Teacher notes

The following recommendations will help you gain the most from this resource.

• The Geography Challenge was designed to be carried out in the following order: Narawang Wetland, Virtual Field Trip (VFT) and Research Action Plan (RAP). This structure will provide the most detailed understanding of the Narawang case study, fieldwork and research techniques and processes. However, it is possible to explore only one of these components in isolation if time is limited, or the subject matter is not suited to your particular needs.

• Teachers can access additional functionality through the Teacher Dashboard option on the front page. In this section teachers can add a class, manage students and track completion.

• Carry out real fieldwork in your local area or on an excursion once the students have completed the online fieldwork activities. The Sydney Olympic Park Authority conducts Geography fieldwork for students, and can be contacted at enquiries@sopa.nsw.gov.au .

• It would be helpful for students to have some knowledge of the Stage 5, Land and Water Management topic before undertaking this task.

• Consider visiting other online resources such as Macrobiotica and About Fieldwork (available from TaLE) to support students’ learning.

• Students who are vision impaired have been provided with detailed text versions of interactive activities to be accessed with a print-to-speech reading machine or Teacher’s Aide. They are also able to access instructions through the audio track of the instructional videos. Video transcripts have been provided for students who are hearing impaired.

The Geography Challenge resource includes a Teacher Dashboard facility. This allows you to create, manage and review classes. A class may be set up in a few simple steps.

Teacher setup

1. Log on to the Geography Challenge website using your DEC username and password.

2. Begin typing your school’s name in the text field provided. Select your school from the drop down list and and click ‘Add school’ to confirm.

3. Select ‘Manage classes’ to add a new class.

4. Type in a class name in the text field. You will be providing this name to your students.

5. Select ‘Add class’.

6. Provide this class code to your class. Students will use this to join your Geography Challenge class.

The Geography Challenge supports the Stage 5 Geography Syllabus.

Stage 5 Geography

Focus Area 5A3 Issues in Australian Environments

Focus: Ways in which geographical understanding contributes to the sustainable management of issues affecting the Australian environment.

Outcomes

A student:

5.1 identifies, gathers and evaluates geographical information

5.2 analyses, organises and synthesises geographical information

5.3 selects and uses appropriate written, oral and graphic forms to communicate geographical information

5.4 selects and applies appropriate geographical tools

5.5 demonstrates a sense of place about Australian environments

5.10 applies geographical knowledge, understanding and skills with knowledge of civics to demonstrate informed and active citizenship.

Geographical tools in this focus area:

Maps

• construct a transect

Fieldwork

• develop a research action plan

• use a variety of techniques to collect and record primary and secondary data

Graphs and Statistics

• recognise and account for change using statistical data

Photographs

• collect and use digital images

ICT

• design and create a multimedia presentation or webpage to communicate geographical information to a particular audience, including maps and diagrams as appropriate

Students learn about:

Geographical issues

• geographical issues affecting Australian environments including:

–land and water management

• investigate a geographical issue through fieldwork by developing and implementing a research action plan

Students become immersed in research and problem-solving activities in order to conduct their Research Action Plan. They undertake a range of interactive online fieldwork activities to prepare and present their findings. In the final stage of their Research Action Plan, their research leads to a range of assessable written activities including a report, PowerPoint presentation and a letter to a council member.

The Geography Challenge assists teachers to implement the model of pedagogy presented in the Quality Teaching in New South Wales Public schools discussion paper by the NSW Department of Education and Training. The model rests upon three dimensions: intellectual quality, quality learning environment and significance.

Intellectual quality

Deep knowledge

In undertaking a research action plan, students are challenged to think about the range of activities which effect the environment of Narawang wetlands.

The Geography Challenge requires students to synthesise and evaluate their research data, draw conclusions and present these in a variety of formats.

Deep understanding

Students develop a detailed understanding of the history, flora and fauna, human interactions and environmental conditions of Narawang Wetlands. They need to apply this to make judgements about the overarching issue of urban development in the vicinity of the wetlands.

Problematic knowledge

The Geography Challenge provides students with an overarching problem to solve related to urban development in the vicinity of Narawang Wetlands. The perspectives of a range of different stakeholders is presented, and student must make judgements on these opinions based on all the information they have gathered. Students need to evaluate information from a range of sources to draw conclusions.

Higher-order thinking

The learning materials support students in applying, analysing, synthesising and evaluating their knowledge.

Metalanguage

The Geography Challenge allows students to learn and use specialist language of geographical inquiry and research.

Substantive communication

The Geography Challenge provides a variety of ways for students to communicate their findings, and the scope of the project allows sufficient time for students to have substantive communication with each other and their teachers.

Quality learning environment

Engagement

The Geography Challenge presents geographical information and processes in a way which motivates students to learn. A range of interactive activities, video, and graphic forms keep students engaged in learning.

High expectations

The Geography Challenge expects student to grasp complicated concepts and contents. Students must use their knowledge and understanding of these concepts and content to present information in the form of a written report, letter to a council member, PowerPoint presentation and a range of other formats.

Students’ self-regulation

Students are able to access their task through the student portal, and as such are able to work on the Geography Challenge in their own time, outside of class. Students are given a number of options for extra reading material and activities which will add extra depth to their discussions and analysis.

Student direction

In their analysis of urban developments near Narawang Wetlands, students are provided with a choice of topics by which to research – Water, Pests or Human Interactions. Students are provided with different pathways to a conclusions dependent on their choice.

Significance

Background knowledge

The Geography Challenge allows students to incorporate knowledge and experience gained through other fieldwork activities into a larger, integrated program of research.

Cultural knowledge

The Geography Challenge explores the possible viewpoints of ATSI and NESB peoples in the local community.

Knowledge integration

The Geography Challenge allows students to integrate knowledge from geography, history and science in developing a research action plan and undertaking fieldwork.

Connectedness

The Geography Challenge provides a rich learning task by making clear connections with contexts outside the classroom.

Narrative

The Geography Challenge examines the perspective of different stakeholders through simulated interviews, surveys and council meetings.

The document “Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography” specifies that in Year 10 students will complete a topic “Environmental Sustainability”. All topics within Years 7-10 will be underpinned by sustainability, citizenship and spatial technologies. The Geography Challenge provides a case study for the topic Environmental Sustainability to be explored. The analysis of results involves a sustainability analysis, where student examine the four components of sustainability and assess how well Narawang Wetlands is managed in relation to these principles. It uses spatial technologies through a basic GIS activity, and encourages active citizenship by requiring students to propose a variety of actions for sustainable management of the site.

Upon first accessing the Geography Challenge learning resource, students will be randomly allocated a data set consisting of real information collected from Narawang Wetland.

Data Set 1

Weather

Abiotic Water Quality

Biotic Tests

Observations

Data Set 2

Weather

Abiotic Water Quality

Biotic Tests

Observations

Data Set 3

Weather

Abiotic Water Quality

Biotic Tests

Observations