Social Issues In Australia Essay

The discourse of whiteness has severely impacted on the educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (herein referred to as Indigenous Peoples). The discourse is based on an ontology founded on overt racism, discrimination, prejudice, exclusion and dispossession and towards all Indigenous Peoples. Subsequently, the history of Indigenous Peoples experiences in relation to education is extremely negative. They have been denied the right to the same education as non-Indigenous students, frequently expelled and continually forced to deny their cultural identity. The discourse of whiteness has resulted in pedagogies and pedagogical practices that are overly racist and not inclusive of Indigenous Peoples culture. To improve future educational outcomes it is necessary to decolonise Australia and rewrite the curriculum so that it is inclusive for all students.

Human Society and its Environment (HSIE) is one of the six primary key learning areas (KLAS) connecting the study of people, cultures, societies and environments. Because of this, I feel that this key learning area is important in early childhood and primary education as children begin to learn about themselves, their environment as well as their country in a way that is interesting and inspiring to them. Closely looking at the Geography syllabus, I have begun to think about why children should explore the relationships they have between people, places and environments including that of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their culture that has greatly impacted the way Australia is now. Geography is a subject that I find an interest in as I enjoy

The Australian Curriculum for the Humanities and Social Sciences plays an important role in harnessing students’ curiosity and imagination about the world they live in and empowers them to actively shape their lives; make reflective, informed decisions; value their belonging in a diverse and dynamic society; and positively contribute locally, nationally, regionally and

Students will be watching the film Kanyini (2006), which explores the idea of interconnectedness, caring, and protecting, whilst also delving into the darker side of Australian history with the oppression faced by Aboriginal Australians (Randall & Hogan, 2006.) To meet the criteria stated in Ausvels (2015), students will be learning about

Ed. Jennifer Stock. Vol. 2: Asia and Oceania. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2014. Student Resources in Context. Web. 4 Dec. 2015.

One aspect of the socio-cultural nature of language that impacts students is diversity. Approximately one-quarter of the Australian population was born abroad (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2017, para. 1). One-fifth of Australia speaks English as a second language at home (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2014, p.1). Australian schools are thoroughly populated with students who come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. For this reason, educators must understand the inextricable link between culture, language and the way students connect and interact with the world around them (Emmit, 2010, p. 48). Malaguzzi (1993), describes educators as a guide for students (p.3). This description is not limited to formal learning tasks. Through relationships, an educator can connect a student to their peers and into a learning environment.

Australia has experienced huge changes in terms of its policy, culture, economy and races within Australia since a great number of immigrants came to Australia for their living. Especially Australian relationships with Asia and perceptions of Asia have shifted over years. Nowadays, Japanese cultures such as comics, animation, languages and foods are very popular in Australia. However, Asia had been seen through the label of “Orientalism” which Said (1977) defined as “the basic distinction between East and West as the starting point for elaborate theories, epics, novels, social descriptions, and political accounts concerning the Orient, its people, customs, ‘mind,’ destiny, and so on” (pp.2-3). That is, it is a notion that the West is developed and superior, whereas the East is exotic and inferior. Today Australia economically incorporates and builds a good relationship with Asia, although it used to recognise Asians as negative objects and keep them out. This essay will be examining how the Australian perception of Asia changed over time, especially looking at its perception of Japan, comparing that of past and now through the influence of White Australia Policy and multiculturalism. In addition, I will highlight the central factors of the shifts from three aspects: economic, security and cultural forces.

In this brief paper I will present a critique of the book the Geography of Thoughts by Richard E. Nisbett. The purpose of the author is to demonstrate the profound cognitive differences between Westerners and East Asians. He uses several experiments to explain the differences of these cultures are because of differing ecologies, social structures, philosophies, and educational systems that date back to ancient Greece and China. At the end of the book, I coincided with Nisbett and his description of the differences of easterners and westerners. My objective is to present the main markers where I consider people could identify the broad dissimilarities. More specifically, the dichotomy between East Asians and Westerners is focused on their origins, the relationship with others, and their perception of the environment. In light of this, I will discuss how the ancestors influence the values of Easterners and Westerners, how is the relationship of these cultures with other social groups, and how each culture perceive the world in depth while referring to Nisbett’s examples and theory.

The recognition of colonialism within Asian history, has lead to cultural diversity- labour law, styles of government and educational concepts have been shaped by the contrasting experiences of the French, British, Dutch or American colonial systems. In china, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia there is, in addition, the influence of communism. These contrasts and clashes of religious and political traditions are complicated further by the economic

As a diversity of cultures enter Australia, Chinese students have encountered some difficulties in cultural transition and adapting to the new educational system in Australia. In this research, Yue (2010) explores in-depth understanding of Chinese students, and conducts thematic analysis on the problems in their academic and culture experience.

The Australian education system has fallen behind acceptable international standards additionally the way in which students are taught has proven to be negative to their mental health as it places too much stress upon students when they should be exploring the world around them. The no child left behind approach of Finland which aims teaching at students based on their interests promises an education system that can meet the needs of a rapidly evolving world. The only question left, is can our government provide change before it's too late to ensure the success of Australia's future in a competitive international

The choice to make the Asian Century an Australian century is ours to make. It is time to decide.

Chan , Jeremy. “Education in East Asia by the Numbers .” British Council , British Council.

Living in Geelong, a small yet cosmopolitan city in Australia has influenced me interpersonally. The experience of living in such sharp contrast to my life in Surabaya, Indonesia, has given me a broader view of the world and the ability to adapt to a different culture which every international student must possess. Living isolated from Indonesian speakers has also made my English improve surprisingly fast. I’m a blend of two contrasting lifestyles, and my thoughts, ideas, and actions reflect this blend. Of course if it wasn’t for my parents giving me the opportunity to study in Australia, I wouldn’t have been so privileged to have such an educational background.

Hong Kong is a modern, fast-paced international city saturated with skilled workforce and a desired destination of many immigrants. Due to such nature of Hong Kong, it is a highly competitive society. In 1997, Hong Kong, originally a colony of the UK, was returned to China, as a special territory free of China’s administration. This provided a balance between both Western and Oriental cultures in the educational system of Hong Kong. However, since 1980s, globalization affected many places in some form on the society. Therefore, Hong Kong has spent a decade in reforming its educational system which gradually emphasizes more on technical subjects to keep up with the trends resulting from globalization. These changes are made to