Latvia
- Contact
- Latvijas Vēstures Skolotāju Asociācija (LVSA)
History Teachers’ Association of Latvia
Inese Berga
Danute Dura
Brivibas Boulevard 32-44
LV - 1050 Riga
Email: inese_be@inbox.lv, danute.vsb@gmail.com - About the organisation
- The
History Teachers' Association of Latvia is a non-governmental,
voluntary organisation of professionals; it consists of history teachers
of different nationalities, both from schools with Latvian language of
instruction and various ethnic minorities' schools.
The LVSA was founded in 1992 by 13 members, thus it will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2002. During this decade the number of members grew to 246. In March 1995 the Association officially became member of EUROCLIO. The LVSA with its central board in Riga, connects a number of project groups and working groups throughout the country that organise in-service training and seminars. The LVSA aims at bringing together creative people; promoting the development of history teaching in schools; facilitating the development and approbation of new curricula and textbooks for history teaching; contributing to history teachers' professional development and co-operating in international networks such as EUROCLIO. - The history competition
- The first round of the Latvian history competition "Vèsture ap mums" started in September 2001. The competition's task is to promote the knowledge about and the collecting and analysing of historical sources as well as the ability to interpret them; to support the ability to present the research work done. The competition's goal is to support the information process among students; to develop a more profound understanding of history by letting pupils research the historical sources themselves; to develop and strengthen the ability to write and finish up an academic research paper.
- Other activities
- The LVSA is organising in-service training and projects for history teachers in Riga and in the regions. Many activities aim at developing methodological advice, co-operating with external partners such as museums and archives, but also publishing houses. Organising various competitions for pupils, working together with institutions of higher education and the Ministry of Education. Finally, the LVSA organises international co-operation, for example to send teachers abroad for internships and to conferences.
- Requirements
- Participants
can be pupils from grade 5-12. The papers will be evaluated by three
categories: Group A: 5.-7. grade; group B: 8.-9. grade; group C: 10.-12.
grade. In the distribution of places the whole amount of points are
taken into account independently from any group category. The paper can
be done individually as well as in groups of up to 3 pupils. The student
can get a tutor's advice. The papers of group A + B can be submitted in
the mother tongue; for those not either in Latvian or Russian, a
translation into Latvian is required. The papers of pupils belonging to
group C have to be in the state language. The source appendix can remain
in the original language.
The research work can be done in various forms: as an academic research paper, as a CD-ROM presentation, as video or audio tape, as a model, a historical game, theatre performance (film or script), historical narration or novel etc. - Jury
- The
jury consists of the history advisor to the president of Latvia,
university lecturers, Archive and museum workers as well as
representatives of the LVSA. They evaluate the papers according to the
following criteria:
A) How is the chosen topic explained. Structure of content and its correspondence with the topic.
B) Choice of sources and their use, the ability to interpret them.
C) Visual creation, its originality and its correspondence with the criteria of an academic research paper.
D) For the finalists: the defence of their paper. If the student group consists of different age groups, the evaluation is based on the criteria for the eldest group. - Award
- All pupils and tutors, who participated in the competition are invited to the final Award Ceremony. All participants and tutors receive a certificate. There are cash prices for the first, second and third places. The jury has the right to decide about the distribution of places. There is also the possibility for Award winners to participate in international seminars abroad - knowledge of English or German is required
