The National Museum of Australia in Canberra, with the generous support of Gandel Foundation, is bringing together well-known speakers from across the country for an online learning program.
Aimed at teachers, students and those interested in education, Australian Perspectives: First Nations, Gender, Migration will launch on 24 January 2022. The program aligns with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and will count towards teachers’ professional learning for 2022.
Tina Brandt, Head of Visitor Experience and Commercial Operations at the National Museum, said: “In 2020 the National Museum launched Australia’s Defining Moments Digital Classroom, which offers a range of free online learning resources for teachers and students, aligned with the Australian Curriculum. Its purpose is to ensure access equity for schools across Australia.”
“Within the Digital Classroom there is an evolving timeline of key events in Australia’s history that have impacted and shaped our nation. To further explore these defining moments, we have created Australian Perspectives: First Nations, Gender, Migration, the first digital professional learning program for teachers of its kind,” said Ms Brandt.
“Gandel Foundation is delighted to see the continued growth and reach of Australia’s Defining Moments Digital Classroom (ADMDC) Project,” said Mr John Gandel AC and Mrs Pauline Gandel AC. “Australian Perspectives: First Nations, Gender, Migration – the new online learning program – will enable teachers to take part in an important professional development series aligned to the ADMDC, so they can continue to teach with renewed enthusiasm in their classrooms.”
Australian Perspectives: First Nations, Gender, Migration is based on first-person narratives that can be used for teachers’ professional learning and in the classroom. It will include keynote addresses from three prominent Australians: comedian, commentator, actor and proud Indigenous woman Steph Tisdell; author and historian Professor Clare Wright OAM; and author Saroo Brierley, whose bestselling autobiography A Long Way Home was adapted into the feature film Lion. These speakers share stories of the defining moments that have shaped their lives and identities.
The program will also include three sessions that delve deeper into the three program themes: First Nations, gender and migration. Each session will focus on a theme and feature one of our guest speakers: Nathaniel Tamwoy, Nevo Zisin and Professor Munjed Al Muderis. These sessions will also include panel discussions with Australian teachers and students and Museum experts examining the content’s relevance to the Australian Curriculum and classroom practice.
“The National Museum’s online professional learning program aims to address what an inclusive classroom looks like in the 21st century, how we can incorporate multiple perspectives into our teaching of Australian history, and how we can build students’ empathy, intercultural understanding and respect for viewpoints other than their own,” Ms Brandt said.
“The Australian Perspectives series will support and strengthen lesson planning, providing teachers with a broad scope of views that they can take into their classrooms and share with students. We are proud of our partnership with, and the proactive approach of, the National Museum in equipping our educators with new skills and knowledge. We are confident that learning opportunities such as this can inspire and assist teachers across the nation,” said Mr Gandel.
On Monday 24 January 2022, participants will hear Steph Tisdell, Clare Wright and Saroo Brierley tell their stories and respond to questions sent in by teachers around Australia. During this session, Museum educators will be online to answer questions about how this valuable content can be used in the classroom. The three sessions exploring the program themes will be available immediately following the keynote addresses.
Register now at: digital-classroom.nma.gov.au/australian-perspectives
