The world of tomorrow is being shaped
in your classrooms today
Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for
Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008)
Major changes in the world:
rapid global integration and
international mobility
environmental, social and
economic pressures extend
beyond national borders
requiring countries to work
together in new ways
Indonesians & Australians: main fear?
Australia
The breakup of Aus/Ind
27%
0%
Damage to your religion
13%
1%
13%
Terrorist attack
The breakdown of law and order or social
harmony in Aus/Ind
17%
12%
Another country promoting dissent in
Aus/Ind
Another country attacking Aus/Ind
5%
3%
5%
Epidemics or diseases
Indon No1 worry: Separatists.
(And Aussie “meddling”)
Aussie No1 worry: Climate.
(Not enough Indons care).
7%
5%
5%
Loss of energy resources
4%
4%
Large scale nuclear war
3%
Oppression by your own government
17%
9%
5%
5%
2%
Climate change
1%
Damage to your values
0%
Indonesia
24%
4%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Source: Roy Morgan Research, August 2008
30%
World Language Families
Asian Languages 2010
• 18% of Australian school students currently study an
Asian language – down from 23% in 2002
• Decreases to 5.8% in Year 12 - down from 6.6% in
2008
• 94% of year 12 students of Chinese have Chinese
background
• Indonesian is losing 10,000 students per year since
2005
• Japanese declined 20% - now mostly in primary
schools
• Korean taught in very few schools.
Four Languages, Four Stories: the Current State of Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian and
Korean Languages Education in Australian Schools, AEF, 2010
Atlas of Faiths
Year 12 Modern History
Typically, Modern History includes many
opportunities for an Asian focus – however most
students don’t choose them.
In NSW Modern History, National Studies module:
• 2% chose China
• 4% chose India, Japan, Indonesia and Australia combined
• 4% - South Africa
• 6% - USA
• 65% - Germany
• 19% - Russia/Soviet Union
ACER study on the proportion of Year 12 students studying about Asia in English, History,
Geography, International Studies, Politics and Art.
Year 12 VCE English
The prescribed texts for Literature (40 texts) contains 4 texts with Asian focus or
content:
•
•
•
•
Pearl Buck: The Good Earth
William Dalrymple: City of Djinns
Andrew X Pham: Catfish and Mandala
Michelle de Kretser: The Hamilton Case
Neither of the 2 texts available for examination (The Hamilton Case (Novel) & City
of Djinns (Other Literature) is mentioned in the Examiners’ Report.
The Great Gatsby (Scott Fitzgerald) was the most popular choice in the Novel
section.
Studies of Asia in Year 12, Australian Council for Educational Research, April 2009
PricewaterhouseCoopers Melbourne Institute Asialink Index
www.asialink.unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for
Young Australians
‘India, China and
other Asian nations
are growing and their
influence on the
world is increasing.
Australians need to
become ‘Asia
literate’, engaging
and building stronger
relationships with
Asia…’
‘Asia literacy’ is
foundational and deep
knowledge, skills and
understandings about the
histories, geographies, societies,
cultures, literatures and
languages of the diverse
countries that make up our
region.
Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for
Young Australians
Goal 1
Equity and Excellence: schooling
contributes to a socially cohesive
society
Goal 2
Successful learners: able to
make sense of their world
Confident and creative
individuals: have a sense of self
worth and identity; relate well to
others
Active and informed citizens:
appreciate Australia’s social,
cultural and linguistic diversity;
communicate across cultures
especially Asia; act as responsible
global and local citizens
Australian Curriculum
Asia and
Australia’s
engagement
with Asia:
priority for all
students
Intercultural
Understanding:
required by all
students
ACARA: Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia Organising Ideas
• The countries of Asia have grown in political, environmental,
cultural, economic and strategic importance for Australia, the
region and the world.
• The peoples and countries of Asia are diverse in ethnic
background, traditions, culture, belief systems and religions.
• The achievements of the people and countries of Asia
contribute to world history and human endeavour past and
present.
• The countries of Asia have diverse environments and the
ongoing interactions between these environments and human
activity have influence locally, regionally and globally.
Year 12 English student draws on
contemporary politics and
traditional Indonesian culture
Year 10 student learns
Balinese dance in
Performance Arts
Year 3 student participates in ICT
Teddy Bear exchange with school in
Pakistan.
Year 6 Music student learns
Taiko drumming
Skills, Knowledge, Understandings
Students
Teachers
ICT: wikispaces, skype, web,
ICT: wikispaces, skype, web, mobile
mobile telephony, smart boards telephony, smart boards & blending ICT
into classroom pedagogy
Subject knowledge and skills
Subject knowledge and skills to frame
learning sequence
Communication: language &
intercultural skills
Communication: language & intercultural
skills to guide student to student
interaction & collaborate with teacher
partner
Values: curiosity, openness,
friendship & intercultural
understanding
Incentive: student outcomes, friendship
& intercultural understanding
Achieving Asia literacy & intercultural
understanding requires systemic
leadership & support
• Education leaders: champions
• Curriculum frameworks: explicit
• Monitor & report: intercultural dimension; Asia literacy
• Curriculum resources: available & relevant
• ICT: link teachers and students across the world
• Teacher professional learning: available & in-depth
• Teacher education: intercultural & Asia dimension
• School leaders : supported to lead change
• Parents and school communities: support/demand
• Languages: essential
www.deewr.gov.au/schooling/nalssp
Asia Education Foundation
Established in 1992
AEF vision: an Australia where all citizens confidently and actively engage
with the people, countries and cultures of Asia, both within and outside
Australia
AEF mission: through education, to equip young Australians
with
knowledge, skills and understandings of the people, countries and cultures
of Asia.
Asia Literacy
21st Century reality for all young Australians
• Globalisation:
connected people
• Global issues:
connected countries
• Rise of Asia:
Asia and Australia
= new skills, knowledge,
understandings