2024 Harvest Ed, Victoria

HarvestEd Victoria offers an immersive online learning experience, uniting students from across Victoria to explore the agricultural sector and its significance locally and globally. Developed and led by educators at Asialink Education, affiliated with The University of Melbourne, HarvestEd empowers students to delve into the multifaceted world of agriculture, fostering collaboration, critical thinking, and innovation. 

HarvestEd is open to all Victorian students from Years 7–9. The program may form part of a school cross-curricular program, curriculum elective program, careers pathway program or through the VET or VCAL program. Applications from schools Victoria with regional and rural applications and applications for female students strongly encouraged. 

When: 3 x 2.5 hour sessions delivered online in Term 2, and one-day face-to-face conference at the Parkville campus at The University of Melbourne. 

Where: A virtual program designed to support flexibility and reduce barriers to participation. Optional in-person session to explore pathways beyond school. 

Cost: Participation for students is fully-funded thanks to The William Buckland Foundation. 

How to apply 

Thanks to the generosity of The William Buckland Foundation the program is fully funded. As such, places are limited and interested schools must submit an expression of interest. 

For more information, please email aef-support@asialink.unimelb.edu. 

Program structure 

The program is delivered over 3 sessions with an optional asynchronous task for students to complete between sessions. Students are invited to connect with industry partners and present their ideas at a face-to-face conference hosted at the University of Melbourne. 

Teachers are asked to actively supervise all students in the program, just as typical in/excursions. 

Additional learning resources are available to teachers to use if required. 

HarvestEd content will be broken into four distinct phases of learning: 

• Past, Present and Future Farming - Exploring agricultural industries past, present and the potential of the agricultural future in Victoria, Australia and the Asia-Pacific 
• Connecting Communities - Hearing firsthand from agricultural professionals, experts and guests - students collaborate and reflect on the opportunities, insights, and problems worth tackling 
• Seeding Change- Using design-thinking processes, teams generate ideas to problems or opportunities in agriculture that they have explored through the program, developing initial prototypes of solution-oriented ideas 
• Harvesting Potential- Students pitch their prototype ideas to each other and a guest panel for feedback and further actions. 

Students will explore those four phases through a hybrid course of 3 online sessions and a face-to-face conference. 

Curriculum links 

The program has been intentionally designed to support the Australian and Victorian Curriculum Cross-Curriculum Priorities and strengthen the General Capabilities in all students. All Australian Cross-Curriculum Priorities are supported within the program design with content focused on Indigenous agricultural practices, environmental sustainability, and in particular, Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia. 

The program design also utilises a range of pedagogies including, design thinking, inquiry-based learning, collaborative-inquiry, visible thinking routines and dialogic learning, students are supported to develop global competence, skills and capabilities. Students are scaffolded through activities that require them to utilise and strengthen Critical and Creative Thinking Sills, Intercultural Understanding, Personal and Social Capability, ICT Capability, Ethical Understanding. 

Further information 

Flyer 

Please download the program flyer for further details about curriculum alignment and benefits for students and teachers. 

 Contact 

For more information, please email aef-support@asialink.unimelb.edu.au