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Together We Learn: A Report on The Australian College of Education National Conference Cairns, Australia, September 28-October 1, 1997 By Celeste Brody When an Australian colleague of mine heard I was going "down under" for two months, she stated emphatically, "You must come to the national conference of the Australian College of Education in Cairns, Queensland. There is nothing quite like it in the United States." Thanks to the electronic age, Australians are actually easier to communicate with than Americans, and I received information about the conference and this august body of educators quite quickly. The theme of the conference was "Together We Learn," an expression that drops off easily from the lips of those in the field of cooperative learning. The theme would embrace the promise and challenges of the increasing diversity and interconnectedness of countries and regions of the Pacific Rim. This emphasis would be expressed in four strands: Asia Pacific as the Educational Nexus; The Educational Workplace Interplay; the Ecology of Learning; and the Challenge of Practice. I was pleased to have a paper accepted on the edited book that Neil Davidson and I had just completed: "Promising Practices and Responsible Directions in Professional Development for Cooperative Learning: An Analysis of Approaches to Cooperative Learning." I was not surprised to see that Carole Cooper, a member of the board of the IASCE and director of Global Learning Communities (based in Tasmania, Australia) would be giving a leading address. Seeing Carole made the anticipation of the trip even greater. The pleasure began as I set foot in sunny, humid north Queensland, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. The first evening 350 delegates assembled to present fellowships and awards to distinguished members of the Australian College of Education. This organization has no counterpart quite like it in the United States. Conceived as a "college" in the traditional sense that members are peers who embrace a common vision and work toward similar goals, this body was formed to bring educators from all levels and all sectors together--primary, secondary, tertiary, public, independent and church-related. Members are nominated and elected to the college on the basis of their leadership in the field. Practitioners sit along side researchers. Heads of private schools talk closely with each other and those from institutions of higher education. I appeared to be the only presenter and possibly the only representative from the United States, a novel--but not unwelcome--position for me. I sensed an air of purpose and reflection immediately. Dr. Peter Ellyard, a futurist and strategic analyst, gave the keynote address entitled, "Planetism and Thrivability: Learning for Success in the 21st Century." His notion of thrivability is key to understanding the postmodern paradigm which requires innovation cultures which will empower people for success. Ellyard was followed by leading addresses by educators knowledgeable about Asian Pacific studies, from The Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and other South Pacific regions as well as Australia. Notable for me was Professor Kai-Ming Cheng of the University of Hong Kong and Dr. Konai Thaman, Head of the School of Humanities, University of the South Pacific. Professor Cheng discussed education in cultural interactions. His own ethnographic study in Mainland China led him to develop a healthy respect for the existence and significance of cultural differences that are not easily borrowed across borders. They are deep-rooted in value and often have subtle and unnoticed assumptions that underpin educational beliefs and practices. He argued, however, that appropriate polices may facilitate favorable interaction between cultures and yield positive educational results. Dr. Thaman was born and raised in Tonga. She shared a perspective of teaching and learning that took into account the cultural realities of Pacific Island teachers and learners. The metaphor of Kakala, Tongan for a garland of flowers, was used to illustrate a Pacific view of education as worthwhile learning for cultural survival and continuity and of the teacher as an active learner who is a role model for the learners. She stressed how this view is in opposition to the modern (western) view of education which, in its competitive globalism and individualism, is now considered destructive of Pacific environments and cultural heritages. She invited us to re-examine schools and college curricula to incorporate indigenous knowledge, understandings and values as a means of social and economic survival and sustainability for Pacific Island societies. I noted that while the format of the conference appeared traditional on the surface in its reliance on lectures, the content of the keynote sessions was provocative and thoughtful. Indeed, participants eagerly reacted to the sessions during the short breaks. I respected the reflective atmosphere of the conference and the genuine interest the participants showed to each other's ideas. Carole Cooper's address, "The ecology of learning: going with the grain of the brain," was also a great success. Using the principles of living systems as a guide, she examined how the brain learns and how we create intelligence. She used the metaphor of ecology to discuss the terrain of collaborative learning communities where the focus is on thinking and learning. In support of international communication, the Australians take pride--as well they should--in their use technology. Consequently, you can access the entire conference proceedings on the Conference Web Site. ACE invites you to browse through the papers and invited addresses. There is a lot here: workplace and education connections, changes afoot in bilingual education and policies in Hong Kong, planning for improved student performance. Together We Learn. I learned a great deal about ACE, a special place for educators to come together as respectful colleagues. I also learned much more about the relationship of Australians to the Pacific Rim--something North Americans must keep in focus as we work to counteract our own parochialism. Hyperlink: http://www.internetnorth.com.au/ace_conference97