the 2012 igeo
DESCRIPTION
IGEOTRANSCRIPT
The 2012 iGeo
Invitation
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the Geographical Society of Germany (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geographie – DGFG) and the Institute for Geography of the University of Cologne, it is our pleasure to invite your country to send a team to the 9th International Geography Olympiad (iGeo). This will be held in Cologne, Germany, from 21 August to 27 August 2012, under the auspices of the International Geographical Union Olympiad Task Force. The venue will be the Institute for Geography in the heart of the city of Cologne beside the Rhine River.
As always the iGeo competition contains three elements: a written response test, a multimedia test and a fieldwork test. The official language of the iGeo is English. Questions will be presented in English and students must answer in English. Extra facilities will be provided for non-native English speakers. For further information on the tests, see the attached Guidelines for Tests
A country’s team will be made up of four secondary school students between 16 and 19 years of age (inclusive) on 30 June 2012. Students must be selected through a national geography competition. They will be accompanied by two adults who are involved in geographical education in their country, and who are able to speak and write English. Please also refer to the iGeo website for the statutes under which the iGeo operates (http://www.geoolympiad.org/ and click the column ‘What is GeoOlympiad?’).
Countries are responsible for their own travel, visas and insurance. In addition, a contribution of € 275 per person (for each student and leader) is payable as a contribution to local expenses (EURO/€ currency converter http://www.xe.com/ucc/).
Details of the iGeo programme are still being finalized, and will be forwarded later. However, for your planning purposes, the first function is Registration and an International Board Meeting at 16.00 Tuesday 21 August. The last function coincides with the Opening Ceremony of the International Geographical Congress which begins at 16.00 Sunday 26 August. As well as the tests, the programme includes geographical poster presentations and an intercultural function with a new concept. Details of these will be sent to participating countries. Alsotwo excursions will be arranged, to the Ruhr and Rhine Regions. An optional post-iGeo tour at your own cost may possibly be arranged if enough countries are interested.
Please return the attached application form by 21 January 2012 at the latest. Countries which took part in the 2008 or 2010 Olympiads will be automatically accepted for the 2012 iGeo if they apply by 21 January 2012. Other countries will be allocated available places in order of the date of receipt of their application.
If you haven’t received an emailed acknowledgement of the receipt of your application within seven days of emailing or faxing it (longer if posting it), please email to check that it has been received.
If you need a formal written invitation to the 2012 iGeo, please email us the name, position and address of the person to whom the letter should be sent.
Please send the application form, and any queries about the Cologne Olympiad, to us. If you have general queries about the Olympiad, for instance about eligibility, those should go to the Secretariat. Please email them to Kath Berg at [email protected].
If you believe that this email is better directed to another person, please forward it to them. If you would like to be taken off the email list, please let Kath Berg ([email protected]) know, and preferably give her a contact in your country to whom future communications should be emailed instead. For some countries there is already more than one contact person on our email list.
We look forward to welcoming you to the iGeo in Cologne in 2012. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase the geographical skills and understandings of your country’s geography students, as well a reward for student excellence.
Yours sincerely
Dr Dorothea WiktoriniGeo 2012 Organising Committee
Phone +49-221-470-2591Fax [email protected]
General iGeo contact:Ms Kathryn BergSecretariat, International Geographical Union Olympiad Task Force c/o RGSQ, 237 Milton Road, Milton Qld 4064, AustraliaPhone: + 61 7 3368 2066Fax: + 61 7 3367 1011Email: [email protected]: www.geoolympiad.org
What is the International
Geography Olympiad? Thousands of students all over the world participate enthusiastically in National Geography Olympiads or competitions. The best of them compete in the International Geography Olympiad (iGeo). iGeo is a competition for the best 16 to 19 year old geography students from National Geography Olympiads. It is organised every other year. The competition consists of three parts: a written test, a multimedia test and a substantial field work exercise.
The International Geography Olympiad is organised by the International Geographical Union (IGU) Olympiad Task Force. The Task Force members are: Henk Ankoné, co-chair (The Netherlands), Joop van der Schee, co-chair (The Netherlands), Kathryn Berg (Australia), Zouhaier Hlaoui (Tunisia) and Su- Min Shen(China Taipei). Fernando Garcia-Garcia (Mexico) and Sue Lomas (United Kingdom) are counsellors of the Task Force.
During the 1994 congress of the International Geographical Union (IGU) in Prague people from Poland and the Netherlands launched the idea of an International Geography Competition (iGeo) or Olympiad for students between 15 and 19 years of age. The first one was held in 1996 in the Hague, The Netherlands, with five participating countries, the second in 1998 in Lisbon, Portugal, and the third in 2000 in Seoul, South Korea. During the 2002 IGU congress in South Africa the fourth took place in Durban. The fifth in 2004 was in Gdansk, Poland. The sixth was in Brisbane, Australia, in 2006 with 23 participating countries. In 2008 in Carthage, Tunisia, 24 countries participated in the seventh iGeo. The 2010 iGeo was in Taipei with 30 countries.
You can find information about the past and coming iGeo's in the main menu of this website. The information about the past iGeo's is not always presented in the same format. Differences have to do with what the local organisers colud sent us.
AimsAims of the International Geography Olympiad
To promote geography.
To stimulate understanding between young people.
To stimulate a higher quality of school geography worldwide.
What is geography?Geography turns out to be much more significant than many of us realize. It is much more than knowing facts and figures. Geography is about spatial patterns and processes. It is about frontiers, centers and peripheries, about tourists, terrorists and refugees, about trade of food, clothes, drugs and digital data, about population growth, El Nino, tsunamis and earthquakes. It is the fascinating story of an ever-changing world. Without geography you get lost.
Maps are the most important tools for geographers. Modern geographers use digital maps and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). There are a myriad of uses for GIS. GIS is an exciting and practical use of geography, which will become increasingly important in the world and in teaching geography. See also GIS in schools.
An international journal about geography teaching is International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education. The website of the IGU Commission on Geographical Education gives information about other publications as well as projects, and congresses in the field of geography teaching (see www. igu-cge.org ).
What happened so far and what is coming up?During the 1994 congress of the International Geographical Union (IGU) in Prague people from Poland and the Netherlands launched the idea of an International Geography Competition (iGeo) or Olympiad for students between 15 and 19 years of age. The first one was held in 1996 in the Hague, The Netherlands, with five participating countries, the second in 1998 in Lisbon, Portugal, and the third in 2000 in Seoul, South Korea. During the 2002 IGU congress in South Africa the fourth took place in Durban. The fifth in 2004 was in Gdansk, Poland. The sixth was in Brisbane, Australia, in 2006 with 23 participating countries. In 2008 in Carthage, Tunisia, 24 countries participated in the seventh iGeo. The 2010 iGeo was in Taipei with 30 countries. The next will be in 2012 in Cologne, Germany, where we hope to have 40 country teams
DiscussionOn this part of the website we like to invite you to discuss international geography teaching and the International Geography Olympiad.
You can send your questions and remarks by email to: [email protected] . Below you find some questions. We should appreciate it to hear your view.
Do you think that an International Geography Olympiad can help:o To promote geography?o To stimulate understanding between young people?o To stimulate a higher quality of school geography worldwide?
Do you have the possibility to organise a National Geography Olympiad in your country and if not what are the constraints?
Do you see possibilities to participate in the International Geography Olympiad in the future and if not what are the constraints?
Do you think there should be an international curriculum for geography teaching? What should be its core curriculum for primary and secondary geography education?
You may also send us questions or suggestions to put on this site.
Sponsorshttp://www.cito.com - Cito supports the International Geography Olympiad. Cito is one of the world's leading testing and assessment companies.
http://www.esri.com - ESRI is the key sponsor of the International Geography Olympiad website.
GIS in schools The GIS Division of a city is asked by the fire chief to produce a map showing residential structures more than 300 feet from a fire hydrant and more than a mile from a fire station. This map is easy for the GIS team to produce since this data is stored in the computer and it just takes a few commands to produce a map for the chief showing these critical areas of the city
The capability of GIS to incorporate numerous data sets as mapped layers and to display these quickly and efficiently may help people to visualize relationships between and among spatial phenomena. Thus, GIS provides a means of integrating vast amounts of data and informationalizing it to allow students to understand and address significant contemporary problems such as urban conflicts, pollution, and the diffusion of diseases.
Imagine a world where young people are strong problem solving, geographical thinkers with solid 21st century career skills who actively contribute to the good of their local and global communities.
Striving for this ideal is an ESRI commitment. ESRI, founded in 1969, is the world leader in GIS (geographic information systems). GIS and geographical problem solving are being used every day by millions of persons in thousands of occupations to tackle social, economic, political, environmental, and technical issues in our communities and around the world (www.esri.com, www.esri.com/mapmuseum).
Since 1992, the ESRI Education Program has advanced GIS in schools (K-12 education), higher education, and informal education settings such as libraries, museums, and similar institutions. Through a mix of software, data, curricula, and learning opportunities and collaborations, the ESRI Education Program seeks to foster geographic and technological skill development, understanding, and application among youth people and the public (www.esri.com/schools, www.esri.com/highered, www.esri.com/libraries).
For more information, read this article.
http://www.esri.com
ESRI is the key sponsor of the International Geography Olympiad website.
ParticipationClick on a link below for more information.
StatutesGuidelinesNational Competitions
StatutesInternational Geography Olympiad
The Statutes of the International Geography Olympiad (IGEO) were approved by an email vote of the International Board constituted for the International Geography Olympiad in Carthage, Tunisia, in August 2008. The vote was concluded on 30 June 2009.
General characteristics
The Olympiad is held under the auspices of the International Geographical Union (IGU) and organised by the IGU Olympiad Task Force.
The aims of the Olympiad are to:
o stimulate active interest in geographical and environmental studies among young people;
o contribute positively to debate about the importance of geography as a senior secondary school subject by drawing attention to the quality of geographical knowledge, skills and interests among young people;
o facilitate social contacts between young people from different countries and in doing so, contribute to the understanding between nations.
The Olympiad consists of a competition, social activities and excursions. The Olympiad competition is in three parts: a written test, a multimedia test and a substantial fieldwork exercise.
The Olympiad is a competition between individual students who are between 16 and 19 years old and selected through a national geography competition.
The official language of the Olympiad is English.
The participants
Each participating country, as defined by IGU Statute II A, sends a team of four students.
o They must be students of secondary schools (general or technical), or ex-students who finished school in the year of the Olympiad and have not yet commenced regular education at university level.
o Their ages must be between 16 and 19 years old (inclusive) on 30 June of the year that the Olympiad takes place.
o Students must be able to answer test questions in the official language of the Olympiad (English). Non-native English speakers get extra facilities such as the use of a language dictionary, translations of selected geographic terms from the tests, and extra time for long written tests.
o Students must be selected through a national geography competition. Students selected through this national competition must be enrolled in the school system of the country they represent. They do not necessarily have to be citizens of that country.
o Students must answer the test questions independently. Violation of this provision shall result in disqualification of the student from the Olympiad.
In addition to the students, two adult team leaders are invited.
o They must be involved in geography teaching or geography in education in their country.
o Each of them must be able to speak and write the official language of the Olympiad (English).
o One leader has membership of the International Board. S/he shall maintain absolute security about the contents of any test until after that particular test has taken place. S/he is eligible to participate on one of the jury panels, vote on the Statutes, review marking guidelines, translate geographic terms, etc.
o The other leader is the person responsible for the students. S/he may also assist in supervision of the tests and other activities related to the Olympiad.
o Both of them have equal rights at the event evaluation meeting of team leaders, which takes place at the end of the Olympiad.
The organisers of the next Olympiad may send an observer. Observers may be present at meetings of the International Board, but may not vote.
The Olympiad tests
The tests of the Olympiad are as follows:
o The marks assigned for the Olympiad are: written test (40% of total marks), multimedia test (20%) and fieldwork exercise (40%). The three test elements are organised on different days, which may be any day of the week. Past examples of questions are included on the Olympiad website.
o Students complete most test assignments individually not as teams. However, up to 50% of the fieldwork test, that is up to 20% of the Olympiad’s total mark, may be completed as a national team, with each team member being awarded the same mark. Note: preliminary exercises in the field may be carried out in cross-national groups, if all the fieldwork test questions are completed individually.
o The tests are based on the guidelines drawn up by the Olympiad Task Force. Olympiad assignments test both knowledge and skills in geography.
o The Olympiad assignments are prepared by committees under the supervision of the Olympiad Task Force.
o Students must produce their answers in the official language of the Olympiad (English).
o Students who do not commence a test for whatever reason will be awarded no marks for that test. Students who commence but do not complete a test due to circumstances beyond their control, will have their mark for that test determined by the Olympiad Task Force, after consultation with that test’s marking jury and the International Board.
o All students receive a certificate. Approximately 50% of the participating students receive a medal. Medals are awarded in the approximate ratio of gold 1: silver 2: bronze 3.
o The Olympiad tests are based on the International Charter on Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union.
o The results are announced and the awards and diplomas presented to the winners at an official ceremony during the Olympiad.
The Task Force and the International Board
The long-term work involved in organising the Olympiad is coordinated by the Task Force. Members of the Task Force are the chair and the organisers of the past, the present and the future Olympiads. The Task Force may co-opt up to three additional International Board members to serve on the Task Force. The chair of the Task Force is elected by the International Board after consultation with the chair of the Commission on Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union. The chair of the Task Force is elected every 4 years. The incumbent chair may stand for re-election. Note that two people may assume the role of chair as co-chairs, with their rights and responsibilities defined as if they were a single chair. The Task Force:
o takes the lead in organising an efficient and high-quality Olympiad;
o promotes the Olympiad worldwide;
o stimulates national geography competitions;
o defines the areas, themes and geographical skills to be included in the Olympiad;
o maintains an up-to-date Olympiad website;
o works in consultation with the International Geographical Union and its Commission on Geographical Education;
o seeks funds to organise the International Geography Olympiad.
The International Board consists of one adult representative of each country participating in the present or last Olympiad. The chair of the Task Force chairs the meetings of the International Board. Decisions of the International Board are passed by a majority vote. The chair has a casting vote. Members of the Task Force have the right to attend meetings of the International Board but, apart from the chair’s casting vote, only have a vote if they are a country’s representative. The decisions of the International Board are final. The International Board has the following responsibilities:
o help the Task Force and local organiser to conduct the Olympiad according to the Statutes;
o ascertain that all the competitors meet the requirements of the Olympiad in all respects. The Board shall disqualify those competitors who do not meet the requirements. The costs incurred by a disqualified competitor shall be covered by his/her country;
o discuss the Olympiad's assignments and tasks and make a final decision on these before the Olympiad tests start;
o maintain and preserve confidentiality concerning the assignments and tasks and offer no assistance to any participant;
o mark the students' test assignments, this task to be carried out by subsets of the International Board acting as juries;
o ensure correct and just classification of the prize winners;
o summarise the results of the Olympiad;
o select the country to organise the next Olympiad.
Local organiser
The Olympiad is organised by the Ministry of Education or one or more other appropriate institutions of the country in whose territory the Olympiad is to be conducted. The Education Ministry of the organising country, as a rule, assigns the organisation, preparation and execution of the Olympiad to a geographical society or another institution in the organising country. The obligations of the local organiser are to:
o ensure the equal participation of all delegations;
o invite the participants of the last three Olympiads and other countries as appropriate. Applications from countries which participated in the preceding Olympiad and which are received at least six months before the Olympiad in question starts, shall be accepted in the order in which they are received up to the number the local organiser specifies it can host. Six months before the Olympiad any places still available shall be allocated to other countries in the order in which their applications were received;
o forward to these countries not less than eight months before the date of the Olympiad information which gives details of the Olympiad not covered in the Statutes, and gives the names and addresses of the institutions and the persons responsible for the Olympiad;
o forward the areas, themes and geographical skills to be included in the Olympiad, as supplied by the Task Force, to the participating countries;
o establish a detailed programme for the Olympiad including a schedule for competitors and adult representatives, a programme of excursions, etcetera. This is to be sent to the participating countries not less than three months in advance;
o check immediately after the arrival of each delegation whether its competitors meet the conditions of the Olympiad;
o conduct the Olympiad in accordance with the Statutes;
o be responsible for the financial aspects of the Olympiad and announce one year before the date of the Olympiad the fee to be paid by each student and adult.
The financial principles
The country which sends the students to the Olympiad pays:
o the return travel costs of the students and of all accompanying persons to the place at which the Olympiad is held;
o a fee to the local organiser for each student and adult as a contribution to other costs. This fee is to be announced one year before the Olympiad starts.
The local organiser covers all other expenses incurred in holding the Olympiad.
Final regulations
Changes to these Statutes can only be made by the International Board and require a qualified majority (2/3 of the votes). No changes may be made to these Statutes unless each delegation participating in the present or last Olympiad is sent the proposed revision by email at least two months in advance. The International Board may conduct such votes in person or by post, fax or email.
Participation in an International Geography Olympiad signifies acceptance of the present Statutes by the Ministry of Education or other institution responsible for sending the delegation.
The original and definitive version of these Statutes is written in English.
(c) IGU Olympiad Task ForceJoop van der Schee, Henk Ankoné‚ & Kath Berg
GuidelinesGuidelines for the tests during iGeo 2010
The iGeo Task Force wishes to lay down the topics for iGeo 2010 well in advance to enable both the organisers, and the team leaders and participants to properly prepare for the 2010 Olympiad.
The topics/themes for the Written Response Test and the Multi Media Test are very similar to the ones we used for the tests of iGeo 2008. On the basis of the experience of 2008 we suggest more specific guidelines for the Fieldwork Exercise.
The suggested topics/themes from which the questions in the Written Response Test and Multi Media Test of iGeo will be chosen are:
1. climate & climate change
2. hazards & hazard management
3. resources & resource management
4. environmental geography & sustainable development
5. landforms, landscapes & land use
6. agricultural geography & food problems
7. population & population change
8. economic geography & globalisation
9. development geography & spatial inequality
10. urban geography, urban renewal & urban planning
11. tourism & tourism management
12. cultural geography & regional identities
Required skills:
13. map skills
14. inquiry skills
15. graphicacy skills (read, analyse and interpret images, photos, statistics, graphs)
The Written Response Test:
- consists of 6 topics (about 20 – 25 min. per topic)about issues that are geographically and socially relevant,that require topical and applied geographical knowledge and geographical skillsand deal with physical and human geography, preferably integrated
- each topic consists of 4 – 5 questions, partly open-ended questions and partly multiple-choice questions and/or matching questions; questions that involve the manipulation of data (eg from tabular to graphic form) will be included.
- each topic has several resource materials such as maps, photos, graphs, statistics.
- the choice of the 6 topics from the list of 12 is made by the committee that designs the test
- there is a balance between physical and human geography in the test.
We expect the participants to show they can apply their knowledge in concrete regional contexts and use geographical skills; we do not intend to test only the theoretical geographical knowledge of participants about the topic. The contexts can be presented by maps, figures and graphs.
Examples of previous tests will be available on the iGeo website.
The Multi Media Test consists of:
- 40 items (about 1 - 2 min. per item, depending on complexity of source material)about issues that are geographically and socially relevant,that require topical and applied geographical knowledge and geographical skillsand deal with physical and human geography, either separately or integrated
- each item consists of a map and/or digital photo, film or graph and a short question
- the question is a multiple-choice question with 4 options
- the test will cover all 12 topics from the list
- there is a balance between physical and human geography in the test.
For the Multi Media Test we are looking for questions that require basic geographical thinking skills. The idea is to ask the contestants to analyse information in maps, diagrams or photographs. Thus, the Multi Media Test is not intended to test the ability of the contestants to reproduce geographical facts but to test their skills in geographical analysis.
Another reason to stress skills instead of knowledge, is the fact that the geography curricula in the participating countries vary considerably. So testing geographical skills that form the core of practically every curriculum is more appropriate than asking questions about isolated geographical facts.
Our ideal is to have a computer-based Multi Media Test so that all participants can manage their own time during the test. If that is not possible in 2010 we will both project the questions on a big screen as well as provide all participants with a copy of the test questions + resource material.
Examples of previous tests are available on the iGeo website.
Fieldwork Exercise
We have not previously formulated general guidelines for the Fieldwork Exercise. The big differences between fieldwork exercises during the past few Olympiads urge us to do so.
We propose the test be in the form of a problem-solving exercise. A geographical problem-solving exercise requires a good understanding of the nature of the area concerned. A mapping exercise of that area forms a good basis for that understanding. The mapping exercise we did in the 2008 iGeo in Tunisia had a good reception. If we combine this with the problem-solving approach of the fieldwork of iGeo 2006 in Brisbane we arrive at a format that requires participants to apply a variety of geographical skills. It will also be helpful in presenting geography as a challenging and relevant school subject that helps us deal with real problems of the world of today and tomorrow.
Format for the Fieldwork Exercise 1
The Fieldwork Assignment consists of:1. Observation and mapping
2. Analysis of spatial issue in fieldwork area including additional data gathering
3. Problem-solving exercise leading to a proposal including a spatial plan or map
Step 1: a mapping exercise of (a part of) the fieldwork area
Skills that are required during the mapping exercise are:
1. observe
2. name the observed phenomena
3. locate the phenomena on the map
4. use appropriate graphic symbols
5. describe the phenomena in the map key, use scale and orientationStudents could for instance be provided with a base map and asked to add information to it using proper cartographic skills.
Step 2: in the fieldwork area there is a (real or hypothetical) spatial problem that will be presented to the participants. The case relates to physical and/or environmental planning. The case/problem will be introduced and documented to the participants as well as the procedures and conditions for working on the problem-solving exercise. This can be done in a number of ways: a presentation, a workshop, short excursions to the fieldwork area (or a similar area), gathering additional data in the field, etc.
Step 3: on the basis of the mapping exerciseand the analysis of all the information about the case, the participants have to design a spatial plan (map) that tackles the problem presented, and give an explanation of the choices made. The explanation needs to show that the participant has understood the nature of the problem and made connections between the properties/qualities of the fieldwork area and the suggested spatial plan. In the explanation the use of graphic material (images, photos, graphs, statistics) is preferred over lengthy texts. The map (spatial plan) is mandatory; the choice of the nature of the additional information is up to the participants.
The criteria for marking the final product will be explained to the participants beforehand. The following products will be marked:- the result of the mapping exercise: a map of (a part of) the fieldwork area- the result of the problem-solving exercise: it includes a short analysis of the nature of the problem, objectives of the proposal, visualisation of the proposed solution in the form of a map or plan, an explanation and underpinning of suggested plan/measures/activities.- the visualisation of the plan (for instance in the form of a poster)
Required skills:
1. mapping skills (read, analyse, interpret and produce maps)
2. inquiry and problem solving skills
3. graphicacy skills (read, analyse, interpret and produce images, photos, statistics, graphs)
A draft of these guidelines was sent to members of the International Board of all countries that participated in iGeo 2008 for comments during a 2 month period from May – July 2009. They were formalised by the iGeo Task Force on September 15, 2009, thus providing the iGeo Task Force and the local organiser of iGeo 2010 sufficient time to design challenging tests and fieldwork exercise, and all team leaders time to prepare their participants for these tests and fieldwork.
Thank you very much for your valuable input. We wish all success in preparing for iGeo 2010.
On behalf of the iGeo Task Force of IGU
Henk Ankone (co-chair)
Netherlands, Sept. 2009
NB: separate guidelines for the conditions during the tests as well as procedures for marking will be formulated and send to members of the International Board of all countries that participated in iGeo 2008 for comment.
National CompetitionsStudents in Olympiad teams are selected via national competitions. Listed below are countries that participate in Olympiads, with a link to their national competition's website.
Australia The Netherlands United Kingdom
The coming iGeoThe next International Geography Olympiad will be in Cologne in Germany. The 2012 Olympiad will start at August 21 and end at August 26. The local organiser can host 30 teams. Apart from a written test, a multimedia test and fieldwork one full day excursion is included in the programme. Invitations for the 2012 Olympiad will be sent to participants of earlier Olympiads and to IGU contacts. The local team in Germany is already preparing the programme. If you want to have more information about the 2012 Olympiad see the first page of this website (news) .
The next International Geography Olympiad will be in Cologne in Germany. The 2012 Olympiad will start at August 21 and end at August 26. The local organiser can host 30 teams. Apart from a written
test, a multimedia test and fieldwork one full day excursion is included in the programme. Invitations for the 2012 Olympiad will be sent to participants of earlier Olympiads and to IGU contacts. The local team in Germany is already preparingthe accommodation and the programme . A meeting between the co-chairs of the Olympiad Task Force and the German local organisers on February 11, 2011 was very fruitful. As soon as we have more information we will put it here.
The past iGeo'sClick on a link for more information.
2010 Taipei2008 Tunis2006 Brisbane2004 Gdynia2002 Durban2000 Seoul1998 Lisbon1996 The Hague
IGEO 2010
General
This competition is individual.
The competition includes three events – fieldwork test, written test and multimedia test.
The official language is English, i.e., students must be able to answer test questions in English.
To shorten the language gap, Non-native English speakers get extra facilities such as the use of a language dictionary, translations of selected geographic terms from the tests, and extra time for long written tests.
Test Items
1. Fieldwork Test (40%)
2. Written Test (40%)
3. Multimedia Test (20%)
Guidelines for tests
The iGeo Task Force wishes to lay down the topics for iGeo 2010 well in advance to enable both the organisers, and the team leaders and participants to properly prepare for the 2010 Olympiad.
The topics/themes for the Written Response Test and the Multi Media Test are very similar to the ones we used for the tests of iGeo 2008. On the basis of the experience of 2008 we suggest more specific guidelines for the Fieldwork Exercise.
The criteria for selecting the topics for the Written Response Test and the Multi Media Test are:
- the topics represent a cross-section of contemporary geography for upper secondary education
- the list should not exceed a dozen topics (so the topics are quite broad)
- both physical and human geographical topics should be well represented
- each topic has both a theoretical aspect as well as a practical (applied) aspect
- no question should rely on an existing knowledge of any country participating in this Olympiad.
The suggested topics/themes from which the questions in the Written Response Test and Multi Media Test of iGeo will be chosen are:
1. climate & climate change
2. hazards & hazard management
3. resources & resource management
4. environmental geography & sustainable development
5. landforms, landscapes & land use
6. agricultural geography & food problems
7. population & population change
8. economic geography & globalisation
9. development geography & spatial inequality
10. urban geography, urban renewal & urban planning
11. tourism & tourism management
12. cultural geography & regional identities
Required skills:
13. map skills (read, analyse and interpret maps)
14. inquiry skills
15. graphicacy skills (read, analyse and interpret images, photos, statistics, graphs)
The Written Response Test:
- consists of 6 topics (about 20 – 25 min. per topic) about issues that are geographically and socially relevant, that require topical and applied geographical knowledge and geographical skills and deal with physical and human geography, preferably integrated
- each topic consists of 4 – 5 questions, partly open-ended questions and partly multiple-choice questions and/or matching questions; questions that involve the manipulation of data (eg from tabular to graphic form) will be included.
- each topic has several resource materials such as maps, photos, graphs, statistics.
- the choice of the 6 topics from the list of 12 is made by the committee that designs the test
- there is a balance between physical and human geography in the test.
We expect the participants to show they can apply their knowledge in concrete regional contexts and use geographical skills; we do not intend to test only the theoretical geographical knowledge of participants about the topic. The contexts can be presented by maps, figures and graphs.
Examples of previous tests will be available on the iGeo website.
The Multi Media Test consists of:
- 40 items (about 1 - 2 min. per item, depending on complexity of source material) about issues that are geographically and socially relevant, that require topical and applied geographical knowledge and geographical skills and deal with physical and human geography, either separately or integrated
- each item consists of a map and/or digital photo, film or graph and a short question
- the question is a multiple-choice question with 4 options
- the test will cover all 12 topics from the list
- there is a balance between physical and human geography in the test.
For the Multi Media Test we are looking for questions that require basic geographical thinking skills. The idea is to ask the contestants to analyse information in maps, diagrams or photographs. Thus, the Multi Media Test is not intended to test the ability of the contestants to reproduce geographical facts but to test their skills in geographical analysis.
Another reason to stress skills instead of knowledge, is the fact that the geography curricula in the participating countries vary considerably. So testing geographical skills that form the core of practically every curriculum is more appropriate than asking questions about isolated geographical facts.
Our ideal is to have a computer-based Multi Media Test so that all participants can manage their own time during the test. If that is not possible in 2010 we will both project the questions on a big screen as well as provide all participants with a copy of the test questions + resource material.
Examples of previous tests are available on the iGeo website.
Fieldwork Exercise
We have not previously formulated general guidelines for the Fieldwork Exercise. The big differences between fieldwork exercises during the past few Olympiads urge us to do so.
We propose the test be in the form of a problem-solving exercise. A geographical problem-solving exercise requires a good understanding of the nature of the area concerned. A mapping exercise of that area forms a good basis for that understanding. The mapping exercise we did in the 2008 iGeo in Tunisia had a good reception. If we combine this with the problem-solving approach of the fieldwork of iGeo 2006 in Brisbane we arrive at a format that requires participants to apply a variety of geographical skills. It will also be helpful in presenting geography as a challenging and relevant school subject that helps us deal with real problems of the world of today and tomorrow.
Format for the Fieldwork Exercise 1
The Fieldwork Assignment consists of:1. Observation and mapping
2. Analysis of spatial issue in fieldwork area including additional data gathering
3. Problem-solving exercise leading to a proposal including a spatial plan or map
Step 1: a mapping exercise of (a part of) the fieldwork area
Skills that are required during the mapping exercise are:
1. 1. observe 2. name the observed phenomena 3. locate the phenomena on the map 4. use appropriate graphic symbols 5. describe the phenomena in the map key, use scale and orientation Students could for instance be provided with a base map and asked to add information to it using proper cartographic skills.
Step 2: in the fieldwork area there is a (real or hypothetical) spatial problem that will be presented to the participants. The case relates to physical and/or environmental planning. The case/problem will be introduced and documented to the participants as well as the procedures and conditions for working on the problem-solving exercise. This can be done in a number of ways: a presentation, a workshop, short excursions to the fieldwork area (or a similar area), gathering additional data in the field, etc. Since time for the fieldwork exercise is limited, guidance in the form of scaffolding and templates will be offered to participants, as well as some paper-based resource materials about the area and the problem.
Step 3: on the basis of the mapping exercise and the analysis of all the information about the case, the participants have to design a spatial plan (map) that tackles theproblem presented, and give an explanation of the choices made. The explanation needs to show that the
participant has understood the nature of the problem and made connections between the properties/qualities of the fieldwork area and
the suggested spatial plan. In the explanation the use of graphic material (images, photos, graphs, statistics) is preferred over lengthy texts. The map (spatial plan) is mandatory; the choice of the nature of the additional information is up to the participants.
The criteria for marking the final product will be explained to the participants beforehand. The following products will be marked:- the result of the mapping exercise: a map of (a part of) the fieldwork area- the result of the problem-solving exercise: it includes a short analysis of the nature of the problem, objectives of the proposal, visualisation of the proposed solution in the form of a map or plan, an explanation and underpinning of suggested plan/measures/activities.- the visualisation of the plan (for instance in the form of a poster)
Required skills:
1. mapping skills (read, analyse, interpret and produce maps)
2. inquiry and problem solving skills
3. graphicacy skills (read, analyse, interpret and produce images, photos, statistics, graphs)
A draft of these guidelines was sent to members of the International Board of all countries that participated in iGeo 2008 for comments during a 2 month period from May – July 2009. They were formalised by the iGeo Task Force on September 15, 2009, thus providing the iGeo Task Force and the local organiser of iGeo 2010 sufficient time to design challenging tests and fieldwork exercise, and all team leaders time to prepare their participants for these tests and fieldwork.
Thank you very much for your valuable input. We wish all success in preparing for iGeo 2010.
On behalf of the iGeo Task Force of IGU
Henk Ankone (co-chair) Netherlands, Sept. 2009
NB: separate guidelines for the conditions during the tests as well as procedures for marking will be formulated and send to members of the International Board of all countries that participated in iGeo 2008 for comment.
Invitation
Previous participants and host cities
Dear colleagues
On behalf of the Geographical Society of China located in Taipei and the Department of Geography of the National Taiwan Normal University, it is my pleasure to invite your country to send a team to the 8th International Geography Olympiad (IGEO). This will be held in Taipei, Taiwan, from 29 July to 4 August 2010, under the auspices of the International Geographical Union Olympiad Task Force. The venue will be the Sacred Heart High School beside the Danshui River. The IGEO competition contains three elements: a written response test, a multimedia test and a fieldwork test. The official language of the IGEO is English. As well as the tests, the programme includes geographical poster presentations and a cultural function. Details of these will be sent to participating countries. Excursions will be arranged, including visiting the active fault sites of Chichi Earthquake, Palace Museum, Taipei 101 and night markets. An optional post-IGEO tour at your own cost will be arranged if enough countries are interested. We look forward to welcoming you to Taipei in 2010. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase the geographical skills and understandings of your country’s geography students, as well a reward for student excellence.
Yours sincerely,
Su-Min Shen
Local Organiser, International Geography Olympiad, Taipei 2010
Associate Professor
Department of Geography
National Taiwan Normal University
Fax: 886-2-23693907; Email: [email protected]; Phone: 886-2-77341634
Introduction
The 8th International Geography Olympiad
International Geography Olympiad (IGEO) is a competition for the high school students aged 16-19. It was first held in 1996 at The Hague, Netherland. Since then International Geography Union (IGU) hold the international competition every two years and the next year are the regions competition. Member teams are growing from 6 at the first to 24 at the 7th. The 8th iGeo will be held in Taipei from 29 July to 4 August, 2010. The number of participants is expected around 30 countries.
Taiwan has been a regular participant since 2002, under the support of Ministry of Education and National Science Council. We advocated to hold the 1st Asia-Pacific Regional Geography Olympiad In 2007 and are honored to be able to host the 8th IGEO in Taipei.
Geography Olympiads facilitate social contacts between young people from different countries and in doing so, contribute to the understanding between nations especially in social science and science education field. At the same time, every country can present their achievement in geography education and integrate with the world development.
Participants
The age of the participants should not surpass 19 before 30, June on the year. Every country can send one team only. Every team comprise up to four participants and two team leaders. The competitors should be selected from the national game. The leaders should major in Geography and they are able to use English fluently. One leader will represent the national to join the international committee and the other will take care of the students. In addition, the future host countries or participant countries can send observers. Observers can attend the international committee conference but they cannot vote or discuss.
Competition
This competition is individual. Participants who don’t comply with the answering direction will be disqualified. The competition include three events – Fieldwork Test, Written Test, Multi-media Test. Students must be able to answer test questions in the official language of the Olympiad (English).
Finance
Each team has to afford the return travel costs of the students and all entourages to the place as well as the insurance during the competition. It has the registration fee for the event which should give to the organiser. The host will pay all the fees during the Olympiads competition, including participants and leaders’ accommodation, traffic, observation, study…. Additional members’ accommodation, touring fee will not be covered.
International Board
International Board of the International Geography Olympiad comprises the representative from each nation and the participation of all delegations is equal. The committee will propose and vote for the statutes. The long-term work involved in organising the Olympiad is coordinated by the Task Force.
Further information
Geography Olympiads facilitate social contacts between young people from different countries and in doing so, contribute to the understanding between nations especially in social science and science education field. At the same time, every country can present their achievement in geography education and integrate with the world development.
For the Statutes of iGeo and the previous Geography Olympiads – check the official website http://www.geoolympiad.org/ The Statutes is also attached at the bottom for your convenience.
If you have general queries about the Olympiad, for instance about eligibility, please email them to Kath Berg at [email protected] (the Secretariat).
Queries about the iGeo 2010 Taipei, please contact to Su-Min Shen at [email protected] (the local organizer).
Statutes
International Geography Olympiad
The Statutes of the International Geography Olympiad (IGEO) were approved by an email vote of the International Board constituted for the International Geography Olympiad in Carthage, Tunisia, in August 2008. The vote was concluded on 30 June 2009.
General characteristics
The Olympiad is held under the auspices of the International Geographical Union (IGU) and organised by the IGU Olympiad Task Force.
The aims of the Olympiad are to:
o stimulate active interest in geographical and environmental studies among young people;
o contribute positively to debate about the importance of geography as a senior secondary school subject by drawing attention to the quality of geographical knowledge, skills and interests among young people;
o facilitate social contacts between young people from different countries and in doing so, contribute to the understanding between nations.
The Olympiad consists of a competition, social activities and excursions. The Olympiad competition is in three parts: a written test, a multimedia test and a substantial fieldwork exercise.
The Olympiad is a competition between individual students who are between 16 and 19 years old and selected through a national geography competition.
The official language of the Olympiad is English.
The participants
Each participating country, as defined by IGU Statute II A, sends a team of four students.
o They must be students of secondary schools (general or technical), or ex-students who finished school in the year of the Olympiad and have not yet commenced regular education at university level.
o Their ages must be between 16 and 19 years old (inclusive) on 30 June of the year that the Olympiad takes place.
o Students must be able to answer test questions in the official language of the Olympiad (English). Non-native English speakers get extra facilities such as the use of a language dictionary, translations of selected geographic terms from the tests, and extra time for long written tests.
o Students must be selected through a national geography competition. Students selected through this national competition must be enrolled in the school system of the country they represent. They do not necessarily have to be citizens of that country.
o Students must answer the test questions independently. Violation of this provision shall result in disqualification of the student from the Olympiad.
In addition to the students, two adult team leaders are invited.
o They must be involved in geography teaching or geography in education in their country.
o Each of them must be able to speak and write the official language of the Olympiad (English).
o One leader has membership of the International Board. S/he shall maintain absolute security about the contents of any test until after that particular test has taken place. S/he is eligible to participate on one of the jury panels, vote on the Statutes, review marking guidelines, translate geographic terms, etc.
o The other leader is the person responsible for the students. S/he may also assist in supervision of the tests and other activities related to the Olympiad.
o Both of them have equal rights at the event evaluation meeting of team leaders, which takes place at the end of the Olympiad.
The organisers of the next Olympiad may send an observer. Observers may be present at meetings of the International Board, but may not vote.
The Olympiad tests
The tests of the Olympiad are as follows:
o The marks assigned for the Olympiad are: written test (40% of total marks), multimedia test (20%) and fieldwork exercise (40%). The three test elements are organised on different days, which may be any day of the week. Past examples of questions are included on the Olympiad website.
o Students complete most test assignments individually not as teams. However, up to 50% of the fieldwork test, that is up to 20% of the Olympiad’s total mark, may be completed as a national team, with each team member being awarded the same mark. Note: preliminary exercises in the field may be carried out in cross-national groups, if all the fieldwork test questions are completed individually.
o The tests are based on the guidelines drawn up by the Olympiad Task Force. Olympiad assignments test both knowledge and skills in geography.
o The Olympiad assignments are prepared by committees under the supervision of the Olympiad Task Force.
o Students must produce their answers in the official language of the Olympiad (English).
o Students who do not commence a test for whatever reason will be awarded no marks for that test. Students who commence but do not complete a test due to circumstances beyond their control, will have their mark for that test determined by the Olympiad Task Force, after consultation with that test’s marking jury and the International Board.
o All students receive a certificate. Approximately 50% of the participating students receive a medal. Medals are awarded in the approximate ratio of gold 1: silver 2: bronze 3.
o The Olympiad tests are based on the International Charter on Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union.
o The results are announced and the awards and diplomas presented to the winners at an official ceremony during the Olympiad.
The Task Force and the International Board
The long-term work involved in organising the Olympiad is coordinated by the Task Force. Members of the Task Force are the chair and the organisers of the past, the present and the future Olympiads. The Task Force may co-opt up to three additional International Board members to serve on the Task Force. The chair of the Task Force is elected by the International Board after consultation with the chair of the Commission on Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union. The chair of the Task Force is elected every 4 years. The incumbent chair may stand for re-election. Note that two people may assume the role of chair as co-chairs, with their rights and responsibilities defined as if they were a single chair. The Task Force:
o takes the lead in organising an efficient and high-quality Olympiad;
o promotes the Olympiad worldwide;
o stimulates national geography competitions;
o defines the areas, themes and geographical skills to be included in the Olympiad;
o maintains an up-to-date Olympiad website;
o works in consultation with the International Geographical Union and its Commission on Geographical Education;
o seeks funds to organise the International Geography Olympiad.
The International Board consists of one adult representative of each country participating in the present or last Olympiad. The chair of the Task Force chairs the meetings of the International Board. Decisions of the International Board are passed by a majority vote. The chair has a casting vote. Members of the Task Force have the right to attend meetings of the International Board but, apart from the chair’s casting vote, only have a vote if they are a country’s representative. The decisions of the International Board are final. The International Board has the following responsibilities:
o help the Task Force and local organiser to conduct the Olympiad according to the Statutes;
o ascertain that all the competitors meet the requirements of the Olympiad in all respects. The Board shall disqualify those competitors who do not meet the requirements. The costs incurred by a disqualified competitor shall be covered by his/her country;
o discuss the Olympiad's assignments and tasks and make a final decision on these before the Olympiad tests start;
o maintain and preserve confidentiality concerning the assignments and tasks and offer no assistance to any participant;
o mark the students' test assignments, this task to be carried out by subsets of the International Board acting as juries;
o ensure correct and just classification of the prize winners;
o summarise the results of the Olympiad;
o select the country to organise the next Olympiad.
Local organiser
The Olympiad is organised by the Ministry of Education or one or more other appropriate institutions of the country in whose territory the Olympiad is to be conducted. The Education Ministry of the organising country, as a rule, assigns the organisation, preparation and execution of the Olympiad to a geographical society or another institution in the organising country. The obligations of the local organiser are to:
o ensure the equal participation of all delegations;
o invite the participants of the last three Olympiads and other countries as appropriate. Applications from countries which participated in the preceding Olympiad and which are received at least six months before the Olympiad in question starts, shall be accepted in the order in which they are received up to the number the local organiser specifies it can host. Six months before the Olympiad any places still available shall be allocated to other countries in the order in which their applications were received;
o forward to these countries not less than eight months before the date of the Olympiad information which gives details of the Olympiad not covered in the Statutes, and gives the names and addresses of the institutions and the persons responsible for the Olympiad;
o forward the areas, themes and geographical skills to be included in the Olympiad, as supplied by the Task Force, to the participating countries;
o establish a detailed programme for the Olympiad including a schedule for competitors and adult representatives, a programme of excursions, etcetera. This is to be sent to the participating countries not less than three months in advance;
o check immediately after the arrival of each delegation whether its competitors meet the conditions of the Olympiad;
o conduct the Olympiad in accordance with the Statutes;
o be responsible for the financial aspects of the Olympiad and announce one year before the date of the Olympiad the fee to be paid by each student and adult.
The financial principles
The country which sends the students to the Olympiad pays:
o the return travel costs of the students and of all accompanying persons to the place at which the Olympiad is held;
o a fee to the local organiser for each student and adult as a contribution to other costs. This fee is to be announced one year before the Olympiad starts.
The local organiser covers all other expenses incurred in holding the Olympiad.
Final regulations
Changes to these Statutes can only be made by the International Board and require a qualified majority (2/3 of the votes). No changes may be made to these Statutes unless each delegation participating in the present or last Olympiad is sent the proposed revision by email at least two months in advance. The International Board may conduct such votes in person or by post, fax or email.
Participation in an International Geography Olympiad signifies acceptance of the present Statutes by the Ministry of Education or other institution responsible for sending the delegation.
The original and definitive version of these Statutes is written in English.
(c) IGU Olympiad Task ForceJoop van der Schee, Henk Ankoné‚ & Kath Berg.
Registration
A country’s team will be made up of four secondary school students between the ages of 16 and 19 years of age (inclusive) on 30 June 2010. Students must be selected through a national geography competition. They will be accompanied by two adults who are involved in geographical education in their country, and who can speak and write English. Please also refer to the IGEO website for the updated statutes under which the IGEO operates (http://www.geoolympiad.org/ look under What is GeoOlympiad.
Countries which took part in the 2006 or 2008 Olympiads will be automatically accepted for the 2010 IGEO if they apply by 4 January, 2010. Other countries will be allocated available places in order of the date of receipt of their application. The maximum number of teams that will be accepted for 2010 IGEO is 30.
Please send the application form, and any queries about the Taipei Olympiad, to Su-Min Shen at [email protected]. If you have general queries about the Olympiad, for instance about eligibility, those should go to the Secretariat. Please email them to Kath Berg at [email protected].
If you need a formal written invitation to the IGEO, please email Su-Min Shen the name, position and address of the person to whom the letter should be sent.
Registration Form
Once the application has been accepted by the iGeo Task Force, the Registration Form will be sent to the primary contact indicated in the application form in late-February via email. Please return the Registration Form to the local organizer Su-Min Shen by 5 May, 2010. Email: [email protected]; Fax: 886-2-77343907
Registration Fee
Countries are responsible for their own travel, visas and insurance.
A contribution of TWD 12000 per person is payable as a contribution to local expenses. The fare is the same for all participants, including students, team leaders and observers.(TWD = Taiwan New Dollars, currency converter http://www.xe.com/ucc/)
Registration Fee per personUS$ 380 (i.e., TWD 12000)exchange rate: 1: 31.58 based on Taiwan Bank, 18 May, 2010http://rate.bot.com.tw/Pages/Static/UIP003.zh-TW.htm
Registration fee should be paid by 20 May, 2010.
Bank detailsBeneficiary's bank name : HUA NAN COMMERCIAL BANK, LTD. TAI TA BRANCHSWIFT CODE : HNBKTWTP154Beneficiary's bank address : NO.1 SEC. 4 ROOSEVELT RD.TAIPEI, TAIWAN, R.O.CBeneficiary's account number: 154-10-000519-2
Beneficiary's account name : THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF CHINA LOCATED IN TAIPEI
Post-iGeo trip Fee
This post-iGeo trip is optional and is at your own expenses (not included in the registration fee). Please indicate clearly in the registration form if you like to attend the trip.There are two options: 2-day trip and 5-day trip. For details, please go to [Post-trip].
The fee for post-iGeo trip should be paid along with the registration fee, by 20 May, 2010. See above for bank details.
---------------------------------
Su-Min Shen
Local Organiser, International Geography Olympiad, Taipei 2010
Associate Professor
Department of Geography, National Taiwan Normal University 162, Sec 1, Heping East Rd, Taipei, TAIWAN, R.O.C, zip code: 10610
Fax: 886-2-77343907; Email: [email protected]; Phone: 886-2-77341634
Venue
The School was founded in 1960 and is part of the world family of Sacred
Heart Schools which can be found on five continents. The campus is
ideally situated in the suburbs, at the foot of the “Goddess of Mercy
Mountain”, by the Tanshui River (Figure 1). School buildings are
surrounded by spacious gardens with abundant flowers, birds and trees.
We believe that both dedicated educators and a healthy environment are
essential to quality education which will influence the students for life.
All participants will stay in the campus during the 2010iGeo.
Rooms: air-conditioning, shared toilets and showers on the same floor,
internet corner available in the building.
Address: 263, Section 1, Longmi Road, Bali Township, Taipei County
Telephone: 886-2-26182287
Figure 1 (The arrow indicate the location of the campus. It is located very near the river
mouth of the Tanshui River)
Figure 2 (The arrow indicate the main building.)
Local Hosts
Organizers
Major sponsors Ministry of Education
Nation Science Council
Garmin Taiwan
Local hosts(Board of Executive)
The Geographical society of China located in Taipei
National Taiwan Normal University
Sacred Heart Girls High School
Co-organizers
North Coast&Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration, Tourism Bureau, MOTC
Yehliu Geopark
Department of Geography, National Taiwan University
Department of Geography, National Changhua University of Education
Department of Geography, National Kaohsiung Normal University
Department of Geography, Chinese Cultural University
Department of Geography, National Taiwan Normal University
Sacred Heart Girls High School
Other Competitions
Australia www.rgsq.org.au/agc.htmBelgium www.geo-olympiade.beBulgaria www.mon.bgChina http://www.igeocn.com/Croatia www.hagede.hrCzech Republic
http://www.kge.zcu.cz/cgs/ZO/index.htm
Denmark
http://www.emu.dk/gym/fag/ge/index.html
Estonia http://www.geo.ut.ee/kooligeoFinland www.bmol.fiJapan http://www2.dokkyo.ac.jp/~rese0012/Germany
www.uni - muenster.de/imperia/md/content/geograpahiedidaktik/aktuelles/ pressetext.pdf
Nigeria www.ijso.org.ngNew Zealand
www.scienceolympianz.org.nz/html/nzgo.html
Mexico http://www.amc.unam.mx/programas/c_pogeografia.htm
Poland www.ogin.edu.pl Russia http://geo.rusolymp.ru/Slovakia www.iuventa.skTaiwan www. PromotingGeog.geo.ntnu.edu.tw UK www.worldwise.geography.org.uk
Daily Schedule
8th International Geography OlympiadProgramme Outline
29 Jul
Thu.
Lunch
afternoon Campus orientation
16.30 Team registration
17.30 Dinner
18.30 Opening ceremony
30 Jul
Fri.
morning Written response test
afternoon Introduction to fieldwork and GPS
evening Cultural function -I
31 Jul
Sat.
morning Fieldwork Test - I
afternoon Fieldwork Test - II
evening Palace Museum
1 Aug
Sun.
morning Earthquake Museum in Wufeng
Active Fault sites in Minchien
Paper Mill in Puli
afternoon
evening
2 Aug morning Multi-media test
Mon.
afternoon Geographical poster presentation
evening Tanshui heritages & night market
3 Aug
Tue.
morning Yehliu GeoPark (+GPS event)
afternoon Taipei 101 & City tour
evening Cultural function - II
4 Aug
Wed.
10.00 Closing ceremony
12.00 Lunch
13.30 Departure
Schedule of Opening and Closing Ceremony
OPENING CEREMONY
2010/7/29
Thursday
118:30 ~18:50 Welcome (short film) 118:50 ~ 19:10 Opening remarks19:10 ~ 19:30 Introduction of participants
19:30 ~ 19:50Performance, by Sacred Heart Choir
19:50 ~ 21:00 Get to know each other
CLOSING CEREMONY
2010/8/4
Wednesday
110:00 ~10:20 Farewell (Slide show)110:20 ~ 10:40 Closing remarks10:40 ~ 11:20 Awarding prizes11:20 ~ 11:50 Group photo
12：00 ~ 13：00 Farewell party
Place: Auditorium (A-1F)
Posters
Updated on 4 June, 2010
GEOGRAPHICAL POSTER PRESENTATION
At iGeo this segment has two elements:
1. the production of a poster to display for participants to look at during the week
2. the presentation of this poster to some of the other teams
Teams should choose a specific geographical topic that relates to their country, e.g. Migration issues in Mexico, Conservation of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Water resources in Singapore.
Teams are not to give a geographical overview of their country, and they are not to use a poster or presentation developed by someone else.
Note, the geographical poster presentation is not part of the scoring for the Olympiad medals, but we’ll be talking a popular vote and giving a prize for the best.
The Poster
The poster is not an advertising-type poster, but is similar to the type of posters that geographers would produce for a poster presentation session at a conference. Theirs are on their research, but yours will be on your chosen geographical issue. The elements of an effective poster are:
$ Focused, limited topic
$ Clear title and authors
$ Self-explanatory graphics. These should dominate the poster. Types of graphics that could be used include maps, photos, graphs, flowcharts, diagrams, tables. Include sources for graphics.
$ A minimal amount of text to describe and analyse the issue and draw some conclusions. Use short sentences and bullets point. The text should be large enough to read from 1.5 to 2 m away.
Some poster 'experts' suggest that the right proportion is about 20-25% text, 40-45% graphics and 30-40% empty space.
There are examples of posters at:
http://arts.monash.edu.au/ges/research/gis/public/ozri-poster2.php
http://arts.monash.edu.au/ges/research/gis/public/ozri-poster1.php
http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/examples/images/agemap.pdf
These examples are on topics far more specific than you would choose. Please note that these posters are by no means perfect. A lot of the text is too small, the centring of the text on the Australian ones frankly looks horrible. They are just there to give you an idea of what a conference poster looks like if you (i.e. the students) don’t already know. We look forward to seeing better ones from you!
There is no need to go to the expense of printing your poster out on a single sheet of paper. You can use old-fashioned cut-and-paste (with glue!) to put the elements together on a single large sheet of card/paper, and bring it to iGeo in a protective roll. You will need to bring the finished poster to Taipei for display from the first day. We will not be providing facilities for you to finish them off.
Poster presentation
At conferences authors present their posters by standing beside them and talking to only a couple of people at a time. At iGeo the presentations take a different form. Teams will present their posters in parallel sessions to groups of other teams. Because this will be to a large number of people (about 60), the audience will not be able to see the detail in your poster. Your team can either just talk about the issue, or if you want to, you can prepare a PowerPoint presentation. This would have the different parts of the poster, e.g. one graph or one photo, on individual slides so that the audience can see them.
Team presentations should last for a maximum of 8 minutes (it is OK to be shorter). This will allow time for some discussion after each presentation.
Post-trip
A local tour company, Mature Travel Agency, has been invited to design the trip plan especially for 2010iGeo participants (more geographical than ordinary tour plans). Local geographers will also help to interpret the landscape during the trips. Option of 2 length tours is available.
【2 Days 1 Night Tour】5-6 August, 2010: eastern Taiwan TWD 8,000 per person
【5 Days 4 Nights Tour】5-9 August, 2010: eastern and southern Taiwan TWD 22,000 per person
※ ※ Please refer to the Itinerary for the updated journey and price.
※ ※ Price Including: Over night at local Hotel, Tour Bus transportation, Train ticket, All of the entrance tickets and meals, insurance and guide※ Price Excluding：(1)US$28 for single room every night (2)Ticket of High Speed Railway from Tainan to Taipei, about US$45 (3)after-tour accommodation※ Minimum of 10 PAX will be needed to make a tour ※ The travel agency strongly suggests better to stay overnight at Taipei after the post-iGeo excursion and take the flight the day after. The travel agency can help to book the hotel for the night of 6 Aug or 9 Aug, if necessary, at the cost of TWD 1500 (double room) and TWD 2800 (single room) per person per night (team drop-off service included).※ Passport is needed for enplaning. Please scan participant’s passport and send the image along with the Registration Form by 5 May.※ Pick up：First day AM 07:00~08:00 at the venue of the 2010iGeo. ※ In accordance with Tourism Bureau requirements, once the related organizations have announced any force majeures, The travel agency, have the right to modify and to stop the activity.
Please indicate the interest of attending post-iGeo tour on the Registration Form and return the form by 5 May.
Post-iGeo trip fee, if applicable, should be paid along with registration fee by 20 May, 2010.
Bank details
Beneficiary's bank name: HUA NAN COMMERCIAL BANK, LTD. TAI TA BRANCH SWIFT CODE : HNBKTWTP154 Beneficiary's bank address : NO.1 SEC. 4 ROOSEVELT RD.TAIPEI, TAIWAN, R.O.C Beneficiary's account number: 154-10-000519-2 Beneficiary's account name : THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF CHINA LOCATED IN TAIPEI
Mature Travel Agency
ADD：3F., No.133-5, Sec. 1, Xinsheng S. Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
TEL：+886-2-2325-2561
Website：http://www.powertravel.com.tw/
Contact：Christina Ho
Culture Night
Updated on 4 June, 2010
Teams need to prepare two items to present at iGeo: a cultural item and a geographical “poster”.
CULTURAL FUNCTION
The cultural function is one of the highlights of iGeo and everyone has a lot of fun. With so many teams, it will be spread over two nights.
Teams should perform a piece typical of their homeland – a dance, song, game, poem, etc. They may use backing music but otherwise the item must be performed by themselves, not be a recording of someone else’s performance. Items that encourage audience participation are usually very successful.
There is a time limit of 5 minutes per team. Teams should trial their item so that they know they can do it in the time.
A microphone and CD player will be available. If you require anything else, please discuss this with Su-Min before 15 July. The function will be held indoors so please keep this in mind when planning your item. (I think we knocked over a table during a boisterous dragon ball game at the Asia Pacific Regional Geography Olympiad!)
Test Assignments