(a) Identify the basic geographical knowledge and concepts that have been covered by the S1-2 IH curriculum
• The teachers of the case school examined their S1-2 IH curriculum and identify those topics that contain the basic geographical knowledge and concepts required by the S1-3 Geography curriculum.
• Teachers then assessed whether these knowledge and concepts are fully or partly covered.
• Table 1 shows the curriculum auditing of basic geographical knowledge and concepts completed by the case school.
(b) Identify the core geographical skills that have been covered by the S1-2 IH curriculum • Teachers repeat step 1(a) above but this time the focus is on the core geographical skills • Table 2 shows the curriculum auditing of the core geographical skills completed by the
case school.
Appendix 1
Table 1 Curriculum auditing - basic geographical knowledge and concepts (continue to the next page)
Space 1.The location of places and landscapes, including why they are there, the patterns and distributions they created, how and why these are changing and their implications for people 2. The distribution of major physical and human patterns at different scales (local to global) 3. The geographical processes that created the distribution of major physical and human patterns and their interactions across space Place and Region 1. The physical and human characteristics of places 2. The physical and human processes that shape places 3. The concept of region as an area of Earth’s surface with unifying geographic characteristics 4. The similarities and differences among regions People-Environment Interaction 1. The ways in which regions change and the factors contributing to these changes
S1
Why can our local district & HK develop?
S1 Evaluate the future development of our local district
S2 Is HK a metropolitan city?
S2 The Provinces of China
S2 Physical Environment of China
S2 Weather and
Climate
S2
Issue Enquiry: Sustainable Development
S2
Case Study: Three Gor
ges, Chiang Jiang
S2 The influence of Globalization on HK k
Location of places in Hong Kong
k Human
characteristics only (Landuse)
k Human
characteristics only (urban development)
urban redevelopmentWater problem in Chang Jiang
k
Changing locational
k Human
characteristics only (economic characteristics)
k Physical characteristics of China
k Climatic characteristics in China k Physical
processes that shape the climatic characteristics
k Landuse pattern in Hong Kong
k
Distribution of relief in China
k Climatic characteristics in China HK China Factors affecting climatic
characteristics
Characteristics of Chang Jiang
k
Distribution of Trans-national companies k Reasons for their distribution
k Location of Kai Tak
k
Provinces of China
k
Location of the dif
ferent mountains in China
k
Location of Chang Jiang
Knowledge and Concepts
2.The effects of the characteristics of physical environments and processes on human activities 3. Human responses to variations and changes in physical environments 4. Human modification of the physical environment, and its consequences on places and environments Sustainable Development 1. The meaning of sustainable development and how it is implemented in different places and different occasions 2. Major local, national and global environmental issues, including their causes, the tension involved, and how they can be managed in a sustainable way Global Interdependence 1. The economic, environmental, political and social interactions among places and regions 2. The changes caused by human action in one place leading to changes in other places Areal coverage 1. Hong Kong 2.China 3.Asia 4.World
S1
Why can our local district & HK develop?
S1 Evaluate the future development of our local district
S2 Is HK a metropolitan city?
S2 The Provinces of China
S2 Physical Environment of China
S2 Weather and
Climate
S2
Issue Enquiry: Sustainable Development
S2
Case Study: Three Gor
ges, Chiang Jiang
S2 The influence of Globalization on HK k
Meaning of sustainable development
k Local case only
Effects of flooding in Chang Jiang Three Gorges
Project in Chang Jiang Three Gorges
Project in Chang Jiang National issue
Kai Tak redevelopment
Effects of climate on human activities
pattern of industry /
Trans-national companies
Knowledge and Concepts k partially covered fully coveredMissing basic geographical knowledge and concepts Table 1 Curriculum auditing - basic geographical knowledge and concepts
Table 2 Curriculum auditing - core geographical skills (continue to the next page)
Geographical Enquiry Skills 1.
Identify geographical issues and ask / pose geographical questions
2. Select and extract geographical data from a range of sources 3. Organise and present
geographical data in appropriate formats using appropriate techniques for summarising 4. Observe and interpret
patterns, trends and relationships from processed geographical data 5. Make inferences / generalisations and draw conclusion from analysed geographical information and data
Map skills 1. Read maps of different kinds and at different scales 2. Find specific information
in an atlas by using the index and contents pages
3. Locate specific features and places on a map using coordinates and references
S1
How do we know where we are?
S1 When do people move into HK?
S1
How is the life of the
local residents?
S1
Why can our local district & HK develop?
S1 Evaluate the future
development of our local district S2 The
Provinces of China
S2 Physical Environment of China
S2
Case Study: Three Gor
ges, Chiang Jiang
S2 Weather and Climate
S2 The influence of Globalization on HK
Longitudes & latitudes, grid references
k
Make use of the 6Ws to ask questions
3 types of scale
Read maps of dif
ferent scales
Read floor planRead large scale maps
Read outline zoning map Read outline maps
Read relief mapClimatic map
Make use of the 6Ws to ask questions
Core geographical skills
4.Measure distances and areas on maps using linear scale and RF 5. Identify and describe spatial patterns on a map
6. Construct an annotated cross-section from a contour map
7. Calculate the gradient of a slope 8. Interpret a contour map
to describe the relief of an area and identify landform features shown on the map
9. Use GIS software to organise
geographical data and to construct a simple map
Fieldwork skills 1. Follow a route on a given map in the field, and be able to
identify conspicuous features from the information shown
2. Use a variety of skills to measure, map and record geographical phenomena and data in the field 3. Use a variety of tools to measure, collect and record geographical data in the field 4. Draw annotated field sketch to record and interpret geographical information 5. Undertake sampling in the field
S1
How do we know where we are?
S1 When do people move into HK?
S1
How is the life of the
local residents?
S1
Why can our local district & HK develop?
S1 Evaluate the future
development of our local district S2 The
Provinces of China
S2 Physical Environment of China
S2
Case Study: Three Gor
ges, Chiang Jiang
S2 Weather and Climate
S2 The influence of Globalization on HK Relief pattern k Interpret cross-section
Core geographical skills Table 2 Curriculum auditing - core geographical skills (continue to the next page)
Skills of using graphs, statistics and photographs 1. Identify and calculate totals, averages, frequencies, ranges, densities, ratios and percentages
2. Construct and interpret pie charts, bar
, column, line,
climatic and proportional graphs
3. Construct flow diagrams to
illustrate inputs, outputs, elements, feedbacks and other aspects of geographical systems
4. Read and interpret oblique, aerial, ground-level and satellite imagery 5.
Recognise features and patterns shown in an aerial photograph and identify them on a map of the same area
6. Read simplified weather charts
S1
How do we know where we are?
S1 When do people move into HK?
S1
How is the life of the
local residents?
S1
Why can our local district & HK develop?
S1 Evaluate the future
development of our local district S2 The
Provinces of China
S2 Physical Environment of China
S2
Case Study: Three Gor
ges, Chiang Jiang
S2 Weather and Climate
S2 The influence of Globalization on HK Pie chart
Ground-level & oblique photos
Aerial photo
Ground-level & oblique photos
Core geographical skills k partially covered fully coveredMissing core geographical skills Table 2 Curriculum auditing - core geographical skills
(c) Identify the missing essential learning elements
• Based on the results from Table 1 and Table 2, teachers identified the essential learning elements that were not included (Table 3) in the S1 and S2 IH curriculum.
Basic geographical knowledge and concepts that are completely missing 1. Place and Region - The concept of region as an area of Earth’s surface with unifying
geographic characteristics
2. Place and Region - The similarities and differences among regions
3. People-Environment Interaction - Human responses to variations and changes in physical environments
4. Global Interdependence - The economic, environmental, political and social interactions among places and regions 5. Global Interdependence - The changes
caused by human action in one place leading to changes in other places
Core geographical skills that are completely missing
1. Geographical enquiry skills - Observe and interpret patterns, trends and relationships from processed geographical data
2. Map skills - Calculate the gradient of a slope
3. Map skills - Use GIS software to organise geographical data and to construct a simple map
4. All the fieldwork skills
5. Skills of using graphs, statistics and photographs - Identify and calculate totals, averages, frequencies, ranges, densities, ratios and percentages 6. Skills of using graphs, statistics and photographs - Construct flow diagrams to illustrate inputs, outputs, elements, feedbacks and other aspects of geographical systems
7. Skills of using graphs, statistics and photographs - Recognise features and patterns shown in an aerial photograph and identify them on a map of the same area
Table 3 Basic geographical knowledge and concepts and core geographical skills that are completely missing
• Teachers of the case school found out that some essential learning elements were only weakly developed by the IH topics. To compensate for the loss, these elements would be emphasised in the S3 Geography curriculum. Teachers also put down their perceptions and observations on the overall competency of the IH curriculum in offering geography essential elements to the students, as shown in Table 4.
Essential learning elements weakly developed
1. The factors explaining the location of places and landscapes
2. Geographical processes that created the distribution pattern
3. Human processes that shape places 4. Global environmental issues
Overall observation
1. The curriculum content covers mainly factual knowledge and some elementary geographical concepts.
2. There is little coverage on the reasons or processes in creating these patterns.
3. There is a lack of global perspective.
Global issues are missing.
4. Students have no fieldwork experiences and no chance of learning fieldwork skills.
5. There is no chance for the training of statistical skills.
Table 4 Essential learning elements that are weakly developed and overall observation