This case study explores how the BRIDGE School Partnership between SMAN 1 Jepara and Sunshine Beach State High School Queensland, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), impacted gender and social inclusion pedagogical knowledge and practices.
Names of Schools: SMAN 1 Jepara, Jepara, Indonesia; and Sunshine Beach Primary School, Queensland, Australia
Case Study Topic: Partnering for gender and social inclusion
Date of Case Study: June–August 2024
Contents
Introduction
This case study explores how the BRIDGE School Partnership between SMAN 1 Jepara and Sunshine Beach State High School Queensland, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), affected gender and social inclusion pedagogical knowledge and practices.
Approach
Data collection for this case study took place during the last week of June 2024, with in-person interviews at SMAN 1 Jepara, and continued in August with online interviews for Sunshine Beach State High School.
The process began with a review of documentation and discussions with the BRIDGE team about potential candidates and existing evidence. The partnership between SMAN 1 Jepara and Sunshine Beach State High School was selected as it provided several examples of Gender, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) sensitive practices, with a particular focus on gender and social inclusion.
Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with key informants. In total, eight respondents (female: 5, male: 3) participated in the interviews, including six from Indonesia and two from Australia. A detailed list of informants is available in Annex 1. The interview data was then analysed to identify relevant themes for the case study report using NVivo.
School profiles
SMA Negeri 1 Jepara is a state high school in Jepara, Central Java, and was established in 1963. The school has three levels from grades 10–12, with almost 1,200 students and 100 teachers.
As the largest school in Jepara, it has a significant number of students excelling in both academic and non-academic fields. Students have received numerous awards at national and international levels. The school joined the BRIDGE Program to expose teachers and students to new cultures and international experiences.
Sunshine Beach State High School is located on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. The school has approximately 1,650 students in years 7–12 and about 170 staff, including 120 teachers. Sunshine Beach is a modern, progressive, and internationally accredited state high school.
They focus on developing positive relationships with students and the community, creating multiple pathways for students, teaching, learning, and innovation. The school is proud to be part of the BRIDGE Program and to foster strong links with SMAN 1 Jepara.
Partnership History
SMAN 1 Jepara and Sunshine Beach State High School started their collaboration in 2019. During the partnership, the schools undertook several key activities, including:
Year | Activity |
2019 |
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2020 | The partnership received Competitive Grant Support fund. With the grant funding, the partnership conducted:
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2021 | The partnership received Competitive Grant Support fund. With the grant funding, the partnership conducted:
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2022 |
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2023 | The partnership received 2023-2024 Honorary Lighthouse Partnership status. With the grant funding, the partnership conducted:
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Findings
This section presents key outcomes from the partnership between SMAN 1 Jepara and Sunshine Beach State High School, with a particular focus on GEDSI, especially gender and social inclusion.
A whole school approach to promoting gender-sensitive practices
SMAN 1 Jepara established its partnership with Sunshine Beach State High School in 2019. Both schools have collaborated on various activities, particularly those involving environmental
issues, given both are located near coastlines. However, more recently, the partnership has also explored GEDSI, with a particular focus on gender issues.
In 2023, SMAN 1 Jepara was selected as one of the 10 GEDSI School Models. As part of this program, BRIDGE teachers from the school received GEDSI workshops to strengthen their GEDSI-sensitive practices at both the classroom and school levels. The program includes BRIDGE teachers from SMAN 1 Jepara as well as school leadership and students.
Working with school leaders, BRIDGE teachers ensured that school policies are gender- sensitive. For example, the school maintained a gender balance when selecting student leaders and ensured that all students had equal access to extracurricular activities. During an interview, the Vice Principal mentioned there was no discrimination against any students who wanted to join student organisations, which was later confirmed by a student. She said the school
provided her with the same opportunities as male students to participate equally in all school activities.
The BRIDGE teachers run a gender program at the school for students. They initiated the “Holiday with GEDSI” program, in which students were involved in designing products to raise gender awareness among school stakeholders. During fieldwork at SMAN 1 Jepara, the students' designs were still displayed on the school walls, as shown in the following image:
This finding contributes to outcomes: 1.4 Australian / Indonesian school partners effectively promote GEDSI in their work; and 2.3 Participating educators develop and implement GEDSI strategies and plans in their schools.
Supporting BRIDGE teachers to learn about GEDSI
In 2024, SMAN 1 Jepara was selected as the recipient of the Lighthouse Partnership Program (LPP). With funding from the grant, two teachers visited Sunshine Beach State High School in May 2024 to share knowledge on Bahasa Indonesia teaching and the BRIDGE program with a neighbouring school of their partner. The teachers also took the opportunity to increase their understanding of differentiated learning and gender-sensitive practices at Sunshine Beach State High School.
During their visit, the teachers from SMAN 1 Jepara observed their partner’s peer coaching model for inclusivity, literacy, and numeracy. They also organised an online GEDSI Q&A session, featuring teachers from Sunshine Beach State High School as speakers. The speakers shared best practices for implementing GEDSI and fostering inclusive classrooms. Teachers from 10 GEDSI Model schools in Indonesia attended the session and participated in the Q&A
with the Sunshine Beach teachers.
This finding contributes to outcomes: 1.2 BRIDGE incentives (CGS; LPS; EW) effectively promote long term partnerships; 1.3 Grant schools build capacity in other schools to engage with the program; 1.4 Australian / Indonesian school partners effectively promote GEDSI in their work.
Improved understanding of gender and social inclusion issues
Although GEDSI is a relatively new concept for SMAN 1 Jepara, their involvement in the GEDSI School Model program and the partnership with Sunshine Beach State High School has improved their understanding of gender and social inclusion issues.
For example, one BRIDGE teacher from SMAN 1 Jepara noted that she only recently realised that school textbooks often reinforce gender stereotypes by depicting women in domestic roles and men in technical jobs.
BRIDGE teachers have also gained a deeper understanding of the differences in academic performance between girls and boys and the impact this has on their educational outcomes.
The GEDSI workshop and partnership with Sunshine Beach State High School have broadened BRIDGE teachers’ understanding of inclusion, extending beyond students with disabilities to include students from other marginalised backgrounds, such as low-income families.
Teachers interviewed also noted that GEDSI concepts are becoming more widely understood among staff at SMAN 1 Jepara. This suggests that growing awareness of GEDSI is spreading to other educators at the school.
“Oh, I now understand that inclusion is not only about disabilities… How schools provide opportunities for children who are economically disadvantaged to continue their education is also a form of inclusion.” –BRIDGE Teacher at SMAN 1 Jepara
"Although teachers' understanding of GEDSI is still limited, the term GEDSI is now more popular among teachers. Now teachers are more familiar with some GEDSI concepts including, gender and social inclusion.” –BRIDGE Teacher at SMAN 1 Jepara
During the interview, the Australian teachers expressed their appreciation for the improvements in GEDSI understanding among their partners in Indonesia:
“During our earlier partnership period, inclusion was just not a thing at all. The fact that they're now talking the inclusion is huge.” –BRIDGE Teacher at Sunshine Beach State High School
This finding contributes to outcome: 2.3 Participating educators develop and implement GEDSI strategies and plans in their schools.
Differentiated learning to better support students
With teachers from SMAN 1 Jepara gaining a broader understanding of inclusion, the school is currently accepting a greater number of diverse students, including students from low-income families who are struggling academically due to the school-zone policy.
Teachers recognise their responsibility to educate students with different academic backgrounds and are now better equipped to tailor their teaching methods.
“We should not reject children who are not smart. We have to accept them. Although perhaps our conditions here are still limited." –BRIDGE Teacher at SMAN 1 Jepara
“We as teachers must improve our teaching skills. We must give the best to our students, that is an ideal educational process.” –BRIDGE Teacher at SMAN 1 Jepara
Through a lens of inclusion, they see the importance of ensuring that their practices and school policies actively promote gender equality and social inclusion. One practice the school is currently trialling is differentiated learning, which involves tailoring the learning process to the different needs of the individual student.
Teachers learned about this practice during their visit to the Australian partner school. A student interviewed also noted that differentiated learning has been adopted at SMAN 1 Jepara.
“There are three types of differentiation, namely process, content, and product differentiation. For example, when I teach statistics, students are allowed to choose any data they want to collect... Then, children can present their data in different types of diagrams. They can also use word, PPT, or infographics. That is one example of product differentiation.” –BRIDGE Teacher at SMAN 1 Jepara
“We learned about differentiated learning when visiting Sunshine Beach State High School. Our partner teacher is a differentiated learning coach. He and other teachers in the school have already implemented differentiated learning at their school... For instance, one teacher used different colours to differentiate the difficulty level of the learning material: blue, yellow, green. Students then get to choose which colour they want to learn.” –BRIDGE Teacher at SMAN 1 Jepara
“I have noticed that teachers sometimes provide [learning] materials tailored to the needs of individual students. There are students who understand immediately and others who require more time to understand subjects.” –Student at SMAN 1 Jepara
This finding contributes to outcomes: 2.1 Participating educators (women and men) have improved pedagogical competencies; 2.2 Participating educators have increased knowledge of pedagogical strategies and confidence to apply these strategies in their own classroom / school environment; and 2.3 Participating educators develop and implement GEDSI strategies and plans in their schools.
Improved global competence and intercultural understanding
The partnership between SMAN 1 Jepara and Sunshine Beach State High School has successfully increased GEDSI-related knowledge and practices and improved intercultural understanding and knowledge of partner countries. The collaborative activities, particularly those involving students, have enabled both schools to connect students from diverse cultures.
The Australian teachers interviewed expressed gratitude for the partnership with the Indonesian school. As a school located in a small coastal town of Queensland, participating in the BRIDGE Program has allowed their students to learn more about Indonesian culture and Islam.
“That was one of the great things about being involved in the BRIDGE Program. To expose the students to a different culture… The opportunity for our kids to interact with a different culture, like a very different culture, like a Muslim culture.” –BRIDGE Teacher at Sunshine Beach State High School
“There can be negativity, sometimes around Muslims, and just to see Nanok and Rama, who are just so gentle and kind. It's been really good.” –BRIDGE Teacher at Sunshine Beach State High School
For SMAN 1 Jepara, partnering with Sunshine Beach State High School has provided students with valuable real-world experience in conversational English. An interview with a school leader revealed that students at SMAN 1 Jepara have since improved their English skills. Additionally, a non-BRIDGE teacher from the Indonesian school noted the BRIDGE program has offered student opportunities to enhance their global competencies through activities like the Youth Forum.
This finding contributes to outcome: 2.1 Participating educators (women and men) have improved pedagogical competencies.
Conclusion
The partnership between SMAN 1 Jepara and Sunshine Beach State High School resulted in successful outcomes for both schools. In addition to promoting GEDSI-sensitive practices in the Indonesian school, the collaboration has provided the opportunity for the schools to learn about their partner country and to improve their intercultural understanding. Changes and progress resulting from the partnership are summarised and presented against the program outcomes:
Outcomes | Progress Markers |
1.2 BRIDGE incentives (CGS; LPS; EW) effectively promote long term partnerships | SMAN 1 Jepara was a recipient of Lighthouse Partnership Program (LPP). The funding was used to visit Australia to learn about GEDSI-sensitive practices from their Australian partner. |
1.3 Grant schools build capacity in other schools to engage with the program | During the visit to Australia, teachers from SMAN 1 Jepara opened Q&A session with their partner by inviting teachers from other GEDSI School Models. It allowed them to learn further about GEDSI-sensitive practices in Australia. |
1.4 Australian / Indonesian school partners effectively promote GEDSI in their work | SMAN 1 Jepara was selected as one of 10 BRIDGE School Models. With additional training on GEDSI, the school has promoted GEDSI-sensitive practices both at the school and classroom levels. |
2.1 Participating educators (women and men) have improved pedagogical competencies | As a result of their partnership with the Australian school, teachers at SMAN 1 Jepara have better understanding about differentiated learning and the concept of inclusion. Additionally, both institutions have observed an increase in global proficiency. The Indonesian school has increased their English skills as a result of the partnership, while the Australian school has connected their students to different cultures and religions. |
2.2 Participating educators have increased knowledge of pedagogical strategies and confidence to apply these strategies in their own classroom / school environment | Teachers at SMAN 1 Jepara have adopted differentiated learning in their practices after visiting the partner in Australia. They tailor their learning strategy to the needs and the abilities of the individual student. |
2.3 Participating educators develop and implement GEDSI strategies and plans in their schools | SMAN 1 Jepara has implemented GEDSI-sensitive policies in their school, including maintaining gender balance in selecting members of school leaders, promoting equal chance to all students to join student organisations, and accepting students from low-income families in the school. |
Annex
List of Participants
Indonesia
Position | Number of Participants | Gender |
|---|---|---|
School Principal | 1 | Male |
Vice Principal | 1 | Male |
BRIDGE Teacher | 2 | Female |
Non-BRIDGE Teachers | 1 | Female |
Student | 1 | Female |
Australia
Position | Number of Participants | Gender |
|---|---|---|
BRIDGE Teacher | 12 | Male: 1 Female: 1 |
Total: Indonesian and Australian participants: 8 with female: 5 and male: 3