Inspiration and Innovation: Reflections on an Academic Journey at Deakin University

By Iin Afriyanti (MA in Education student batch 2)

During my visit to Deakin University, I had the privilege to experience the academic environment overseas. Upon arrival at the Deakin Burwood campus, my friends and I were greeted by Deb, an academic staff member. She gave us an engaging campus tour. I highlighted a moment when meeting Dr Fiona in her Digital Art room. I can see that she is very passionate about art and education. She showed one incredible picturebook entitled “Shordi Krik” written and illustrated by her students. I was amazed by that lovely picturebook since it showed how engaged the students were with the class as they could produce and create something. I ensured that Dr Fiona’s class would be exciting and meaningful. It is evident when we met Dr Fiona at Deakin Waurn Pounds, she taught us how to play the two songs “Boris the Bassman” and “Tatenda”. I found myself feeling released and getting more energy after having a chance to play and enjoy the instruments. I believe that the integration of art into the educational process is significant.

Besides experiencing the digital art class, my friends and I also had a chance to sit in Paul’s seminar at Deakin Waurn Ponds. I observed that the students bravely shared their perspectives. The class become the safest zone for students to express their ideas. I also could identify that students’ voices mattered and were heard respectfully by Paul. It gives me a new perspective on being a teacher. A good teacher needs to have the ability to listen to the students well, without further judgment. Paul also prepared the class very well. Every single material that will be delivered to the students has been ready and runs smoothly. It showed that he is very experienced in teaching. I observed the method that he used was experiential learning. His students were invited to experience writing a story with various prompts and using several tools. In my view, what Paul’s doing is very beneficial for his students, who are pre-service teachers. The students could directly experience and reflect that the writing process depends on the condition of students and their surroundings. Again, it was fantastic.

The consultation session with Maria also significantly enhanced my understanding of literacy research. We discussed literature and literacy studies, with Maria sharing her research experiences in Australia. Our conversation deepened as we explored Vygotsky’s theories relevant to my research. Maria provided invaluable new perspectives that enriched my understanding and offered clearer direction for developing my thesis. In addition, the discussions with three Indonesian and two international PhD students at Deakin University were also enlightening. These conversations reinforced my decision to pursue further studies. The PhD students shared their experiences, covering topics such as approaching our possible research supervisors, securing scholarships, and their journey on their dissertations. One of the most significant aspects I highlighted in the discussions was the emphasis on ethical issues. It became evident to me how deeply Australia, particularly Deakin University, is committed to ethical considerations in research. While ethical issues are also addressed in Indonesia, the focus in Australia appears to be more comprehensive. The PhD students explained that ethical issues have a dedicated segment in their research process, underscoring the importance placed on this area. Despite the cold weather in Victoria, the kindness of the professors and PhD students made the atmosphere feel warm and welcoming.

*Iin Afriyanti is FoE MA program student batch 2, who visited Deakin University, Australia