TOM Challenge Information – Planning Guide for Schools and Their Facilitators
This resource contains information extracted from the TOM website and information gleaned from my past years 18 experiences with TOM, initially as a facilitator, then a judge. I have taken teams to Regionals and State. My main area of TOM has been Applied Technologies – now known as STEM, where I am a judge.
The TOM website is: www.https://tom.edu.au/
In this link is special information about the particular Challenges.
For other challenges questions, you should carefully read the Challenge Pack kits provided by TOM.
Teams present their solution within a 3mx3m square and ensure that at least four team members are within the square at any given time during their performance.
That does not mean they all need to perform at the same time. They can be supporting, making getsures to enforce what is being performed. I have even seen a team member pretending to be a chair, but actively involved in the performance.
Facilitators receive the Long Term Challenge, so that it is available at the start of the six week preparation period in Term 3.
The six weeks of preparation time culminates in a Regional Final, often held at a participating high school or at a university. Students present the solution to their Long Term Challenge to a panel of judges as well as any supporters or competitors who wish to watch and encourage the team.
The Long Term Challenge is allowed 10 minutes of presentation time.
The Long Term Challenge is an open-ended challenge, in that it does not have any one specific solution. Teams must work collaboratively and creatively to satisfy multiple criteria and present their solutions in a dramatic format.
The Long Term Challenge disciplines are:
Language Literature
The Language Literature Challenge asks students to investigate and apply common literary devices and language techniques. This may involve existing or original texts, where texts may be written, spoken or multimodal, and in print or digital forms.
Social Sciences
The Social Sciences Challenge asks students to explore social issues and aspects of human society. This may include posing moral and ethical questions in a variety of contexts.
STEM
The combination of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) principles provides an integrated approach for students to deepen their conceptual understanding, and use their creative and critical thinking skills to solve the challenges within a real-world context
The Arts
The Arts Challenge asks students to research aspects of visual and performing arts and will require students to apply performing arts skills in creating their solutions. This may involve existing or original works of art, theatre, dance, music and song. The use of musical instruments is allowable in The Arts Challenge performance.
Teams select ONE Long Term Challenge from the disciplines above. They then work collaboratively, without outside assistance, to prepare their solution. This solution is performed to a panel of judges and an audience, at Regional Tournament Day.
Spontaneous Challenge
The Spontaneous Challenge refers to an unexpected, unseen problem that teams must solve on the day of the competition.
This requires teams to quickly brainstorm, think creatively, and collaborate effectively to come up with a solution within a set time frame; it tests their ability to adapt and work together under pressure, unlike the prepared "long-term challenges" that teams work on beforehand.
The key points about spontaneous challenges in Tournament of Minds are:
- Teams have 4 – 6 minutes to complete the challenge.
The challenge is only given when a team enters the challenge room.
- Unseen until competition day:
Teams are not aware of the challenge beforehand, meaning they must react and strategise on the spot.
Challenges can involve verbal responses, drawing, building something with provided materials, or a combination of elements.
- Focus on collaborative thinking:
The main goal is to assess how well a team can work together to generate ideas and present a solution under time pressure.
Here's a breakdown of what to expect from a TOM spontaneous challenge:
Key Characteristics:
- Unseen: The challenge is revealed on tournament day, not beforehand.
- Time-Constrained: Teams have a limited time (4-6 minutes) to solve the problem.
- Collaborative: The focus is on teamwork and the ability to develop ideas quickly together.
- Creative and Diverse: Challenges can involve brainstorming, drawing, creative writing, or hands-on tasks.
- No Audience: Only judges are present during the spontaneous challenge.
- No Prior Knowledge: Teams cannot discuss the problem outside the room until all teams have competed.
2025 Challenge Timeline
Key Dates:
- School Registrations Close: Friday, June 20th, 2025
- Challenges Released: Saturday, June 28th, 2025
- Team Nominations Open: Monday, July 21st, 2025
- Team Nominations Close: Friday, August 1st, 2025
- Regional Tournament Days: Saturday, August 30th and Sunday, August 31st
- NSW State Final | Sunday 14th September at UNSW Sydney
- TOM International Finals: End of October/Early November 2025
Challenges - Here's an Outline of What is Needed to Prepare for Each Challenge
There's a breakdown of past challenge Requirements across the different disciplines:
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics):
Students might be tasked with designing and building a device to perform a specific function, such as an unfolding bridge or a device that rings a bell after specific intervals.
Challenges could involve applying technology to solve a problem, like developing an animation to explore character design in online environments or creating the contents of a time capsule.
Students might be asked to design a device that can sort different types of objects or build a structure that can withstand a certain force.
Language Literature:
Students might be asked to analyze and interpret literary texts, explore how classic tales could change when passed down orally, or use characters from children's books to tell a new story.
Challenges could involve investigating and applying common literary devices and language techniques.
Students could be asked to transform a short story into a play or a poem into a song.
The Arts:
The Arts challenge will involve research before developing a creative interpretation in response to the Challenge. Plenty of opportunities for artistic expression in the form of dance, song, musical instruments, theatre and all forms of the Visual Arts.
Students could be asked to create a short film about a particular theme or design a stage set for a play.
Social Sciences
In the Social Sciences Tournament of Minds challenges, students explore social issues and aspects of human society, often posing moral and ethical questions in various contexts, and may involve brainstorming, creative writing, or hands-on activities.
Here's a breakdown of what you can expect in a Social Sciences Tournament of Minds challenge:
- Focus:
- The challenges delve into social issues and human society, encouraging students to think critically anand creatively about complex problems.
Types of Challenges:
Brainstorming: Students might be asked to brainstorm solutions to a specific social problem or explore different perspectives on a moral dilemma.
Creative Writing: Challenges could involve writing stories, poems, or essays that explore social issues or human behavior.
Hands-on Activities: Some challenges might require students to create a model, design a plan, or conduct a simulation to address a social problem.
- Examples of Challenge Topics:
Exploring the cultural consequences of moving an iconic structure from one country to another.
Investigating the possible implications of a historical event happening in a different location.
Examining the effects of social media on young people.
Analysing the causes and consequences of poverty or homelessness.
Discussing ethical dilemmas related to technology or artificial intelligence.
- Social Sciences Key Skills:
Critical Thinking: Students must analyze information, evaluate arguments, and form their own opinions.
Problem-Solving: They need to identify problems, brainstorm solutions, and develop a plan of action.
Collaboration: Students work in teams to research, develop ideas, and present their findings.
Communication: They must effectively communicate their ideas and solutions to an audience.
Creativity: They are encouraged to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions.
Challenge Levels
From past experiences the four challenges difficulty levels are:
Most Complex – STEM
Easiest – The Arts
In the Middle – Are Social Sciences and Language Literature
However, all are mind challenging and encourage deep thinking skills, planning skills and a sense of adventure and mind challenge skills!
Regional Championships
Are held on a rotation basis in Coffs Harbour at the CHEC and in Port Macquarie at MacKillop College, on Ocean Drive. In 2024 the Regionals were help in Coffs Harbour, so in 2025 they will presumably be held in Port Macquarie.
State Finals
Are held at the University of NSW, Kensington, East Sydney, on Sunday Sepember 14.
Practicing in Term 1, with Past Challenges.
It is a great idea for teams to get together early in the year and work out their routine together. Past challenges are a good base to do this. Teans then 'get a bonding and an understaning' of working together and identify roles each member will take in the 'real challenge' is released.
My teams did this and by the time the challenges were released the had worked together and established their place in the team's pecking order.