Global Citizenship Research Project

Project Member(s): Buchanan, J., Fitzgerald, T.

Funding or Partner Organisation: World Vision Australia

Start year: 2014

Summary: There is currently a lack of research evidence regarding the understanding of development issues by Australian student teachers and their attitudes towards development, citizenship and countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In partnership with UTS, the Global Citizenship Research Project will provide both an overview of Australians' understanding of development issues and an assessment of a tertiary course in development awareness aimed at teacher education students. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, researchers will measure the effectiveness and impact of a semester-long course with a strong development awareness emphasis that will be taught to 200 pre-service primary teachers. Upon conclusion of the course, students teachers will be asked to evaluate the effectiveness of different aspects of the course, and a post-test assessment of their understanding and attitudes will be conducted. The research project will: ¿ identify the Australian public's awareness and understanding of development issues ¿ provide data on effective strategies for improving aid and development awareness ¿ measure the effectiveness of a course for development awareness raising and the changes in the knowledge and attitudes that result from the course ¿ provide valuable information about the effectiveness of tertiary institutions programs for development awareness and global education ¿ provide valuable insights for the ongoing development of global education within both World Vision Australia and AusAID ¿ produce a written report, academic conference presentations, and peer-reviewed articles for education professional development journals ¿ suggest further areas for research that will seek to improve Australians' understanding and awareness of aid and development ¿ generate insights that impact the design of future development education and awareness programs in Australia.

Publications:

Buchanan, J & Varadharajan, M 2016, ''Give Me Liberty, or Give Me ... Nice, New, Shiny Things': Global Development Aid Education in Australia', PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 319-336.
View/Download from: UTS OPUS or Publisher's site

Keywords: Global Citizenship, World Vision Australia, development awareness, global education, teacher education,

FOR Codes: International Aid and Development, Syllabus and Curriculum Development, Specialist Studies in Education not elsewhere classified, Teacher and Instructor Development, Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators, Primary Education (excl. Maori)