Critical Analysis and Syllabus
Essay:
- Critically evaluate the Effectiveness of cultures-based education in History to enable students to be ‘good neighbors’
Culturally responsive and relevant education shapes students’ ethics and values (Liddicoat, 2015). The 2002 Bali Bombings and the 2004 Asian Tsunami are major events that shape Australia and Asia’s history. The 2002 Bali Bombings claimed 202 lives, including 35 Indonesians and 88 Australians (Hitchcock & Darma, 2005). On the other hand, the 2004 Asian Tsunami claimed over 230,000 lives, with countries from east Africa to Thailand being damaged. In the wake of these two historical forces, major civilizations around the world started coming into contact. In Sir Peter Cosgrove’s speech on ‘good neighbors’, good neighbors are characterized by respect to others and high moral standards or principles (Boulard, 2014). This essay paper analyzes the effectiveness of culture-based education in History in the context of indigenous education in the Australian and Asian communities; to enabling students become ‘good neighbors”. This will be critically analyzed in the context of Depth Studies in Stage 4 and 5 from the NESA K-10 syllabus.
Cultures-based education in history enables students to form empathetic understanding and diverse perspectives of interpretation others points of views (Boulard, 2014). Each student has a unique culture and rich heritage, whose values, standards, and norms deserve to be respected by the others. Cultural diversity among students appears in terms of language, beliefs, religion, interactions with people, and other ways of life. In NESA K-10 History syllabus, empathetic understanding is the main concept that enables students to exhibit this attribute of a “good neighbor”. In a broader and historical view, this concept enables students interpret events of history within the context of values, motives, actions, and attitudes of people in the context of the past (Boulard, 2014). For example, the motives behind Australia’s substantial fund aid to help the victims of the 2004 Tsunami and the Bali Bombings historical events. This understanding enables K-10 History students to clearly and correctly interpret the reasons why such initiatives were set in the wake of these inhumane events. For example, this event of history has made Australia continue to strengthen its contacts with EU powers. By integrating these NESA K-10 History syllabus concepts with Sir Cosgrove’s speech on good neighbors, students will embrace a culture of respect, inclusivity, and cohesion; which greatly contributes to the ongoing continuity and change in the society (Brown & Jessica, 2008).
In addition, cultures-based education in History teaches diverse concepts which seek to enable students learn how to be “good neighbors” (Liddicoat, 2015). In both stage 4 and stage 5, the concepts of diversity of perspectives, significance of event, continuity and change, and cause and effect are taught. Under stage 4, the topic of ancient world to the modern world is taught. In reference to this syllabus, students must first understand the significant events of history that shape their social-cultural, economic, religious, and political affairs (Gruenewald & Smith, 2014). A good example is the context of this paper, the 2004 Tsunami and the 2002 Bali Bombings. Here, the 2004 Asian Tsunami made people embrace diversity, allowing diversity of languages to transcend in attempts to show the art of good neighborhood to each other. For K-10 History students, this event is significant; for it helps them understand the essence of staying together especially in times of trouble. This clearly supports Sir Peter Cosgrave’s speech, that good neighbors spend time with each other. Like in the 2002 Bali Bombings, over 10 countries were affected, whose cultures were diverse. However for the sake of good neighborhood, they came together and provided a substantial aid to the victims in the wake of the event (Brookes, Pooley, & Earnest, 2014). This aid was “incredible” and had a “sharply positive impact” on the perceptions of Australian people.
Sir Peter Cosgrove’s speech was fully of empathetic words, making him stand as a Governor General whose cultural values can be emulated by students. He interpreted events of history in the context of attitudes, actions, and motives that people should exhibit. In the theory of “out of Africa”, people must respect their heritage; and this now applies in the indigenous system of education in Australia (Brookes, Pooley, & Earnest, 2014). Cultures-based education in history help enable students understands the concept of welfare, that welfare upholds the spirit of a “good neighbor”. In this syllabus, students understand that cultural practices and organized societies continue to evolve and develop, and this was the case since 60,000 BC to AD 650. Also, the cultures-based education in History enable students understand how the religious, social, economic, and political beliefs of AD 650 to AD 1750, since the beginning of modern world continue to shape the modern world. Under stage 4, students learn that the contemporary society continues to embrace such continuity and change, and this coincides to what Sir Peter Cosgrave is trying to address in his speech (Liddicoat, 2015). Thus, for a person to be a “good neighbor”, he or she must embrace continuity and change for aspects of everyday life across centuries have evolved, with constant changes in beliefs, ideas, and norms.
In the concept of “good neighbor”, civilized people reside in communities, so they have neighbors who they have to accept, respect, and communicate to (Hitchcock & Darma, 2005). Nevertheless, a good neighbor must in the first place be a good friend, a person who can be counted and relied upon in the time of need; like in the events of the 2004 Tsunami and Bali Bombings. A good example is Australia’s and America’s substantial support to the victims of the devastating Southeast Asian Tsunami. Collectively, Australia and America donated approximately $42 to support the victims of this devastating tsunami. In the helm of helping the over 2 million homeless people, a colossal $6.25 was donated after the Bali Bombast. After these events, nations came together, casting away their conservative cultures, social norms, economy, and political interests (Brown & Jessica, 2008). This is what History students should understand and defend; the values and beliefs of the ancient society that form a rich heritage to the modern cultures today. In the events cultures fail to blend, these results into social discontent, and the “good neighbor” benefits fade away from the society. In Stage 4 of the NESA K-10 History syllabus, diversity of social-cultural, economic, and political beliefs is considered as the main factor in shaping the values of a student when it coming to upholding the spirit of a “good neighbor” (Freedman, 2016).
In the NESA K-10 History Syllabus, Stage 5 is about the making of the modern world and Australia between 1750 and 1945. The period of 1750 to 1945 was full of industrialization and constant changes over how people lived, thought, and worked. Since 1945, Australia begun going global; and this has sown great transformation in terms of global, political, socio-cultural, economic, and international corporation (Freedman, 2016). In reference to Sir Peter Cosgrove’s speech, it was important for people to understand their role in the event of natural disaster or any manmade calamity. One attribute of “good neighbors” as brought forth by the Governor General of Australia is the willingness to learn each other’s language. In the context of the History syllabus, students learn in diverse environments where diverse languages are spoken (Gruenewald & Smith, 2014). There is thus the need for students to learn different languages, for example, English, French, Spanish, or Italian. Just like Australia has been going global since 1945 to present, students must learn that language is a global affair and an aspect connecting people of all cultures all over the world. In the 2002 Bali Bombings, people of more than 20 countries were affected, with 88 Australians being killed. Australia did not rescue its nationals alone, but instead rescued Britons, Indonesians, and other nationals; this is the essence of cultures-based education (Boulard, 2014).
Nevertheless, good neighbors learn to respect each other’s cultural and religious beliefs (Gruenewald & Smith, 2014). Also, good neighbors learn to be inclusive and to embrace diversity of opinions or ideas. In the context of the 2002 Bali Bombings, this was against the “good neighbor” concept. The U.S.’s retaliation over the support of War of Terror and Australia’s role in the East Timor liberation was inhumane for it was a terror attack. No good neighbor kills her neighbor, and this was wrong of the Al-Qaeda. The Bali Bombing affected growth in economy, and threatened the societies and individual safety. However, as taught throughout Stage 5, this event of history was significant in helping students build good relations with other students, just like Australia did with Indonesia and the U.S. Also, following the 2002 Bali Bombing, NESA K-10 students understand the risks of poor communication (Hitchcock & Darma, 2005). This is the reason for Sir Peter Cosgrove’s speech on good neighbors that good neighbors must learn to speak the same language, a language that respects diversity and shuns instances of war. Students form a nation; and thus it is there responsibility to embrace and exhibit this attribute when expressing their emotions, ideas, and thoughts to other students (Boulard, 2014). In addition, cultures-based education in history gives students rights to give progressive ideas and form progressive movements; movements in which socio-cultural diversity is uphold.
Progressive ideas and steps have changed the manner in which people interact and socialize. In the wake of the 2004 Tsunami and Bali Bombings, countries like Australia thereafter witnessed major developments. Since then, the spirit of a “good neighbor” has transcended across all regions. The history of cultures-based education has positively impacted on students’ critical understanding of the virtue of being “good neighbors”. Progressive ideas, such as Sir Peter Cosgrove’s speech on good neighbors have significantly impacted on student’s empathetic understanding, as student embrace the value of respect, compassion, cohesion, and diversity of thoughts while interacting with others. Nevertheless, students play a great role in “making a better world”, and this is through their continued willingness to embrace continuity and change in the society. Last, the NESA K-10 syllabus is a sure and effective platform under which culture-based educated is taught. Through it, students are learning on the best ways of becoming “good neighbors”. Students need to exhibit high moral standards and respect the other people living in the same community. By setting such a rich heritage, the disasters witnessed in the past will in future fade away from the society.
References
Boulard, F. M. (2014). Educating for change: international-mindedness towards Australia’s east-side neighbours. Townsville: Australian International Education Conference.
Brookes, G., Pooley, J. A., & Earnest, J. (2014). Terrorism, Trauma and Psychology: A multilevel victim perspective of the Bali bombings. Abingdon: Routledge.
Brown, P. H., & Jessica, H. M. (2008). Media coverage and charitable giving after the 2004 tsunami. Southern Economic Journal, 9-25.
Freedman, L. (2016). The politics of warning: Terrorism and risk communication. Intelligence and National Security, 20(3), 379-418.
Gruenewald, D. A., & Smith, G. A. (2014). Place-based education in the global age: Local diversity. Boston: Routledge.
Hitchcock, M., & Darma, P. (2005). The Bali bombings: Tourism crisis management and conflict avoidance. Current Issues in Tourism, 8(1), 62-76.
Liddicoat, A. J. (2015). Culture for language learning in Australian language-in-education policy. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 28(2), 28-43.