Geography resources

Clarifications of Internally Assessed standards in Geography

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This information is designed to assist teachers in their understanding of the internally assessed standards in Geography.

Geography Topics at a Global Scale: Achievement Standards 90208, 90337 and 90707

The task instructions should require candidates to cover nations or regions across different continents or different hemispheres in their answers. Candidates must show that the pattern(s) and the process(es) that caused it occur at a global scale, and that the topic has significance for people globally as well.

The context or theme of the global study must allow for full coverage of the achievement criteria of the particular standard. For example, there is a requirement that the candidate's understanding of the process(es) that produced the the global pattern is able to be assessed. A process is not the same thing as a factor. The New Zealand Geography Syllabus (1990) defines a process as a sequence of "related actions that maintain or modify the environment" (p. 22). It is important, therefore, that the context or theme chosen involves a process(es) rather than just a range of contributory factors. If there is no significant process involved, then students will be at a disadvantage. For example, the theme of "Global Tourism Growth" is frequently chosen when assessing the level 3 standard 90707. Candidates use ?transport' as a process to explain the global pattern of tourism growth. In this situation "Transport Development" (the evolution of modern transport) would be appropriate as a choice of a process, whereas just "modern transport" (e.g. the "747 aircraft") is a factor, and as such would not be acceptable in an answer requiring an analysis of the "process(es)"

The phrase "significant for people" in the achievement criteria for these standards is not amplified in the explanatory notes. It requires that candidates discuss how the context or theme affects people or why it is important to people or how people are influenced by the context or theme under study.

Version 3 of the level one (90208) standard requires candidates to "comprehensively examine" in order to achieve excellence. Explanatory Note 3 states that this "relates to the application of skills, geographic ideas and supporting evidence to demonstrate understanding". Appropriate application of any one of these three items (skills, geographic ideas or supporting evidence) can be considered as sufficient for Excellence. An explanation can be considered to be "supporting evidence".

Contemporary Geographic Issue: Achievement Standards 90207, 90336 and 90706

For both the level 1 and 2 standards, the explanatory notes state that the "geographic nature" of the issue "relates to its effect on people and on the environment." This environment may be either physical or cultural. The effects may be positive as well as negative. If a cultural environment is chosen instead of a physical environment, the effect of the issue must relate to both people and the cultural environment. For example if the issue chosen is "Child Labour", the geographic nature of this issue could be established by comment on how child labour affects the wealth of families (effect on people), and how it could encourage multi-national companies to establish factories in countries and areas where a lot of child labour is available (effect on the economic environment/cultural environment).

At level 3, the definition of the phrase "the geographic nature of an issue" stipulates that it must relate "to its location, and its effect on people and the environment." In contrast, at levels one and two the equivalent wording merely stipulates that it " may include location". Hence at level 3, establishment of the geographic nature of an issue must involve an analysis of the issue in relation to (i) location, (ii) effect(s) on people, and (iii) effect(s) on the environment.

The term "evaluate" as used at all three levels is defined as "making judgements about the strengths and weaknesses of differing courses of action". In the past, this has been interpreted as requiring that candidates discuss two strengths and two weaknesses for each course of action evaluated. However, discussing one strength and one weakness for each course of action would also be acceptable provided the strength and weakness are discussed in-depth.

Geographic Research: Achievement Standards 90206, 90335 and 90705

Geographic research must relate to people and the environment, and there must also be a spatial component to the topic. Research activity works best when it focuses on topics that enhance candidate's geographic understanding and/or shows how geography can be used to help us to better understand and tackle real-world issues.

For each research standard, the explanatory notes indicate that the research must allow for the collection of data from the field. Fieldwork underpins good quality geographic research. The levels one and two notes specify "primary data", and although the level three note merely states "data from the field", assessors should assume that the primary data requirement applies here as well.

In version 3 of the level 1 standard (90206), analysis is not a distinct component of the first criterion but it should form an integral part of the conclusions. Students must reach conclusions based on the data collected, and the conclusions must relate to the aims of the research. These aims must be clearly stated and any conclusions drawn must relate back to them.

At level 3 (90705), the "critical evaluation" needed for excellence requires students to examine alternative methods or approaches to research. Candidates who comment that they would collect more data using existing techniques are not examining alternative methods. Candidates must be aware of the type and methodology of the research they are engaged in so that they can compare/contrast this with different methods of conducting research.

At all levels, the evaluation of the research should focus on how well, or not, aspects of the research methodology worked and the implications that this had for the research topic and the conclusions drawn. For example, the statement: " Our group worked well together and this enabled us to collect a large amount of data about the volume of traffic. This gave us sufficient evidence to draw useful conclusions about traffic flow in our town" is appropriate. In contrast, the statement: " Our group worked well" on its own would be insufficient.

Planning and decision-making processes: Achievement Standard 90703

This standard requires candidates to analyse the process of planning and decision. Assessment of this standard works best when it is framed around the work of a decision-making body like a territorial authority (e.g. a city council), and in relation to a real world issue that has gone through a planning and decision-making process to the point where a final decision has been made. Many assessment tasks submitted for moderation lack an adequate framework for candidates to base their analysis on.

The requirements of 90703 should not be confused with those of 90705 (Research) or 90706 (Issues). For example, in relation to the term "people's views", 90703 is not so much concerned with what those views are or why people hold those views, but rather with how the decision-making body ascertained who is concerned and has a view about a particular planning issue. What process(es) did the city council use to find out those people's views? What views were considered important in reaching the final decision?

Unit Standards

With unit standards, the level of understanding required of candidates is similar to that expected in achievement standards at the same level. Where schools are using a particular unit standard instead of the equivalent externally assessed achievement standard (e.g. unit standard 5083 instead of achievement standard 90202), the achievement standard's assessment schedules and examiner's report should be used as a guide to the depth of understanding required of the candidate.

Last updated: 20 June 2008