Distinguished New Zealand Geographer Medallist
1
New Zealand Geographer (2007) 63, 69–72 10.1111/j.1745-7939.2007.00088.x © 2007 The Author Journal compilation © 2007 The New Zealand Geographical Society Inc. Published by Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Blackwell Publishing Asia Geo-News Geo-News Geo-News Geo-News Distinguished New Zealand Geographer Medallist Mr Chris Davidson was awarded the Distin- guished New Zealand Geographer Medal at the 2006 Annual General Meeting of the New Zealand Geographical Society, held in Wellington on 20 September 2006. Chris Davidson is a graduate of the Depart- ment of Geography at the University of Canterbury (MA 1966). After completing the Diploma of Teaching in 1967, he joined the staff of Karamu High School, Hastings. In 1972 he moved to Freyberg High School in Palmerston North, and two years later was appointed to an expert group to advise the Minister of Education on geography teaching in New Zealand high schools. After a one-year teaching fellowship at Victoria University of Wellington in 1978, he was seconded to the Department of Education, where his experi- ence became the basis for a departmental pub- lication, G3 Geography Field Studies, Forms 5 – 7 (1981). In 1981, he was appointed to the staff of the Department, moving in 1990 to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority as Assess- ment and Moderation Officer. He returned to the Ministry of Education in 1998 as Curriculum Facilitator, before retiring in 2000. During a long career in the classroom and as an educational administrator, he helped develop an integrated Forms 5–7 syllabus in geography, and promoted formal recognition of internally assessed work in the country’s high schools. This work became a model for other high school teaching subjects. He served as Team Leader on a World Bank project to develop curricula for primary and secondary schools in Vanuatu, moderated state examina- tions, reviewed standards-based assessment in Form 6 geography, and from June 1998 helped to draft National Certificate of Educational Achievement standards for geography, history and social studies. His activities enhanced the teaching and standing of geography in New Zealand high schools, and strengthened links between schools and universities, ensuring that problem solving and communication skills became part of the geography student’s basic training. His impact on geographical education in New Zealand is recognized in this prestig- ious award. Peter Holland University of Otago February 2007 63 1 Geo-News Geo-News Geo-News The Transit New Zealand: Year 13 Geography Competition This competition, run annually, seeks to find the best independent study completed by students in New Zealand secondary schools. In the past the competition focused specifically on students’ exploration of Planning and Deci- sion Making issues, but since 2005 it has been open to any independent piece of work com- pleted by Year 13 students. This decision, whilst making marking more difficult for the university tasked with this role each year, has enabled a much wider range of student work to be considered. The New Zealand Board of Geography Teachers would like to congratulate the fol- lowing students for their success on the fine work they submitted. We would also like to thank Transit New Zealand which enables the awarding of generous financial prizes, and the New Zealand Geographical Society and uni- versities whose support enables us to run the competition at a national level. First: Stacey Wrenn of Chilton St James School, Lower Hutt, ‘The Lanes Proposal’ Roading Prize: Michael Moughan of Palmer- ston North Boys’ High School, ‘The Manawatu Ring Road’ Highly Commended: Florence Thane of Tauranga Girls’ High School, ‘The Tauranga Museum’; Devlin Elliott of Hillcrest High School, Hamilton, ‘The Mount Reef Issue’; Arun Jain of Glendowie College, Auckland, ‘The Tank Farm’.
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Transcript of Distinguished New Zealand Geographer Medallist
New Zealand Geographer
(2007)
63
, 69–72 10.1111/j.1745-7939.2007.00088.x
© 2007 The AuthorJournal compilation © 2007 The New Zealand Geographical Society Inc. Published by Blackwell Publishers Ltd.
Blackwell Publishing Asia
Geo-NewsGeo-News
Geo-News
Geo-News
Distinguished New Zealand Geographer Medallist
Mr Chris Davidson was awarded the Distin-guished New Zealand Geographer Medal atthe 2006 Annual General Meeting of theNew Zealand Geographical Society, held inWellington on 20 September 2006.
Chris Davidson is a graduate of the Depart-ment of Geography at the University ofCanterbury (MA 1966). After completing theDiploma of Teaching in 1967, he joined thestaff of Karamu High School, Hastings. In1972 he moved to Freyberg High School inPalmerston North, and two years later wasappointed to an expert group to advise theMinister of Education on geography teachingin New Zealand high schools. After a one-yearteaching fellowship at Victoria University ofWellington in 1978, he was seconded to theDepartment of Education, where his experi-ence became the basis for a departmental pub-lication,
G3 Geography Field Studies, Forms 5–7
(1981)
.
In 1981, he was appointed to the staffof the Department, moving in 1990 to the NewZealand Qualifications Authority as Assess-ment and Moderation Officer. He returned tothe Ministry of Education in 1998 as CurriculumFacilitator, before retiring in 2000.
During a long career in the classroom andas an educational administrator, he helpeddevelop an integrated Forms 5–7 syllabus ingeography, and promoted formal recognitionof internally assessed work in the country’shigh schools. This work became a model forother high school teaching subjects. He servedas Team Leader on a World Bank project todevelop curricula for primary and secondaryschools in Vanuatu, moderated state examina-tions, reviewed standards-based assessment inForm 6 geography, and from June 1998 helpedto draft National Certificate of EducationalAchievement standards for geography, historyand social studies. His activities enhanced theteaching and standing of geography in NewZealand high schools, and strengthened links
between schools and universities, ensuringthat problem solving and communication skillsbecame part of the geography student’s basictraining. His impact on geographical educationin New Zealand is recognized in this prestig-ious award.
Peter Holland
University of Otago
February 2007631
Geo-News
Geo-NewsGeo-News
The Transit New Zealand: Year 13 Geography Competition
This competition, run annually, seeks to findthe best independent study completed bystudents in New Zealand secondary schools. Inthe past the competition focused specificallyon students’ exploration of Planning and Deci-sion Making issues, but since 2005 it has beenopen to any independent piece of work com-pleted by Year 13 students. This decision,whilst making marking more difficult for theuniversity tasked with this role each year, hasenabled a much wider range of student workto be considered.
The New Zealand Board of GeographyTeachers would like to congratulate the fol-lowing students for their success on the finework they submitted. We would also like tothank Transit New Zealand which enables theawarding of generous financial prizes, and theNew Zealand Geographical Society and uni-versities whose support enables us to run thecompetition at a national level.
First
:
Stacey Wrenn of Chilton St JamesSchool, Lower Hutt, ‘The Lanes Proposal’
Roading Prize
:
Michael Moughan of Palmer-ston North Boys’ High School, ‘The ManawatuRing Road’
Highly Commended
:
Florence Thane ofTauranga Girls’ High School, ‘The TaurangaMuseum’; Devlin Elliott of Hillcrest HighSchool, Hamilton, ‘The Mount Reef Issue’;Arun Jain of Glendowie College, Auckland,‘The Tank Farm’.
