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What is Access Asia?
Home | What is Access Asia?
Updated: August 2008
 

Contents


What is it?
Access Asia is the Western Australian program created by a partnership between the Department of Educaton and Training, Western Australia and the Asia Education Foundation (AEF). It aims to support all schools in the state to:

  • Increase empathy, knowledge and understanding about the peoples and countries of Asia amongst teachers and students
  • Include content of Asia in a range of learning areas in an infused rather than a separate stand-alone way
  • Provide students with sequenced and sustained understandings of the region within an Australian context
  • Move towards an Asia-engaged school with formal, whole-school commitment to implementing the learning phases described in the National Statement
  • Engage in professional development, discussion and activities within schools and clusters around the Studies of Asia and Australia.

It has a state advisor and teachers of experience to provide support and advice.


Who funds it?
The Asia Education Foundation (AEF) is a joint activity of Asialink at the University of Melbourne and Curriculum Corporation. Since 1992, the AEF has received core funding from the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

The AEF works in partnership with government and non-government education agencies, universities, philanthropic foundations and the corporate sector to:

  • promote and support the study of Asia across the curriculum
  • develop Asia-related print and electronic materials
  • promote the study of Asia through professional learning
  • educate the broader community about the importance of young Australians engaging with Asia.

The AEF funds all states and territories to provide a state/territory advisor, professional development, resources and support to assist teachers with the design of exemplary studies of Asia learning sequences.

 


What do we do?

Access Asia

  • provides an opportunity to engage with diverse themes that touch on culture, language, geography, history and contemporary issues
  • helps teachers use effective pedagogy to foster intercultural understanding and breadth and depth of knowledge about the nations and peoples of Asia
  • Works across the curriculum particularly including the learning areas of The Arts, Society and Environment, Languages, and English
  • Embeds the National Programs of Civics and Citizenship and Values in their material
  • Provides teachers, students and communities with responsive, flexible support to foster and develop the Studies of Asia & Australia
  • Assists through email, newsletters, school visits, the state Access Asia website, the National website and advice onsite
  • Can give access to teaching and learning materials with strategies and activities with an Asian focus, and provide advice on resource access, cultural incursions and events.

View this powerpoint or show it to your colleagues in a staff meeting, a planning meeting or over coffee!! What does Access Asia do?


 

Why Asia?
Asia is now the region 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 twenty-first century.

Globally the Asian region is of great significance. Asia includes:

  • 60% of the world’s population and 30% of world land mass
  • the world’s two most populous nations, China and India
  • some of the most dynamic civilisations of all time
  • a great diversity of belief systems including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, and Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country
  • the world’s second largest economy, Japan, and the two fastest growing major economies, China and India.

For Australia, the countries of the Asian region are of critical importance. They are our closest neighbours and major trading partners. They represent the cultural heritage of a growing number of Australians and their rich traditional and contemporary cultures provide opportunities for our social, creative and intellectual development.