91430 Assignment

Research title: How do students get to school?

Achievement Criteria

Explanatory Notes

1. This achievement standard is derived from the Level 8 Geography Achievement Objectives of the Social Sciences learning area of The New Zealand Curriculum, Ministry of Education, Learning Media, 2007, and is related to the material in the Teaching and Learning Guide for Geography, Ministry of Education, 2010 at http://seniorsecondary.tki.org.nz. This standard is also derived from Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.  For details of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa achievement objectives to which this standard relates, see the Papa Whakaako for the relevant learning area.

2. Conduct geographic research with consultation involves:

• identifying the aim of the research
• planning the research
• collecting and recording data relevant to the aim of the research
• presenting a map(s) and statistical and/or visual data
• analysing findings
• providing a conclusion(s) that relates to the aim of the research
• providing an evaluation of the research process, and how this affects the validity of the research findings.

Conduct in-depth geographic research with consultation involves:

• effectively presenting a map(s) and statistical and visual data
• analysing findings, in detail
• providing a conclusion(s), in detail, that relates to the aim of the research
• evaluating in detail the research process and how this affects the validity of the research findings and/or conclusions.

Conduct comprehensive geographic research with consultation involves:

• critically analysing findings
• critically evaluating the research process by building on the detailed evaluation through a discussion of alternative research methods and their implications.

3. Geographic research refers to any fieldwork activity that has a spatial component, and that considers aspects of a natural or cultural environment, and/or the interaction of people with that environment.

4. With consultation means students will develop their own research aim(s) and research methodology and initiate discussion of these with their teacher.

5. Data includes primary and secondary data.

• Primary data is collected from the field. The collection of data may be done individually or by a group.  The collection of primary data includes a combination of the following methods: observing, measuring, précis sketching, photographing, surveying, using questionnaires, interviewing.
• Secondary data may also be included but the main focus of the research is on the primary data collected.

Assessment conditions: This assessment is open book.

You may work with others to collect and share primary data but the presentation, analysis and evaluation must be your own work. You will sign an authenticity statement at the end of the assessment to confirm this.

Aim:  To answer a research question by collecting, presenting, and explaining data, referring to geographic concepts and evaluating the research process.

There are 3 main parts broken into 7 tasks in this Achievement Standard; all must be completed. Some of the tasks will be completed in class but some must be done in your own time.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You are expected to integrate relevant geographic terminology and concepts throughout your research where appropriate.

Part 1

(a) Identifying the aim of the research: Choose a question or hypothesis that is related to Geography. It must have a spatial component and be connected with people and the environment.

(b) Planning the Research: This can be done individually or in groups of 2 or more. You must decide what data you will need to collect and how you will collect it.

Part 2

(c) Collecting and recording data relevant to the aim of the research

(d) Presenting the data in 2-3 different ways (2 for achieved, 3 for merit – which is the highest mark for this section). These must include at least one map plus statistical presentation(s) (eg graphs, calculations, tables), and/or visual data (eg graphs, annotated photos). Appropriate conventions must be used for each presentation method  FACKTS.

(e) Critically analysing findings: Write about the findings shown by the data presented in each of your presentation methods. This involves an examination of the data findings, identifying factors or circumstances that may have influenced them, identifying and examining any irregularities in the findings, examining any relationships that appear. You must go into detail. This means using specific information from the findings such as numbers, locations, names etc.

(f)Conclusion: Provides a conclusion(s), in detail that relates to the aim of the research.

Part 3

(g)Critically evaluate the research process by describing the strengths and weaknesses of how you carried out your research, and examine how this affected the validity of your findings. Then discuss alternative methods that you could have used in the research process in order to improve it, explaining why they would have been better.