AGQPT Cambodia immersion experience

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 communitie

s

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

approachwhat is possible in the allocated timethe 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 students47 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% English19% Religion13% 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, CambodiaVolunteered 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 EnglishTrialled 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 frameIT learning curveCultural re-adjustmentupon returnTeaching 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 practiceFoster personal interest in teaching

English in a third world country by returning to Cambodia during LSL in 2012