Sociology and Participant Observation free essay sample

Through the sample answers, specimen papers, mark schemes and examiners comments the booklet sets out to show how AS/A Level assessment works in practice. The responses of individual candidates are reproduced exactly and include original errors of grammar, spelling and punctuation. The Scheme of Assessment The scheme of assessment for the Advanced Subsidiary qualification is based on two examination papers. Paper 1 is presented in three sections and there are two essay-type questions in each section. Candidates are required to answer two questions, chosen from different sections, and the examination is of 1 hour 30 minutes duration. Paper 2 consists of three structured data response questions. Candidates are required to answer two questions and the examination is of 1 hour 30 minutes duration. The marks for each AS paper will be divided between three assessment objectives: †¢ †¢ †¢ Knowledge and understanding Interpretation and application Analysis and evaluation The marks for both papers will be divided between the assessment objectives on the following basis: knowledge and understanding – 40%; interpretation and application – 30%; analysis and evaluation – 30%. Success in the examination will depend heavily on the ability of the candidate to demonstrate the skills identified in the three assessment objectives. An effective teaching strategy will therefore include provision for teaching and supporting the development of these skills among the candidates individually and as a study group. Teachers and Centres will identify their own schemes of best practice to suit their particular circumstances and candidate requirements. The following recommendations are intended as a modest contribution to the process of formulating an appropriate teaching strategy that each Centre will approach in its own way, and they are not necessarily the only or most effective way of helping candidates to achieve success in the examination. Papers 1 and 2 are combined with a further written paper, Paper 3, to complete the scheme of assessment for the Advanced Level qualification. Paper 3 is presented in six sections and there are two questions in each section. Each question has a part (a) and a part (b). The part (a) questions ask the candidate to describe or explain the meaning of a key concept or theory. Answers should be illustrated with the use of examples. The part (b) questions are intended to be more demanding and carry a higher mark weighting accordingly. These are essentially essay-type questions. As some of the knowledge content required to answer part (b) of a question may have already been covered in responding to part (a), it is quite acceptable for the candidate to make cross-references to part (a) rather than repeating the same material. There is a clear demarcation between part (a) and part (b) questions on this paper. The style of response required of candidates is still essay-format but questions have been constructed in such a way as to make it easier for candidates to use their knowledge appropriately. Part (a) of the question requires candidates to focus on knowledge and understanding and to demonstrate that they have interpreted the question correctly. They need also to support their knowledge with the appropriate application of the work of key thinkers, empirical data and relevant examples from studies. In this section of the question there is no necessity for candidates to demonstrate the skill of evaluation. They will not be penalised by its use in part (a) but as their answers to part (b) are expected to be longer and show evaluation, their time would be more appropriately used here. Part (b) of the question will be related to part (a) but will require candidates to demonstrate all of the skills specified in the assessment criteria. Candidates will not be able to progress beyond level one of the mark scheme without including evaluation. At the most basic level, the candidate who uses more than one perspective when answering a question is displaying the skill of evaluation, albeit implicitly. Candidates who are more sophisticated in their use of evaluation will identify explicitly the strengths and limitations of different theories and arguments, and they may reflect on the validity of the evidence that they use to support or counter particular viewpoints. Part (b) answers should not have lengthy tracts of description, 2 as candidates will access the higher marks by extending the range of evidence used and the amount of analytical content. Study Skills The majority of candidates who under-perform in the examination do so not because they lack appropriate sociological knowledge, but rather because they have difficulty in demonstrating the key skills of interpretation, application, analysis and evaluation. These skills are in some ways more intellectually demanding than the relatively simple process of absorbing and regurgitating knowledge about a subject. They depend upon other underlying skills such as judgement, insight, empathy, reasoning, logic, and command of language. Nevertheless, much can be achieved through the use of carefully selected teaching strategies to stimulate and hone the required intellectual qualities in the candidate. Teachers may find it helpful to establish at the beginning of a course the idea in candidates minds that they are embarking on a process of learning new skills for which they must take some responsibility. They should not assume that they can acquire all the requirements for success in the examination simply by attending lectures, following the instructions of their teacher, and reading the course textbooks and other relevant materials. Teachers should emphasise that the skills have to be understood and practised by the candidates. Draw the parallel with disciplines such as music, dance and professional sport, where proficiency is developed primarily through a self-disciplined approach and the student’s diligent application and interpretation of the knowledge that is acquired from teachers and coaching manuals. Help the candidates to understand that success in the examination is similar to a star performance where skills that have been practised extensively beforehand are displayed with craft and style and agility of mind. Discourage the assumption that examinations at this level are essentially a memory test where success depends solely on the ability to reproduce, indiscriminately and almost verbatim, swathes of knowledge gleaned from the recommended textbooks. Candidates should be reminded that it is the ability to shape and apply appropriate knowledge that is all-important in achieving examination success. Knowledge itself is of little value if it is poorly applied or used uncritically and unimaginatively in answering a question. It is recommended that each candidate has access to a copy of the CIE authorised textbook for the specification, namely AS and A Level Sociology by Barnard, Burgess and Kirby. This textbook has been written by experienced examiners specifically to cover the requirements of the CIE AS/A Level Sociology specification. The syllabus document includes a list of other recommended textbooks. However, candidates should be discouraged from viewing the textbook and any other authoritative source materials as simply a body of knowledge to be absorbed mechanically and reproduced rigidly in answering examination questions. It is preferable to regard the knowledge in textbooks as a resource or tool that the candidate must become skilled in using in order to master their subject. An active rather than a passive approach to studying sociology is therefore to be recommended. Reminding candidates at regular intervals throughout the course of the importance of a skills-based approach to preparing for the examination is an important teaching tactic. Finding different ways of communicating this message will be a rewarding challenge for teaching staff and a marker of their success in encouraging an active and rigorous approach to learning amongst the candidates. Teachers who have studied the assessment objectives and thought carefully about the skills they require will be well prepared for the vital task of making their candidates aware of the various dimensions of the skills they will be expected to demonstrate in the examination. Teaching Strategy Knowledge of a subject is the foundation for learning and the basis on which candidates can progress to developing other skills, such as the ability to analyse and evaluate arguments and ideas. Some teaching time must therefore be devoted to communicating knowledge about the subject to the candidates. However, an effective teaching strategy will also include provision for developing and testing appropriate study skills. In particular, candidates should be encouraged to practise essay writing technique and the skills of analysing and assessing sociological evidence and theories. Possibly about one third of the available teaching time should be devoted to practising study skills with the candidates. It is envisaged that knowledge-based learning will occupy the remaining teaching time. Activities and projects designed to improve study skills might also be included in the work that candidates are required to complete in their own time e. g. homework. Practising study skills should begin early in the teaching course and continue on a regular basis – at least once a week – until the examination. The 3 teacher may wish to work with each candidate to agree a personal study programme that includes goals to be reached in terms of developing appropriate skills. Regular assessment of the candidate’s progress and feedback from the teacher on what has been achieved so far and how further improvement might be made should be key features of the teaching strategy. Teachers may find it helpful in planning a skills-based study programme to begin by reflecting on the qualities that the candidate will be required to demonstrate in order to achieve success in the examination. Make a list of these qualities or skills and then devise activities and study exercises that will help the candidates practise the necessary skills. For example, composing essay plans for answering past examination questions might be identified as an appropriate activity for developing the skills of interpreting questions and writing coherent and well-structured answers. Another relevant activity might involve the candidates working in pairs to identify arguments for and against a particular sociological statement or proposition. Working on these activities under the pressure of a time limit might be helpful in preparing the candidates to cope with the time constraints they will encounter in the examination. Other activities might be devised to help candidates understand what is involved in formulating clear and convincing arguments and reaching balanced and logical conclusions when responding to examination questions. Enthusiastic and skilful teachers will be able to identify a range of appropriate activities and study exercises that are ideal for the kind of skills-based learning that is essential for success in the examination. Designing an effective assessment scheme for monitoring each candidate’s progress in acquiring the relevant skills is another task that committed teachers will relish.