Changes to the 2009-2010 Program Guide

The following are highlights of the changes I've found in this year's Program Guide from last year's. Rather than exhaustively cataloging the changes (as was done here) I focused on the changes that would affect how you coach a team.

What is Odyssey of the Mind? (p. 5)
2. Added: "This includes Style enhancements described later in this guide."

3. Added: "Coaches may help teach skills and educate the team on ways of approaching the problem and of evaluating their solution."

Coaching an Odyssey of the Mind Team (p. 7)
Added: "In OotM the coach plays a limited but important role."

Replaced: "teach team members how to open their minds to new ideas, listen to others, and evaluate solutions effectively" with "teach team members how to explore possibilities, listen to others, learn from failures, and evaluate solutions effectively."

Added "teaching them how to solve differences"

Added "Be sure to read and re-read the problem and clarifications. Make sure the team reads them as well and recognizes what is being scored."

Brainstorming (p. 12)
Under "Allow no criticism" added "Present examples of 'wild ideas' that were successful such as walking on the moon."

Checklist for Competing in Long-Term (p. 30)
Changed "Three completed copies of the Style form" to "Four completed copies of the Style form".

Rules That Apply to All Problems.
(5) Clarified interactions with judges during Long-Term and spontaneous: "The judges will only speak to the team members if they feel it is appropriate or is required in the limitations of the problem. In Spontaneous judges will always answer questions.

Added: "The team may not involve the judges in its presentation in any way and any reaction or participation from the judges or audience does not count for score."

Incorporated 2009 rules (8) and (15) into 2010 rule (5).

(18) Safety and damage control, changed the items not allowed list lighter-than-air balloons item to read: "Lighter-than-air balloons (e.g., helium) that are not sufficiently tethered and/or weighed down. That is, those that will float uncontrollably upward are not allowed."

Added the following item to the not allowed list "Liquids that can stain or cause other floor damage".

Exempt items
(4) changed to read: "Jewelry, such as wristwatches, earrings, rings, etc., and street clothes that do not enhance the solution or contribute to a costume. Remember if a team is wearing identical street clothes such as matching shirts, they would count towards cost because they appear to be a uniform, therefore enhancing the solution (see pg. 48)."

Glossary
Added the following definition (p. 53):

"Human Power - Direct: manipulating the intended object by hand so it functions without any other mechanism; for example: throwing, kicking, blowing, twisting, or turning the object to be moved/manipulated. For example, tossing a ball into a container. Indirect: applying human power to something that directly manipulates the object that in turn moves/is manipulated; for example, hitting a ball with a golf club so it goes into a container. If human power is used to help cause a series of actions to take place in order to make something function that is considered mechanical and not human power; for example, turning a crank that winds a coil that releases an object is considered mechanically powered. Also, turning a crank by hand that is geared to pull back a device similar to a catapult and then releasing it so it moves a ball into a container is considered mechanically powered. This is allowed as long as human energy is not prohibited and the problem does not have a different definition.

Added the following definition (p. 54):

Set up - The time after judges say "Team Begin" that the team uses to set up props. It counts toward the 8-minute time limit. Teams can simultaneously perform while setting up props.

Style Form
Changed to include the requirement of four copies for competition.