/story/1121042/warning-over-risky-drilling-in-the-arctic
BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21320661
WWF has a section of its website devoted to describing threats to Antarctica:
http://www.wwf.org.au/our_work/saving_the_natural_world/oceans_and_marine/priority_oce
an_places/antarctica_and_southern_ocean/threats/
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Developing a DME on eco-tourism (Theme 10)
Generic task for 2016
Theme Generic task for the Decisionmaking Exercise / problem
solver
10
A report analysing the extent to
which eco-tourism can be
developed sustainably which
includes the candidate’s
reasoned and justified decision.
The task is linked to the
following fieldwork enquiry
question from the
specification
3.1 How may tourism be
developed in a sustainable
way?
Page in
specification
20
Contextualising the title
The focus of the 2016 DME task is eco-tourism. Eco-tourism projects are generally small
scale, involving relatively few tourists. However, the cost per tourist is high and local people
generally benefit more from these types of projects than they do from larger scale / mass
tourist resorts. Furthermore, some of the money generated by these schemes is invested in
local conservation projects. Eco-tourism should, by definition then, be environmentally
sustainable for the local environment (although questions remain about the environmental
impact of long distance travel). Some countries are renowned for their development of ecotourist projects rather than mass tourism. Costa Rica and Belize, both in Central America,
are good examples. Here, the decision is not so much is eco-tourism better than mass
tourism, but which combination of eco-tourist strategies has the most beneficial impacts on
local people and the economy as well as helping to conserve wildlife?
As with all DMEs, candidates must be given the opportunity to demonstrate their decision
making skills and should be discouraged from writing a descriptive essay. Candidates need
to consider to what extent the development of eco-tourism is sustainable and they need to
consider this in the context of the project’s environmental, social and economic
sustainability. I would suggest that there are two distinctly different ways to go about
contextualising this task:
1. To ask candidates to make a yes/no decision about a controversial eco-tourist / wildlife
conservation project. For example:
Should Botswana promote trophy hunting in order to conserve wildlife?
2. To ask candidates to decide which, of three or more options, would be the best future ecotourist development. For example:
What is the best way for Belize to develop eco-tourism in the future?
OR Which of three eco-tourism case studies deserves an 'ethical traveller' award for
its consideration of human rights and environmental impacts of travel?
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Whatever context is chosen, it is important that candidates are faced with viable alternative
options. They will then have to carefully assess the possible advantages and disadvantages
of each option before coming up with their recommendation and justifying their choice.
Remember that the context of the 2016 DME is eco-tourism. Centres must, therefore, design
tasks that require a decision about small scale projects where tourists interact with / watch
wildlife. Eco-tourism is typified by high paying customers and eco-tourist projects usually
subsidise wildlife conservation and employ local people as guides. A task that focuses on
mass tourism development or safaris in Kenya would not be appropriate in this cycle.
Suggestions for developing your DME
WJEC recommends that you teach the processes and concepts that underpin your DME
through a different locational context to the one you intend to use for the DME itself. So, you
could teach about tourism’s impacts on the economy and environment using Kenya as your
case study before setting a DME on eco-tourism in Botswana or Costa Rica.
Candidates will find it easier to engage actively with the decision making process if the
decision is controversial and involves strong opinions from different stakeholders. For
example, you could examine the arguments that surround trophy hunting. Some
conservationists support the view that African wildlife would have a more viable future if
tourists are allowed to hunt. The fees paid by tourists to hunt and shoot wildlife are extremely
high and the numbers of animals killed in this way are tightly controlled. Money raised by
trophy hunting is spent on employing local people as guides and on wildlife conservation
projects. Local people are less likely to kill wild animals (e.g. for bush meat) if they know that
wildlife has monetary value to the community.
Alternatively, candidates could be presented with case studies of three contrasting case
studies of eco-tourism (perhaps from different countries). They could be asked to evaluate
the strengths and weaknesses of each project, paying special attention to ethical issues
(such as the treatment of indigenous peoples and the involvement of local people in the
project) and the benefits for conservation. They could rank the three projects and award the
best one an 'Ethical Traveller' award. Use the Ethical Traveller website to see how these
types of decision are made.
Some countries are renowned for their development of eco-tourist projects rather than mass
tourism. Costa Rica and Belize, both in Central America, are good examples. Here, the
decision is not so much is eco-tourism better than mass tourism, but which combination of
eco-tourist strategies has the most beneficial impacts on local people and the economy as
well as helping to conserve wildlife? In Belize, which attracts visitors to both the rainforest
and the tropical reef (Belize has the world’s second longest barrier reef) the issue has been
how best to create jobs without causing lasting damage to its natural resources. Even where
coastal developments have been limited, eco-tourism has had negative impacts on the reef
and marine ecosystems. Furthermore, eco-tourist developments have been criticised for
creating too few local jobs and too few economic benefits for Belize. Candidates could be
asked to consider the advantages and disadvantages of a number of different options.
Candidates could then rank or prioritise the options to create a package of solutions that
they consider could be sustainable. Options for Belize could include:

Zone the reef and rainforest / mangrove forests. For example, in the reef:
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o
Protect critical habitats, such as spawning or nursery sites of the reef, by
banning tourism.
o
Promote activities in other zones that support livelihoods and safeguard the
future of the reef, such as fisheries replenishment.
o
Promote tourism in other zones and consequently, create sacrificial zones
where it is accepted that the health of the reef will deteriorate.

Restore historic conditions by, for example, temporarily banning fishing or tourist
activities from certain zones, or providing artificial reef structures.

Monitor the health of both the forest and marine ecosystems: share scientific
research with local universities, campaign for political support and create education
programmes for local people and businesses which explain the importance of wildlife
and habitat conservation.

Promote eco-tourism in the rainforest (which is more robust than the reef) by
providing government or NGO grants. Subsidise projects which: employ local people
as guides; offer grants to local people who accommodate tourists in their homes;
encourage farmers to restore hedgerows or other habitat conservation measures on
their farms.
Application AO2
Candidates investigating the extent to which rural tourism is sustainable could apply their
knowledge of places or understanding of any number of ‘big ideas’ (processes, concepts or
models) to the specific rural location they are considering.
Candidates could:

Apply their knowledge of other named eco-tourist developments to decide how
suitable/unsuitable certain strategies have been.

Apply their understanding of the concept of the multiplier effect when examining the
costs and benefits of tourism in the local area.

Apply their understanding of concepts such as the vulnerability of ecosystems and
carrying capacity (social and environmental) to the specific ecosystem of their study.
 Apply an understanding of the physical processes connecting living and non-living
elements in the ecosystem in which the tourist development is taking place;
 Apply their understanding of how ecosystems benefit people in this specific location;
 Apply what is meant by sustainable futures – by considering the social, economic and
environmental impacts of their choice.
Useful websites
In centres which have good access to IT facilities during lessons, use of the internet can be
an integral part of the research phase. Alternatively, the centre could devise a resource pack
for each alternative strategy. Where internet use is incorporated into the research phase,
centres are encouraged to focus the work of students by providing them with specific URL
addresses as opposed to just search words / phrases.
Candidates should be reminded that they must provide an accurate reference for each of
their sources.
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Ethical Traveller is a non-profit making organisation which advises tourists on the ethics of
travels – including a consideration of human rights and environmental impacts of travel
(including issues of nature conservation). Their home page is here:
http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/ and their latest report is here:
http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/explore/reports/the-worlds-best-ethical-destinations-2014/
The Travel Foundation is a charity that works with the tourist industry towards a more
sustainable future. Their homepage is here: http://www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/
The site contains a list of their projects including turtle protection:
http://www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/green_business_tools/turtle_protection and Melipona
bee conservation in Mexico:
http://www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/green_business_tools/turtle_protection
Websites with content related to trophy hunting
In Defence of Animals (IDA) campaigns to end all trophy hunting of wild animals
http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/wild-free2/habitats-campaign/anti-hunting/hunters/trophyhunting/
This blog argues that trophy hunting is not a successful conservation method:
http://blog.sunsafaris.com/2013/06/21/this-is-why-trophy-hunting-will-not-save-our-lions/
By contrast, this conservationist accepts that limited trophy hunting should play a part in
conserving Africa's wildlife: http://www.stevecunliffe.com/wpcontent/uploads/2010/01/Explore-SA-Trophy-Hunting.pdf
Websites on eco-tourism in Belize
A recent report on the economic impact of tourism in Belize includes both raw data and
graphs. The raw data could be given to students so they can represent the data graphically
themselves and thereby access AO3 marks:
http://www.wttc.org/site_media/uploads/downloads/belize2014.pdf
Belize Adventure promote tourism in Belize. This page of their website provides recent
statistics on tourist arrivals (by month) by both air and cruise ship:
http://www.belizeadventure.ca/belize-tourism-statistics-2013/
Sustainable Tourism Program, Belize is a government funded organisation dedicated to
promoting sustainable tourism (including ec0-tourist Projects) in Belize. Their home page is
here: http://www.sustainabletourismbz.org/
Wikipedia provides a useful summary of the development of eco-tourism in Costa Rica here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotourism_in_Costa_Rica
The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is a non-profit association committed to
promoting responsible tourism practices that benefit conservation and communities. The
home page is here https://www.ecotourism.org/ Their site includes a reflective article on the
future of eco-tourism in Costa Rica: https://www.ecotourism.org/news/can-ecotourismsurvive-costa-rica
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Developing a DME on the diversification of farm incomes (Theme 12)
Generic task for 2016
Theme Generic task for the Decisionmaking Exercise / problem
solver
12
A report analysing the best ways
to diversify Welsh farm incomes,
which includes the candidate’s
reasoned and justified decision.
The task is linked to the
following enquiry question
from the specification
2.1 How and why are these
patterns of work changing?
Page in
specification
21
Contextualising the task
The focus of the 2016 DME task is changing patterns of work in Wales with a particular
focus on the diversification of Welsh farm incomes. The task should focus on recent or
possible future changes in farm incomes. It could focus on a specific farm, by perhaps using
primary data collection, or it could focus on farm diversification across a wider region of
Wales. As with all DMEs, candidates must be given the opportunity to demonstrate their
decision making skills and should be discouraged from writing a descriptive essay. I would
suggest that there are two distinctly different ways to go about contextualising the task.
1. To ask candidates to make a yes/no decision about a farm related activity. For example:
Would consumers in the local community support the establishment of a local
farmers market?
2. To ask candidates to decide which, of three or more options, would be the best future
farm diversification development. For example:
What is the best way for smaller farms in Gwynedd to diversify in future years?
Suggestions for developing a DME on farm diversification
The decision making exercise does not require primary data collection but the suggested
yes/no decision could be based largely on questionnaires of local residents. Perception
studies require candidates to rely largely on questionnaires and interviews for their primary
data collection. It is essential, therefore, that candidates conduct a well-constructed set of
questions with a substantial sample size. Students could investigate a range of perceptions
around the theme of farm diversification:

the role of farmers in conservation of the countryside;

the need to support local food suppliers and reduce 'air-miles';

the establishment of a local farmers' market.
Perceptions vary considerably and may vary from one group of people to another.
Questionnaires could be designed to determine whether or not different groups of people
perceive these issues in different ways.
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The types of primary data that students might collect could be:


Questionnaires: students could collect data from different stakeholder groups e.g.
local shop owners, consumers and farmers.
Extended interviews: for example with a local farmer or restaurant owner who buys
local produce. If the school has a canteen, students could investigate whether or not
the school has a food purchasing policy. If not, they could investigate where the
school's food comes from and create their own policy which includes reference to
supporting local food suppliers.
It would be a good idea to design a simple survey that is used by all students. However, to
encourage independence, you could also ask students to add a small number of questions
of their own to the survey. If your students categorise the respondents by age or gender,
then they could analyse the results of the survey by different groups of people i.e. are some
groups of people more willing to buy local produce than others?
Application AO2
Candidates investigating the topic of rural diversification could apply any number of ‘big
ideas’ about energy to their specific context. Candidates could:

Apply their knowledge of other named farmed diversification schemes and contrast it
with the specific scheme studied through primary data collection to decide how
suitable/unsuitable the local scheme has been.

Apply their understanding of the concept of the multiplier effect when examining the
costs and benefits of farm diversification in the local area.
 Apply what is meant by sustainable futures – by considering the social, economic and
environmental impacts of their choice to the specific rural area of their study.
Useful Websites
In centres which have good access to IT facilities during lessons, use of the internet can be
an integral part of the research phase. Alternatively, the centre could devise a resource pack
for each alternative strategy. Where internet use is incorporated into the research phase,
centres are encouraged to focus the work of students by providing them with specific URL
addresses as opposed to just search words / phrases.
Candidates should be reminded that they must provide an accurate reference for each of
their sources.
Key facts and figures can be mapped or graphed by students to access AO2 marks. One
useful source of data is the Welsh Government report here:
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/statistics/2012/121221sb1252012en.pdf
The Welsh Government has published the Rural Development Plan (2014-2020) which is
available from this page of their website:
http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/environmentandcountryside/rdp-2014-2020-next-stepsconsultation/?lang=en
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Opinions should form part of any DME so that students can consider potential bias and
vested interest ( i.e. they need to be able to explain why certain groups hold particular views
in order to access the highest level for AO2. The following news articles will help students
begin to understand the opinions of different stakeholders: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ukwales-22906364 or http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/royal-welsh-show-newplanning-2028023
The Wales Rural Observatory website provides statistical information for rural Wales at:
http://www.walesruralobservatory.org.uk/
For a case study of farm diversification / local food supply try one of these websites:
http://www.beachfood.co.uk/index.php or http://www.gowersaltmarshlamb.co.uk/
Your students can use this website to search for local farmers markets. They could use this
secondary data to plot and annotate their own map:
http://www.localfoods.org.uk/
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