Activity 3: The Challenge
Now that you have some ideas about how Asian cultures have contributed to Australian society, you should take a look into areas that are particularly interesting to you, things you might want to pursue for a career or pastimes in your future. This means you’re ready to tackle the second key question:
- Key inquiry question: How have things that interest you been influenced by this infusion of Asian influences?
In this part of the activity, you will join into small teams to help each other explore the many ways different Asian cultures contribute to work that people do and that you might be interested in.
- Divide into smaller teams of five (or ten students if working in pairs).
- Your team is to engage in quick research into 5 different aspects of Australian society and work. As a team you will collect information that compares and contrasts what is distinctly Australian, what is Asian and what might be shared.
- Either one person or a pair will explore each of the five topics and their links below. Use the prompting questions and ideas for research for each topic to help guide your research. But most importantly, look for things that you think are interesting to you or might be to your peers.
- Use a shared document (Google Doc or Primary Pad) or brainstorming app (MindMup or Padlet) to gather everyone’s ideas. Be specific about information, quotations, statistics or other evidence and keep track of where you got it from in case someone on your team wants to use this later.
Food & Tourism
As you have already seen, what Australians eat has been influenced greatly by Asian cultures. Explore the links below to get ideas for what you think are the best approaches for building on this trend in the future. Look especially for things that give clues about how to be successful in this field in the coming years.
Fashion & the Arts
Like all aspects of culture, Australian and Asian cultures come together in the worlds of arts, fashion and design. Use these links to gain inspiration and note good examples of how Australians are adapting to and building on a connection with Asia. Look for things that spark ideas about how to succeed in these fields in the coming years.
Business & Trade
Perhaps the source of most worked related to Asian comes in the areas of business and trade. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade focuses on developing economic relationships, but many individuals have done the same. Explore the links below to gain insights into ways that young people might find careers working globally in our region
Media & Sports
Sport is very popular in Australia. Explore how our place in the Australasian region is changing both traditional Australian sports, but also expanding what’s on offer. Look for areas of growth where a sports-minded person could follow a career in this expanding area.
Social Work & Volunteering
The Australian government, non-government organisations and charities provide funding and support for many countries in the Asian region. You or your peers might be interested in a career in this field or could find volunteering a very rewarding pastime. Take note of how a person could get involved in some aspect of helping in Australia or the region.
Group Work
After everyone completes their part of the research, meet as a team so each person can share what he or she has learned. Remember to highlight both what you found interesting and what you think might appeal to others your age. All students should use the Venn diagram (DOC, PDF or Google Doc) to put together what they hear of value from teammates. In other words, the Venn diagram is your personal tool for organising what you learn; each student will complete his or her own Venn diagram.
Reflection
Use your Venn diagram as the springboard for your reflection. This will help you with specific ideas you can use to answer the following question:
- Key inquiry question: How have things that interest you been influenced by this infusion of Asian influences?
You should write at least one page that thoughtfully reflects on this question.