The Bridge Project Supporting Online Collaboration Between Australian And Indonesian Schools

Australia-Indonesia BRIDGE Project (Building Relationships through Intercultural Dialogue and Growing Engagement)

Project Partners

Project Supporters

Project Goals
to increase Indonesian teachers’ and students’ knowledge and understanding of contemporary Australia

Project Goals
to increase Australian teachers’ and students’ knowledge and understanding of Indonesia, particularly the role of religion in contemporary Indonesian society

Project Goals
to support foreign language acquisition in Indonesian and Australian schools

Project Goals

to support ten BEP (Basic Education Program) schools to acquire Internet technologies and undertake basic training related to their usage

Outcomes
For participating Australian teachers and schools:
increased knowledge and understanding about Indonesia in Australian school
increased support and interest in Indonesian language programs in Australian schools
strengthened intercultural understanding between Indonesia and Australia
improved professional capacity to support implementation of Internet-based collaborative learning
increased uptake of the National Statement for Engaging Young Australians with Asia in Australian Schools

For participating Indonesian teachers and schools:
increased understanding of contemporary Australian culture, society and history
improved professional capacity
strengthened intercultural understanding between Indonesia and Australia
opportunities for Indonesian schools to establish local learning clusters that support project goals

For all participants:
support for ongoing school linkages between Indonesia and Australia to expand the benefits of the project beyond the individuals who participate to include other teachers, their students and school communities in both countries.

Project Model
The BRIDGE Project occurs in four phases:
Phase 1 – Preparing for the BRIDGE Project with basic IT training, pre-departure support and mentoring
Phase 2 – Professional Learning Program for Indonesian teachers in Australia and joint training with their Australian partners
Phase 3 - School Engagementaimed to build Australian and Indonesian sister-school partnerships
Phase 4 - Small Grants to Australian Schoolsto support ongoing engagement

Phase 1 – Preparing for the BRIDGE Project

Phase 2 – Professional Learning Program
For Australians
Three to four day program in Melbourne with Indonesian partners
two-week school and homestay program

Phase 2 – Professional Learning Program
For Indonesians
three-week program in Australia for Indonesian teachers
five-day professional learning program
two-week school and homestay program
two-day debriefing program in Sydney

Phase 3 - School Engagement

www.bridge.edu.au

Collaborative Activities
Getting Started
A Life Well Lived

Animal Mania
My Place, Your Place
The Not So Lonely Planet Guide
People Patterns
Making a Difference
Let’s Celebrate!
Building BRIDGEs Anthology

Wikis provide a collaborative space
whereby contributors can participate
together in the building of information
in one website. Individuals work
together and often work on the same
content.

Phase 4 - Small Grants to Australian Schools
The Australia-Indonesia Institute will offer small grants (up to $5,000) to Australian schools to:
support the implementation of school partnerships
foster ongoing links between Indonesian and Australian school communities
available 8 months after the professional learning program in Australia

School’s role
An Australian school participating in the BRIDGE Projectagrees to:
be committed to working with an Indonesian partner for at least one year following the visit to Australia through online collaborative activities
support two teachers’ full participation in the BRIDGE Project, including:
Attending 3-4 day professional learning program in Melbourne
Developing and implementing online collaborative activities and curriculum in classrooms
Promoting the BRIDGE Project to colleagues to further engagement with their Indonesian partner school
have access to suitable hardware, software and regular access to the Internet
have an interest in furthering or including ICT in the school curriculum.

Teachers’ role
have an interest in Indonesia
attend a 3-4day professional learning program in Melbourne
host an Indonesian partner for two-weeks
undertake at least three online collaborative activities (including a ‘Getting Started’ activity) over the following 12 months
contribute to the ‘BRIDGE Anthology’
be open to learning new teaching methodologies and using new practices in the classroom
promote the BRIDGE Project to colleagues to further engagement with the Indonesian partner school

Some examples of current partnerships
http://partnershipfifteen.bridge.wikispaces.net/
http://partnershiptwentyeight.bridge.wikispaces.net/
http://partnershipone.bridge.wikispaces.net/

Applications for Round Two of the BRIDGE Project will be released in September 2009
For further information visit www.bridge.edu.au or email bridge@asialink.unimelb.edu.au