GE GrAPhiA Geographia is the national newsletter of the Australian Geography Teachers’ Association Limited. JANUARY 2012 Occasional Newsletter of The Australian Geography Teachers’ Association Limited In this issue: AGTA 108 - Hobart Tasmania 01 From the Chair 02 AGTA Website 02 Geocareers Website 02 Chair Report (AGM) 03 Student Geography Competitions/Activities 05 AGTA 108 The Don Biddle: Hobart Tasmania Friends of AGTA Awards 05 22-23 October 2011 National Education Forum 05 Malcolm welcomed all to the 108th AITSL Examplar Project 06 AGTA Meeting held at The Friends School in North Hobart on 22-23 Exploring 21st Century October 2011. A special welcome Geography: was extended to Shane Albertson. A new resource on-line 06 Arab Gateways 06 AGTA Constitution 06 2011 Geography’s Big Week Out 07 National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition 08 AGTA 2013 Conference 09 Affiliate News 10 Education Services Australia 15 www.agta.asn.au PAGE 1 GFromEoGr theap hiChairA - In Brief AGTA Website The major website development this year has been the provision of a new section for the online purchase of AGTA products and subscriptions to Geographical Education. This has required the opening of a PayPal account thus ensuring secure online transactions using credit cards (MasterCard and Visa) and direct payment. Options for purchasers to use a school order form or pay by cheque are also available. Institute of Australian Keys to Geography Geographers The AGTA 2011 Conference section is still attracting a considerable number of The IAG committee is keen to promote 2nd Edition online visitors particularly to the keynote academics with expertise to use as keynote video presentations by Rita Gardner, AGTA’s financial position continues to be speakers and to produce publications/ Duncan Chessell and Tim Costello. The healthy as a result of the sales of the 2011 materials, peer reviews and link to the AGTA Facebook page has been set up with second edition of its highly successful Keys Australian Geographer journal. both general comments and a AGTA 2011 to Geography publication. Keys to Geography conference wall. It has attracted a number publications have provided a much needed Geography - Going National of new members and postings. A full listing Australian orientated resource for schools Poster Series of the AGTA Award winners can also be across Australia. A series of posters is being developed by Grant Kleeman on the key concepts of viewed at the AGTA website. the Australian Curriculum: Geography: The Chairperson’s annual reports provide AGTA 2010 Awards Place/Space/Environment/Change/ much useful information for members AGTA presents biennial awards to producers Interconnection /Sustainability/Scale/ about the achievements of AGTA whilst the of materials used in the teaching of Other possible poster themes: ‘Geography discussions’ section provides geography. The following AGTA Awards • Lifestyle and Culture links to Web 2.0 geography websites were presented at the AGTA 2011 • Landscapes and a portal to a number of useful blogs, wikis, nings, forums, discussions and Conference in January. • Human Well being other participatory web applications that • Settlements • Primary school resource: Get Connected support geography teaching both in • Extreme Environment Publisher, World Vision Australia Australia and overseas. Other changes to • Junior secondary school textbook: Oxford Proposed Timeline for release of the posters: the website include updates to the news Big Ideas Geography Level 6, Oxford September 2012, to coincide with the release section (e.g. latest issue of Geographia), University Press of the Australian Curriculum: Geography. Board members, affiliate details and • Senior secondary school textbook: Our resources. Updates have also been made Global Future: the Geography of Planning Geographical Education to the national geography curriculum Cities and Climate Change, GAWA Geography Going National is the theme website, standards for geography teaching • Broadsheet, chart, wall map: Oxford Big for the 2011 volume 24 of Geographical and details of affiliate conferences. The Atlas 2, Oxford University Press Education. listing of state conferences has been • Atlas: The Jacaranda Atlas Edition The papers to date ready for the journal are: updated where such details are known. • Website: DataGenie, Education Services 1. Evolution rather than extinction: The Australia future of the Geography textbook • Non-commercial, teacher produced Geocareers Website 2. A geographically informed vision of skills resource: Building Global Awareness, development Global Education Centre of South Australia Changes and revisions have been made 3. Inquiry in Geography and Science: Can • Geography teaching resource material: to the GeoCareers website thanks to the it work? Keys to Geography Essential Skills and suggestions of people to be included 4. Gender, memory and Geography tasks Tools, Macmillan Education Australia in in the profile section being forwarded 5. Exploring the content knowledge of collaboration with AGTA to Rob Berry. Members are invited to experienced Geography teachers • Geographical education publication: send recommendations of people to be 6. Exploring the role of imagination and Interaction Global Geography Volume approached with a view to providing a narrative in geography teaching 38 No 2 June 2010, GTAV profile for publication as there are still 7. Lessons from the UK national curriculum many career areas we would like to include. AGTA thanks all these publishers for in Geography -Dr Rita Gardiner. Please send the person’s name, their email submitting their high quality work and looks Members are asked to provide to the address and current area of employment forward to future opportunities to support Editor by email at [email protected] to Rob ([email protected]). Rob will publishers in developing the very best reports/articles that may be relevant then contact each person nominated and products and resources for the teaching of to Geographical Education. provide them with a standard proforma geography in Australian schools. and agreement sheet. PAGE 2 PAGE 3 Chair Report (AGM) GEoGraphiA AGTA has been given the opportunity to play a key role in the • Spatial Education Advisory Committee: development of the Australian Curriculum: Geography. ACARA Malcolm McInerney • ACARA Advisory Panel for Geography: has made a determined effort to maximise AGTA’s involvement. Malcolm McInerney, Rebecca Nicholas and Nick Hutchinson. Tim Costello, patron of AGTA, addressed Promoting Geography in Australia: I am happy to report that AGTA is delegates at the 2011 AGTA Conference Tim Costello as AGTA Patron considered as an important member of in Adelaide. AGTA must make an effort To support AGTA’s goal to promote these groups and is considered as one of to continue to utilise Tim as a high profile Geography in the Australian community the associations with a ‘Big picture’ view person. An invitation will be extended to and media, in January 2011 Tim Costello, of the need for representation via national Tim to attend the 2013 AGTA Conference in CEO of World Vision and well recognized ‘umbrella’ organisations and is prepared to Perth in 2013. humanitarian was formally appointed as invest in members of its board to always be Thank you is extended to AGTA Directors who AGTA Patron. In his Keynote address at the represented at meetings and to participate have taken on portfolio leadership and those AGTA conference, Tim said in regards to in required activities who have represented AGTA on National geography: Geography gives students … “a Committees such as NEF, IAG and SSSI. framework that will enable them to always be AGTA’s continued involvement in mapping their terrain, a primary life skill.” Tim’s ACARA’s curriculum development Australian Curriculum: Geography keynote can be viewed on the AGTA website process continues to develop, as does AGTA at http://www.agta.asn.au/conf2011/ In January 2011 ACARA released the Shape as the peak body for geography presentations/costello_t.htm of the Australian Curriculum: Geography. teachers in Australia Tim brings a humane and humanitarian Since then ACARA has been developing the In 2011 AGTA’s work has continued to be edge to the worth of geography as scope and sequence for geography which is dominated with the development of the illustrated in his recent articles in major planned to be released in October 2011 for Australian Curriculum: Geography. The Australian newspapers: consultation. The process continues to be a curriculum has reached the draft scope challenging but critical task for geography and sequence stage of development and “We need young Australians who can learn teachers across Australia. AGTA continues all augurs well for the planned launch of from the past and be critically aware of the to be heartened by ACARA’s commitment the curriculum in September 2012. The issues facing the world in the present and to involve geography teachers and in imminent launch of the curriculum has the future. Geography challenges students particular AGTA in the process of curriculum meant that 2011 has been an exciting to investigate, question, evaluate and apply development. To this end, several AGTA and unparalleled year for geographical their learning to the world in which they Board members and numerous members of education in Australia. October 2008 seems live. It involves hard, critical thinking, the AGTA affiliates have been closely involved as a long time ago when AGTA in collaboration development