“Have we entered the 21st century still holding 19th century mental maps?”: “Have we entered the 21st century still holding 19th century mental maps?”


Is an education focused on ‘western’ learning and traditions adequate for the 21st Century?: Is an education focused on ‘western’ learning and traditions adequate for the 21st Century?


Slide3: Asia Education Foundation


Slide4: The AEF is a Foundation of the Asialink Centre at The University of Melbourne Receives annual funding from the Australian Government. Works in partnership with all State & Territory education systems. Asia Education Foundation 1992-2007


Slide5: Study about the peoples and cultures of Asia Study about the impact and influence of Asian Australians on Australia Reorientation of Australian curriculum to better address the needs of communities and individuals in the 21st Century Engaging Young Australians with Asia


Slide6: Teacher professional learning Curriculum resources Support for school programmes Key Activities


Slide7: Being good neighbours and responsible citizens Harmonious Australia Creative Australia Prosperous Australia National Statement for Engaging Young Australians with Asia in Australian Schools


Slide8: ‘Now more than ever we live in one world. We face issues that can only be addressed internationally: sustainable futures, the changing world economy.’ Engaging Young Australians with Asia, Asia Education Foundation, 2005


Slide9: Young people can only make sense of their world and be active and informed local and global citizens when they develop a sound understanding of the wider global context in which they are operating. The Asian region and Australia’s engagement with Asia are central to that context.’ Engaging Young Australians with Asia: A Statement for Australian Schools, 2005


The Need for a ‘Rethink’: The Need for a ‘Rethink’ New Times New Challenges New Knowledge, Skills and Understandings


New Times: New Times


Slide12: …am I in the New World, the Old World or the Next World? Robin Best In China We Trust 2006 Part of an Asialink touring exhibition A Secret History of Blue and White


The 21st Century: Asia cannot be ignored: Sheer size 60% of the world’s population 30% of the earth’s land world’s two most populous nations: China and India The 21st Century: Asia cannot be ignored Rapid economic growth world’s second largest economy: Japan, and the two fastest growing economies: China and India 2010: China, United States, India and Japan - world’s top 4 economies Geo-politics world’s largest Muslim nation: Indonesia world pressure points: North-South Korea, China-Taiwan, India-Pakistan interconnected world: population and development pressure on environment, health, resources…..


New Economic World Order: New Economic World Order China and India – to rise by 2020 Resources: in 2005, China and India together consumed: 35% of world steel 24% of aluminum 55% of cement 51% of coal 40% iron ore 51% of cotton 12% oil These are all set to rise Both are nuclear powers


Asia’s contribution to world civilisation: cultural, intellectual and creative enrichment: Asia’s contribution to world civilisation: cultural, intellectual and creative enrichment greatest diversity of belief systems in any world region: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity… some of the greatest contributions to world heritage of all time


Slide16: How well prepared are we to respond to different worldviews: rule of law, belief systems, cultural practices, and changing geopolitical alliances and economic power bases?


New Challenges: New Challenges


From an old world view to a new: West meets East: From an old world view to a new: West meets East Landscape: Body tattoo, 1999, Huang Yan, China


Slide20: Activity 1 With a colleague, take a few minutes to brainstorm what a ‘new’ world view might include/involve.


Slide21: ‘We [in Australia] have grown up in a society which has historically acted as if the only really important ideas, cultures, beliefs and norms are those with their origins in western Europe and latterly North America.’ Studies of Asia: A Statement for Australian Schools, Asia Education Foundation, 2000


Slide22: “Asia is now the region of the world whose current emergence is one of history’s greatest catalysts for worldwide change. Australians require new skills, knowledge and understanding related to the Asian region and Australia’s engagement with Asia in order to meet the challenges and opportunities of living and working in the 21st century.” National Statement for Engaging Young Australians with Asia in Australian Schools


Slide23: ‘The promise of globalization is a shared destiny of nation’s working together to minimize conflict and poverty, restore eco systems, reduce emissions, ban arms trafficking and thrash out an evolving agenda of ethics and fairness to which all can be a party, especially the strong. Its deeper meaning is a belated awareness that we are all connected…  Richard Neville, The Sydney Morning Herald, May 2002


Slide24: Harmonious Australia ‘…two factors to consider as solutions - one being education and the other being interaction. If they are the solutions, where are they?’ Waleed Aly


Slide25: Source: www.internationaled.org/ asiaintheschools.htm


Vision for the coming decade: Vision for the coming decade


Slide29: Source: www.casaasia.org


New Knowledge, Skills and Understandings: New Knowledge, Skills and Understandings


The Futures Child: The Futures Child So what knowledge, skills and understanding will my children need as they move into adulthood in 2020?


Slide33: Activity 2 What are the ‘essential’ skills, knowledge and understandings that young people need to prosper in the 21st Century?


Slide34: Globalisation and education Information and ideas now traverse the world with unprecedented speed and frequency In the flat world, where everything is interconnected, higher skills and the ability to be adaptable and innovative and to communicate across cultures will be essential to individual and national success Learning in a Global Age: Knowledge and Skills for a Flat world, Asia Society, 2007. Learning in a Global Age: Knowledge and Skills for a Flat world


Slide35: Equipping our children for the 21st century in Australia, in their region and globally. New knowledge and new skills required


Slide37: 25% of schools do not teach about Asia at all; 25% do so only in superficial ways. Review of Studies of Asia in Australian Schools, Erebus Consulting Partners, January 2002


Where have we been?: Where have we been? Children’s knowledge and perceptions of Asia stereotypic: “poverty, paddy fields and pandas” (1992) School textbooks on ‘Asia’ largely ignored the 20th century and were orientalist (1993) 90% of textbooks on Japan were about origami (1995) Same 3 topics taught repeatedly about Japan, kindergarten to Year 10: day in the life of a Japanese child, food …and origami (1995) Teachers saw Asia as “ traditional, exotic, conservative, imposing authority and requiring compliance” with Australia as significantly different (1996) Inclusion of anything to do with Asia was surveyed as less than 5% of course content in teacher education. (2001)


Slide39: “Teacher knowledge still the greatest barrier” Review of Studies of Asia in Australian Schools, Erebus Consulting Partners, January 2002


Infusion in Learning Areas: Infusion in Learning Areas


Year levels: Year levels


Slide42: Contemporary Asia Traditional Asia Diverse Asia Asia in the world Asia and Australia


Slide43: “Studies of Asia must also be about the proper study of humankind: about what is valued, what is excellent, what is beautiful, what is moving, what is lasting and what are matters of belief. To insist that the above can be addressed solely through European or Western knowledge, which is still the assumption on which our education is based… is not only a disfigurement and deformity but is ignorant.” Fitzgerald, S. Education and the Australian Mind The Buntine Oration, 1991


Slide44: Understand ‘Asia’ Develop informed attitudes and values Know about contemporary and traditional Asia Connect Australia and Asia Communicate By end of schooling young people would optimally know, understand and be able to:


Slide45: 91% of the parents surveyed believed that an ability to communicate across cultures was an important skill for all Australians.


A Change model: A Change model


Slide47: An Asia engaged young Australian In order to prepare students to live, work and learn in their world, studies of Asia and Australia are being included in course content across the curriculum with a balance between in-depth, sustained studies and broader, more general studies that explore themes, topics or issues.


Slide48: Curriculum change across Australia Futures, thinking, identity, communication, personal futures, social responsibility, world futures and interdependence From traditional subject silos to interdisciplinary approaches Move towards nationally consistent curriculum


Slide50: Everyone does not speak English. Indeed: English as a first language is in decline. Approximately two-thirds of the world’s population will not be able to speak English by 2050 The Internet is now multilingual. For commerce, most people prefer to use a website published in the own language. That is why a third of the World Wide Web is not in English and that proportion is growing Ass Prof Tony Liddicoat, Canberra, October 2006 The Myth of English Language Dominance


In-Country Study Programmes: In-Country Study Programmes


Slide52: www.asiaeducation.edu.au/gokorea/index1.html


AEF Website: AEF Website www.asiaeducation.edu.au/


Slide54: Asia Education Foundation