Empowering global learners – A teacher-as-researcher approach

As members of a global society, young learners are increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse. Teachers are valuing the importance of learners’ intercultural capabilities as foundational for lifelong belonging and participation (ACARA, 2016). While recognised in the Australian curriculum, little is known about how teachers’ support rich social and linguistic diversity in educational settings. This project aims to partner with teachers, as researchers, to generate a research-oriented, and practice-focused, program that supports learners’ intercultural experiences.

Working with teacher-as-researchers, this project will explore teachers’ practices and the experiences of learners in classrooms. The project will identify learning environments and pedagogies necessary for a classroom culture of communication, respect and responsibility, elements essential for participation.

The project will be undertaken in urban and regional-rural schools in Queensland. Outcomes include the development of two professional learning modules:  1)  being a  teacher-researcher,  gaining and analysing learners’ views and experiences in classrooms and 2) a framework of exemplary pedagogy to support learners’ intercultural personal and social capabilities.