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GTA NSW members' section
The members' section of this website is now open. A member login link has been placed on all the web pages and can also be accessed through a menu item under ‘Membership’. All members must first register and after verification of their current financial status will be sent a username (email address provided during registration) and a password. Verification may take a short period of time, especially during holiday periods, so your understanding will be appreciated.
Members who login online will be able to access the current Geography Bulletin as well as back issues published commencing from 2009. It is expected that all future copies of Geography Bulletin will only be available online.
National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition
In schools 26 March - 4 April; entries close 29 February 2012
The Competition is straight-forward to run. We supply a question booklet and answer sheet for each student; it fits into a normal class period; we mark it and send back the results. Students are graded in three age groups – 13 and younger; 14 and 15; 16 to 18. All students get results and certificates. Prizes include trips to Sydney, Mornington Peninsula and overseas, books and medals. Australia’s teams to the International Geography Olympiad in Kyoto, Japan, and to the National Geographic World Championship in St Petersburg, Russia, will be chosen from students who excel in the 2012 Competition.
Full information is on our website www.geographycompetition.org.au. The Competition is a joint initiative of the Australian Geography Teachers’ Association and the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland.
Australian Curriculum: Geography
The draft geography F-12 Australian Curriculum: Geography went live on-line for consultation in October 2011 and is available for feedback until 28 February 2012. If you want to have a look at the draft scope and sequence for geography just go to http://consultation.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ and log-in. The draft includes the Rationale, Aims, Concept definitions, General Capabilities and Cross Curriculum priorities for geography, F-12 content descriptions, elaborations, skills and inquiry sequences and achievement standards.
World Meteorological Day 2012
The Weather Channel wants to celebrate World Meteorological Day 2012 with your students. Tell us what weather project your class have worked on in the past, would really like to develop or perhaps only ever dreamt of making and your school could be getting a visit from The Weather Channel’s very own Chief Meteorologist, Dick Whitaker.
The winning entry will have the opportunity to make their weather project with the aid of Dick Whitaker along with helping him release a weather balloon from your very own school grounds. We will also showcase your weather project on The Weather Channel on World Meteorological Day! Entry details
The population debate
A special issue of Geographical Research looks at the population debate in Australia, a debate mirrored in many other nations around the globe. The special issue has a strong policy focus, and demonstrates how political argument can be interwoven with academic analysis to produce not just an idea for action but an accompanying motivation for aggressive implementation.
Sustainability Degrees
The University of New England is offering a number of interdisciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate programmes focusing on sustainability, environmental protection, consultancy and policy and planning.
GTA NSW 2011 Annual conference
Conference presentations are now available.
Forthcoming events
National Close the Gap Day
Date: 22 March 2012
Join with schools and the broader community around Australia in showing your support to Close the Gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Once registered, you will receive the learning resources and materials you need to run a successful event in your school including:
* a Schools Action Kit packed with ideas, activities, a step-by-step event guide and tools for students to take the lead and run the activities;
* classroom and assembly resources including video stories, photos, factsheets and a copy of the National Close the Gap Day DVD.
AGTA News
AGTA 2013 Conference— Call for workshop presenters
Dates: 7-10 January 2013
Venue: Perth College, Perth, Western Australia
Expressions of interest in presenting a workshop at this important national conference are now invited.
>> Please complete the expression of interest form before 24 February 2012.
Geographia — AGTA's newsletter
Read all of the latest news from AGTA in the latest issue of Geographia.
New Resource from AGTA: Exploring 21st Century Geography DVD
An outstanding collection of teaching resources from the Australian Geography Teachers Association includes spatial technologies/GIS units. The DVD contains:
- articles and resources on 21st century Geography
- GIS skills development, GIS in Physical Geography and Historical GIS books – course processes and activities with geographical data
- 21st Century Internet sites
- technology in the geography classroom articles, internet sites and resources
- inquiry project design and work samples.
Australian orders: AUD$95.00 including GST and postage
>> Purchase
>> Brochure
AGTA 2011 keynotes on the AGTA website to view
If you were not able to attend the AGTA conference in January this year, or attended and wish to listen again to the great keynotes, edited versions of the following keynotes are now up on the AGTA site at http://www.agta.asn.au/conf_presentations/index.htm.
The videos are approx 15 minutes in duration and highlight some of the most relevant and interesting sections of the addresses from:
- Dr Rita Gardner "Geography - an education for life"
- Duncan Chessell "Journey to the Roof of the World"
- Tim Costello "AGTA Patron's inaugural speech"
Reports
Teacher Workshop at Parramatta Park
>> Teacher Workshop at Parramatta Park held on 12 October 2011 report
>> Parramatta Park Resource: Extracts from the teaching program – Year 7 History and Geography