Tonia Gray
Tonia can be contacted at t.gray@uws.edu.au
Education
PhD in Education (University of Wollongong, 1997)
Thesis: The Impact of an Extended Stay Outdoor Education Program on Adolescent Partici-pants
MA Community Health with Merit (University of Northern Colorado, 1987)
BEd Health and Physical Education with Distinction (University of Wollongong, 1982)
Major Teaching Awards
2014 Australian Award University Teaching (AAUT) Teaching Excellence Award
2013 UWS Vice Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
2009 Vice Chancellor’s Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning (OCTAL) University of Wollongong - Highest Teaching Award
2009 Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Citation
Contribution to Student Learning for engaging students in life-altering learning, providing a role model for scholarly activity in outdoor education, and building an internationally recognised program
Research
Dr Gray’s research interests include: Ecopedagogy, human-nature relationships; reflection and experiential learning in a variety of educational settings; risk taking; PDHPE; and facilitation and leadership styles in adventure education. In the past twenty years Dr Gray has attracted National teaching awards, several research grants, published monographs; written 15 book chapters and over 40 refereed publications.
Education
PhD in Education (University of Wollongong, 1997)
Thesis: The Impact of an Extended Stay Outdoor Education Program on Adolescent Partici-pants
MA Community Health with Merit (University of Northern Colorado, 1987)
BEd Health and Physical Education with Distinction (University of Wollongong, 1982)
Major Teaching Awards
2014 Australian Award University Teaching (AAUT) Teaching Excellence Award
2013 UWS Vice Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
2009 Vice Chancellor’s Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning (OCTAL) University of Wollongong - Highest Teaching Award
2009 Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Citation
Contribution to Student Learning for engaging students in life-altering learning, providing a role model for scholarly activity in outdoor education, and building an internationally recognised program
Research
Dr Gray’s research interests include: Ecopedagogy, human-nature relationships; reflection and experiential learning in a variety of educational settings; risk taking; PDHPE; and facilitation and leadership styles in adventure education. In the past twenty years Dr Gray has attracted National teaching awards, several research grants, published monographs; written 15 book chapters and over 40 refereed publications.
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Books by Tonia Gray
The current impasse begs the question: How do we bring about positive change in the sector? This project builds on previous work of gender equity leaders in the field such as Morley, (2013) and Winchester, & Browning, (2015) and aims to heighten the leadership capability and career longevity of women in Higher Education at Western Sydney and beyond. The overarching research question guiding this study was: How Should We Elevate Women’s Leadership Voices in Higher Education to Achieve Career Longevity and Gender Parity?
A mixed-method research design was adopted using an online survey and
focus group interviews. The latter incorporated aspects of storytelling
and reflection (autoethnography) and art-based methods (visual journey
mapping). As a poststructural enquiry, this introspective way of narrative
research differed from traditional methods of scholarly approach. The
common perspectives of their individual narrative was distilled into
emergent themes.
In 2014, the Australian government initiated the New Colombo Program, which would see 17,500 students undertake a study abroad experience as part of their tertiary education. Implementing this policy placed increased focus on this important area of tertiary education, an area with which each of the editors has been involved through designing, implementing, facilitating, and researching international student mobility. Whilst most of us in the sector are excited about the prospect of more funding being provided to encourage study abroad, the authors were aware that to meet the government’s targets for students would require many more staff to begin a journey with study abroad and international education. The lack of resources supporting outbound mobility meant that many of these new programmes might be developed without the knowledge and resources left by pioneers in the field; hard lessons were likely to be learned through trial and error innumerable times if something was not done.
In response to this marginalization, this handbook celebrates the richness of knowledge and practices of women practitioners in OLEs. Women scholars and practitioners from numerous fields, such as experiential outdoor education, adventure education, adventure therapy, and gender studies, explore the implications of their research and practice using poignant examples within their own disciplines. These insights emerge from similar life experiences as women and outdoor leaders in the 1970s through the 80s and 90s to now, the 21st century. Alignment of experiences helps shape the female narrative within each chapter and provides the book’s through line. Social inequalities still abound in OLEs, and the task of the book is to illuminate the contributions of women as well as the work that needs to be done to make these spaces inclusive.
Global in perspective and capacious in content, this one stop volume is an indispensable reference resource for a diverse range of academics, including students and researchers in the fields of education, psychology, sociology, gender studies, geography, and environment studies, as well as the many outdoors fields.
Design/methodology/approach – An online survey, split into three parts, was used to deliver benchmark data on (I) personal information, (II) factual knowledge and (III) sentiments related to CW.
Findings – Gender and age of students significantly influenced their perception of CW. While self-rated understanding of CW was generally high, factual knowledge about CW was low. Few students recognized that CW was already under way, and that it was mainly caused by human activity. The most prominent emotions were fear, sadness and anger, foretelling widespread disempowerment and fear for the future.
Research limitations/implications – The study was based on a single dataset and survey response was relatively low. However, respondents mirrored the composition of the student community very well.
Originality/value – This is the first study revealing large psychological distance to the effects of CW in university students from Australia. Combined with the impression of despondence, the present study suggests that higher education in Australia, and possibly elsewhere, is not providing the prerequisite tools tomorrow’s leaders require for meeting societal, environmental and economic challenges caused by CW. Practical ways to erase these blind spots in sustainability literacy are provided, drawing upon established and novel concepts in higher education.
Brookes (2002) criticised the outdoor education field for consisting of predominately nationally informed interpretations, and Waite and Pleasants (2010) called for comparative perspectives on outdoor learning and drew attention to the importance of awareness of the impacts of culture on the fields of outdoor learning and on cultural differences within and between countries. There is a clear value in international and comparative perspectives as well as cross-national curriculum studies to raise awareness of the impacts of cultural differences within and between countries on learning outside the classroom and how challenges have been variously overcome.
This chapter takes a “global” view on learning outside the classroom and focuses on and discusses theoretical, cultural and practical aspects of learning outside the classroom from an international perspective. Due to space issues, the chapter provides only a broad introduction to four different examples of outdoor learning. One of our intentions is to show the diversity of possibilities which learning outside can offer, for example in schools and pre-schools. The starting point for this chapter is the globalisation of learning outside the classroom, calling attention to essential questions about what kind of, why, how, where, and by whom learning outside the classroom is enacted internationally. Theories in relation to globalisation and cultural perspectives are introduced and discussed. The summary of the chapter draws together the ideas and arguments made throughout and provides recommendations for future policy, practice and research that we hope will illuminate lessons across as well as within countries. Throughout the chapter, specific examples and case studies are provided of outdoor learning practices from countries around the world, and drawing particularly on insights from an Economic and Social Research Council International Partnerships award (ES/J019445/1) between colleagues in Australia, Denmark, England, and Singapore.
Outdoor and Experiential Learning: Views From The Top is the result of a long held dream to give voice to the diversity of perspectives and practices that exist in Australian and New Zealand outdoor and experiential learning. This dream is a result of our professional experiences and professional development. Most of our professional development has been under the influence of work originating from North America. This book aims to provide a place for people who are embedded in the Australian and New Zealand cultures to share their views and to critically reflect on an alternate body of writing. Not since 1990 with the seminal work of McRae has there been an attempt in Australia to draw together views on outdoor and experiential learning. This book takes the opportunity to look back from where we, in both Australia and New Zealand, have come, to compare ourselves to what we see around us and to look forward to questions and agendas we need to consider in the future.
This book does not present a co-ordinated perspective, but rather a diversity of perspectives. There is a mix of both research-based and professional writings, of reflection on practice and critique of theory. This is the profession in Australia and New Zealand walking its talk, reflecting upon its experience and practice, challenging dominant theories, and proposing new and different ways of doing things.
The authors for this volume were either self-nominated or cajoled into volunteering by the editors. The aim was to seek contributions from people passionate about what they were doing and researching.
The key topic areas have emerged as a result of the content of the articles, rather than seeking specific articles to meet a predetermined agenda. This has contributed to producing a rich and
varied resource. When looking at McRae’s (1990) work Outdoor and Environmental Education and comparing the themes of interest today, it is clear that new themes are of emerging importance now, that were not even a consideration just over 10 years ago. Themes such as connection with nature, community development, risk management and adventure therapy may have been touched on in the past, but today are part of the professional discourse. Three of these themes form the major section of this book: Exploring our Connections with Place and/or Nature, Leadership and Facilitation and Risk Management.
The book’s target audience is both the student and the professional. The tertiary student will be able to use this resource as a counter-point to the popular literature on outdoor and experiential learning. In addition, the outdoor and experiential learning professional will gain from the integration of ideas from people’s personal experience as well as reflection upon contemporary and emerging theories.
The wealth of knowledge and expertise available in this volume is a tribute to the professional, expertise and patience of the authors at both sides of the Tasman Sea.
Tracey Dickson Tonia Gray Bruce Hayllar
Papers by Tonia Gray
The current impasse begs the question: How do we bring about positive change in the sector? This project builds on previous work of gender equity leaders in the field such as Morley, (2013) and Winchester, & Browning, (2015) and aims to heighten the leadership capability and career longevity of women in Higher Education at Western Sydney and beyond. The overarching research question guiding this study was: How Should We Elevate Women’s Leadership Voices in Higher Education to Achieve Career Longevity and Gender Parity?
A mixed-method research design was adopted using an online survey and
focus group interviews. The latter incorporated aspects of storytelling
and reflection (autoethnography) and art-based methods (visual journey
mapping). As a poststructural enquiry, this introspective way of narrative
research differed from traditional methods of scholarly approach. The
common perspectives of their individual narrative was distilled into
emergent themes.
In 2014, the Australian government initiated the New Colombo Program, which would see 17,500 students undertake a study abroad experience as part of their tertiary education. Implementing this policy placed increased focus on this important area of tertiary education, an area with which each of the editors has been involved through designing, implementing, facilitating, and researching international student mobility. Whilst most of us in the sector are excited about the prospect of more funding being provided to encourage study abroad, the authors were aware that to meet the government’s targets for students would require many more staff to begin a journey with study abroad and international education. The lack of resources supporting outbound mobility meant that many of these new programmes might be developed without the knowledge and resources left by pioneers in the field; hard lessons were likely to be learned through trial and error innumerable times if something was not done.
In response to this marginalization, this handbook celebrates the richness of knowledge and practices of women practitioners in OLEs. Women scholars and practitioners from numerous fields, such as experiential outdoor education, adventure education, adventure therapy, and gender studies, explore the implications of their research and practice using poignant examples within their own disciplines. These insights emerge from similar life experiences as women and outdoor leaders in the 1970s through the 80s and 90s to now, the 21st century. Alignment of experiences helps shape the female narrative within each chapter and provides the book’s through line. Social inequalities still abound in OLEs, and the task of the book is to illuminate the contributions of women as well as the work that needs to be done to make these spaces inclusive.
Global in perspective and capacious in content, this one stop volume is an indispensable reference resource for a diverse range of academics, including students and researchers in the fields of education, psychology, sociology, gender studies, geography, and environment studies, as well as the many outdoors fields.
Design/methodology/approach – An online survey, split into three parts, was used to deliver benchmark data on (I) personal information, (II) factual knowledge and (III) sentiments related to CW.
Findings – Gender and age of students significantly influenced their perception of CW. While self-rated understanding of CW was generally high, factual knowledge about CW was low. Few students recognized that CW was already under way, and that it was mainly caused by human activity. The most prominent emotions were fear, sadness and anger, foretelling widespread disempowerment and fear for the future.
Research limitations/implications – The study was based on a single dataset and survey response was relatively low. However, respondents mirrored the composition of the student community very well.
Originality/value – This is the first study revealing large psychological distance to the effects of CW in university students from Australia. Combined with the impression of despondence, the present study suggests that higher education in Australia, and possibly elsewhere, is not providing the prerequisite tools tomorrow’s leaders require for meeting societal, environmental and economic challenges caused by CW. Practical ways to erase these blind spots in sustainability literacy are provided, drawing upon established and novel concepts in higher education.
Brookes (2002) criticised the outdoor education field for consisting of predominately nationally informed interpretations, and Waite and Pleasants (2010) called for comparative perspectives on outdoor learning and drew attention to the importance of awareness of the impacts of culture on the fields of outdoor learning and on cultural differences within and between countries. There is a clear value in international and comparative perspectives as well as cross-national curriculum studies to raise awareness of the impacts of cultural differences within and between countries on learning outside the classroom and how challenges have been variously overcome.
This chapter takes a “global” view on learning outside the classroom and focuses on and discusses theoretical, cultural and practical aspects of learning outside the classroom from an international perspective. Due to space issues, the chapter provides only a broad introduction to four different examples of outdoor learning. One of our intentions is to show the diversity of possibilities which learning outside can offer, for example in schools and pre-schools. The starting point for this chapter is the globalisation of learning outside the classroom, calling attention to essential questions about what kind of, why, how, where, and by whom learning outside the classroom is enacted internationally. Theories in relation to globalisation and cultural perspectives are introduced and discussed. The summary of the chapter draws together the ideas and arguments made throughout and provides recommendations for future policy, practice and research that we hope will illuminate lessons across as well as within countries. Throughout the chapter, specific examples and case studies are provided of outdoor learning practices from countries around the world, and drawing particularly on insights from an Economic and Social Research Council International Partnerships award (ES/J019445/1) between colleagues in Australia, Denmark, England, and Singapore.
Outdoor and Experiential Learning: Views From The Top is the result of a long held dream to give voice to the diversity of perspectives and practices that exist in Australian and New Zealand outdoor and experiential learning. This dream is a result of our professional experiences and professional development. Most of our professional development has been under the influence of work originating from North America. This book aims to provide a place for people who are embedded in the Australian and New Zealand cultures to share their views and to critically reflect on an alternate body of writing. Not since 1990 with the seminal work of McRae has there been an attempt in Australia to draw together views on outdoor and experiential learning. This book takes the opportunity to look back from where we, in both Australia and New Zealand, have come, to compare ourselves to what we see around us and to look forward to questions and agendas we need to consider in the future.
This book does not present a co-ordinated perspective, but rather a diversity of perspectives. There is a mix of both research-based and professional writings, of reflection on practice and critique of theory. This is the profession in Australia and New Zealand walking its talk, reflecting upon its experience and practice, challenging dominant theories, and proposing new and different ways of doing things.
The authors for this volume were either self-nominated or cajoled into volunteering by the editors. The aim was to seek contributions from people passionate about what they were doing and researching.
The key topic areas have emerged as a result of the content of the articles, rather than seeking specific articles to meet a predetermined agenda. This has contributed to producing a rich and
varied resource. When looking at McRae’s (1990) work Outdoor and Environmental Education and comparing the themes of interest today, it is clear that new themes are of emerging importance now, that were not even a consideration just over 10 years ago. Themes such as connection with nature, community development, risk management and adventure therapy may have been touched on in the past, but today are part of the professional discourse. Three of these themes form the major section of this book: Exploring our Connections with Place and/or Nature, Leadership and Facilitation and Risk Management.
The book’s target audience is both the student and the professional. The tertiary student will be able to use this resource as a counter-point to the popular literature on outdoor and experiential learning. In addition, the outdoor and experiential learning professional will gain from the integration of ideas from people’s personal experience as well as reflection upon contemporary and emerging theories.
The wealth of knowledge and expertise available in this volume is a tribute to the professional, expertise and patience of the authors at both sides of the Tasman Sea.
Tracey Dickson Tonia Gray Bruce Hayllar
The link takes you to the iTunes site for the book, where you can download it without charge.
Despite the increased effort by some in academe to include women, we
still feel underrepresented in leadership roles, including but not limited to:
senior academics, professoriate and executive staff (Carrington & Pratt,
2003). Fewer women, mean fewer voices being heard and our ‘invisibility
cloak’ needs to be lifted and redressed (Mitten et al., 2018). The current
impasse begs the question: How do we bring about positive change in the
sector? This project builds on previous work of gender equity leaders in the
field such as Morley, (2013) and Winchester, & Browning, (2015) and aims to heighten the leadership capability and career longevity of women
in Higher Education at Western Sydney and beyond.
The overarching research question guiding this study was: How Should We
Elevate Women’s Leadership Voices in Higher Education to Achieve Career
Longevity and Gender Parity? A mixed-method research design was adopted using an online survey and focus group interviews. The latter incorporated aspects of storytelling and reflection (autoethnography) and art-based methods (visual journey mapping). As a poststructural enquiry, this introspective way of narrative research differed from traditional methods of scholarly approach. The common perspectives of their individual narrative was distilled into emergent themes
However, gender disparity in higher education (HE) is pernicious, ubiquitous and enduring (Ahmed, 2017; Bell & Bentley, 2005; Carrington & Pratt, 2003; Dever & colleagues, 2008; Winchester & Browning, 2015). Some in HE argue gender asymmetry is highly evident, but also hard to. pinpoint due to its covert nature (for instance, Gray & Mitten, 2018; Leathwood & Read, 2009; Morley, 2013; Winchester & Browning, 2015).
Despite the increased effort by some in academe to include women, we still feel underrepresented in leadership roles, including but not limited to: senior academics, professoriate and executive staff (Carrington & Pratt, 2003). Fewer women, mean fewer voices being heard and our ‘invisibility cloak’ needs to be lifted and redressed (Mitten et al., 2018). The current impasse begs the question: How do we bring about positive change in the sector? This project builds on previous work of gender equity leaders in the field such as Morley, (2013) and Winchester, & Browning, (2015) and aims to heighten the leadership capability and career longevity of women in HE at Western Sydney and beyond.
The overarching research question guiding this study was: How Should We Elevate Women’s Leadership Voices in Higher Education to Achieve Career Longevity and Gender Parity? A mixed-method research design was adopted using an online survey and focus group interviews. The latter incorporated aspects of storytelling and reflection (autoethnography) and art-based methods (visual journey mapping). As a poststructural enquiry, this introspective way of narrative research differed from traditional methods of scholarly approach. The common perspectives of their individual narrative was distilled into emergent themes.
Students exhibiting severe and challenging behaviours and/or emotional needs are referred to specialised behavioural schools in NSW for expert intervention and support. This project sought to enhance the wellbeing and skill development of students within such a school by administering an eight week intervention program comprising an innovative combination of both Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Outdoor Learning (OL) which is unique in this emerging field. This project was conducted and evaluated by an interdisciplinary team of educational professionals from Western Sydney University. This report showcases the results of the mixed-method study which included the administration of quantitative pre and post- surveys to nine students; and post interviews with students and teachers. The results of the students’ responses to the pre and post surveys indicated small but positive changes with regard to the students’: anxiety; impairment as a result of anxiety; depression; school self-concept; and development of psychological flexibility; and mindfulness capabilities.
Project Background
Australian universities are placing increased emphasis on the internationalisation of their curriculum and students. In progressively globalised world, this development is in keeping with tertiary education trends that recognise the importance of an international outlook and cross-cultural competencies. As Australia ventures deeper into the Asian Century, there has never been a greater need for outward-looking, global-minded graduates. Student outbound mobility is one of the most effective ways to foster internationalisation through transformative experiences. The project, entitled Enhancing Programmes Integrating Tertiary Outbound Mobility Experiences (EPITOME), conducted student-focused research into outbound mobility experiences (OMEs) with a view to providing a comprehensive and usable best-practice guide for tour operators and academic staff.
Project Aims
The EPITOME project pursued four key goals:
• To understand the student experience of current OME programmes;
• To provide empirical data on the key factors that attract students to OMEs and the principle obstacles that hinder participation;
• To create a curriculum resource to guide OME leaders and other key personnel; and
• To enhance expertise within Australian universities in global programming and international mobility support by providing robust, evidence-based research to advance the field.
Project Approach
The approach was student focused with a genuine desire to understand the student experience of outbound mobility. To gain a holistic portrait of the student experience, a longitudinal study was formulated to capture responses before, during, and after the study abroad experience. Recognising the demands on students’ time, EPITOME developed a series of interviews and survey tools that captured demographic and experiential data. Having passed ethics clearance and obtained contact permission from tour leaders, students were invited to take part in the surveys by email and were incentivised with the opportunity to win shopping gift cards. The data collected from surveys was supplemented by a series of in-person, semistructured interviews. These interviews were recorded and transcribed by the EPITOME team. The approach allowed the interviews to focus on transformation while being attentive and responsive to the students, allowing them to tell the stories they wanted to share. The interviews were not restricted to students who had taken part in a university OME. With take-up rates for outbound mobility at less than 15%, the team also approached those students who chose not to participate in OME opportunities to ask about their thoughts and expectations concerning OMEs. The data offered a valuable first-person perspective, which was strategically incorporated into several EPITOME outputs.
A photography competition was organised to harvest the often-untapped resource of student digital images taken while on the OME. The competition asked students to select an image that was meaningful to them and to compose a short narrative explaining its significance. This approach collected rich qualitative data about the transformative qualities of the study abroad experience. The students’ narratives helped to clarify the research team’s understandings of the significant contributions of these events, in particular producing many powerful primary accounts that have fed into further research outputs.
Finally, a survey was designed for academic staff members who operated or supervised OMEs. Tour organisers see firsthand the magnitude of change in students and are an important source of both qualitative and quantitative data regarding the impact of OMEs. The survey asked staff members about their travel histories, their overseas experience, and the level of support offered by their home institutions. This data was invaluable to the EPITOME research project and illuminated discrepancies that exist in terms of staff preparedness and institutional support.
Project Outputs
The EPITOME project compiled data from university staff and students relating to OMEs. Research findings have been disseminated in a number of ways, including
• publications in both the academic and mainstream press;
• research presentations at international and industry conferences;
• three EPITOME newsletters and a website (www.epitomeabroad.com);
• a networking symposium;
• an invited panel speaker at the Forum Abroad conference in the United States; and
• a monograph, entitled The Globalisation of Higher Education Developing Internationalised Education in Research and Practice (2017), by Palgrave Macmillan.
EPITOME has made a notable contribution to existing student mobility literature through a series of academic and nonacademic publications. In June 2015, an article titled “We Need to Get Serious About Connecting With Asia” was published in The Australian (Jones, 2015). It argued that university OMEs could be an effective method of achieving some of the strategic goals set out in the 2012 Australia in the Asian Century white paper. An article titled “Jafari and Transformation: A Model to Enhance Short-Term Overseas Study Tours” was published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad (Hall et al., 2016). Drawing on the tourism model articulated by Jafar Jafari in the 1980s, the article argued the same ideas could be adapted to enhance OMEs in the age of social media. A third publication of note is titled “If You Build It, They May Not Come: Why Australian University Students Do Not Take Part in Outbound Mobility Experiences” (Jones et al., 2016) which was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice. The article draws on key data obtained through EPITOME’s student surveys to outline common barriers to OME participation.
The research findings were disseminated at a range of local, national, and international events. One of the highlights was a group presentation of research findings at the 2016 Asia–Pacific Association for International Education conference, a key opportunity for EPITOME to showcase its research to colleagues and industry experts. In June 2016, EPITOME organised and delivered a networking symposium, Developing Global Perspectives in Higher Education. Bringing in keynote speakers and delegates from across Australia and overseas, this two-day event allowed participants to hear from a range of experts on student mobility and internationalisation. With 90 national and international delegates from 13 universities, the symposium was invaluable, not only as a vehicle of resource sharing but also for the networking opportunities, allowing a wide pool to benefit from the research undertaken by the EPITOME team. Some unsolicited comments from attendees included:
A very genuine thank you to you and to your wonderful team for the exceptionally rewarding two-day symposium in Sydney last week. This was one of the best symposiums/conferences I have ever attended.
— Dr. Deborah Henderson |Associate Professor Queensland University of Technology
Thank you for a great symposium. I usually do not go to conferences. I use my resources to go and work in the developing world instead. — Dr. Vinesh Chandra |Associate Professor Queensland University of Technology
Project Impact
As a generality, research impact has come to be defined as the effect of research beyond academia. As articulated by the Australian Research Council, impact is the noticeable contribution that research makes to the economy, society, culture, national security, public policy or services, health, the environment, or quality of life, beyond the influence to academia. The research undertaken in this project aimed to have a direct impact on tour operators and academic staff members who run OMEs. Additionally, the project has had a more general influence on OME practice by contributing new literature on the value and impact of OMEs. Part of the legacy of the EPITOME project will be the good-practice guide eBook and the edited collection.
I am inspired by the work of the academics . . . their enthusiasm to continue improving global education in Australian classrooms (and beyond) — Andy Houghton I The Global Society
Publications arising from this research provide practical assistance to universities and individual tour operators while promoting OMEs as a valuable tool for both personal transformation and increasing cross-cultural competencies.
Key Findings
A number of key findings have emerged from the EPITOME research:
• Women are twice as likely as men to take part in study abroad.
• Almost one quarter of OME participants had lived overseas for six months or more.
• 72% of students do NOT talk about study abroad with their friends.
• Over 80% of OME participants receive little or no intercultural communication training.
• Individual academic staff members are often responsible for designing their own study abroad experiences with little institutional guidance or support.
• Nonparticipants also acknowledge the value of study abroad.
The project Love Your Lagoons was developed in the context of the implementation of the
Australian Curriculum. Sustainability is identified as one of three cross-curriculum priorities
to be taught across all subject areas in order to: “address the ongoing capacity of Earth to
maintain all life and meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future
generations” (ACARA, 2013). New South Wales is scheduled to start implementing the
curriculum in a staged sequence from 2014. The Centre for Educational Research at the
University of Western Sydney (UWS), funded by AGL, conducted Love Your Lagoons from
September 2013 to September 2014 with six schools from south western Sydney.
The project’s objectives were:
• to research the planning, implementation and evaluation of a cross sectoral wetlands
education program for long term wetlands health;
• to document development of an engaged sustainability curriculum in school
education; and
• to build strong and enduring cross sector community partnerships in wetlands
education and management.
Project description
Wetlands, streams and rivers are key sites for environmental action and education (Somerville
& Green, 2012). In this multi-council and school environmental education project, 300 young
students were empowered to learn about environmental sustainability through taking action in
their local area. Councils in three shires – Camden City Council, Wollondilly Council and
Campbelltown City Council – were partnered with local schools to work with UWS and
community and government organisations to undertake a participatory action research study
of place-based wetlands education in local primary and high schools. This assisted in teacher
preparation for the introduction of sustainability as a cross curriculum priority area (ACARA,
2012).