BRIDGE Partnerships
The Australia–Asia BRIDGE (Building Relationships through Intercultural Dialogue and Growing Engagement) School Partnerships Program is a blended model of face-to-face teacher professional learning and online engagement that connects teachers, students and school communities across Australia and Asia to increase awareness and understanding of contemporary Australia and Asia and build people-to-people links across the region.
In 2018-19, Durack State School linked with Kheng Cheng school in Singapore. Our Year 4 students collaborated internationally on a Mathematics project with peers overseas, fostering highly numerate and lifelong learners, who are able to meet the numeracy demands of life in the 21st century.
“The collaborative project between the two schools not only allows students to apply mathematics to a practical activity, it also allows them to engage in open and appropriate interactions across cultures," said Ming Sze Goh, Head of Mathematics at Kheng Cheng School, who visited Durack in 2018.
The visit was reciprocated by our Head of Curriculum, Allison Horne, in 2019. The BRIDGE program is an exceptional opportunity for professional development. “It was fascinating to recognise the similar challenges that school jurisdictions face no matter where they are in the world and explore innovative ways that school are working to improve student outcomes," said Ms Horne.
In 2021, Students from Year 6 with Mrs Savur, are involved in a Virtual Australia- India BRIDGE Partnership Program. This program is coordinated by the Asia Education Foundation (AEF) and the University of Melbourne. The AEF is a premier organisation providing schools with interactive student program, international school partnerships, teacher professional learning, curriculum resources, research and networks to educate a generation of globally-ready young people.
Our school is fortunate to have joined this partnership program and the students will be working collaboratively with a school in India on Sustainability Development Goals. They will share their learning and understanding with the partner school through various interactive programs including videos, PowerPoint and iMovie.
A number of years ago students from year 4 undertook a similar program with students in Singapore.