I started my Churchill Fellowship by visiting UNESCO's Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education to consider the big picture. I learned about UNESCO's focus on target 4.7 for Global Goal 4, which prioritises education for sustainable development (ESD), and global citizenship education (GED). Ms Sayaka Tsutsui directed me to many relevant publications. The new resource Understanding Shared Histories: A teaching package for Southeast Asia (2019) looks really useful for the Australian Curriculum's cross-curriculum priority of Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia.
The Department for Education in South Australia has a partnership with Thailand's Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC). Dr Charlermchai Phanthalert, OBEC's Director of Social Studies, wasn't available but kindly arranged for me to meet Asst. Prof. Athapol Anantavorasakul at Chulalongkorn University instead. Athapol told me about the important work of the Thai Civic Education Foundation amongst other things, and one of the Education Faculty's postgraduates, Petch Jatupol, shared his research comparing Thai and Australian curricula.
OBEC also arranged for me to have a day trip to Sa-nguan Ying School at Suphan Buri. I was welcomed to the Education Hub for the International Program, where students learn in English and Thai. I was intrigued by Distance Education technology and 'Local Wisdom' excursions, and enjoyed observing History and Social Studies classes in action. I look forward to returning for a longer stay one day!
A special THANK YOU to the following people for this leg of my trip:
OBEC also arranged for me to have a day trip to Sa-nguan Ying School at Suphan Buri. I was welcomed to the Education Hub for the International Program, where students learn in English and Thai. I was intrigued by Distance Education technology and 'Local Wisdom' excursions, and enjoyed observing History and Social Studies classes in action. I look forward to returning for a longer stay one day!
A special THANK YOU to the following people for this leg of my trip:
- Nuankhae Bunnag and Supaporn Boricud (Elle) from OBEC for helping me coordinate everything and being my guides
- Sayaka Tsutsui @ UNESCO
- Athapol and Petch @ CU
- Director Dr Nitikom Chanwongchana, Napapat Ponsit (Gai), Suphanachat Plaeng-ngoen, Bryan Izumoto, other staff and students @ Sa-nguan Ying School
- Vikki Walkom, Assistant Principal responsible for International Education at Golden Grove High School in 2019, and Andre Petrillo, International Business Manager at the Department for Education, for connecting me with OBEC