11/23/07

What is Odyssey of the Mind?

(Official OM National Website)

Why Odyssey of the Mind is Good for Kids

The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students to learn creative problem-solving methods while having fun in the process. For more than twenty years, this unique program has helped teachers generate excitement in their students. By tapping into creativity, and through encouraging imaginative paths to problem solving, students learn skills that will provide them with the ability to solve problems -- great and small -- for a lifetime. The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students how to think divergently by providing open-ended problems that appeal to a wide range of interests. Students learn how to identify challenges and to think creatively to solve those problems. They are free to express their ideas and suggestions without fear of criticism. The creative problem-solving process rewards thinking "outside of the box." While conventional thinking has an important place in a well-rounded education, students need to learn how to think creatively and productively.

In the Odyssey of the Mind . . .

• Students learn to work together and develop team-building skills.
   
• Students learn to examine problems and to identify the real challenge without limiting the possible solutions and their potential success.
   
• The creative-thinking process is nurtured and developed as a problem-solving tool.
   
• Students of all types will find something that will appeal to them.
   
• The fun of participation leads to an elevated interest in regular classroom curricula.
   
• Teachers have a program to further provide students with a well-rounded education.
   

Who Participates?

Millions of students from kindergarten through college have participated in the Odyssey of the Mind. Since the Odyssey of the Mind eliminates the fear of criticism, even shy students are afforded the opportunity to open up and express themselves. Students learn to work in teams. Each year, five new competitive problems are presented for the teams to solve. These long-term problems are solved over weeks and months. Some of the problems are more technical in nature, while others are artistic or performance based. Each long-term problem rewards "Style" in the solution. This helps teach students that they should not simply try to solve problems but take the next step of enhancing their solutions. The teams are invited to participate in competition and present their solution with other teams. At the competition, the teams are given an on-the-spot "spontaneous" problem to solve. The combination of long-term problem solving, Style, and spontaneous problem solving produces a confident, able student.

Essence of the Competitions

• Primary - Grades K-2 on May 1, 2007
• Division I - Grades K-5 on May 1, 2007
• Division II - Grades 6-8 on May 1, 2007
• Division III - Grades 9-12 on May 1, 2007
• Division IV - Collegiate. All team members must have a high school diploma or its equivalent and be enrolled in at least one course at a two-or four-year college or university

Teams compete at the regional level, and/or at the state/province/country level. Teams that advance are eligible to attend the annual Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, usually held at a university campus somewhere in the United States. Competing teams are scored in three areas: the long-term problem, where they prepare solutions and bring them to competition; Style, or the enhancement of the long-term problem solution; and the spontaneous problem, given to the team on the day of competition. The long-term solution is worth a maximum of 200 points, Style is worth a maximum of 50 points, and spontaneous is worth a maximum of 100 points. The total of these three scores determines a team's rank in competition. All seven members may participate in the presentation of the long-term problem solution. The team will designate five of the seven members to solve a "spontaneous" problem within a specified time limit.

An International Extravaganza

The Odyssey of the Mind is truly a worldwide competition. Participants include teams from Australia, Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Siberia, Singapore, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, West Africa, and practically every state in the U.S. The annual Odyssey of the Mind World Finals is an event to behold. It embodies the international spirit of creativity!

Membership Costs

A member may be a school, a recognized community group, or a college or university. A membership fee is $135 (U.S.). With each membership, you receive:
 

• Five long-term problems that are challenging, user-friendly, and cover a wide variety of subjects.
   
• One non-competitive primary problem, designed to introduce younger students to creative problem solving.
   
• An Odyssey of the Mind Program Guide, which provides coaching information, rules, sample spontaneous problems . . . AND MORE!
   
• The Odyssey of the Mind Newsletter, a quarterly publication loaded with valuable program information.
   
• The opportunity to enter official competitions.
   
• A chance to attend the annual World Finals.
   
• The opportunity to win educational scholarships.
   
• All mailings and program updates.
   
• Support services from International Headquarters.

Membership Savings

You'll receive the following discounts if you purchase more than one membership:
 

• Each additional membership for the same school or community group @ $100
   
• 6-10 members from the same school district (registered at the same time) @ $120
   
• 11 or more members from the same school district (registered at the same time) @ $100
   

Referring to the Odyssey of the Mind volunteers:

Odyssey of the Mind Associations

Typically, a chartered affiliate is a state, province, or country that holds a competition in that geographical area. It is headed by an Association Director. Teams advance from regional competitions to association finals, and the champions are invited to compete at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. Members not represented by a chartered affiliate may compete at the World Finals on a first-come, first-served basis. All Division IV teams compete directly at World Finals. Odyssey of the Mind International Headquarters provides support services and materials to its affiliates. These include publications and trained consultants to conduct workshops and training sessions, and videotapes to train judges. Odyssey of the Mind tournament officials are properly trained at judges workshops to ensure uniform standards at all competitions.

Click here to locate local contacts.

Odyssey of the Mind Problems

Mechanical/Vehicle

Teams design, build and operate vehicles of various size and with various power sources. Sometimes they drive the vehicles, and sometimes the vehicles perform tasks, such as overcoming obstacles or visiting other "countries" to retrieve artifacts.

Classics

The theme of this problem is based on the classical -- from literature to architecture to art. Whether it's writing an additional chapter to Moby Dick or bringing paintings to life, it's always a terrific learning experience.

Performance

In this problem, teams present performances that revolve around a specific theme and incorporate required elements. Past themes include "morphing" objects, animals that express human emotions, and originating folktales.

Structure

Teams design and build structures, using only balsa wood and glue. They test them by supporting and holding as much weight as possible -- sometimes more than a thousand pounds! Teams usually present a skit as part of the Style presentation.

Technical Performance

Teams make innovative contraptions and incorporate artistic elements into their solutions. They might be asked to write an original musical score to play on a "new" type of instrument, or to build a robot with human characteristics, or to perform tasks using a chain reaction of snapping mousetraps.

A Brief History

The Odyssey of the Mind has its roots in the Industrial Design classes of Dr. Sam Micklus, Odyssey of the Mind founder. As a professor at Rowan University in New Jersey (formerly Glassboro State College) Dr. Micklus challenged his students to create vehicles without wheels, mechanical pie throwers and flotation devices that would take them across a course on a lake. He evaluated them not on the success of their solutions, but on the ingenuity applied and the risk involved in trying something new and different. Students had fun. Word spread and the students' activities attracted attention from the local media. Soon, people on the outside wanted a part of the action. This public interest led to the development of a creative problem-solving competition for school children. The Odyssey of the Mind was on its way. Since then, Dr. Micklus's life has been happily consumed with developing problems for other people to solve. His rewards are in the joy and pride of the millions of participants who rise to the challenge of solving those problems.

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