Short Term Exchange Programs
The short-term exchange/home stay programs aim to:
- Enhance the professional development of teachers and other educators through experiencing in some depth the educational system of another country
- Enhance the personal development of teachers and other educators through experiencing in some depth the culture of another country
- Facilitate the development of person-to-person links between the teachers and other educators involved
- Facilitate the development of ongoing links between schools and school systems using electronic and other forms of communication
In addition, each program will have specific aims related to its emphasis. (For example, a major aim for the teachers who visit from Austria is to develop their skills in teaching in English).
Short-Term Programs
The Department of Education & Training has established several reciprocal short-term educator exchange homestay programs. These programs have a number of common components.
The core of the program is a two-week professional experience. (This might include 'shadowing' an equivalent professional in their day-to-day work, visiting a range of educational institutions, or co-teaching with a colleague).
An equivalent professional provides participants with homestay accommodation free of charge.
Victorian participants are required to identify and carry out an investigation or study project while overseas.
For the Victorian participants the programs are conducted, in general, during school vacation periods. (Groups from Victoria usually travel overseas during the summer vacation period in January).
Victorian participants meet their own expenses (including airfares).
Locations
The target group and focus of each of the programs can differ as the following chart shows:
Location: Pennsylvania
- Target Group: Teachers Principals and other educators
- Focus: "Shadowing" equivalent educator
Location: Vienna, Austria
- Target Group: Teachers
- Focus: Team teaching with partner teacher
Location: Jiangsu, Peoples Republic of China
- Target Group: Primary Principals
- Focus: Visits to various educational institutions
Interested education authorities from other countries should contact:
Don Hudgson
Tel: + 61 3 9651 3881
