GEOGRAPHICAL ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Inc
GAWA's main objective is to encourage, in various ways, the advancement, education, promotion and practice of the science of geography in Western Australia. It does this by providing an organisation and forum for students, teachers and practitioners of geography to share knowledge, ideas, opinions and activities about the science of geography and geographical education.
Since its formation in the early 1970s, the Geographical Association of Western Australia (GAWA) has been serving teachers of Geography, secondary students and pre-service teachers at Universities throughout Western Australia.
GAWA Council oversees the operation of the Association through an Executive and a Management Coucil.
GAWA organises and provides a variety of activities including:
For Teachers:
Currently, GAWA has approximately 300 members. Teachers, who are GAWA Members either as Individual Members or through their Institution's Membership, are able to enjoy considerable subsidies and discounts for many of its activities and resources.
Annual State Conference - In August each year, GAWA organises a conference with professional input from national and state experts in geography, geographical education, curriculum development and other fields. This year's conference will be held on 16th and 17th August - more details will be made available as they are finalised.
Professional Development Workshops - each year GAWA organises a number of professional development activities for upper secondary geography teachers, including the very popular PL workshop for beginning/inexperienced teachers in early March.
The Joseph Gentilli Memorial Geography Award for Teacher Excellence - Currently this award is valued at $2,000.
GAWA Bulletin - GAWA publishes a regular Bulletin (newsletter) for members. The publication provides an important vehicle for informing geography teachers and members of GAWA about activities, curriculum developments and a range of geographical education information.
National Representation - GAWA is affiliated with a number of national and 'peak' geography and social science bodies, including AGTA. This is most relevant as ACARA develops the Australian Curriculum for Geography.
For Students:
Geography WACE Revision Sessions - half-day enrichment and revision sessions for prospective Geography Tertiary Entrance Examination candidates. A number of local experts provide input on a range of topics.
Australian Geography Competition - this national competition, which in 2012, attracted over 8,000 WA entrants from over 90 schools and over 90,000 entries nationwide, is a joint initiative of the Australian Geography Teachers’ Association and the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland.
2013 GAWA Fieldwork Competition - a geography skills-based competition for both lower and upper secondary Geography and Society and Environment students in WA with cash prizes for winners in each section.
Geography Resources:
Geography Texts - GAWA regularly produces a range of textbooks and other resources for students studying the Year 11 and Year 12 Geography courses. New publications are regularly published with GAWA’s new skills text: The Geographer’s Toolkit and together with its companion Student Activity Book. In 2009 GAWA published two new textbooks for the new Geography Course.
Hazards, Impacts and Responses addresses the Learning Contexts and Content requirements of the GEO 2A Unit, while Sustainable Planet addresses the Learning Contexts and Content requirements of the GEO 2B Unit.
2010 saw the publication of a GEO 3A/B textbook, 'Our Global Future', which has proved most popular with teachers and students.
In 2011, two new texts 'Coastal Environments at Risk' and 'Stage 3 Revision Guide' were added to GAWA's publication list.
Trial Examination Papers - In 2009, GAWA produced its first trial (“mock”) examination papers for use by schools for their end-of-year examinations in Geography. Since then GAWA has published 2A/B and 3A/B examinations for both Semester 1 and 2. These examinations have proved extremely popular with teachers throughout the state.
Other GAWA Resources - GAWA is continually involved, in various ways, in the development and distribution of new teaching and learning resources. These new resources will cater for both lower and upper secondary students of Geography and Society & Environment courses.
Other Publishers - Most of the major Geography textbook publishers are members of GAWA and market their products at our annual conference.
Public Access:
GAWA Office hours are 9.00am to 4.00pm Monday to Thursday. GAWA maintains an office at the Crossways Centre in Subiaco that is open to the public and handles numerous public inquiries concerning upper secondary geography syllabuses, student resources and general geographical information. GAWA welcomes and encourages its members to access the Office for assistance.
Website - GAWA maintains a public website at: www.gawa.asn.au
Professional Liaison - GAWA maintains contact and networks with a wide range of professional associations, commercial organisations and non-profit groups both with respect to geography and other related fields (e.g. cartography, environment, GIS, global education, planning).
New Members are very welcome.
Contact the Geographical Association of WA:
Telephone/Facsimile: (08) 9388 2656 e-mail: gawaadmin@westnet.com.au Internet: www.gawa.asn.au
Postal Address: P.O. Box 1252, SUBIACO WA 6904
GAWA Office Location: Suite 27, Upper Level, Crossways Centre, 180-184 Rokeby Road, (cnr of Bagot Road), SUBIACO
President: Darryl Michie E-mail: darryl.michie@education.wa.edu.au