Daniel Colley 17660772 Diversity, Social Justice and Learning

Assessment 1 Essay

Daniel Colley 17660772

Diversity, Social Justice and Learning

Question 3: How might current Australian educational policies preserve

diversity as a valuable asset for addressing the many challenges faced by the

global community now and in the future?

The global community is faced with several challenges now, and with more likely

to occur in the future (Rischard, 2003). Australias current political climate is

that of Multiculturalism and as such contains many diverse groups in terms of

culture, language and ethnicity, including western and indigenous peoples,

migrants and refugees. In fact, almost one third of students come from language

backgrounds other than English (NSW Department of Education and

Communities, 2014, p. 6). This diversity is an asset for these global challenges

and current Australian Education Policy has many of the features required to

preserve diversity however, it requires adjustment and a shift in focus in order

to better address these Global Community Challenges. This essay will begin by

providing examples of global community challenges and describing ways in

which diversity is an asset for interacting with/resolving these issues. It will then

move onto a critical discourse analysis of current Australian education policies

and the ways they preserve diversity. Following this will a critique of analysed

policies and how a Critical Cosmopolitan Education framework can improve

upon exist models, drawing from critical pedagogy theory. Finally, the essay will

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conclude its analysis of policies by highlighting how the tone/language of current

policies falls into a neo-liberal discourse of diversity as problematic and in need

of support, instead suggesting methods to shift tones towards benefited aspects

of diversity as an asset in need of nurturing. Several other social justice theories

(such as critical race theory) will also influence this essay as it investigates

diversity mainly in terms of race, ethnicity, culture and language.

In contemporary times the increasing global interconnectivity of the world is

beginning to present challenges that require a diverse range of responses. Jean-

Francois Rischard (2003) designates these global issues into The Global

CommonsSharing Our Humanity[and] Sharing Our Rulebook (p. 81)

challenges, meaning challenges related to resources (climate change, for

example), related to human interaction (Terrorism, for instance) and challenges

associated with global political tensions (such as intellectual property rights)

(Rischard, 2003). Rischard finishes his assessment by insisting that one of the

many assets for addressing these issues is global diversity and international

communication (2003). Within a Multicultural society such as Australia, this

presents a unique opportunity to allow the high level of internal diversity to

culminate a variety of responses to global community challenges on the

local/national level (Marshall, 2011). In this way, diversity benefits a nations

adaptability as it presents multiple perspectives and alternative views on the

issues themselves, provided all perspectives are heard (Rizvi, 2006). Likewise, it

increases the ability to communicate with other countries through linguistic and

cultural diversity as a mode of entry into global debates and ideas where English

may no be the central language (Rizvi, 2006). In this fashion, with high diversity

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and an appreciation of that diversity, Australia is more equipped to address and

interact with global challenges both individually as a nation and collaboratively

with other countries.

As diversity is a global asset, it would stand to reason that a society should

actively preserve and encourage diversity within its population and there are

several ways current Australian policy does this. Education is often regarded as

the leading method of change in society and as such, the main policies for

preserving diversity against a prior history of exclusion and assimilation

(Jayaraman, 2000) are education policies. The Multicultural Education Policy

(NSW Department of Education and Communities, 2005) specifically deals with

diversity within a multicultural setting and sets a series of positive objectives

conducive for diversity to thrive. These objectives broadly state that schools

provide education allowing students to identify as Australian and participate as

active citizens (Objective 1.2); Schools conduct inclusive teaching pedagogies

that value and tolerate diversity and difference (Objective 1.3); Schools will

adjust their practice to meet the learning need of every student individually with

options for additional support (Objective 1.5); and Schools will promote positive

involvement between the school, students, parents and the community

(Objective 1.6). In summery, schools will provide a positive environment for

diversity in terms of personal and community inclusion, individualised

assistance and teaching, and open support for diversity; all things helpful in

allowing people to feel comfortable expressing and preserving their diversity.

This broad policy also sparked the Multicultural Policies and Service Program

(MPSP) (NSW Department of Education and Communities, 2012a) and its many

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implementation strategies (NSW Department of Education and Communities,

2014). This program is based upon the above objectives (as well as others this

essay has omitted) and builds upon them with high specificity and related

activities/outcomes. One of the additional outcomes within the MPSP is a stress

on the need for understanding diversity and different cultures by both teachers

and students (NSW Department of Education and Communities, 2014). This too

is helpful to preserving and encouraging diversity as it at once influences the

ability to meet Objective 1.5 through understanding differentiated pedagogy but

also impacts the tolerance of students to peers which may not fall under the

dominant western culture (Keddie, 2011). Of particular import is that this

understanding is recommended for all schools, especially those with low

diversity (NSW Department of Education and Communities, 2014) whom may

not gain experience of different persons and ways of thinking until much later in

life. Overall, these policies help to preserve diversity through providing a

positive environment conducive to diverse individuals, adding support

structures to help people (of all cultures, languages and ethnicities) interact with

one another in an understanding, tolerant and inclusively engaged manner.

However, these policies could benefit from alterations in terms of existing

objectives/outcomes that preserve diversity but could do so more effectively.

The outcomes of particular interest are those of understanding diverse cultures,

the Australianvalues (NSW Department of Education and Communities, 2014,

p. 5) referenced throughout the policies (NSW Department of Education and

Communities, 2005; 2012a), as well as the interconnectivity of cultures within

Australia and how students think about interculturalism. As mentioned at the

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beginning of this essay, the changes I am insisting would alter the current

education policies from being multicultural to being within the discourse of

Critical Cosmopolitan Education. As mentioned above, current policies insist

upon both teachers and students gaining an understanding of diverse cultures

and perspectives (NSW Department of Education and Communities, 2014). In its

current state, policy treats cultures as abstract and capable of focused study

(Rivzi, 2006, p. 265), but Leeman and Reid (2006) state that culture and identity

are always in a state of flux, shifting in response to changes within cultural,

historical and socio-economic contexts (Sobe, 2009). Rizvi (2006) also adds to

this by stating that cultures, identities and our lives are becoming re-shaped by

global processes and connections (Rizvi, 2006, p. 253). In order to present

culture as relational and interconnected (Rizvi, 2006, p. 266), Cosmopolitan

Education suggests treating cultural understanding within a reflexive framework

(Reid & Sriprakash, 2012). Rivzi (2006) states that: Reflexivity (Beck, 2000)

requires people to become self-conscious and knowledgeable about their own

perspective and how it is subject to transformation as a result of its engagement

with other cultural trajectories (p. 267). In other words; students should be

encouraged to come to an open understanding of their local embeddedness, and

how these relations are materially constrained and enabling (Reid & Sriprakash,

2012, p. 20) and then consider/discuss how these then relate to other

localities/cultures and the interconnectivities between them within a

multicultural society and overall global community.

Further, many of the policies make reference to Australian Values (NSW

Department of Education and Communities, 2012a). In doing so, again the

policies assume the dominance or the concrete existence of an abstract set of

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values (Rizvi, 2006). Rizvi (2006) would instead argue that these values are

intercultural and relational/conditional. Reflexivity would again open and

diversify these values but efforts should also be made to establish epistemic

virtues (Rizvi, 2006, p. 254). These virtues (under moral cosmopolitanism

(Sobe, 2009)) are alluded to in current policies however are overly

contextualized to an abstract Australia and would benefit from a

decontextualisation to universal human rights (Snauwaert, 2009, p. 21) such

as tolerance, equity and other global rights so as not to isolate students. In so,

establishing Cosmopolitan Education frameworks within existing policies (such

as reflexivity, interconnections, criticality and universal virtues) would improve

upon the benefits of policies to preserving and encouraging diversity.

Finally, a particular flaw of current policies exists in their tone and the lack of

connectivity between diversity and the assets for global issues diversity

provides. A pointed factor is that, within the NSW policies of education, little-to-

no connection is made to diversity as an asset. Instead, it is treated in terms of

the challenges it poses to educating in a singular manner (NSW Department of

Education and Communities, 2012b] and various ways of resolving these

challenges, repeatedly attempting to [close] the gaps (NSW Department of

Education and Communities, 2012a, p. 10). The Workforce Diversity Plan (NSW

Department of Education and Communities, 2012c) does detail the positive

affects of diversity on the workforce and economy, however its focus is local and

state wide. The language consistently used is pragmatic or in relation to

problems, such as support, develop and assist (NSW Department of

Education and Communities, 2005; 2014). Under this set of pragmatic (or neo-

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liberal (Leeman & Reid, 2006)) political frameworks, a reductionist

understandings of culture [is inferred] where a privileging of western ways of

knowing and being has inferiorised minority cultures as the less enlightened

'other' (Keddie, 2011, p. 28) and in need of support to close the gaps. This issue

with policies thematic tone can be resolved by a shift from problems in need of

treating to benefits we are under utilising. By establishing diversity as an asset

for addressing the many challenges faced by the global community now and in

the future, the policies would achieve this needed tone shift.

With increasing globalisation several global community issues are arising.

Australias primary asset for interacting with these challenges is its diversity as

diversity increasing alternative perspectives and the nations ability to

communicate internationally. While current policies (particularly educational

policies) are somewhat effective at preserving this needed diversity through

establishing positive environments and personal/community engagement

between diverse groups, improvements can be made. By treating culture and

cultural values as a living, changing (not abstract) structure and interacting with

them reflexively, current policies can build upon existing models. Particular

focus, however, needs to be placed upon diversity as an asset within current

policies. In this way policies will then preserve diversity as a valuable asset for

addressing the many challenges faced by the global community now and in the

future.

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References

Jayaraman, R. (2000). Inclusion and exclusion: An analysis of the Australian

immigration history and ethnic relations. Journal of Popular Culture, 34(1), 135-

155.

Keddie, A. (2011). Educating for diversity and social justice. Professional Educator,

10(3), 27-30.

Leeman, Y. & Reid, C. (2006). Multi/intercultural education in Australia and the

Netherlands. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education,

36(1), 57-72.

Marshall, H. (2011). Instrumentalism, ideals and imaginaries: Theorising the contested

space of global citizenship education in schools. Globalisation, Societies and

Education, 9(4), 411-426.

NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2005). Multicultural education policy

(Reference No. PD/2005/0234/V01). Retrieved from

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/student_serv/equity/comm_rela/PD2005

0234.shtml?level=Schools&categories=Schools%7Caccess+%26+equity%7Cmult

icultural

NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2012a). Multicultural policies and

services program. Retrieved from

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/about-us/how-we-

operate/strategies-and-plans/corporate/mpsp-multicultural-plan.pdf

NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2012b). 5 year strategic plan 2012-

2017. Retrieved from https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/about-

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us/how-we-operate/strategies-and-plans/corporate-plans/fiveyrs-strategic-

plan.pdf

NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2012c). Workforce Diversity Plan

2012-2017. Retrieved from

http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/documents/15060385/15385042/wdplan2012-

17.pdf

NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2014). Multicultural policies and

services program: Implementation Report 2013-2014. Retrieved from

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/about-us/how-we-

operate/annual-reports/mpsp/mpsp2013-14.pdf

Reid, C. & Sriprakash, A. (2012). The possibility of cosmopolitan learning: Reflecting on

future directions for diversity teacher education in Australia. Asia Pacific Journal

of Teacher Education, 40(1), 15-29.

Rischard, J. (2003). Urgent global problems. Progressive Politics, 2(2), 80-84.

Rizvi, F. (2006). Towards cosmopolitan learning. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural

Politics of Education, 30(3), 253-268.

Snauwaert, D. (2009). The ethics and ontology of cosmopolitanism: Education for a

shared humanity. Current Issues in Comparative Education, 14(1), 14-22.

Sobe, N. (2009). Rethinking cosmopolitanism as an analytic for the comparative study

of globalization and education. Current Issues in Comparative Education, 12(1), 6-

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