ERIC ED365497: Rural Education Issues: An Australian Perspective. Key Papers Number 3.

211 Pages·1993·2.6 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 365 497
RC 019 452
AUTHOR
Boylan, Colin, Ed.; Alstor, Margaret, Ed.
TITLE
Rural Education Issues: An Australian Perspective.
Key Papers Number 3.
INSTITUTION
Charles Sturt Univ.-Riverina, Wagga Wagga
(Australia). Centre for Rural Social Research.;
Society for the Provision of Education in Rural
Australia.
REPORT NO
ISBN-0-947330-93-3; ISSN-1035-0268
PUB DATE
93
NOTE
211p.; For selected individual papers, see RC 019
453-455.
PUB TYPE
Collected Works General (020)
Books (010)
Research/Technical (143)
Reports
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC09 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Distance Education; Educationally Disadvantaged;
Educational Technology; Elementary Secondary
Education; *Equal Education; Foreign Countries;
*Geographic Isolation; *Indigenous Populations;
Postsecondary Education; Rural Areas; *Rural
Education; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers; Womens
Education
IDENTIFIERS
*Australia
ABSTRACT
This book contains 15 papers on current issues and
future options in Australian rural education. Part 1 covers
contemporary issues and includes: (1) "Issues in Education in Remote
Rural Australia" (education of girls, education of Aboriginals,
(2) "Redefining
lifelong learning, and research needs) (Ted Scott);
Remoteness in the Post Industrial Society" (Peter d'Plesse);
(3)
"Expanding Vocational Preparation in the Post-Compulsory Years"
(4) "Educational Change in New South Wales: Rural
(Richard Sweet);
Teacher Reactions and Rural Development" (Colin Boylan);
(5)
"Education in Rural Victoria Is a Social Justice Issue" (Merryl
(6) "Austudy Rural Inequities" (Jennifer Sheed and Doug
Robson);
Lloyd); and (7) "Farm Management Education for the Future" (Keith
Woodford and Ray Collins). Part 2, "Target Groups," includes: (1)
"Retaining Teachers in Rural Schools: Satisfaction, Commitment, and
Lifestyles" (Colin Boylan and others);
(2) "Overcoming Distance:
Isolated Rural Women's Access to TAFE across Australia" (Pauline
Mageean); (3) "Isolation and Culture: The Challenges for Teachers in
(4) "What about Me? Ever Thought
Torres Strait" (Barry Osborne);
about Including Rural Australians Who May Also Have an Intellectual
Disability?" (Libby Cross and James Eurrell); and (5) "Non
English-Speaking Background Children in Wagga Wagga Schools"
(Marietta Elliott). Part 3 covers technology and includes:
(1)
"Technologies: Present and Future for Distance Education in Victoria"
(2) "Learning Technology Programs in
(Neil Elliott and Ian Conboy);
an Isolated Region: Classroom Applications of Technology" (Carol
Hughes); and (3) "Technology and the Provision of Specialist
Educational Support Services to Young Children of Itinerant Families"
(Mike Lally). (SV)
RURAL
EDUCATION
ISSUES
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
improvement
Office of Educational Research and
INFORMATION
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
CENTER (ERIC)
reproduced as
/'This document has been
organuatOn
recewed from the person or
ongmatmg
made to improve
C Minor changes nave been
reproduction quality
INS 00Cu
Pools of vev. or opinions stated in
represent official
men! do not necessarily
OE RI posthon or policy
PERSPECTIVE
AN AUSTRALIAN
Colin Boylan and Margaret Alston
CNI I
HIS
LC)
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE 1
(Editors)
BY
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED
BEST COPY AMU:LE
2
RESOURCES
TO THE EDUCATIONAL
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
RURAL EDUCATION ISSUES:
AN AUSTRALIAN
PERSPECTIVE
Colin Boylan
and
Margaret Alston
(Editors)
r
THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROVISION OF EDUCATION
IN RURAL AUSTRALIA
AND
CENTRE FOR RURAL SOCIAL RESEARCH
Rural Education Issues:
An Australian Perspective
KEY PAPERS Number 3
Edited by Colin Boylan
and
Margaret Alston
1993
Centre for Rural Social Research
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Charles Stud University-Riverina
Locked Bag 678
Wagga Wagga NSW 2678
4.
Published in 1993 by the Centre for Rural Social
Research
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Locked Bag 678
Wagga Wagga NSW Australia 2678
and
The Society for the Provision of Education
in Rural Australia Inc.
P.O. Box 379
Darling Heights QLD Australia 4350
Copyright 0 Society for the Provision of
Education in Rural Australia, and
Centre for Rural Social Research
Printed and bound by: Charles Sturt University-Riverina
Printery
Typeset by: Helen Swan
Australian Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Key Papers Number 3
ISSN 1035-0268
ISBN 0 947330 93 3
5
CONTENTS
Preface 1
vii
Preface 2
ix
Section 1
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
Issues in Education in Remote Rural Australia
Ted Scott
3
Redefining Remoteness in the Post Industrial Society
Peter d'Plesse
13
Expanding Vocational Preparation in the Post-
Compulsory Years
Richard Sweet
23
Educational Change in New South Wales: Rural Teacher
Reactions and Rural Development
Colin Boylan
47
Education in Rural Victoria is a Social Justice Issue
Merril Robson
65
Austudy Rural Inequities
Jennifer Sheed, Doug Lloyd
81
Farm Management Education for the Future
Keith Woodford, Ray Collins
91
il
4
Section 2
TARGET GROUPS
Retaining Teachers in Rural Schools:
Satisfaction,
Commitment, and Lifestyles
Colin Boylan, Ron Sinclair, Ian Smith,
Don Squires, John Edwards,
Ann Jacob, Des O'Malley, Brendon
Nolan
111
Overcoming Distance: Isolated Rural
Women's Access to
TAFE Across Australia
Pauline Mageean
131
Isolation and Culture: The Challenges
for Teachers in
Torres Strait
Barry Osborne
139
What About Me? Ever Thought
About Including Rural Australians
Who Also May Have An Intellectual
Disability?
Libby Cross, James Burrell
155
Non English-Speaking Background
in Children in
Wagga Wagga Schools
Marietta Elliott
165
Section 3
TECHNOLOGY
Technologies
- Present and Future for Distance Education
in Victoria
Neil Elliott and Ian Conboy
177
Learning Technology Programs In An
Isolated Region
-
Classroom Applications of Technology
Carol Hughes
185
Technology and the Provision of Specialist
Educational Support
Services to Young Children of Itinerant
Families
Mike Lally
201
PREFACE 1
It was with great pleasure that the Society for the Provision of Education in
Rural Australia (S.P.E.R.A). became involved in a project to provide a book
on rural education. 'Rural Education issues: An Australian Perspective'
is « joint project between S.P.E.R.A. and the Centre for Rural Social
Research at Charles Stud University, Riverina.
It is timely to produce a book which includes a variety of articles on Rural
Education which are current and topical.
No previous publication has
provided an up-to-date Australian perspective and this will be useful to all
who are interested in the unique aspects of providing education to rural and
remote areas of Australia.
S.P.E.R.A. aims to advance the educational opportunities in rural Australia
by:
serving as a national advocate representing rural education and training,
promoting state and regional delivery systems which brings about
efficient and effective education for people in rural areas;
encouraging both the collection and sharing of relevant information on
the provision of education in rural areas.
The Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia links people
with a diverse range of interests in education and training to promote the
development of rural Australia.
In 1991 S.P.E.R.A. launched a refereed
journal, 'Education in Rural Australia' which publishes articles, reports,
reviews and research. Through the journal S.P.E.R.A. is able to:
promote the development of education in rural Australia:
disseminate innovative ideas, actions, programmes and policies in rural
education;
provide a venue for sharing information and a forum for new ideas and
innovations; and
3
Y%%
link people interested in providing
quality learning experiences to rural
and remote Australians.
In being associated with the publication
of this book S.P.E.R.A. aims to
provide a positive view of education in rural
areas, encouraging innovation
and initiative in the provision of education
services. Cohn Boylan, executive
member of S.P.E.R.A. has worked tirelessly
with personnel at the Centre
for Rural Social Research to produce
this book and they should feel
justifiable proud of their endeavours.
'Rural Education Issues: An Australian
is a unique
Perspective'
publication which I commend to
your bookshelves.
SHEILA KING
President
SPERA Inc.
viii
PREFACE 2
Those who have undertaken research into rural education in Australia have
found that schools have traditionally played a vital role in the life of the rural
community. Schools share responsibilities, along with a small number of other
social
institutions,
for
the
of
intellectual
people
development young
disadvantaged by geographical location, for fostering tolerance in towns often
divided on racial grounds and for inspiring students to understand a world
outside their often narrow experiences. Teachers must seek to achieve these
things despite a reduced commitment to rural (small school) education
on the
part of the state, and in the face of the economic realities of communities
experiencing deteriorating work options, the effects of the rural recession and
increasing levels of crime and social disorder.
Not surprisingly, teachers and other professionals living and working in rural
regions of Australia are quick to read the signs of economic malaise as well
as
the responses of government: where they identify that a town is likely to provide
their children with limited opportunities they will endeavour to move.
Their
in turn,
migration,
robs the small community of energy and leadership,
precipitating further population movement from the town. The government may
then take the opportunity to move another teacher or even close the school.
What remains is a community poorly serviced by education
- the primary
inaredient, we are told, which is required to make this nation a 'clever country'.
With current trends continuing, present policies run the risk of intensifying the
degree of disadvantage faced by rural dwellers. On equity grounds alone, their
is an urgent need to consider how the intellectual development of rural
Australians is to be achieved in an era of 'fiscal responsibility' (that is, at a time
of reductions in government services).
This book touches upon this and other issues and in doing so aims to inform
teachers, parents, students, researchers and policy makers, of the present
concerns regarding rural education in this country.
It is a collection of the best
papers delivered over recent years by rural educators and is designed to
stimulate discussion about future options.
ix
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