Australian Biology Olympiad

The activities of the Australian Science Olympiads is coordinated by the office in Canberra. The office maintains a database of all secondary schools in Australia, contacts schools and coordinates the examination process for the Australian Biology Chemistry and Physics Olympiads. The school year runs from the end of January - December.  The website gives information about the National Qualifying Examinations (NQE) held in August each year. The office sends information in March each year to the Head of Science (teacher in charge of Science) at all secondary schools inviting them to enter students for the NQE. 

The activities of the Australian Science Olympiads is coordinated by the Australian Science Innovations in Canberra.  At present, there is one round of qualifying examination (NQE), which students sit in August at their own schools. Past examination papers are available on the website with suggested answers.  Nearly 900 students were registered to sit the examination in 2009, although fewer participated.  The papers are sent to Canberra and teaching staff from across Australia meet to mark the papers one weekend in September. The top twenty four students are selected to attend the summer camp in January where we have an intense program of practical and theory classes and some small tests during the camp. 

At the end of the camp, there is a practical examination, and six weeks after the camp, there is a three hour theory examination.  The teaching staff write the theory examination and this is sent to schools and university staff to supervise the paper one Saturday in early March.  All the papers are sent directly to the coordinator to mark.  The marks from both practical and theory examinations are used with the marks from small tests to give an overall score and the top four students are invited to become team members. 

The national qualifying examination (NQE) consists of multiple choice questions, short answer questions, data analysis and extended response questions.  We like to develop questions that test reasoning rather than content knowledge. The NQE selects students for the summer camp and the marks from this are not included in determining the composition of the national team.  The staff of the Biology Olympiad develop the test materials for each NQE, the small tests and practical examinations during the camp and the theory examination after the camp.  Students take the last theory examination under supervision by one of the Olympiad staff at a university close to the students. 

The office is in Canberra at the Australian National University (ANU) and the summer camp is run at Monash University in Melbourne. Students have 11 days training together in January at the summer camp and the team members have 3 more days together with teaching staff at Easter in April at Monash University.  After the Easter camp, students have access to past IBO papers to practice and revise before the IBO. 

Some schools do help students prepare for the NQE and some individuals provide a training program at a cost.  We don't encourage this and we are trying to develop a reasoning test rather then a content based examination to select students for the summer camp so that all students are the same opportunity for a place at the summer camp. 

At present, we use Campbell's 6th edition although we do not have enough text books this year for all students.  We will ask students to do some pre-reading for January and we have been working with a web based moodle for students to access reading material.  As this is in its infancy, it is difficult to say how well this will be used. 

all students who participate in the national qualifying examinations are awarded a certificate.  There is no fixed award of prizes, medals to students who gain a place at the summer camp or become team members. Some universities allow team members to be given credit for some of the courses at university, or a scholarship which helps pay university fees, but this is not uniform and varies from one university to another, course to course. 

The office in Canberra contacts the media about success in the national qualifying examinations, selection for the summer camp and the team to represent Australia. The office contacts local newspapers, radio stations etc.  Monash University also advertises its support for and sponsorship of the Olympiads through its website. 

The Australian Science Olympiad programs are supported by Monash University, Merck, Sharp & Dohme and the federal Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research and this support will end in 2010. 

The Ministry of Education has no role in the Australian Science Olympiads at present (November 2009)