Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 13.2
Characteristics of the two exam parts
First part
Second part
Type
Multimedia test
Written response test
Form
Fifty problems in a 50-minute
timespan. Ten of the questions
are in English.
Five major question problems during 120 min,
and one of these appears in English.
Methods
Students are required to interpret
geographical knowledge and
concepts from photographs and
charts that are projected onto a
screen for a duration of 1 min.
Students are required to answer both the Japanese
and English questions in written essay form.
Students are required to match
the given information against
four possible answers for each
question.
Students are required to use a variety of materials,
such as maps and statistics, for a broad
perspective of their abilities in thinking, making
judgments, and expression, based on such
knowledge and concepts as exploring the
background context and causal factors,
identifying social issues, and proposing solutions.
Also, experts and exchange students from the host country provide information
on local geographic conditions, giving Japanese students deeper insight into the
characteristics they will encounter.
Since 2011, the JST has taken on the role to administer the call for contestants in
the Geography Olympiad, along with the other Science Olympiads in order to
attract more exam takers for the Japanese championship. To ensure that administra-
tive work proceeds effi ciently, the Executive Committee was formed in 2012 to
strengthen its business offi ce system. Information about the competition is dissemi-
nated to all high schools in the country and teachers responsible for geography in
their schools are notifi ed, with attention paid to the Super Science High Schools
(SSH) designated by MEXT. These strategies have resulted in a rapid increase in the
number of exam takers, a contributing factor to the revitalization of geography
education.
The exams are written at a high level of diffi culty, and English ability is nec-
essary for participation in the international competition. This restricts contes-
tants in advanced schools (e.g., Super Science High Schools), as a way to prevent
a concentration of competitors with elite geography opportunities. To broaden
the pool of potential contestants and to foster equal opportunity for students in all
schools settings, the Executive Committee has changed the questions so that 80 %
are in Japanese. Additional mechanisms are needed to attract more contestants.
Promotion of the Geography Olympiad is one way to revitalize geography educa-
tion in Japan, and is an opportunity for the exam takers to signifi cantly upgrade their
geography skills.
