Geography

SACE Code	2GHY20
Level	Stage 2
Learning Area	HASS
Duration	Year
Semester	Full Year
Pre-requisite	None required
Additional Costs	None required
SACE Credits	20

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for students interested in exploring the relationships between people, places, and environments on both local and global scales. Through fieldwork and inquiry-based learning, students investigate how social, economic, and environmental factors shape the world and develop the analytical skills to address real-world challenges, such as sustainability and spatial inequalities.

What will I learn?

Stage 2 Geography is a 20-credit subject comprising two main aspects: the transforming world and fieldwork.

The transforming world introduces students to the changes taking place across human and physical environments. Students examine the characteristics and causes of changes in environmental, social, and economic systems and study their effects and implications. They become aware of the interconnectedness of the changes and links across each of the three systems. Through the study of environmental change, students develop their understanding of the impact of people on ecosystems and our role in climate change. Students examine social and economic change and develop their understanding of population trends and movements, the growth and impact of globalisation and localisation, and global patterns of inequality.

Students undertake independent fieldwork on a local topic or issue of personal interest. The selected fieldwork must enable students to collect primary data using a wide range of data-collection techniques, and develop their skills of geographical inquiry and analysis. Students use a range of graphical presentations to support their findings and conclusions.

The transforming world focuses on the following five topics, which are organised under the two themes of environmental change and social and economic change.

Theme 1: Environmental Change

• Topic 1: Ecosystems and people
• Topic 2: Climate change

Theme 2: Social and Economic Change

• Topic 3: Population change
• Topic 4: Globalisation
• Topic 5: Transforming global inequality

How will I be assessed?

Assessment Type 1: Geographical Skills and Applications (40%)

Students produce four geographical skills and applications tasks to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of geographical concepts, and to examine geographical features, patterns, and processes.

These tasks may be multimodal, written, and/or oral in form. Together, the four responses comprise a maximum of 4000 words or equivalent in oral or multimodal form. Six minutes in oral or multimodal form is equivalent to 1000 words.

Assessment Type 2: Fieldwork Report (30%)

Students produce one individual fieldwork report. Each student is responsible for independently planning, organising, and carrying out fieldwork and completing a report.

The fieldwork should focus on a local topic or an issue of personal interest.

The fieldwork report may be in multimodal, written, and/or oral form. A written report should be a maximum of 2000 words; an oral report should be a maximum of 12 minutes; a report in multimodal form should be of equivalent length.

Assessment Type 3: External Examination (30%)

The exam conducted by the SACE Board is a 2-hour exam made up of two sections:

• In Section 1, students focus on solving problems and making decisions by applying a range of geographical skills to interpret written and visual material, including maps, provided in the examination. They draw on skills, understanding, and knowledge gained from individual and class fieldwork activities and apply this in unfamiliar contexts.
  
• In Section 2 students answer open-ended questions about 'Topic 1: Ecosystems and people' and 'Topic 3: Population change'. Students use examples of contemporary case studies from class activities and interpret and analyse sources provided in the examination paper. They apply their understanding of geographical information and of the complex interactions between physical and human environments.

Pre-requisite

None required

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Last updated: 28 October 2024