Looking to the Future of 21st Century Refugees

Posted on October 24, 2015October 25, 2015 Posted in FLS, Future, Learning, week11Tagged Australia, FLS, refugees, securityLeave a comment

The recent action plan of allowing 12,000 refugees into Australia provides immense hope, not only to the refugees but to Australians who wish to see our great country share resources with those who need them. The sense of security that will surely come with the resettlement will allow them to seek opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible previously.

I see this resettlement as being a step forward in all of us, refugees and Australians, becoming global citizens – taking responsibility for our actions that impact the world around us and identifying as being a part of a world community, not just purely one single country or culture (Israel, 2014). Continue reading “Looking to the Future of 21st Century Refugees” →

Education in my FLS

Posted on October 24, 2015October 25, 2015 Posted in Assignments, Education, Educators, FLS, Learning, Liminal, week11Tagged capital, collaborative, cooperative, CoP, education, facilties, FLS, group, Individual, role, student, teacher, transitionLeave a comment

“In Australia, students will enjoy a diverse learning environment that is as personally enriching as it is educational, and develop the skills and qualities needed in a changing world.”

(Studyinaustralia.gov.au, para. 4, 2015)

Education Facilities in Australia
We are extremely lucky to call this country our home. Education in this country is constantly a topic of discussion, development and refinement within the governments, as they know how valuable it is to Australian citizens and society. We have a well established education system across all states and territories. Continue reading “Education in my FLS” →

Context of my Chosen Space

Posted on October 24, 2015October 25, 2015 Posted in Environment, FLS, Liminal, week11Tagged Australia, crisis, environment, FLS, liminal, SyriaLeave a comment

For my Future Learning Space (FLS), I have chosen the context of Syrian refugees moving to Australia.

On Wednesday 9th September 2015, the then Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that the Federal government would be resettling 12,000 extra Syrian refugees in Australia (Bourke, 2015; Henderson & Uhlmann, 2015). This number is in addition to the 13,750 places already designated for this financial year in the existing program (Bourke, 2015; Henderson & Uhlmann, 2015).

This is by far the governments’ largest commitment to somewhat tackle the crisis occurring in Syria and Iraq and one that makes me feel very happy about. Abbott declared that this will be a permanent resettlement and that the first refugees may arrive before Christmas, with the intention that the remaining will be here by the end of the financial year (Bourke, 2015; Henderson & Uhlmann, 2015; Rapana & Martin, 2015). Continue reading “Context of my Chosen Space” →

Clouds over Sidra

Posted on October 24, 2015 Posted in Environment, Liminal, Reflection, Videos, Week10Tagged beyond, environment, Individual, liminal, transition, unknownLeave a comment

That hit hard. Even sitting here at uni, I couldn’t help but tear up while watching. It was so simple but really communicated what life is like for the children living in the Zaatari Refugee camp. Hearing that some children decide that they won’t attend school and will wait until they get home is difficult. On one side, I empathise with them and realise that their longing and hope to get home is so great that accepting that they are living in this place of known is a struggle.

As a teacher, I just wish all the children felt safe and happy. Here in Australia, school is a place where students come to learn in a secure, stable and positive environment. Watching that the refugees there lack that security in their daily lives and I just want to go there and do something about it right this minute, it’s too hard to sit back and do nothing.

I highly encourage anyone and everyone to watch it.

http://www.vrse.com/watch/id/21/

Clouds Over Sidra. (n.d.). Vrse. Retrieved from http://www.vrse.com/watch/id/21/

Virtual Reality

Posted on October 24, 2015October 25, 2015 Posted in Environment, Learning, Liminal, Videos, Week10Tagged beyond, design, environment, interaction, reality, Spaces, technology, virtualLeave a comment

The virtual reality experience offered by Google Cardboard presents immensely powerful opportunities in terms of education. Being able to use a simple cardboard box with some lenses and a smartphone to transport someone into another reality could be used to give a child in a liminal space access to a classroom. Continue reading “Virtual Reality” →

Syrian refugees coming to Australia

Posted on October 7, 2015October 24, 2015 Posted in Liminal, Week9Tagged interaction, liminal, transition, unknownLeave a comment

The idea and reality of living with an Australian family creates a liminal space for Syrian refugees, but I believe also for the Australians housing them. The Syrians would face great uncertainty when considering the big move: Continue reading “Syrian refugees coming to Australia” →

Zaatari Refugee Camp – A camp or city?

Posted on October 7, 2015October 24, 2015 Posted in Environment, Liminal, Week9Tagged liminal, transition, unknownLeave a comment

This refugee camp is exactly that, a camp. It is not a state of permanent living whereby the inhabitants are safe and free from what they fled. While they are out of Syria, they can still see their country, their home and and in an area waiting for the conflicts to be resolved. I imagine that many refugees wish to just go back home even considering raging conflict, instead of remaining in the unknown. Continue reading “Zaatari Refugee Camp – A camp or city?” →

I can’t even imagine what would be in my bag…

Posted on October 7, 2015October 24, 2015 Posted in Environment, Liminal, Reflection, Week9Tagged crisis, liminal, refugeesLeave a comment

Go to the following link, please.

https://medium.com/uprooted/what-s-in-my-bag-758d435f6e62

I don’t want to say too much about it here as it is so powerful on it’s own without me having to describe it.

After reading the introduction on the page, I encourage you to firstly write down what you think you would put in your bag (idea courtesy of fellow EDFD459 student Caroline Costanzo). What would you take? What are necessities to you? What is most important?

This page allows us to delve into the lives of Syrian refugees in a confronting but purposeful way.

Liminal Spaces – A New Concept

Posted on October 7, 2015October 24, 2015 Posted in Environment, Learning, Liminal, Week9Tagged liminal, transition, unknownLeave a comment

From the readings, I understand the term ‘liminal’ to mean a state of unknown. It is where something has happened/is happening in our lives and we are processing what needs to be done to move forward. It is where we wait, where we attempt to transition. Continue reading “Liminal Spaces – A New Concept” →

Unlocking Our Learning Spaces

Posted on October 7, 2015October 24, 2015 Posted in Assignments, Learning, Reflection, Week8Tagged beyond, classroom, education, interaction, keylearningspaces, learning, SpacesLeave a comment

This is the link for my e-presentation on the 5 key learning spaces that I completed for an assignment. After receiving feedback, I am happy with what I created and it has motivated me to ensure that this learning space (my PLN) is on point for the next assignment.

Please watch if you would like and enjoy!

https://prezi.com/wvdleuhnvkld/unlocking-our-learning-spaces/