Why is GCSE geography more popular in some schools? Paul Weeden University of Birmingham.
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Transcript of Why is GCSE geography more popular in some schools? Paul Weeden University of Birmingham.
Student interest
• Individual interest– Where does this come from?– Personality; Life history; Media
• Situational interest– Teaching; Engagement; Activities
• Topic interest– Maintained; Enhanced; reduced
Student Interest in geography
Student
PersonalityMotivation
Life ExperiencesIndividual Interest
GeographyCurriculumPedagogyTeachers
Situational Interest
Topic Interest
ExternalInfluences
FamilyPeers
CommunityMedia
Student perceptions
Student
PersonalityMotivation
Life ExperiencesIndividual Interest
GeographyCurriculumPedagogyTeachers
Situational Interest
Perceptions of Geography
Topic InterestEnjoy
AspirationsUsefulness
Aptitude
Examination entry and overall student’ performance
Overall Performance Total
Geography GCSE
History GCSE
IT GCSE
IT vocational
Sport / PE
GCSE No of
Candidates 18180 6064 5936 4536 4161 3947
Low 23% 14% 11% 15% 21% 19%
average 39% 37% 34% 38% 43% 45%
high 38% 49% 55% 47% 36% 36%
Examination entry - selected subjects and overall performance
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
low average high
student' overall performance
% o
f sub
ject
ent
ry Total
Geography
History
IT gcse
IT vocational
Sport / PE
Type of School: Student Intake
Type of School
Definition based on student intake
1 Selective Most students from the top 20-30% of national performance
2 Comprehensive plus
All attainments, but more students within the top 50% of national performance.
3 Comprehensive All attainments, more or less even mix across the performance range.
4 Comprehensive minus
All attainments, but very few from the top 25% of national performance
5 Comprehensive ‘modern’
Few students from the top 50% of national performance, most in bottom 50%.
Type of school: Area
Student Intake % of Number on roll
Big City New Town Rural County All areas
1 Selective 48% 47% 57% 49%
2 Comprehensive ‘plus’ 33% 47% 44% 39%
3 Comprehensive 30% 35% 45% 36%
4 Comprehensive ‘minus’ 27% 30% 43% 28%
5 Comprehensive ‘modern’ 20% 20%
Comprehensive Total 27% 38% 45% 32%
Overall Total 29% 37% 45% 33%
Entry by intake
High, 79%
High, 64%
High, 100%
High, 66%
High, 41%
Mean, 50%
Mean, 39% Mean, 36%
Mean, 28%
Mean, 20%Low, 20%
Low, 10%Low, 14%
Low, 0% Low, 0%0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
selective Comprehensive plus
comprehensive 'modern‘ comprehensive
Type of School
% o
f n
um
ber
on
ro
ll
comprehensive
minus
Whole school factors
• ‘Type’ of school (student intake)– categories
• Option choice system– Free choice; blocks; differentiated
• Range of subjects– Varies with LEA; type of school; specialism
• Influences– Government priorities; vocational; parental; SMT;
staffing
Whole School Factors
Student
PersonalityMotivation
Life ExperiencesIndividual Interest
GeographyCurriculumPedagogyTeachers
Situational Interest
Perceptions of Geography
External Influences
PoliciesCommunity
Funding
Whole School FactorsType of School (student intake)
Option choice System (Free/Blocks/Sets)Range of subjects
Departments and teachers
• National influences– GNC; Secondary strategies; subject
associations
• Teachers– Age; responsibilities; life history
• Quality of teaching and learning– Subject leadership; resources; departmental
‘coherence’; teacher
Geography department influence
Student
PersonalityMotivation
Life ExperiencesIndividual Interest
Perceptions of Geography
Whole School FactorsType of School (student intake)
Option choice System (Free/Blocks/Sets)Range of subjects
ExternalInfluences
GNCStrategiesGA (RGS)Universities
Geography
Curriculumresources
DepartmentSubject leadership; coherence
Teachers Age; Responsibility; Life History
PedagogySituational Interest
Subjects
CoreKS3 subjects
‘New’ subjectsCurriculum; department;
Pedagogy; teachers
Other departments
Student
PersonalityMotivation
Life ExperiencesIndividual Interest
Geography
CurriculumDepartmentTeachers Pedagogy
Perceptions of Geography
Whole School FactorsType of School (student intake)
Option choice System (Free/Blocks/Sets)Range of subjects
Perceptions Of otherSubjects
Decision Making
Outcomes
Core Options
Decision MakingAspirations; UsefulnessLiking; Aptitude; Advice
Subjects
Core
KS3 subjects
‘New’ subjects
Student
PersonalityMotivation
Life ExperiencesIndividual Interest
Geography
CurriculumDepartmentTeachers Pedagogy
Perceptions of Geography
Whole School FactorsType of School (student intake)
Option choice System (Free/Blocks/Sets)Range of subjects
Perceptions of otherSubjects
Case Study 1:Rural comprehensive
• Successful department – Above average grades at GCSE and A-level
• Specialist Technology College (2001)• SMT change option structures
– HoD accepts changes• Numbers drop catastrophically• In fewer option blocks• Results outstanding
Case study 2 Inner city: ‘Modern’ Comprehensive
• School performance: 10-20% A-C• 4 option bands
1. Core + 4 GCSEs2. Core + 2 GCSEs + 1 vocational double award3. Core + 2 vocational double awards4. Basic skills curriculum
• Geography popular and successful– Young enthusiastic department– Controlled environment– Geography results improve (67% - A*-C)
Whole School Moderating Variables
Type of School; School location; Specialist Status; School leadership;
Policies and practice; Option choice system
Student Intake
Outcome
Student Subject Choice
Student
PersonalityAptitude
MotivationAspirationsPerceptions
Influences on student subject choice
Adapted from Leithwood and Levin (2005)
Decisionmaking
Departmental Mediating Variables
Subject Leaders; Teachers; Curriculum; Pedagogy
Core M; E; Sc
OptionsMFL; DT; IT; RE; PE
H; Mu; A;
New Subjects10-20 GCSEs
and Vocational Qualifications
G