What is meant by 'studies of Asia and Australia'?

Studies of Asia and Australia is not another new Learning Area, subject or discipline. It is not a separate part of the curriculum.

Studies of Asia and Australia is a way of providing important focal points and content for a range of Learning Areas. These include studies of geography, history and the environment, social studies, languages, the arts and literature. But there are also areas of science and mathematics where relevant examples may be found to enhance and enrich student learning.

There are other aspects of the curriculum where studies of Asia and Australia could find a place: for example, values education, civics and citizenship, cross cultural understanding, personal and world futures, and the skills of communicating, creating and innovating.

What is 'Asia'? Asia may be a very large portion of the world or something more confined. As far as Australian schools are concerned, Asia includes the following regions and countries.

• North-east Asia (China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan)
• South-east Asia (Indonesia, Myanmar/Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, East Timor, the Philippines and Cambodia), and
• South Asia (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.)