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In 2021, Chris Higgins joined the Asia Education Foundation, an organisation committed to supporting educators and young people to develop global competencies, empathy and respect.
Since then, Higgins has used his skills, knowledge and experience in digital pedagogies, learning design and adult learning to strengthen and innovate youth programs and educator professional learning programs during the pandemic.
“Asia Education Foundation, an initiative of Asialink at The University of Melbourne since 1992, provides school leaders, teachers and students with global perspectives, intercultural understanding and capabilities for a globalised, connected world,” Higgins told The Educator.
“As deputy director, I am humbled to lead the strategic vision, design and implementation of professional learning and student programs alongside AEF’s other deputy director.”
He says that in today’s world, the importance of bringing together educators and young people from across Australia and 23 other Asia-Pacific nations to build relationships, connection, empathy, capacity and competence couldn’t be more important.
“Now more than ever we must nurture the next generation to be truly global citizens.”
Higgins says that educational technology, when used the right way, can be effective in removing barriers to learning and presenting unique opportunities to remove even further barriers of inequality into the future.
“The benefits of technology within education can most recently be observed from delivering education throughout the COVID-19 pandemic through the unique opportunity to connect through technology rather than face-to-face,” he says.
“However, we must continue to look forward.”
He says that opportunities to connect beyond existing classrooms, communities or borders by leveraging features such as video-calling, translation, subtitle and script, dictation or text-to-speech, immersive readers, or assistive technologies, provides educators with the power to bring inclusion, global thought and diversity of thought into their classrooms.
“Including unique stories, experiences, ideas, and beliefs from individuals and communities across our country or region, that are now accessible in ways we’ve never leveraged before.”
One persistent challenge that educators are facing today is how to maintain and enhance the human element in teaching and learning at a time when technology is almost ubiquitous.
A particularly important question for school leaders in this context is how they can promote skills such as intercultural understanding, critical thinking, interpersonal/social skills and ethical understanding in the digital age.
“Fortunately, I see support to school leaders on these challenges continually increasing and hopefully soon, they will become as ubiquitous as the challenges themselves,” Higgins says.
“Our goal at AEF is to equip educators and students with the intercultural learning and global perspectives required to navigate a shared future with Asia.”
As technology is the “critical medium” to close this divide, AEF guides school leaders or teachers on the importance of planning and design from structured outcomes and goals.
“This is the pivotal element. Always remember technology is the enabler but the approach must remain goal and outcome orientated,” he says.
“With so many strategies and models available, school leaders must look to increase educators understanding and skills to address these challenges.”
As a champion of inclusion and continual development of teaching skills, Higgins was shortlisted for the 2018 Australian Education Award for Curriculum Innovation for the development of a course to promote global competence and general capabilities in education. He holds a Master of Education in Special Education from the University of Melbourne, as well as undergraduate qualifications in arts and philosophical studies and theology from the University of Glasgow. He also previously held the positions of head of department, EAL and humanities teacher in the UK, Vietnam, Thailand, China and Australia.
Higgins is also a judge on the National History Challenge competition panel. In April, he was awarded the 2022 Asialink Fellowship for his commitment to education, to participate in the University of Melbourne’s Asialink Leaders Program. In May 2022, he is also commencing his PhD in Education, researching the use of digital technologies in Australian secondary schools.
272-278 Faraday Street, Carlton, Vic, 3053
0402 401 012
chris.higgins@unimelb.edu.au
linkedin.com/in/mr-chris-higgins
asiaeducation.edu.au
Chris Higgins
Deputy Director
Asia Education Foundation
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2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Year 7 Community Leader and Leader for Learning Technologies and Platforms at Northern Beaches Christian School
Master of Business Administration, 2017–2019
2021
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2013
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Master of Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy)
2013
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Bachelor of Education (Primary)
2009–2012
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2009
2011–2014
2014–2018
2018–2021
2021–present
Chris Higgins
Deputy Director
Asia Education Foundation
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
Profile
Milestones
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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2009
2011–2014
2014–2018
2018–2021
2021–present
Chris Higgins
Deputy Director
Asia Education Foundation
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
2021–present
2018–2021
2014–2018
2011-2014
2009
2021
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Director at Asia Education Foundation, 2021
Awarded the Asialink Fellowship, 2022
Commencing PhD in Education, 2022
2021–present
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2018–2021
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Global Head of Humanities at Australia's largest K-12 ed-tech provider
2018 Australian education award finalist in curriculum innovation
2018–2021
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2014–
2018
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Learning Area Coordinator at Carey Baptist Grammar in Melbourne
2014–2018
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2011–2014
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Taught in schools in Thailand, Vietnam and China
2011–2014
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2009
human resources | key media
Entered the education profession in Scotland
2009
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Milestones