Geography

In this area of study students undertake an overview of global land cover and changes that have occurred over time. Students investigate two major processes that are changing land cover: melting glaciers and ice sheets, and deforestation. They analyse these processes, explain their impacts on land cover and discuss responses to these land cover changes in two different locations in the world -- one location for each process. Students evaluate two different global responses to the impacts of land cover change, one global response for each process.

• the spatial distribution of present-day global land cover, including forest, grassland, tundra, bare lands and wetlands, as well as the land covered by ice and water
• the spatial distribution of land cover on a global scale that was evident during the last Glacial Maximum around 20,000 years ago and the Holocene Climatic Optimum around 8000 years ago and the change in this distribution over time
• the natural characteristics of glaciers and ice sheets, and forests
• the distribution of each of the processes of land cover change on a global scale
• the role, spatial association, and interconnection of natural processes and human activity in causing melting glaciers and ice sheets, and deforestation
• its location within the global distribution of the relevant process
• reasons for current land cover changes
• impacts of the land cover changes on the environment, economic activity and social conditions, and the issues and challenges which result from these impacts
• the use and effectiveness of geospatial technologies to assess and manage land cover changes
• a response to the impacts of these land cover changes at local and national scales
• a global response to the impacts of land cover change resulting from melting glaciers and ice sheets, and deforestation
• the effectiveness or likely effectiveness of the responses to the impact of the change.

In this area of study students select a local area and use appropriate fieldwork techniques and secondary sources to investigate the nature, processes and impacts of land use change. This change may have recently occurred, be underway or be planned for the near future.

• the location of the selected area, current land use and other natural and human geographic characteristics
• the interconnection of the selected area with its surrounding region
• processes of change involving the nature, scale and time sequence of change
• reasons for change, including consideration of the influence of geographical characteristics of the selected area and surrounding region and the influence of individuals, organisations and planning strategies
• positive and negative impacts of the change on the environment, considering the economic and social conditions in the selected area and surrounding region
• use of geospatial technologies to analyse, assess and manage land use change.

In this area of study students undertake an overview of global population distribution and growth before investigating the dynamics of population change over time and space. Through the study of population dynamics, students investigate growth and decline in fertility and mortality, together with population movements. Students study forced and voluntary, and internal and external population movements and how they can be long term or short term. To illustrate the dynamics of population, students examine examples from within and between countries with different economic and political conditions and social structures. Students develop understanding of the Demographic Transition Model and its applications, and the Malthusian theory of population.

• the spatial distribution of the present-day global population
• the distribution and spatial association of global population characteristics including birth rate, death rate, infant mortality rate, fertility rate and life expectancy
• the change in global population growth since the 1700s and projected changes in the 21st century
• the nature of population structures as a measure of population characteristics at a point in time and over time
• the five-stage Demographic Transition Model and its use in interpreting population structures and other population characteristics
• Malthusian theory and its explanation of population growth and economic, environmental and social sustainability
• the main causes of population change since the 1950s
• the types and causes of population movements and their contribution to population change
• the similarities and differences in population dynamics and population structures within and between countries with different economic and political conditions, and social structures.

Students undertake investigations into two countries with significant population trends in different parts of the world: a growing population of one country and an ageing population of another country. Students place these trends and resulting issues and challenges in their world regional context. Issues resulting from these population trends include, among others, meeting the differing economic and social needs of the people for each country and the needs of the environment. Students investigate issues arising from each population trend and the challenges that arise in coping with the issues. Students study the interconnection between these issues and challenges with population dynamics. Students evaluate the effectiveness of strategies in response to these issues and challenges. Strategies can be selected from government and/or non-government organisations. Comparison of strategies is undertaken within each selected country.

• the nature of population trends and resulting issues and challenges
• the location and distribution of these issues and challenges within these countries
• the nature of these population trends, issues and challenges in their world regional context
• population movement as a contributing factor to structural change in population
• the interconnections between population dynamics and resulting issues and challenges
• other causes of specific issues and challenges
• the economic, social, political, environmental and cultural factors contributing to the impacts of the issues on people and places
• strategies developed in response to issues and the environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts of these strategies on people and places
• the effectiveness of strategies developed in response to these issues
• the role and effectiveness of geospatial technologies in the development and implementation of strategies in response to population issues.