Animal rights organisation Voiceless has partnered with ed-tech leader Education Perfect to educate and inspire the next generation of changemakers to protect animals.
This partnership will see Voiceless (https://voiceless.org.au/) delivering their valuable educational content through the Education Perfect (https://www.educationperfect.com/) (EP) online learning platform, making it available to all schools across Australia and New Zealand.
With the first module focused on dolphins in captivity and the second on live animal exports, EP are building out their cross-curriculum content for both teachers and students to include issues such as social justice, sustainability, student health and wellbeing, and indigenous issues. Both modules are now available.
The module on dolphins introduces students to the social and intelligent nature of dolphins, and the welfare issues associated with keeping them in captivity in aquariums and marine parks. Lessons are aligned to English, Science, History and Geography curricula.
The export of live animals as a global trade has been under growing scrutiny for decades.
Australia has a well-documented history of incidents which have raised concern through widespread media coverage and public discourse.
67,000 sheep perished on their way to the Middle East in 1996, with close to a further 6000 sheep dying aboard the Cormo Express in 2003; just under 6000 cattle drowned just last year when their ship capsized.
The course content has been praised as highly valuable from both students and teachers.
“It is about making well rounded citizens who move out into the world and have the ability to think critically and make responsible decisions,” said Sharyn Rix, Head of English, Drama and LOTE at Kempsey High School in NSW.
Sharyn’s sentiments were echoed by a Year 12 student in WA, who commented, “There is plenty to learn about live exports and animal treatment and I like that it sparked conversation within my classroom around the issues.”
The course, with its 12 modules, will provide the platform and its users with valuable curriculum-aligned social justice content, promoted through their network of teachers, on their website and on their learning resources.
“Together we are working towards a kinder world for animals.”
Education Perfect Partnerships Director, Anna Redmile, said that joining forces with Voiceless contributes content that allows teachers and students to have conversations used for critical thinking and better understanding the world they live in.
“With the strength of EP’s engagement and footprint in schools across ANZ, coupled with their expertise in animal protection education, EP and Voiceless are working together to educate the next generation and create a kinder world for animals,” she said.
Dr. Christina Jarvis, Education Consultant, Teacher and Voiceless Education Advisory Council, said that the critical thinking skills embedded in the Voiceless APES were rare and welcome components of what she said were unique pedagogical tools.
“As we help children embrace an increasingly complicated future, such skills are paramount for developing engaged citizens yet are typically lacking in Australian curriculum support materials,” she said.
Voiceless aims to promote critical thinking on this issue by drawing on a range of sources from animal welfare and protection organisations, governmental departments, and industry reports, with the educational resources shared through EP seeking to provoke thought, rather than provide concrete solutions.
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Media enquiries:
Education Perfect
Alana Fisher-Chejoski
alana.fisherchejoski@thebigsmoke.com.au
About EP
Founded in New Zealand and developed by and with teachers over a 10-year period, Education Perfect (https://www.educationperfect.com/) (EP) is the total digital teaching and learning toolkit for schools, helping teachers to redefine teaching and learning experiences in line with the requirements of the 21st century. The EP platform offers a world-class set of tools for learning, revision, and assessment, enabling 21st century practices for years 5 to 12, across all subject areas. EP has rich user data reporting and insight capabilities enabling the use of machine learning & AI, while also providing insights to teachers, parents, principals, administrators and students.
With offices in Australia, NZ, Singapore, and Dubai, and being already used by 1 million+ students, 50,000+ teachers, in 3,000+ schools across 50+ countries, EP is uniquely positioned to be the total digital teaching and learning toolkit for schools globally. The team at EP are united through a common passion for making a global impact in education. To learn more about how we help schools, teachers, students and parents and/or to trial our platform for free, please visit educationperfect.com (http://www.educationperfect.com/).
About Voiceless
Voiceless is a not-for-profit organisation championing animal protection through education. Find out more at voiceless.org.au (https://voiceless.org.au/).