Geographical Inquiry for
Upper Sec Teachers
6 June 2011
Trainer: Joseph and Margaret
Activity 1:Teaching
style
- Questions – understand, open minded, non-critical
- questioning and AFL – KWL, Project work
- transfer of knowledge
Activity 2: what we already learn, what we want to
know
Framework
Each Physical Geog topic or Human Geog topic is framed by an
overarching issue and 3 Key Questions.
Each KQ has guiding questions, main ideas, learning outcomes, content
and main terms.
First two KQs are posed to enable students to acquire knowledge and
skills of the topic.
Third KQ, which entails the study of either an e.g. or a case study,
requires students to apply knowledge and skills to reach a reasoned conclusion
to the overarching issue.
The world according to (soue) Singaporeans by Mr
Tan
Framework for learning through inquiring
1. Strategies to spark
curiousity
Not only data – pictures,
film etc
2. Gathering
data
Locate, collect and select
evidence
Sort, classify and sequence
data
3. Exercising
reasoning – to make connections e.g. relate existing knowledge to new
knowledge, command words
4. Reflective
thinking – to be critical in data sources, skills and techniques used,
criteria for making judgements, opinions, what has been learnt, how it has been
learnt, how the enquiry can be improved and developed
further.
E.g. of Inquiry
lesson
Key question: Which parts of the world experience
earthquakes?
Leaning objectives:
Knowledge: Richter scale, world distribution of
earthquakes
Skills: Interpreting maps, describing patterns
Terms: earthquake, focus, epicenter, magnitude, earthquake zone,
tsunamis
Concepts: space, place, physical processes
Resources: lists and maps from USGS website, blank world
maps
How many earthquakes were there in the world
yesterday?
Show the students the data from USGS
Gathering data,
Exercising reasoning = students to see pattern
Get the students to name the oceans
Reflective thinking:
What patterns have been found?
Are the data sufficient?
How could the inquiry be improved?
What might be the reasons for this
distribution?
Sparking
Curiosity
How do we spark
curiosity?
A: Stance (a teacher which
has ignite your interest in the
subject)
B: Stimulus (e.g. use of a
photo)
C:
Speculation
Intelligent
guesswork
Rank top 3 and bottom 3 in terms of life
expectancy
1. Japan 83.2
2. Australia 81.9
3. Italy 81.4 (olive oil, salad, healthier
lifestyle)
14
Cambodia
15
South
Africa
16
Lesotho
D:
Choice
My
volcano
Stereographic North Polar Aspect
Choice of writing - on any 3 countries along a
longitude
Choice of products -Postcard or email or project folder of each
country
Question-driven inquiry
Using Framework
Using core
questions
What is the phenomenon?
Where is it located?
Why is it located there?
What impact does its location have?
What changes should be made?
What ought to be done?
Asking questions: the
5Ws
Why? Who? When? Where? What?
Using the development compass rose
Who decides?
What sort of help can be given to this place locally and
internationally?
Natural
Where is this picture taken?
What climatic type is this place likely to
experience?
Social
How extensive is the problem?
What is the social impact?
Economics
How can this child be helped economically?
What is the main economic activity?
What level of development will this place
experience?
What is the economic impact
Video on coastal erosion –
Pumpkin TV- Sustainable coastal management @ Holderness
Probe reasons and evidence
Probe reasons and evidence
What are the factors which have led to a rapid rate of erosion in
this coastal area?
What evidence is there from the film to support what you are
saying?
Test implications and
consequence
How does the coastal erosion affect the life of the local
people?
What can the people or local authorities help the people overcome the
problem?
Explore alternative
views
Are there any other factors which contributed a rapid rate of
erosion?
What are the similarities in coastal erosion in Singapore and UK
Observer
Started with easy and progressed to more difficult
question
Scaffolding – lower and higher level
Probe assumption
Rephrased questions when students are stuck
Student
Eased into difficult question
Encouraged to think further
Felt food praised
Connected
Kind teachers - encouraging
Teacher
Positive even
Affirmed student
Clarifying assumption
More wait time
What are the types of data can we use?
Where can I find the sources of data?
How do we select data?
Types of data
|
definition
|
examples
|
Primary data
|
Original information collected first hand by
fieldwork
|
Measuring
Counting
Interviewing
Sketch mapping
Take photo
|
Secondary data
|
Information from published sources which was collected by someone
else
|
Census data
Textbooks
Planning documents
Newspaper
Maps
Leaflets
Directories
Websites
photo
|
Different forms of data
Information can be represented indifferent
ways:
- Enactive
- Iconic (images, diagrams, pictures)
- Symbolic
Criteria in the selection of data:
What kinds of lies?
- Stereotyping
- Bias
- Inaccurate information
- Reliability
Primary data through
questionnaire surveys
8
stages of using questionnaire: surveys
1. Establishing the
scope
2. Devising questions
3. Producing the
questionnaire
4. Collecting
responses
5. Collecting
data
6. Presenting the
data
7. Interpreting the data and
reaching conclusions
8. Evaluating the
survey
8 common types of
questions
- Choosing one answer from list of options
- Choosing one or more answers from list
- Ranking items
- Semantic differential (adjective – beautiful or ugly, clean - dirty)
- Rating using Likert scale (strongly agree, agree, disagree or
strongly disagree)
- Fill
in the blank
- Open
list (e.g. which are the most recent
countries you have visited)
- Open
response
Questionnaires
survey:
Possible sequence of lessons focusing on stages 1 –
8
Lesson 1
Teacher introduces focus
Students brainstorms questions
Teacher produces questionnaire
Lesson 2
Students write part of report including
hypothesis
Lesson 3
Each student uses questionnaire
Teacher enters data into EXCEL
Lesson 4
Students analyse data, evaluate survey and complete
reports
Advantage
Authentic data
Compare their data with what they learn
Check understanding
Encourage critical thinking
Pick up interpersonal/intrapersonal skills e.g. how to ask
question
Source of data not available
How to help
students
Models/frames
Critique practice
Scaffold – teach them research process (knowledge
construction)
Test and review questionnaire
Instruction: Data analysis and collection
Clear in objective/purpose
Limitations
Key Questions
- Under
what circumstances would it be appropriate to use this type of
data?
- what issues do the students
face when using such data?
- what data related skills do we
need to teach the students?
Secondary data:
statistics
e.g. Singapore
Mathematical knowledge required for O level
Geog
Units of measurement e.g. mm, degrees celcius
etc
Vocabulary e.g percentages, ratios, mean, median,
mode
Skills
eg.
Line graphs, bar graphs, scattergraphs
Statistics in 3 inquiry contexts
- why has tourism become a
global phenomenon?
- why
do different places experience different weather and
climate>
- what are the global patterns of
health and diseases?
1. Why has tourism become a
global phenomenon?
Numeracy
Units of measurement: totals; percentages
Vocabulary: arrivals; country of origin
Data: statistics; graphs; distribution maps
Inquiry process
Sparking curiosity: estimate
Gathering data
Exercising reason: analyzing data, drawing graphs,
writing
Reflecting on learning: other data
Use of
graphs
e.g. climate
graphs
why do different places
experience different weather and climate?
Numeracy
Units of measurement: Celcius; mm
Vocabulary: temperature; precipitation; relative humidity; annual
range, diurnal range; diurnal range; mean monthly
Data: statistics; graphs; distribution maps
Inquiry process:
Sparking curiously: where in the world?
Gathering data/being provided with data
Exercising reason: describing climatic graphs
Exercising reason: comparing climatic graphs
Reflecting the learning: speculating on why
different
Use of maps
What are the global patterns of health and
diseases?
Numeracy
Units of measurement: calorie
Vocabulary: infant mortality, life expectancy
Data: statistics: graphs, pie charts; distribution
maps
Inquiry process
Sparking curiosity; intelligent guesswork; making numbers
real
Data: statistics; graphs; plotting graphs; producing
maps
Making sense: describing patterns
Reflecting; being critical
Strategy: Intelligent Guesswork
http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=227
Gapminder: HIV epidemic 1980 -2007
Video on Ecotourism – Madagascar
Secondary data:
Photographs
Strategies on the use of photographs
Brief glimpse
Where is it?
20
Questions
Directed Activities Related to Text
Reconstruction DARTs
- Diagram completion (missing labels on diagram, to be filled up after
reading the text)
- Sequencing
- Matching text and diagrams
Analysis and reconstruction DARTs
- Labelling/reconstruction
- Underlining or highlighting/reconstruction
Class
discussion
Under what
circumstances would it be appropriate to use this type ofl
data?
|
What
issues do the students face when using data?
|
What data
related skills do we need to teach the students
| |
Statistics
|
Analyse
trend
|
Select and
categorise data
|
Unit of
measurement
Vocab
description
|
Graphs/charts
|
Analyse
trend
Identify
type and match
comparison
|
Read
axis
Extract
info
|
Unit of
measurement
Calculation
e.g. total
annual rainfall
|
Maps
|
Pattern
Comparison
Record of
changes over time and space
|
Cannot
identify countries
Confused
by distortion of maps
|
Identification of places/countries
legend
|
Film
|
Authentic
Visual
learner
Engaging
Case
studies
|
Copyright
Missing
data
Biasness
Miss out
on parts of information
|
Framework
Guiding
questions
To note
key points
|
Photo/images
/diagrams
|
Spark
interest
“field
trip” in classroom
Compare
Study
details
Help in
explanation
|
Reliability
Limited
information
|
Divide
into 3 parts for photo analysis
Make
geographical conclusions
|
Text
|
Content
Concept
|
Language
Difficulty
level
Drawing
linkages
|
Note-taking
Highlighting geographical
concept
|
Similarities and differenes
Spider diagrams
Mindmaps
Concept
mapping
Emphasis on links and realationships between
concepts
Can be used:
- Diagnostically
- Reasoned thinking
- Reflection/assessment
Writing frames and other support
e.g. Weather and
Climate
(a) comparing and contrasting places
although India and Singapore
For example, they both …..
They are also similar in …
They also have the same….
Finally they both …
(b) Use a grid to organize
information about places and features before pupils use comparison and contrast
frames.
location
|
||
Mean monthly temp
|
||
Mean annual temp
|
||
Diurnal temp range
|
||
Total Annual precipitation
|
Using a writing frame to explain a process in Geography
I
want to explain how monsoon winds are formed ……
It
starts by…. And…..
This causes…
After that……
And as a
result…
Then….
The final result is that….
Writing about an issue in
Geography. Use a writing frame to
present arguments and information about different
viewpoints.
The issue that we discussed was about the effectiveness of measures
adopted to mitigate and respond to the effects of tropical
cyclones.
Some people think that….
Because….
They argue that….
Another group who agree with this point of view are..
They say that…
On the other
hand….
Disagree with the idea that…
They claim that…
They also say that
My
opinion is …
Because….
Role-play
inquiry
Sparking curiosity: connecting with own
knowledge
Gathering data: information for each group
Exercising reasoning: role play: public
meeting
Reflective thinking: debrief in role; debrief out of
role
Should Mauritius
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