Programs and Activities - 2005
'Australia-Canada Learning in New Times' Conference
The Centre for Canadian-Australian Studies welcomed Mr Michael Leir, the newly appointed Canadian High Commissioner, as a special guest to the ‘Australia-Canada Learning in New Times' conference on education held at the University of Wollongong on 10 May 2005.
The conference, co-sponsored by the Centre for Canadian-Australian Studies and the Learning and the Learner Research Group, focussed on the challenges and opportunities confronting education systems in Australia and Canada over the next decade. Through comparative studies and shared experiences in education systems it is hoped that the two countries can benefit from each others' strengths and learn from each others' weaknesses in order to improve their own education systems.
The conference featured Pro-Vice Chancellor (Operations) Professor John Patterson, Professor Marion Porath from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and University of Wollongong's Professor Steve Dinham. Porath and Dinham presented both Canadian and Australian pedagogy perspectives to an audience of over 50, including representatives from the Catholic Education Office, the Department of Education and Training as well as numerous Canadian postgraduate students.
“Between 80 and 100 Canadian postgraduate students come through UOW each year and take back with them Australian values and perspectives, so the conference was particularly relevant to those studying here now,” said Associate Professor Gerry Turcotte, Director of the Centre.
Event co-organizer Associate Professor Wilma Vialle said she received very positive feedback about the presentations that addressed a wide range of issues including the difficulty of online teaching, by Doug Reid, virtual classrooms by Lisa Kervin, and issues in the education of special needs students by Rose Dixon.
Garry Hoban presented on slowmation, a rough animation style similar to claymation where objects are physically moved and then photographed to produce an animated video clip. He displayed some of the projects his students had completed including impressive displays of a frog's life cycle, mitosis, a rocket launch and the fuel refining process.
Deslea Konza discussed the challenges teachers faced after her visit to the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in the Rae-Edzo community of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The school had difficulty attracting and keeping their primarily young teaching staff due to geographic isolation and the strain placed on them. The population of nearly 500 predominantly First Nations students had many confronting issues including learning difficulty, requiring additional attention from instructors. Despite the challenges facing these children, Konza pointed out that they excel at various subjects and sporting activities, proving that with the right attitude success is achievable despite the odds.
Marion Porath and Wilma Vialle presented on the acceleration of gifted students, describing it as a balance that must be struck between the assessment of the child's abilities and the instruction given. Porath gave details about a two year ‘University Transition Program' run through UBC and designed as intensive study for highly gifted adolescents as preparation for early admission to UBC. It is the only program of its kind in Canada.
Overall the conference was seen as a successful example of how teachers from two countries connect to discuss education approaches to benefit from the free exchange of ideas and learning experiences that these joint efforts produce.
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