Faculty Led Study Tours
2016 Travels
Following the success in 2015 (see below), more groups will set out to travel the world in September 2016. Along with return trips to China and Zimbabwe, a group will also go to France and another to Italy.
China 2015
In September / October 2015 Ruth Reynolds and Kate Ferguson-Patrick from the GERT team (Global Education Research and Teaching Team: global-education.net ) took a group of 10 students on our first trip to China for a course EDUC3800 ‘Intercultural Understanding’. The course was developed by Ruth Reynolds over the past 24 months to allow students to experience first-hand teaching experiences in an Asian country. This was not a typical placement course attached to their teaching degree but an extra course designed to develop the students intercultural understanding whist experiencing teaching in an overseas placement.
This PowerPoint shows the fantastic experience the students gained whilst teaching in five different schools (primary, middle and high schools) in both Shanghai and Beijing. They were also able to meet with teacher education students at two Chinese Universities- Shanghai Normal and Capital Normal University, Beijing
Zimbabwe 2015
In the mid-semester break of semester 2, 2015, seven teacher education students travelled to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe with Dr Jo Ailwood. These students were taking part in the study tour as part of EDUC3800 Intercultural Understanding for Educators, a new elective course. During the study tour students visited various schools in Victoria Falls, working closely with the teachers and children at Jabulani School.
The students worked in the School’s garden; carting water, planting seeds and weeding the garden beds. They also taught small and large groups of children running English lessons, maths games and study groups for the Year 7 and Form 4 children who had exams coming up. The Jabulani children had a great time teaching the UON students IsiNdebele and there was much laughter and joking at our attempts to speak their language. Outside of school time the students visited the Victoria Falls, spent a day on safari in Chobe (Botswana), went on a Zambezi boat cruise and shopping in the local markets.
Traveling to Zimbabwe presents students with experiences that are challenging and thought provoking. But the genuine warmth and resilience of Zimbabwean hospitality supports students as they grapple with these challenges and build intercultural understandings to take forward into their teaching careers.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.