Inaugural China BRIDGE partnerships underway

NEW: Read why the Chinese visitors felt the homestay and school visit program was an experience to ‘refresh the spirit’

Welcome dinners for both groups were held at the University of Melbourne. View more photos below and on the Australia-China BRIDGE wikispace.

The Asia Education Foundation welcomed 24 teachers from Chaoyang District, Beijing  and Shandong Province to participate in the inaugural Australia-China BRIDGE Project. Building new Australia-China school partnerships, the two delegations participated in a three week program around Australia aimed at supporting language and studies programs through online collaboration.

Chinese teachers initially participated in a three day professional learning program on Australia Education, History and Culture, before they were joined by their Australian partner for a further four days to build partnerships, develop intercultural understanding and explore how a range of Web 2.0 tools (synchronous and asynchronous) will support student communication and collaboration.

In the Australian Curriculum, students develop intercultural understanding  as they learn to understand themselves in relation to others. This involves students valuing their own cultures and beliefs and those of others, and engaging with people of diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections and cultivate respect between people. The Australia-China BRIDGE Project aims to do this through people-to-people links and collaboration.

Following the professional learning program in Melbourne, the Chinese teachers accompanied their partners from across Australia for a two-week homestay and school visit. Read more about visitors’ impressions of their homestay visit and the Australian education system. 

This project was funded by the Australian Government Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations under the National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Program.

Digital stories

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  Kerry Law, Doncaster Gardens Primary School

  'We've got great support from our community - both parents and staff.'

  Video: 1:47

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  Ian Wilmoth, Camberwell Grammar School

  'I believe that it will help both me and my students improve our language skills and understand the Chinese culture much better.'

  Video: 0:38

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  Mingtian Fan, Australia-China BRIDGE participant

  'I hope it will improve my English and I think also that that my students will be very happy to help students [in Australia] to learn Chinese.'

  Video: 1:51

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  Erman Gao, Australia-China BRIDGE Project

  'I've come to learn more about Australian culture and Australian education.'

  Video: 2:21