Cross-curriculum priority: Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia

In The Arts, students can examine art forms that have arisen from the rich and diverse belief systems and traditions of the Asia region. Students can consider the aesthetic qualities of these art forms as well as their local, regional and global influence. This learning area provides opportunities to investigate the role of the arts in developing, maintaining and transforming cultural beliefs and practices and communicating an understanding of the rich cultural diversity of the Asia region. Students can engage with a variety of art forms, media, instruments and technologies of the Asia region. They can reflect on the intrinsic value of these artworks and artists' practices as well as their place and value within broader social, cultural, historical and political contexts.

In English students can explore and appreciate the diverse range of traditional and contemporary texts from and about the peoples and countries of Asia, including texts written by Australians of Asian heritage. It enables students to understand how Australian culture and the English language have been influenced by the many Asian languages used in Australian homes, classrooms and communities. Students draw on knowledge of the Asia region, including literature, to influence and enhance their creative pursuits. They develop communication skills that reflect cultural awareness and intercultural understanding.

Health and Physical Education provides opportunities for students to explore the synergy between Asia and Australia in the areas of health and physical activity. It enables students to appreciate and engage with the diverse cultures, traditions and belief systems of the Asia region through the development of communication and interpersonal skills that reflect cultural understanding, empathy and respect. Students examine the meaning of health and the mind-body-spirit connection across the cultures of the Asia region through wellness practices. These include physical activity and traditions of medicine and health care. In Health and Physical Education, students recognise the influence within Australian culture of traditional and contemporary movement activities from the Asia region and explore health and movement in the context of Asia.

In the Humanities, students can investigate the diversity of cultures, values, beliefs, histories and environments that exists between and within the countries of the Asia region, and how this diversity influences the way people interact with each other, the places where they live and the social, economic, political and cultural systems of the region as a whole. Students can investigate the reasons behind both internal migration in the Asia region and from Asia to Australia, and so develop an understanding of the experiences of the people of Asian heritage who are now Australian citizens. Students can learn about the shared history and the environmental, social and economic interdependence of Australia and the Asia region. In a changing globalised world, the nature of interdependence between Asian regions and Australia continues to change. By exploring the way transnational and intercultural collaboration supports the notion of shared and sustainable futures, students can reflect on how Australians can participate in the Asia region as active and informed citizens.

The Intercultural Capability assists young people to become responsible local and global citizens, equipped for living and working together in an interconnected world. It enables students to learn to value their own cultures, languages and beliefs, and those of others. Students learn about diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections with others, and cultivate mutual respect.

Languages enable students to learn languages of the Asian region. Students learn to communicate and interact in interculturally appropriate ways – exploring concepts, experiences and perspectives from within and across Asian cultures. In the Languages learning area, students develop an appreciation for the place of Australia within the Asian region, including the interconnections of languages and cultures, peoples and communities, and histories and economies. Students learn how Australia is situated within the Asian region, how our national linguistic and cultural identity is continuously evolving locally, regionally and within an international context.

In Mathematics students can learn about the understandings and applications of mathematics in Asia and the way mathematicians from Asia continue to contribute to the ongoing development of mathematics. Students have opportunities to develop mathematical understanding in fields such as number, patterns, measurement, symmetry and statistics by drawing on knowledge of and examples from the Asia region. These could include calculation, money, art, architecture, design and travel. Investigations involving data collection, representation and analysis can be used to examine issues pertinent to the Asia region.

Science gives students opportunities to recognise that people from the Asia region have made and continue to make significant contributions to the development of science understandings and their applications. It enables students to recognise that the Asia region includes diverse environments and to appreciate that interaction between human activity and these environments continues to influence the region, including Australia, and has significance for the rest of the world. Students appreciate that the Asia region plays an important role in scientific research and development. These can include research and development in areas such as medicine, natural resource management, nanotechnologies, communication technologies and natural disaster prediction and management.

In Technologies students can explore traditional, contemporary and emerging technological achievements in the countries of the Asia region. They investigate the contributions that Australia has made and is making to create products and services that meet a range of needs in the Asia region and can examine the contributions that peoples of the Asia region have made and continue to make to global technological advances. Students explore Australia's rich and ongoing engagement with the peoples and countries of Asia to create appropriate and sustainable products and services that meet personal, community, national, regional and global needs and reflect intercultural, creative and critical thinking.

Civics and Citizenship

Explain the values and key features of Australia’s system of government compared with at least one other system of government in the Asia region (VCCCG029)

Design and Technologies

Evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions against comprehensive criteria for success recognising the need for sustainability (VCDSCD063)

Explain how designed solutions evolve with consideration of preferred futures and the impact of emerging technologies on design decisions (VCDSTS055)

Digital Technologies

Evaluate how well student-developed solutions and existing information systems meet needs, are innovative and take account of future risks and sustainability (VCDTCD044)

Economics and Business

Investigate Australia as a trading nation and its place within Asia and the global economy (VCEBR020)

English

Level 9: Interpret and compare how representations of people and culture in literary texts are drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (VCELT435)

Level 10: Create sustained texts, including texts that combine specific digital or media content, for imaginative, informative, or persuasive purposes that reflect upon challenging and complex issues (VCELY479)

Geography

Effects of the production and consumption of goods on places and environments throughout the world and including a country from North-East Asia (VCGGK142)

Reasons and consequences for spatial variations in human wellbeing on a regional scale within India or another country of the Asia region; and on a local scale in Australia (VCGGK151)

Health and Physical Education

Examine the role physical activity, outdoor recreation and sport play in the lives of Australians and investigate how this has changed over time (VCHPEM157)

History

Significance of World War I to Australia's international relationships in the twentieth century, with particular reference to Britain, the USA and Asia (VCHHK143)

Significance of World War II to Australia's international relationships in the twentieth century, with particular reference to Britain, the USA, Asia and the United Nations (VCHHK149)

Key social, cultural, economic, and political features of one society at the start of the period (VCHHK133)

Intended and unintended causes and effects of contact and extension of settlement of European power(s), including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (VCHHK134)

Significant events and influencing ideas in the development of the society, including different perspectives of the events at the time and different historical interpretations and debates (VCHHK135)

Patterns of continuity and change and their effects on influencing movements of people, ways of life and living conditions, political and legal institutions, and cultural expression around the turn of the twentieth century (VCHHK136)

Different experiences and perspectives of non-Europeans and their perspectives on changes to society, significant events, ideas, beliefs and values (VCHHK137)

Position of the society in relation to other nations in the world by 1918 including the effects of ideas and movements of people (VCHHK138)

Languages

For Asian languages see the Languages section of the Victorian Curriculum F–10 website.

Mathematics

Evaluate statistical reports in the media and other places by linking claims to displays, statistics and representative data (VCMSP354)