Developing community-engaged pedagogy to enhance teaching practice of ‘Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia’

The Australian Curriculum’s Cross-Curriculum Priority of Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia (AAEA) reflects the nation’s commitment to fostering intercultural understanding and engagement with the Asian region. However, the current curriculum lacks comprehensive content, and the scarcity of teaching resources and insufficient professional development in culturally responsive teaching hinder teachers’ effective implementation of this curriculum priority.
This research addresses this challenge through the lens of community-engaged pedagogy, an educational approach integrating community engagement with academic instruction and reflection to enrich learning. Community-engaged pedagogy underscores the mutual benefits for students and communities, promoting a deeper understanding of course content through practical application, enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and fostering civic engagement. The pedagogy encourages collaborative partnerships between educational institutions and community members, addressing community needs while facilitating students’ personal and professional development.
This qualitative research employs an ethnographic action research design to investigate the development and impact of community-engaged pedagogy in the teaching of ‘Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia’. School teachers are purposefully selected to participate in workshops and collaborative planning sessions. Data is collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Through thematic analysis and constant comparison, we seek to investigate the influence of community-engaged pedagogy on teaching practices in the context of the AAEA. cross-curriculum priorities. Ethical considerations include informed consent, confidentiality, and debriefing, while data validation will involve triangulation and peer review. The findings will be presented in a narrative format, offering a nuanced understanding of the implementation and impact of community-engaged pedagogy in the context of the specified curriculum. This methodology aims to contribute valuable insights to enhance teaching practices and foster a more engaging and culturally responsive educational experience.
By engaging in action research and community-engaged pedagogy, educators can co-create teaching plans, leveraging local cultural resources to enhance students’ understanding of Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia. The asset-based approach in community-engaged pedagogy empowers teachers and community members, fostering a sense of agency and active participation in educational development. This presentation offers valuable insights for educators and researchers, emphasising the potential of community-engaged pedagogy in addressing curriculum gaps and enhancing the teaching practice of Cross-Curriculum Priorities of AAEA. The collaborative efforts between academics and school teachers demonstrate a promising model for co-designing age-appropriate education programs that integrate local cultural resources. The session aims to inspire educators to adopt community-engaged pedagogy, promoting inclusive, experiential, and culturally responsive teaching practices aligned with the AAEA priority. Ultimately, this research contributes to the broader conversation on effective pedagogical approaches to foster intercultural understanding in the Australian educational context