Random musings from the GeographyPages bloke...
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I have been preparing resources for a joint SfE / GA conference which was being organised for the new GCSE specifications, but has unfortunately been cancelled.
One focus area was that of Avalanches
What pedagogy could be used to teach about avalanches ?
What approaches to delivering 'content' so that it sticks, and becomes part of the learning process, and can also be assessed in a way which allows students to achieve ?
The first area that has to be tackled is to look at the specs and see what will be part of the assessment.
Edexcel ‘A’:Avalanches and their management
a. The physical and human causes and effects of an avalanche in a named location.
b. Prediction and prevention of the effects of avalanches by forecasting, the design of buildings and defences, planning and education.
So let's choose a location first of all.
Where would be appropriate ?
The Alps are a popular ski destination, and have been for many decades. There are many ski resorts, and the area is also a possible case study for other elements of geography: it could be used to deliver work on climate change, impact of transport network enlargement with the tunnels beneath the mountains, glaciation, impact of tourist development.
Wikipedia page has useful maps....
Check out an old favourite: the VIRTUAL MONTANA site for more on the Alps.
Narrow it down to a region of the Alps, based around a particular resort that has an avalanche risk, and has perhaps managed it in particular ways.
To protect skiers, resorts will employ PISTEURS. These are people employed either full or part time to keep an eye on the snow condition, and the development of the SLAB.
They may well use explosives to clear small accumulations of snow before they have a chance to develop into cornices or larger accumulations.
If we look at the second part of the specification section, it refers to prediction and prevention. This is an opportunity to introduce the HAZARD RISK EQUATION, which forms part of some 'A' level specifications, such as the new Edexcel specification.
There are a range of AVALANCHE RISK flags which are used in areas.
These flags could be generated in advance of the lesson...
Here are some that I created and placed on SLIDESHARE in advance of the conference....
Image by Emma Johns Over to Milton Keynes yesterday for a meeting at the Open University. On the way, went past the huge Amazon Distribution Centre at Marston Gate, right next to the M1 Junction 13 as you can see on the Google Earth image below - the location is obviously perfect in terms of transportation links. As well as the M1, it is 20 minutes from Luton Airport, and next to the Thames Link rail line. It is "the largest e-commerce distribution centre in Europe. This purpose built facility occupies the same space as eight football pitches, equivalent to the length of three London Eye’s stacked on top of each other." "The 46,450 square foot Marston Gate Distribution Centre was opened in November 2000 with over 300 people involved in its construction. The centre delivers orders placed at Amazon.co.uk to customers across the country and to more than 200 countries worldwide. In the Distribution Centre there are four different picking levels in the picking tower with
It's official, so I can tell everyone now... This was me at the Advanced Google Earth day put on by Jamie Buchanan Dunlop at the RGS-IBG yesterday. Thanks to Yvonne, my partner for the day ... Any idea what's going on here ? Answer to come shortly...
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