ALL HALLOWS’ SCHOOL

Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia........learning through a lived experience.

Email: bentley_susan@allhallows@qld.edu.au

Blog: http://herstorycambodia.wordpress.com

What prompted my inquiry?

Student knowledge of and attitudes towards Asian communities

Desire to transform student’s

intercultural learning

Personal and professional

interest

Appeal of Cultural

Immersion

Central issue:

How do I raise my Year 10 student’s cross-cultural understandings and animate broader global perspectives while being mindful of:

AHS values

maintaining a optimistic and respectful approach

what is possible in the allocated time

the cyclical nature of ‘Action Research’?

Project Goal:

Investigate the pedagogical value of my “lived experience” in a Cambodian orphanage and rural high school .

AIMS:

Broaden

perspectives

Engage in cross-cultural

immersion

Incorporate learning in pedagogy

Process:

Dialogue with students

Survey of students

ResearchCambodia Cultural

Immersion

Implementation and reflection

:Informing Research:

ACARA, QSA , BCE and AHS curriculum documents

Journals, books and websites

Asian cultural immersion programs

Cambodian newspapers

Autobiographies and biographies (Cambodian)

Survey of students

47 Year 10 student respondents ( my History and Religion classes).

33% acknowledged media sources as the strongest influence on their understandings of Asian history, culture and issues.

In terms of exposure to subject matter that explicitly addresses Asian issues:

21% English

19% Religion

13% History

Student perspectives:

“ I am not very knowledgeable about Australia’s relationship with Asia”

“ My lack of knowledge leaves me uncertain about aspects of Asian cultures”

“I would like to learn more about Asian culture and how it is linked to Australia’s relationship with Asia”.

Project Stage 1: Savong orphanage and High School, Cambodia Volunteered at Savong orphanage and taught English at

Savong High School for 2 weeks (September school holidays)

Documented my experience in Blog posts (http://herstorycambodia.wordpress.com /

Read autobiographies and biographies of victims of the Khmer Rouge whilst in Cambodia.

Used resources my students had made in teaching English Trialled use of text resources for the teaching of English in

Cambodia Visited a range of community development centres in Siem

Reap, Cambodia.

Project Stage 2:Teaching

Lessons

Photographs Narrative inquiry

Student reflections:

“The experience of my teacher has really impacted on my knowledge of Asia because while she teaches us about Social Justice she didn’t just tell us what we have to do, she just went out and did it”

“ Listening to the first hand experiences and visual aids helped me to understand that the situations are real and not just on the internet or in a book”

“I now have a better understanding of the injustices and inequality endured by millions of people”

“...made it seem as if it is actually possible to make a difference”.

Results of ‘Action Research’

RESULTS

Increased inter-cultural

understanding

Professional learning

Transition from “digital

migrant” “to “digital

native”.”

Student empowerment

CHALLENGES:

Confronting!

Time frame

IT learning curve

Cultural re-adjustment

upon return

Teaching English to 30

children aged 3 to 17 in the

same classroom

Where to from here?

Embed social action project in the teaching of Social Justice in Year 10 Religion curriculum

Broaden the History (8-10) curriculum to include units of study on Asian history

Continue expanding pedagogical practice

Foster personal interest in teaching English in a third world country by returning to Cambodia during LSL in 2012