NYFPS | New York Future Problem Solving Program, Inc.

Global Issues Problem Solving

Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) is a team or individual competitive component in which participants research a series of annual global topics and apply the six step creative problem solving process. Participants use their knowledge and the problem solving process to address an imagined situation set in the future, called a “Future Scene”. They go through the six-step framework as they complete a “booklet” addressing, critically analyzing, and solving a major issue in the Future Scene.

New York Academic Competition | New York School Competition | Future Problem Solving Program

JUNIOR DIVISION

(Grades 4 - 6)

MIDDLE DIVISION

(Grades 7 - 9)

SENIOR DIVISION

(Grades 10 - 12)

Team GIPS

Individual GIPS

Gr 4 Gr 7 Gr 10 Gr 12

The slate of topics for the upcoming years are selected by students across the globe each year.

Participants can also suggest topic ideas for future slates. Suggested topic ideas typically takes several years to appear in before participants to allow for review and resource development.

Annual Topics

Each year FPSPI announces the topics for the school year which will be the basis for the thematic basis for each submission in the GIPS annual competition timeline (seen below). Participants have the opportunity to research and explore these topics which are usually topics that are expected to increasingly become more important in the future. The topics represent themes and concepts from the strands of Business & Economics, Social & Political, and Science & Technology.

Explore the topics and read brief descriptions for this school year.

Read Here >

Vote Here >

Submit Here >

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Competition Season Timeline

Each submission will be based on the corresponding Annual Topic announced at the start of the school year.

Competitive Submissions

Non-competitive Submissions

Practice Problem 1

Practice Problem 2

Qualifying Problem

State Conference

International Conference

Team GIPS

Under the guidance of an advisor or advisors, teams of four participants in Grades 4-12 (competing within the Junior, Middle, or Senior Divisions) use the FPS six-step model to explore challenges and propose action plans to complex societal problems.

Teams complete two practice problems and one qualifying problem throughout the school year. Trained evaluators score student work and return it with feedback including suggestions for improvement. The top scoring teams on the qualifying problem will be invited to compete in the state conference. The first place winners in each division will advance to the FPSPI International Conference in June.

Presentation of Action Plan (Skits Performance)

Teams will also perform skits at the State and International Conference which serve as creative ways to present their Action Plans (STEP 6). These performances allow students to practice presentation and creative performance skills. Performances are evaluated and winners are announced for each division in a separate award. Presentation of Action Plan awards do not determine qualifications for invitations to the International conference.

PoAP

Individual GIPS

Under the guidance of an advisor or advisors, a student, in Grades 4-12 (competing within the Junior, Middle, or Senior Divisions), may decide to compete individually rather than as a member of a team. Individual GIPS submissions only compete against other individual submissions and are evaluated separately from Team GIPS. The student applies the FPS six-step model to explore challenges and propose action plans to complex societal problems. An individual completes all six steps when preparing a booklet, but the workload is reduced for some steps.

Participants complete two practice problems and one qualifying problem throughout the school year. Trained evaluators score student work and return it with feedback including suggestions for improvement. The top scoring individuals on the qualifying problem will be invited to compete and go to the state conference. The first place winners in each division will advance to the FPSPI International Conference in June.

Individuals may also have the opportunity to participate in the Presentation of Action Plan at the State and International Conferences; typically individuals join other teams or individuals from their school or other participants from the state if possible.