GEOGRAPHY
GEOGRAPHY
The great challenges of the 21st century are geographical in their formulation , analysis and consequence , and they transcend the physical / social divide
Geography has never been more important than it is now . Humans have never been more networked , and we have never known so much about the natural world . Three core concepts – global interactions , sustainability and equality – sit at the heart of 21st century geography .
The Geography course integrates physical , environmental and human geography , and ensures that students acquire elements of both socio-economic and scientific methodologies . Geography takes advantage of its position to examine relevant concepts and ideas from a wide variety of disciplines . This helps students develop life skills and have an appreciation of , and a respect for , alternative approaches , viewpoints and ideas . There are four key concepts framing the IB Geography Course . These are Place , Process , Power and Possibilities and two organising concepts of Scale and Spatial interaction .
Distinction between Standard and Higher Level Students at SL and HL study optional geographic themes ( two at SL and three at HL ) and a common Global Change core . HL students also study Global Interactions .
At both HL and SL , students acquire a range of transferable skills including digital mapping , infographics , statistical calculations , extended writing , data research , processing , interpretation and the application of ICT including GIS .
Syllabus content Core Geographic Perspectives – Global Change ( SL and HL ) is an overview of the key global issues of our time – population dynamics , climate change and resource consumption issues . Topics include forced migration , ageing societies , gender equality , the demographic dividend , the global energy balance , the effects of global climate change , adaptation and mitigation strategies for global climate change , the growth of the “ new global middle class ”, the water-food-energy nexus , international flows of waste , population and resource consumption trends and resource stewardship .
Geographical Themes Oceans and Coastal Margins ( HL and SL ) Topics include : the physical characteristics and processes of the atmosphere-ocean linkage , eg ENSO and tropical storms issues , oceans as resource bases , strengths and weaknesses of initiatives to manage ocean pollution , the geopolitics of international security and contested ownership of strategic ocean places and sovereignty rights of nations .
THE IB AT SEVENOAKS | GROUP THREE 21