Aotearoa Online Schools Debating

Aotearoa Online Schools Debating 2020-04-25T06:09:54+00:00

Aotearoa Online Schools Debating (AOSD) is an Online Schools Debating competition connecting students from across New Zealand during the countrywide lockdown. AOSD is being run by a group of regional schools’ debating organisations including Auckland Schools’ Debating, Waikato Schools’ Debating, Wellington Speaking Union, Canterbury Schools’ Debating Council and Dunedin Schools’ Debating with support from NZSDC.

If you have any questions about the competition, please contact the organisers at [email protected].

Debate Instructions

Our debate instruction documents contain important information about the process of debating and how to use different pieces of software.

Register

The competition is open to all secondary school students across New Zealand. Team members do not need to be from the same school. You can register in the following combinations:

  • As a team of 3-5 students
  • With 1 teammate (2 students) and we will put you in a team with other students
  • As an individual and we will put you in a team with other students

Registrations have now closed, but you can complete a late registration using the link below. We will try to enter late registrations into the competition but this may not always be possible.

Late Registration Link: https://forms.gle/pHUd2CJXpfvisLNo7

Online Debating

AOSD will be using Zoom and Slack to facilitate debating online. Zoom and Slack are free for students to use.

Slack will be used as a platform for sharing announcements and important information about AOSD. It will allow participants to message the organisers of AOSD for help and to message their teammates.

All debates will be done by video call on Zoom. In order to debate online students need:

  • A device (preferably a laptop or tablet) to use Zoom on with a camera and microphone
  • A stable internet connection
  • A quiet place to debate
  • Headphones (optional)

Participants will connect to a Zoom meeting (via a link) assigned to their team on the draw. Following the announcement of the motion, each team will be moved to a breakout room on Zoom for preparation time. At the end of preparation time, participants will be moved to a debate room on Zoom for the debate. Debates will take place over video call. Teams can use slack or another social media platform in order to message each other during the debate.

Grades

The competition has 4 grades:

  • Premier Grade (for senior students who are experienced debaters and want to compete at the highest level)
  • Advanced Grade (for students with some debating experience who want to debate against other students in a competitive environment)
  • Senior Social Grade (for senior students with no or some debating experience who want to debate in a less competitive environment)
  • Junior Grade (for all year 9 and 10 students with or without debating experience)

Format

All grades have:

  • Preparation Time: All debates are limited preparation with 30 minutes of preparation time. Teams can only have 3 students in the preparation room and may not use the internet for research.
  • Points of Information: No points of information
  • Debate Frequency: Weekly
  • Time: 4:45pm – 6:45pm (briefing starts at 4:45pm, debates start at 5:30pm). Depending on judge capacity, additional debates may be held from 6:15pm – 8:15pm.

Premier Grade

  • Speaking times: 6 minute speeches with 3 minute replies
  • Day of week: Wednesday

Advanced Grade

  • Speaking times: 6 minute speeches with 3 minute replies
  • Day of week: Monday

Senior Social Grade

  • Speaking times: 4 minute speeches with 2 minute replies
  • Day of week: Wednesday

Junior Grade

  • Speaking times: 4 minute speeches with 2 minute replies
  • Day of week: Monday
  • Adjudicated by: University and Senior Student Adjudicators

Student Information and Coaching Webinar

The student information and coaching webinars have already taken place. You can find links to them below.

The student information webinar consists of a brief presentation outlining the important parts of the competition and walking students through how to use Zoom and Slack.

The student coaching webinars consist of a how to debate presentations covering the basics of debating. See links to the following presentations below. There also is a recording available of the junior coaching presentation.

  • Junior coaching (for year 9 and 10 students)
  • Novice senior coaching (for senior students with no or limited experience debating)
  • Intermediate senior coaching (for senior students with some experience debating)

Technical Drop-in

The technical drop-in sessions have already been hosted. If you have any technical questions please email [email protected].

Parent and Teacher Information

The parent and teacher information webinar is a chance for any interested parents and teachers to find out more about the competition and how they can support their students. There will be a brief presentation followed by a question and answer session.

These sessions have now been completed. You can find a link to the slides used below:

Key Dates

  • Friday 3 April – Registrations Close (5:00pm)
  • Sunday – Parent and Teacher Information Webinar (5:30pm – 6:00pm)
  • Monday 6 April – Round 1: Advanced Grade
  • Monday 6 April – Round 1: Junior Grade
  • Wednesday 8 April – Round 1: Premier Grade
  • Wednesday 8 April – Round 1: Senior Social Grade
  • Monday 13 April – Round 2: Advanced Grade
  • Monday 13 April – Round 2: Junior Grade
  • Wednesday 15 April – Round 2: Premier Grade
  • Wednesday 15 April – Round 2: Senior Social Grade
  • Monday 20 April – Round 3: Advanced Grade
  • Monday 20 April – Round 3: Junior Grade
  • Wednesday 22 April – Round 3: Premier Grade
  • Wednesday 22 April – Round 3: Senior Social Grade
  • Wednesday 29 April – Round 4: Premier Grade
  • Wednesday 29 April – Round 4: Senior Social Grade
  • Monday 4 May – Round 4: Advanced Grade
  • Monday 4 May – Round 4: Junior Grade
  • Wednesday 6 May – Round 5: Premier Grade
  • Wednesday 6 May – Round 5: Senior Social Grade
  • Monday 11 May – Round 5: Advanced Grade
  • Monday 11 May – Round 5: Junior Grade
  • Wednesday 13 May – Octo Finals: Premier Grade
  • Monday 18 May – Quarter Finals: Premier, Advanced and Junior Grades
  • Wednesday 20 May – Semi Finals: Premier, Advanced and Junior Grades
  • Monday 25 May – Grand Finals: Premier, Advanced and Junior Grades

Registration Fee

In order to make the competition as accessible as possible for students, there will be no registration fee for participating. However, the competition is not free to run and we would encourage those who are able to make a $10 (or more) donation per student towards the costs of the competition:

Account Name: New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council
Account Number: 38-9008-0461048-00

The New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council is a registered charity and a donation receipt can be provided upon request by emailing [email protected].

Student Adjudicators

The Junior Grade is adjudicated by both university and student adjudicators. Students may sign up to be student adjudicators if they meet the following criteria:

  • They are in Years 12 or 13
  • They are entered into the Premier Grade

We reserve the right to not use all student adjudicators who sign up or to require them to complete a training course.

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/jRRwPj4RCK3LAj5j6

Contact Us

You can contact the organisers of the competition at onlin[email protected] or by using the following contact information:

  • Lead Organiser: Zachary Wong (0211588801)
  • Lead Organiser: Ailidh Leslie (0211410452)
  • Lead Organiser: Sam Penno (0220615711)
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