How to use this website

This website has been designed to link with current curriculum in the Visual Arts and Studies of Society and Environment with a specific focus on studies of Asia for middle school students. The teachers' guide provides preliminary information and suggestions for teachers. The art gallery is designed to be used by students.

For teachers to maximise their use of this website, they are encouraged to become familiar with the description of the My Place Asia Australia project, to observe the different artworks in each theme in the art gallery section and to read the questions.

The art gallery contains over 100 artworks presented in eleven themes including: Environment, Family, Fishing, Gardens, Hobbies, Home, Holidays, Imagination, School, Sport and Traditions

To stimulate interest and focus attention, each theme is introduced with key questions developed for middle years students. The initial questions relate to the social and cultural context of the theme and then to the art-making process used in these works.

Students look at each image, and then read the artist's story and the student's response before answering the questions. During these activities students are encouraged to reflect, analyse, interpret and appraise the artworks, stories and responses.

This project has facilitated connections between students. A 12-year-old Victorian male student commented that looking at the artist's artwork and reading their story was like having a conversation with them.

By the time students are 15 or 16 most stereotypical views are well established. If students' attitudes are challenged during this formative period they are more likely to develop views that are flexible, pluralist and responsive.

When students are highly engaged they pay close attention to detail and engage in interpretative and reflective activities. This is best done in small group discussion, facilitating shifts in perspective and understanding, and allowing stereotypical views to be challenged.

Your students are encouraged to question their own thinking, to observe the diversity of places and perhaps recognise the commonality of many of their life experiences.

Teachers are welcome to adopt the questions and develop worksheets appropriate for their students. When printing the questions in the themes in the Art Gallery please use landscape format.Teachers may wish to develop more specific questions based on individual artworks, stories and responses to reflect the needs and abilities of their particular students. Students may be interested in generating their visual artworks and stories about their important places as a consequence of engaging with this website.

For a whole class the ideal situation is to create small groups of two or three students who can share a computer and observe the same images together. It is during the subsequent small group discussion that different responses are generated. This process encourages students to articulate their own views and also develop understanding and respect for the differing views of their peers, supporting the central objective of the My Place Asia Australia project.

Initially, the aim is to slow down looking time and to encourage prolonged and subsequent observation. This is achieved through a four-stage process:

1. Unstructured observation: encourage small groups to view the website and note their initial responses.

2. Directed observation: have small groups select a theme and refer to the related focus questions to generate verbal and written responses. Attention is directed at the visual image, then the artist's story and the other student's responses.

3. Contrast and compare images, stories and responses within themes, between small groups.

4. Reflection and class discussion across themes.