# refs

author: Guenther, John
year: 2023
pages: 108-111
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 33
number: 3
date: 11/15
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/704
section: BOOK REVIEW
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v33i3.704
access_date: 2023/11/21
title:
Book Review: Cervone, Jason A. (2023) Towards Rural Education for the Common Good (Routledge Studies in Education, Neoliberalism, and Marxism). Taylor and Francis

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;A review of Jason Cervone's &quot;Towards Rural Education for the Common Good&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Dvořák, Dominik Kučerová, Silvie Rita Zilcher, Ladislav Svoboda, Zdeněk
year: 2024
title: Attractive Rural Schools in Czechia: Different Patterns of Strategies in the Market
pages: 60-75
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/705
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.705
access_date: 2024/03/26
read_status: 0
rating: 0
text_styles:
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abstract:
&lt;p>Current policies in education that support school choice can be a threat but also an opportunity for rural schools that are often at risk of closure or amalgamation/consolidation. Studies from Western Europe found two types of schools using the ‘capitals’ of the rural environment in different ways: ‘community’ and ‘magnet’ schools. Our mixed-methods study enriches the discussion on successful rural schools, considering both the school leadership strategies and the situation in the local quasi-market of schools in a post-socialist central European country, Czechia. In the first step, using data from all Czech rural elementary schools, we identified schools that were in demand by local and out-of-catchment-area students. We performed a detailed qualitative analysis of 13 selected case schools and their local quasi-markets in the second step. The usefulness of the analytical distinction between rural schools oriented towards the needs of the local community and those that use rural capital to meet the needs of liberal middle-class families is demonstrated. At the same time, there is a group of rural schools that try to balance the interests of both groups. The article presents vignettes of three such schools. The key feature of these 'catch-all' schools is negotiated innovation (i.e., sustainable change communicated with local actors and enabling the coexistence of tradition and innovation). Our study provides a deeper insight into the community/magnet typology, building on the perspective of a different part of Europe. It brings important insights for educational policy and the leadership of rural schools.&lt;/p>


author: Guenther, John Fuqua, Melyssa
year: 2024
title: What Does a Quality Education Look Like in Rural Schools?
pages: i-viii
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/739
section: EDITORIAL
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.739
access_date: 2024/03/26
read_status: 0
rating: 0
abstract:
&lt;p>This issue of the Australian and International Journal of Rural Education features articles that describe and critically analyse rural education, the common thread being  'What Does a Quality Education Look Like in Rural Schools?'. The education settings discussed include Australia, Czechia, Iraq, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, and the United States. The studies presented reflect the huge diversity of rural schooling and the many factors that work to support quality education. What does quality rural education look like? It looks like teachers who have a strong connection to place, with strategies for teaching that connect with students from the place. It looks like teachers who are flexible and open to learning. It looks like a supportive system. It looks attractive to parents. It looks like contextualised learning. It looks like parents and communities engaged in their children's learning at school. It is potentially transformative. It looks like a workforce that has good access to professional learning options. It looks like good governance, with local Elders and community leaders involved and driving a vision for education. It looks like strong peer relationships, and a culturally safe learning environment. It &lt;em>does not&lt;/em> necessarily look like the narrowly defined metrics that are often used to define success or the deficits that are too often described in association with rural education.&lt;/p>


author: Henderson, Robyn M. Mandalawi, Sazan
year: 2024
pages: 25-43
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/468
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.468
access_date: 2024/03/26
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
The Importance of Context in a Global World: Three Case Studies from Rural and Remote International Locations

abstract:
&lt;p>Global education is often framed in terms of standardised testing that makes comparisons across nations. This is particularly evident with international measures like the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which tests 15-year-olds in member countries. Images on the PISA website provide representations of education that seem to clash with some of the contexts where we have conducted research. This prompted an investigation into educators’ talk about local contextual realities, and how—or whether—they were impacted by global calls for quality education. The study focused on three different educational programs: education for adolescent girls in a refugee camp in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, school education in a western Queensland rural/remote town in Australia, and the Migrant Education Program in rural Illinois in the United States. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and field observations. Following data analysis, three case study narratives were constructed. A final step of analysis identified four shared pillars that made learning in rural and remote areas impactful and effective: context relevance, educators’ openness to learning, flexibility of teaching/learning approaches, and responsiveness to learners’ needs. The data demonstrated that the educators had a broader picture—national or global—in mind, but their main aim was to provide learning opportunities that were responsive, flexible and contextually appropriate to their location.&lt;/p>


author: Hlalele, Dipane Joseph
year: 2024
pages: 157-159
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/731
section: BOOK REVIEW
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.731
access_date: 2024/03/26
title:
Book Review: Cornish, L., & Taole, J.M. (2021). Perspectives on Multigrade Teaching: Research and Practice in South Africa and Australia. Springer

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;A book review of Cornish and Taole's 2021 book, &lt;em&gt;Perspectives on Multigrade Teaching: Research and Practice in South Africa and Australia&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;


year: 2024
pages: 145-151
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/730
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.730
access_date: 2024/03/26
author:
Holmes, Cat
Guenther, John
Morris, Gavin
O'Brien, Doris
Inkamala, Jennifer
Wilson, Jessie
McCormack, Rasharna

title:
Researching School Engagement of Aboriginal Students and Their Families from Regional and Remote Areas Project: Yipirinya School Case Study

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Over the last few years, attendance rates in remote schools have fallen, and Year 12 completions have also dropped. We are not sure why this is, though events like COVID-19, floods and other natural disasters have not made it easy. The case study presented here was part of a bigger project that sought to understand what people in remote schools and the communities they are in think makes a difference to attendance and Year 12 completion. This case study outlines the findings specific to one of the four case study sites, namely, Yipirinya School on Arrernte Country in Mparntwe (Alice Springs). The overarching finding of the study indicates that attendance alone cannot be the primary measure of school success; rather, engagement needs to be the focus. To tease out this finding, the three main themes: relationships, purpose, and cultural safety, are identified as factors that made a difference at Yipirinya School.&lt;/p&gt;


year: 2024
pages: 122-144
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/706
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.706
access_date: 2024/03/26
author:
Jaggi, Andréa
Rogers, Kevin Guyurruyurru
Rogers, Helen Gabibi
Daniels, Annette Yulumburruja
Ens, Emilie
Pinkcham, Sue

title:
“We Need to Run Our Own Communities”: Creating the Wuyagiba Bush Uni in Remote Southeast Arnhem Land, Northern Australia

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Australian Indigenous student participation rates in higher education are consistently lower than non-Indigenous students, especially in remote contexts. This has manifested in the usurpation of remote Aboriginal community control by ‘more qualified’ external staff. Here we present a reflexive assessment of the development, delivery, outcomes and challenges of the Wuyagiba Bush Uni that was designed to address the paucity of university education in remote Aboriginal communities of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. From 2018 to 2022, 66 Indigenous students graduated with Wuyagiba Micro-credentials (accredited by Macquarie University), and 28 students proceeded to enrol in Bachelor level degrees at Macquarie University in Sydney, with the first graduate in 2023. Furthermore, the Wuyagiba model has created a successful remote Indigenous business that employs about 50 local Indigenous people annually and is working towards empowering endogenous community development in remote Arnhem Land. Nevertheless, many challenges remain including sustainable funding, remote service delivery, university and bureaucratic structural barriers, and lateral violence in remote communities. Several enabling factors of success are identified, such as the cross-cultural curriculum, strong Indigenous control and leadership, wrap-around support, and longstanding relationships between University staff and community leaders. Such reflections can be used by other remote Aboriginal communities who wish to replicate this model or create their own on-Country higher education programs to empower locally trained leaders of the future.  &lt;/p&gt;


author: Mazzuki, Blandina Daniel Chiwamba, Sarah Vicent
year: 2024
pages: 44-59
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/696
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.696
access_date: 2024/03/26
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Transforming Rural Teaching: Teacher Educators and Pre-service Teachers’ Perspectives on Transformative Curriculum and Pedagogy

abstract:
&lt;p>This qualitative study examines preparation of pre-service teachers for altering rural teaching through transformative curriculum and pedagogy. The study gathered the perspectives of 45 participants belonging to two universities in Tanzania, namely University of Dar es Salaam (Dar es Salaam University College of Education) and Sokoine University of Agriculture School of Education. The findings indicate that geographically isolated rural schools are associated with deficits resulting in poor quality of teaching and learning. Further, the findings establish that teacher educators and pre-service teachers are not open to transforming rural teaching. This has implications for the effectiveness of university teacher education provided. To develop pre-service teachers’ openness to transforming rural teaching, there is a need for transformative curriculum and pedagogy in teacher education. A transformative curriculum should include diverse knowledge of teaching contexts and be implemented through critical dialogue and reflective pedagogy.&lt;/p>


author: Morphett, Annette O’Keeffe, Lisa Paige, Kathryn
year: 2024
title: A Blueprint for Rural Mathematics: Connecting Social Space, Identity and Teacher Pedagogy
pages: 76-92
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/639
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.639
access_date: 2024/03/26
read_status: 0
rating: 0
abstract:
&lt;p>This paper reports on the development and use of a &lt;em>Blueprint for Rural Mathematics&lt;/em> (herein referred to as the &lt;em>Blueprint&lt;/em>) in a study of middle-primary mathematics teaching. The study presented a counter-narrative to the deficit discourse around rural education outcomes through an emic perspective of middle-primary mathematics on Yorke Peninsula, a rural district in southern Australia. This study defined ‘rural’ as being both a sociological and a geographical phenomenon. It takes a sociological stance acknowledging the situatedness of the rural, and the social and cultural uniqueness of the people and their communities. Geographically, the rural locations in this study were those distanced from, and outside the commuting zone of, large urban areas and major cities. This study claimed that rural schools of Yorke Peninsula are unresearched, under-theorised and underestimated in their teaching of mathematics. Hence, very little was known about the experiences of the Yorke Peninsula teachers, or the pedagogical practices they employ in their teaching of mathematics. Yorke Peninsula people have an identity of deficit imposed on them with no opportunity to negotiate it. In understanding and addressing the accuracy of this pervasive negative framing, this study involved investigating Yorke Peninsula teachers of mathematics, and concluded that the rural social space, the identity of its members, and teacher pedagogy are essential considerations in the teaching of mathematics. The &lt;em>Blueprint&lt;/em> provides a framework with which to explore these key components of rural education.&lt;/p>


author: Ngozwana, Nomazulu Machobane, Amohelang Chauke, Thulani Lepholletse, Maphuthi
year: 2024
pages: 93-107
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/640
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.640
access_date: 2024/03/26
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Parents’ Perceptions on Parental Involvement in Their Children’s Education in Giyani Municipality Rural-based Schools, Limpopo Province, South Africa

abstract:
&lt;p>The importance of parental involvement in children’s education cannot be overemphasized. This study aimed to explore the role that parents play in the education of their children in the Giyani Municipality, Limpopo Province South Africa. The study followed Epstein's model of school-parent-community partnerships to understand the participation of parents in the education of their children. A qualitative approach was employed to guide the gathering and analysis of the data. Fifty-eight parents that were purposively selected from the four rural schools participated in the focus group discussions that were audio-recorded. Inductive qualitative thematic analysis was used, and the ethics were observed. The findings revealed the role of parental involvement in their children’s education as working with schools, home-schooling, modelling positive attitudes, emotional support, and career counselling. This study has implications for policy and practice in a parent-teacher relationship in rural schools by suggesting that parents should be involved in policy development such as when the curriculum changes.&lt;/p>


author: Oliver, Rhonda McCarthy, Helen C. D. Jackson, Lissy
year: 2024
pages: 152-156
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/738
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.738
access_date: 2024/03/26
title:
Investigating Remote School Attendance, Retention and Engagement: A Case Study Involving Students as Co-researchers

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Predating the introduction of the Closing the Gap strategy in 2007, First Nation students’ attendance, retention and engagement in remote schools has been a concern for educators and successive governments. The following paper describes a case study—one part of a large Australian federally funded ‘Emerging Priorities Program’ project that sought to examine these issues. Specifically, it explores those factors that contribute to either exacerbating the decline in attendance, engagement or retention or lead to improved outcomes. The case study was undertaken at a Vocational Education and Training boarding school catering for Aboriginal students, mostly from remote areas of Western Australia. Students travel considerable distance to attend the school, often because of their family connections to the school. In this study students from one of the English classes became co-researchers in the project, providing input and collaborating at every stage of the research process.The findings indicate the need to adopt a strength-based approach when teaching remote students. This can be achieved through positive relationships between educators and students, which, in turn, is developed through cultural awareness and the use of community members and Aboriginal educators as role models and human resources for schools.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Ström, Kristina Pettersson, Gerd Wickman, Kim
year: 2024
pages: 108-121
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/713
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.713
access_date: 2024/03/26
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Remote Special Educational Consultation in Swedish Rural Schools: Experiences of Special Educators and Class Teachers

abstract:
&lt;p>With advances in communication technologies, remote special educational consultation has become a promising strategy for indirect special education provision aiming to support students with special educational needs as well as their teachers in remote and rural areas. This study explores how special educators in a rural municipality in Sweden offer remote special educational consultation to teachers and how the two teacher categories experience remote special educational consultation. The empirical data of the study consist of special educators’ and teachers’ responses to an online questionnaire (N=11). The analysis revealed themes reflecting experienced challenges as well as opportunities. The challenges relate to lack of professional commitment and consensus, lack of school leaders’ trust, knowledge and support, and barriers associated with distance and technology, while opportunities relate to increased access to special educational competence, increased structure in consultation and increased professional development and collaboration. The results of this study highlight the potential value of remote special educational consultation as an acceptable, cost-effective, and efficient way of increasing access to special educational expertise and providing special educational support to teachers working in rural and underserved schools.&lt;/p>


author: Willis, Alison Louth, Sharon
year: 2024
pages: 1-24
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 1
date: 03/22
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/469
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i1.469
access_date: 2024/03/26
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Don’t Stand Up in a Hammock: Advice from Early Career Teachers in Remote, Regional and Rural Locations

abstract:
&lt;p>This ethnographic case study investigates the professional, locational and cultural understandings teachers need when beginning regional, rural, and remote teaching and living. Drawing from the experiences of recently graduated early career teachers in regional, rural, and remote teaching positions, the study sought to identify key learnings and strategies for surviving and thriving in regional, rural, and remote communities with the aim of better preparing pre-service teachers for placements and future employment in these locations. Most early career teachers in this study would recommend regional, rural, and remote teaching positions to pre-service teachers, describing the experience as rewarding, challenging and professionally developing. The importance of building relationships and immersing oneself in community were salient in the data. Analysis revealed a need for pre-determinations in five areas when preparing for RRR teaching positions: social (building networks and making friends), geographical (exploring the local area and getting involved in community), emotional (positive mindset and getting out of your comfort zone), personal (healthy habits and resilience), and cultural (understanding community). There is an evident opportunity to help pre-service teachers prepare for regional, rural, and remote experiences by considering these five pre-determinations.&lt;/p>


author: Beeli, Sonja Burri, Melodie Ewald, Anne-Sophie Wannack, Evelyne
year: 2024
pages: 1-18
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/714
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.714
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
The Complexity of Managing Diverse Communication Channels in Family-School Relations as Seen by Parents and Schools

abstract:
&lt;h4>The importance of family-school relations and their positive effects on children’s developments is well documented. They can be shaped predominantly by one-way (schools informing parents) or two-way (a partnership approach) communication. When fostering these relationships, schools and families engage on individual and collective levels, using a variety of tools such as text messages, emails, phone calls or personal contacts. A growing body of literature suggests that digital technologies are changing the way families and schools communicate and digital media contacts are often considered to be more immediate and convenient. In this contribution, we present findings from a Swiss project focusing on school websites. Using data from interviews with 33 families and personnel in eight schools (principals, teachers and other staff), we explore how family-school communication is embedded in specific contexts, including rural contexts, and takes place through diverse channels. While parents make use of and appreciate diverse communication channels, schools’ choices of communication channels are often related to specific functions. Overall, we found that one-way information rather than dialogue still dominates family-school relations.&lt;/h4>


author: Braga, Elizabeth
year: 2024
pages: 87-105
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/725
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.725
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Space, Place and Memories: Life Narratives About the Constitution of Subjects as Transforming Agents in the Periphery of São Paulo in Brazil

abstract:
&lt;p>This article addresses the issue of the production of space in rural and urban territories and the dialectical relation with agency and environmental activism. The data came from a collective ethnographic action research conducted at the Unified Educational Centre Uirapuru and its surroundings in the periphery of São Paulo in Brazil&lt;strong>&lt;em>.&lt;/em>&lt;/strong> In this article, I analyse the narratives which are part of interviews with a primary teacher and a community leader, one responsible for the Green Unified Educational Centre Project and the other for the vegetable garden of Vila Nova Esperança. Both subjects have become environmental agents or transformative activists. I inquire if this has to do with their memories of places and their importance of such memories for their praxis and personalities and asked about their rural past or another situation which may have produced their environmental awareness. Focusing on concepts such as production of space, place as a lived and felt space, and &lt;em>perezhivanie&lt;/em>, I analyse the dynamics of transformations through these narrative interviews.&lt;/p>


author: Carrete-Marín, Núria Domingo-Peñafiel, Laura Simó-Gil, Núria
year: 2024
pages: 37-53
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/729
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.729
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Educational Practices and Teaching Materials in Spanish Rural Schools from the Territorial Dimension

abstract:
&lt;p>Rural schools have their own identity, influenced by the context in which they are immersed and their multigrade classroom structure. According to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, educational institutions must ensure the preservation of the particularities of the environment by taking into account the territorial dimension as a contextual element and as social and cultural heritage. Therefore, the integration of territorial elements into educational practices, projects and didactic support materials is a relevant topic for investigation. This paper aims to identify whether rural schools have the work of the territorial dimension as a priority in their educational practices and, specifically, if the curricular didactic materials used in multigrade classrooms also contemplate this. A survey questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of 537 Spanish rural teachers, and focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results show that, although work on the territorial dimension is considered, it is not identified as a priority. A dearth of didactic resources thinks about the rural context and has references to it, and there is a lack of collaboration with families and communities in the creation of resources. The conclusion refers to the importance of bearing in mind elements of the territorial dimension in curricular materials and improving communication networks between teachers and teacher training.&lt;/p>


author: Espinal-Meza, Silvia
year: 2024
pages: 71-86
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/716
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.716
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Critical Pedagogies for Reappraising Indigenous Knowledge and Diversity in Rural Peru: The Voices of Two Rural Teachers

abstract:
&lt;p>Rural schools and communities in Peru are rich in cultural diversity in Indigenous languages and traditions, but rural areas remain the most disadvantaged regions. Peru’s educational policies are neoliberal and have hindered opportunities for the rural population to receive a high quality education with a critical reappraisal of their cultural backgrounds. Within this scenario, critical perspectives in education have emerged from the voices of historically marginalised educational actors: rural teachers. Two rural teachers from small towns in Cusco and Ayacucho (in the southern highlands of Peru) participated in narrative research to explore their practices of social justice in education. The aim of this paper is to examine their practices through critical pedagogies. The findings reveal that a crucial role of the Indigenous language, Quechua, is in making an inclusive reappraisal of the local culture. The teachers sought to empower their pupils by applying Freirean concepts of critical consciousness and dialogue through creative activities. They acknowledged the role of parents and the community who value diversity and local culture and support their critical pedagogical practices in schools. In this case, social justice in education was addressed by valuing Indigenous culture and placing it in dialogue with Western knowledge.&lt;/p>


author: Guenther, John
year: 2024
pages: 125-132
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/752
section: BOOK REVIEW
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.752
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Book Review: Azano, A. P., Biddle, C., & Eppley, K. (Eds.). (2022). The Bloomsbury Handbook of Rural Education in the United States. Bloomsbury Academic

abstract:
&lt;p>The Bloomsbury Handbook of Rural Education in the United States, edited by Amy Price Azano, Karen Eppley, and Catharine Biddle, is an expansive and comprehensive volume that deals with an array of topics that are important for rural educators, researchers, school leaders and policy designers. The book covers a lot of ground, and draws on an impressive list of contributors.&lt;/p>


author: Lasselle, Laurence Henderson, Robyn
year: 2024
title: Considering Diversity in Educational Research that Explores School-Community Relationships
pages: i-iv
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/753
section: EDITORIAL
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.753
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
abstract:
&lt;p>This special issue of the &lt;em>Australian and International Journal of Rural Education&lt;/em> explores school-community relationships from a diversity perspective. The contributions originated in presentations delivered as part of the European Educational Research Association’s Network 14 sessions at the annual European Conference in Educational Research in August 2023. The papers present perspectives from a wide range of contexts: from Asia and Australia to Europe and South America.&lt;/p>


author: McKendrick, John Nash, Fiona Guenther, John Lasselle, Laurence Fuqua, Melyssa Hall, Carmel
year: 2024
pages: 113-124
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/749
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.749
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Responding to Remote, Rural and Regional Tertiary Education Needs: A Conversation Between the Australian Regional Education Commissioner and the Scottish Commissioner for Fair Access

abstract:
&lt;p>Access to tertiary education remains a significant concern for many remote, regional and rural communities. This topic has been explored in the &lt;em>Australian and International Journal of Rural Education &lt;/em>since its creation. In February 2024, the Journal went one step further by facilitating a conversation between two policy leaders whose remits include fair access to tertiary education, Ms Fiona Nash, the Australian Regional Education Commissioner and Professor John McKendrick, the Scottish Commissioner for Fair Access. They candidly discussed the importance of responding to tertiary education needs of regional, rural and remote communities from their perspectives. They reviewed a range of complex and compounding issues for remote, regional and rural students in accessing tertiary education in both countries, elaborated on their respective policy contexts.&lt;/p>


author: Paterson, Anne Abarzúa-Silva, Loreto Machfudi, Moch Imam Henderson, Robyn
year: 2024
title: Thinking About Rural Education and Binary Logic
pages: 106-112
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/742
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.742
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
abstract:
&lt;p>Although definitions of&nbsp;&lt;em>rural&nbsp;&lt;/em>vary across educational research projects and from country to country, an enduring theme has been the framing of rural as a disadvantage or problem that sits alongside a view of the urban as normative. In questioning the urban/rural binary and the deficit discourses that are associated with it, the authors present four short data excerpts and their thinking about how they represent rural education in their research. They conclude that the telling of positives stories about rural education is a move towards changing the discourses that circulate.&lt;/p>


author: Rapp, Anna Knutas, Agneta
year: 2024
pages: 19-36
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/717
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.717
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Organising Inclusive Transitions in Vocational Education and Training in a Rural Community in Norway

abstract:
&lt;p>Our study examines the organising of transitions in Vocational Education and Training in a rural Norwegian municipality. In Norway, Vocational Education and Training is diverse and interlinked in continual organising. Organising, in this context, is a continuous set of actions forming recognisable patterns that become institutions. An upper secondary Vocational Education and Training case study was conducted in a rural municipality. The case study included interviews with students, teachers, leaders and company representatives. The study investigated in what ways the organising of rural Vocational Education and Training supported students’ crossroads and transitions to limit marginalisation. The findings indicate that actants in the network, as well as a balance between individuals’ needs and labour market requirements, are stabilising factors. The interdisciplinary training office is an important choreographer in active networking, and it is also important for teachers and students to bridge over and interact with Vocational Education and Training companies early on in their education. Transition as a path to inclusion is a learning and developmental process that occurs in continuous, alternating interactions between education and work.&lt;/p>


author: Shrestha, Salpa Raj Dangal, Megh
year: 2024
pages: 54-70
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 2
date: 07/18
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/715
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i2.715
access_date: 2024/07/19
read_status: 0
rating: 0
title:
Bridging the Gap Between Community Schools and Rural Communities in Nepal Using Participatory Action Research

abstract:
&lt;p>This paper explores the engagement of parents with out-of-school children through community-based participatory action research in a rural community in Nepal. This study addresses the connection gap between local communities and community schools, which has resulted in consequences such as inconsistent attendance among students and low educational expectations among parents. By investigating the processes of formulating an action plan by a parent-led action group and analysing its execution, the research aimed to understand how participatory action research can foster a stronger bond between community schools and parents, thereby enhancing parental involvement in children’s education. The study draws on Mezirow’s transformative learning theory, incorporating concepts from Habermas’s public sphere and Freire’s notion of conscientization. It specifically focuses on the action group’s monthly meetings held over nine months and the collaborative outcomes that resulted. By emphasising targeted interventions, collaboration and a departure from deficit-focused approaches, the findings propose effective strategies for bridging the gap between community schools and rural communities in Nepal.&lt;/p>


author: Guenther, John Cuervo, Hernan
year: 2024
title: Rural Researcher and Practitioner Responses to Misrecognition and Distributive Injustice
pages: i-viii
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/769
section: EDITORIAL
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.769
access_date: 2024/11/28
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;The articles in this issue can be viewed through the lens of theories of Recognition and Distributive Justice. These theories, when applied to rural education point to the marginalisation and devaluing of rural education, such that some kind remedy is required. The remedies for this are arguably the responsibility of systems that develop policies and provide funding for research and education. But we find that educators and researchers respond in their own way to the deficits and distributive injustices that are imposed on their roles in rural and remote communities. In the articles of this issue, we see researchers and practitioners investing their time, persisting and persevering despite apparent failure, engaging socially, and making space for the next generation of educators and researchers. The contexts in which these actions are taken vary, and so too do the expressions of these responses.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Webb, Susan Christine Reshmi, Lahiri-Roy Elizabeth, Knight Koshy, Paul
year: 2024
pages: 1-18
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/727
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.727
access_date: 2024/11/28
title:
The Intersection of Geography, Topography and Mindset: A Nuanced Understanding of Regional, Rural and Remote Students’ Tertiary Participation in Australia

abstract:
&lt;h4&gt;This paper explores the notion of rurality in Australian tertiary education as part of an investigation into the subtle but distinct differences in participation thinking and patterns among young people in regional, rural and remote (RRR) communities. Drawing on qualitative data gathered as part of a wider research project for the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, the paper examines whether student participation in tertiary education is shaped by factors more deeply related to a sense of connection to community, the relationality and reflexivity as related to context, as well the proximity to major tertiary education infrastructure, such as campuses. This analysis of place challenges traditional geographical lenses that emphasise RRR location in and of itself. Hence, the paper contributes to a more nuanced understanding of language in relation to RRR location as used in Australian policy, providing insights into the contested nature of the Australian term RRR, the concept of rurality in the wider literature, and concomitantly, investigating the impact of the same on youth participation in Australian tertiary education.&lt;/h4&gt;


author: Thiele, Catherine Casey, Joanne Eager, Linda Simon, Susan Dole, Shelley
year: 2024
pages: 19-35
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/744
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.744
access_date: 2024/11/28
title:
Foregrounding Leadership Connectedness: A Preservice Teacher Preparation Program to Staff Australian Regional, Rural and Remote Schools

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Set within the broader employment crisis facing Australian schools, attracting preservice teachers to teach in a regional, rural, and remote (RRR) school community has been a long-standing educational priority. Research has identified the role of placement initiatives, the benefits of preparing preservice teachers for RRR contexts, and the centrality and significance of community and relationships. What is less frequently acknowledged is the role of school leaders in acting as the nexus between preservice teachers and the RRR community. Specifically, how leaders effectively support and enact relationship-based initiatives for preservice teachers. This research explores the leadership strategies of a group of high school leaders—leaders from a large metropolitan Prep-Year 12 College (Brisbane, Queensland) and Far North Queensland. Central to the leadership partnerships is a preservice teacher RRR preparation program facilitated by a Brisbane College via their Teacher Enhancement Centre. In this paper, we report on the strengths of their program in establishing key connections. Implications are drawn in relation to how school leaders connect with other leaders, and preservice teachers through the program, and how these connections can support place-based experiences for preservice teachers while concurrently addressing the staffing needs of RRR schools.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Tshering, Tshering Matthews, Joshua Adlington, Rachael
year: 2024
pages: 36-54
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/750
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.750
access_date: 2024/11/28
title:
Bhutanese Teacher Educators’ Attitudes Towards Information, Communication and Technology Acceptance and use in Teaching: Implications for Rural Developing Countries

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Information and Communication Technology is a powerful tool for transforming education, and in developing, largely rural countries such as Bhutan, where its widespread access is relatively recent. Information and Communication Technology acceptance and use among teacher educators is crucial for effective contemporary teacher education. Acceptance and use depends on well-established factors, including teachers’ attitudes; however, little is known about teachers’ attitudes in rural developing countries, especially Himalayan and Buddhist countries, which are culturally different to other developing countries. Accordingly, this mixed-method study investigated how Bhutanese teacher educators’ attitudes influence acceptance and use of Information and Communication Technology in teaching. Analysis of survey (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 90) and semi-structured interview (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 21) data indicated that teacher educators generally held positive attitudes toward its use. Age, gender, teaching experience and subject of specialization did not influence attitude, while perceived usefulness, facilitating conditions and Information and Communication Technology use, did. Positive attitude was associated with perceived usefulness, while negative attitude aligned with Information and Communication Technology incompetence and slow internet connectivity. Some agreement exists between findings in Bhutan and other developing, rural contexts, however, differences in factors, including gender, and the presence of Buddhist &lt;em&gt;zhenphen&lt;/em&gt; highlight the need for policymakers, researchers and interventions to account for context, alongside continued improvement of Information and Communication Technology infrastructure.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Healey, Simone Auld, Glenn
year: 2024
title: Towards a Framework of Culturally Responsive Boarding
pages: 55-72
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/709
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.709
access_date: 2024/11/28
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;First Nations students from remote communities frequently make the choice to move to boarding school to complete their secondary education because of the limited educational opportunities in their local communities. To do this, students leave their family and peer support structures during adolescence. Although governments have provided funding for First Nations students to attend boarding school long before the Closing the Gap targets were set, outcomes of boarding for many of these students continue to disappoint, with low retention rates and below-average academic outcomes. Building on the principles of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, a Culturally Responsive Boarding framework is proposed that reflects the unique needs of remote First Nation students. A rapid review included 21 peer reviewed articles about First Nations student experiences at boarding schools. The results were thematically coded to reveal that five Culturally Responsive Pedagogy strands were evident in the experiences of First Nations boarding students: having sociocultural consciousness; affirming views of students; acting as agents of change; learning about students and their communities; and culturally responsive teaching practices. Three additional strands emerged from the literature to generate an eight-strand framework of Culturally Responsive Boarding : building cultural safety in boarding; providing health and wellbeing services; and supporting aspirations. Most of the experiences analysed from the literature were negatively positioned relative to the strands in Culturally Responsive Boarding. The framework is limited because of the dearth of independent evaluations of boarding school outcomes for First Nations students. The proposed framework provides a pragmatic placeholder to support First Nations boarding students and their families until broader reforms happen across the boarding school sector in Australia.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Guenther, John Oliver, Rhonda Ober, Robyn Holmes, Catherine
year: 2024
title: Remote School Retention in Australia: Why do First Nations Students Disengage and Drop out?
pages: 73-91
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/743
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.743
access_date: 2024/11/28
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;The Australian education system works well for most students. However, equitable access to secondary education is problematic for First Nations people living in remote communities. There is a strong emphasis on Year 12 completion as an indicator of successful engagement in remote First Nations education. This has been partly driven by Australian Government ‘Closing the Gap’ targets. Yet for remote students Year 12 Certificate attainment is trending down, from 113 in 2013 down to 82 in 2022. Nationally, the target to achieve 96% Year 12 or equivalent is not on track for achievement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This article explores what students, school staff and community members say leads to disengagement and dropout. It is based on research conducted in Western Australia and the Northern Territory during 2023 by a team of researchers from Batchelor Institute, Curtin University and University of Notre Dame. The research focused on remote and very remote Independent and Catholic schools. It engaged 229 in surveys and 136 in yarns or interviews. Most of the respondents were First Nations people.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Moore, Laura Macfarlane, Rachael Wakefield, Nigel Davie, Serena
year: 2024
title: Meeting the Needs of Students and the Needs of a System
pages: 92-98
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/766
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.766
access_date: 2024/11/28
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;First Nation students’ attendance, retention and engagement in remote schools has been a concern for educators and successive governments. In many communities, students are encouraged to complete secondary education at boarding school because of seemingly limited educational opportunities in their local communities. The School of Isolated and Distance Education’s (SIDE’s) vision is to provide learning opportunities for Western Australian students regardless of their circumstances through high quality, inclusive and culturally responsive programs. Vision statements are aspirational and need to be backed with strategies for implementation. One such strategy implemented by SIDE in 2024 was the establishment of a Regional Teaching Team (RTT).&amp;nbsp;The RTT was established to meet the unique needs of students in the Northern Goldfields and Kimberley regions of Western Australia. These regions have a high representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Providing programs and pathways to meet the needs of Aboriginal students in remote contexts in Western Australia is not possible without a deep understanding of the context and culture of the local communities, schools and the students within them. SIDE’s RTT is committed to working with local communities to deliver co-designed culturally responsive education. It is not an easy task, and it will take time to build relationships and trust with local communities to deliver such an outcome. Whilst there is support in principle from Government agencies, disconnect still exists between policy and practice in the context of Aboriginal education in schools (Burgess, Cathie, &amp;amp; Lowe, 2022). The RTT aims to work with Aboriginal communities to provide them with the opportunities to communicate their goals and desires for the education of their children. Traditional measures based on attendance, completion of written tasks and grades perpetuate failure and do not inspire success or engagement.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Thorburn, Kathryn Ridley, Catherine
year: 2024
pages: 99-106
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/751
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.751
access_date: 2024/11/28
title:
When the School is the Community, and the Community is the School—Connectedness is Everything: A Case Study of a Remote School at Yiyili, Central Kimberley, Western Australia

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;In 2023, a small team undertook a series of interviews and yarns with staff, students and families at the remote community of Yiyili in the central Kimberley. The case study formed part of a much larger study which sought to understand why attendance rates in remote Aboriginal schools have fallen over recent years, to unpack a whole raft of factors that might explain this, and to also investigate strategies that seem to be encouraging remote kids to attend school. The Yiyili case study demonstrated that heightened connectedness of school and community results in a greater sense of stability and cultural safety for students, school staff and community members.  Such a blurring of lines between educational institution and community might not be possible in larger communities, but our study suggests that such institutional openness might prove crucial in cross-cultural circumstances such as remote Indigenous communities.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Ober, Robyn
year: 2024
title: Case Study of Nawarddeken Academy: On Country Learning in West Arnhem Land
pages: 107-114
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/758
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.758
access_date: 2024/11/28
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;In 2023, researchers from the Batchelor Institute worked with staff, students and families from the Nawarddeken Academy in West Arnhem Land, which offers bicultural, community-driven education. Together, they engaged in a series of yarning circles as interviews with staff, students and families. The focus of the study was on retention, attendance and impacts from major events such as COVID-19. Nawarddeken Academy has a long history of fighting for educational rights for their children to learn &lt;em&gt;on country&lt;/em&gt;, through an Aboriginal-led, controlled and managed model. This fight has spanned 20 years and today Bininj (Aboriginal) people are proud to provide education to their children on their land through &lt;em&gt;Learning on Country &lt;/em&gt;programs that embed both-ways Bininj and Balanda (Aboriginal and non-Indigenous) knowledge/s into the school’s core curriculum. This article tells the story of Nawarddeken Academy and the case study research that was conducted with the school.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Page, Jaemie
year: 2024
pages: 115-125
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 34
number: 3
date: 11/25
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/760
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v34i3.760
access_date: 2024/11/28
title:
Building Language, Literacy, Numeracy, and Digital Skills with Aboriginal Rangers in the Northern Territory

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Ranger programs across North Australia are a success story, providing important environmental, social and cultural services that help people get back out on their Country to do vital work, such as carbon abatement fire programs, weed and feral animal management, cultural site maintenance, and Learning on Country programs for youth. Many rangers struggle with the English language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills needed to participate effectively in work and training. The Batchelor Institute Conservation and Land Management team have developed effective language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills programs through Foundation Skills Training being delivered across the Northern Territory top end and recently Uluru. With extensive knowledge and experience in ranger work, trainers can develop and adapt language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills programs that are contextualised to the work of rangers and meet their needs as well as those of their host organisations. Secure, targeted funding can provide long-term support to further develop these programs and better prepare and support learners with training and work. This document outlines existing work and how it can be expanded across the region.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Wuttke, Cate Ashenden, Kalie
year: 2025
pages: 90-96
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/782
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.782
access_date: 2025/03/15
title:
Growing our own: Connecting Schools, Employers, Careers and Study Pathways in Regional South Australia

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Uni Hub Spencer Gulf’s &lt;em&gt;Career Partnership&lt;/em&gt; initiative addresses persistently low levels of aspiration and engagement with tertiary education in North and Western South Australia. Research, census data, and consultations with schools and employers revealed that this issue is negatively impacting workforce capacity and community development, with challenges expected to escalate in coming years.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Key barriers include a lack of locally relevant career advice, limited awareness of available careers in the region, and increasingly complex pathways between school, vocational education, university, and work. Outreach efforts by city-based universities were often irrelevant and uncoordinated, further compounding the problem.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In response, Uni Hub developed the ‘Grow our Own’ Partnerships Plan to deliver targeted initiatives addressing these barriers. Annual career expos in regional centres will showcase career opportunities and study pathways, with a focus on workforce shortages and locally available careers. Outreach programs to small communities will promote university study and available support through Regional University Centres. Industry immersion and taster programs will provide hands-on experience in professional and technical careers, particularly in heavy industry and the health care sectors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Collaboration with secondary schools, employers, regional agencies, industry associations, and tertiary providers is central to the plan’s success. By leveraging partnerships and resources, Uni Hub aims to address the region’s workforce needs and build local capacity through the common goal of ‘growing our own’ skilled workforce.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Sfetcopoulos, Olivia
year: 2025
pages: 52-65
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/776
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.776
access_date: 2025/03/15
title:
Increasing Year Four Regional Students’ Writing Achievement Through the Universal Design for Learning

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;This article examines how incorporating the Universal Design for Learning into writing instruction could improve the writing achievement of year four students in regional Victoria, Australia. The Universal Design for Learning is an instructional approach that aims to provide students with meaningful learning experiences through multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. Using evaluative reflection research and a mixed methods approach, data were obtained from a year four classroom of 16 students aged 9-10 years. Convenience sampling was used to access student work samples and the diagnostic and summative assessment data of these students. Personal identifiers were removed before being received by the researcher to provide a neutral and objective analysis. Findings indicated a 15 percentage-point increase in students’ writing achievement average after the Universal Design for Learning was implemented in writing instruction. Differentiation through the Universal Design for Learning supported students’ individual writing abilities, strengths, and interests, plays a significant role in year four students’ engagement, participation, and writing achievement. Implications for regional education include the importance of evidence-based instructional approaches that support student participation, inclusion, and equity by ensuring all students can be successful in their learning.&lt;/p&gt;


year: 2025
title: Finding Their Place: How Teachers can Become Part of Their Rural Communities
pages: 1-16
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/767
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.767
access_date: 2025/03/15
author:
Macdonald, Mary–anne
Booth, Sarah
Lambert, Kirsten
Gray, Christina
Ngarritjan Kessaris, Terry
Beard, Takeia

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;The tyranny of distance is often perceived as the greatest challenge for teacher retention in rural and remote schools in Australia. Perhaps more accurately, it is the tyranny of placelessness. In this paper, we explore the role of place-connectedness and racial literacy in shaping the interactions of 21 primary and secondary teachers with the social space and place of one Western Australian remote town. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups and analysed with an emergent approach. We propose three levels of place-consciousness to describe the depth of awareness, skill and integration with which a teacher might connect to place and space: place-connectedness, place-willingness, and place-ignorance&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt; We suggest that teachers who are place-connected, considering themselves not just geographically situated in a place but intrinsically connected to the people and culture of that place, are far more likely to achieve a sense of fulfilment and commitment in their roles as rural educators. These teachers value the capital within rural communities, move beyond the teacher social space to the community social space, and respectfully respond to Indigenous space and place. From our exploration, we make recommendations for the conscientisation of place in Initial Teacher Education and graduate teacher induction.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Louth, Sharon
year: 2025
pages: 36-51
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/759
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.759
access_date: 2025/03/15
title:
“What does Place Bring to my Teaching?” : Professional Dissonance and the Development of Rural Consciousness

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Australia’s teacher shortage has reached critical levels, particularly in rural, regional and remote (RRR) areas. Searching for solutions to attract and retain teachers in RRR locations is fundamental to providing equitable access to education for all Australian children and young people. This phenomenological case study research takes a strength-based approach to promoting teaching in RRR locations to pre-service teachers, by investigating the professional, economic, cultural, social, and personal experiences of early career teachers working in RRR teaching positions. A thematic analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted which revealed the professional dissonance early career teachers experienced during cultural adjustment. Findings suggest ways early career teachers recalibrated their pre-conceived and accepted cultural norms from their places of origin to embrace and connect with community, both within school and the wider location. Thematic analysis further identified five broad areas participants contemplate prior to undertaking a teaching position in a RRR context: locational, emotional, social, cultural, and professional circumstances. These findings can be used for Initial Teacher Education providers to support their pre-service teachers to better understand the challenges and benefits of teaching in RRR contexts. In doing so, early career teachers would be better prepared to address the professional dissonance they will experience teaching in RRR locations through the development of a constructive rural consciousness. If more teachers can be attracted to RRR locations, then this will go some way to redressing the current imbalance and improve educational outcomes for children in diverse and marginalised RRR locations.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Halsey, John
year: 2025
pages: 104-107
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/778
section: BOOK REVIEW
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.778
access_date: 2025/03/15
title:
Book Review: Rural School Improvement in Developing Countries, Zhao, Y., & Liu, J. (Eds) (2024). Springer Singapore

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rural School Improvement in Developing Countries &lt;/em&gt;edited by Yuchi Zhao and Jing Liu (2024), examines rural school improvement programs implemented in four developing countries, including China, Myanmar, Uganda, and Kenya (noting that while China is not a developing country, it has rural regions that could be comparable to the other regions discussed). The book analyses research questions related to problems faced by rural schools in these countries, approaches or models adopted to improve these rural schools, specific interventions to address the problems and their effectiveness, and lessons learnt from these programs. The book is ‘open access’, which makes it an accessible reference for anyone wanting background information about international rural education policies and strategies.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Guenther, John Cuervo, Hernan
year: 2025
title: Rural Education for Regional and Community Development
pages: i-ix
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/798
section: EDITORIAL
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.798
access_date: 2025/03/15
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Education in any of its forms (early years, primary, secondary, tertiary, and adult education) in rural and remote communities, plays a critical role in sustaining and developing regions. In this issue the articles describe programs and approaches that work to build the regional workforce and create socially inclusive communities. The articles include research that addresses concerns about attraction and retention of teachers, about the relationships and partnerships that improve learning outcomes, and about the importance of place consciousness in regional, rural, and remote contexts. The Rural Connections articles document good practice in providing access to tertiary education that otherwise would not be available, to grow the local workforce and provide pathways and awareness for young people considering their career options. In this editorial, we consider the findings presented using a policy and theoretical framework to help us consider the dynamics of rural education as an enabler for regional and community development.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Bartlett, Claire Bentley, Brendan Ledger, Susan James, Sarah Morrissey, Chris Thomson, Jacki
year: 2025
title: Professional Experience Partnerships in Regional and Remote Schools: A Pathway to Employment
pages: 17-35
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/762
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.762
access_date: 2025/03/15
abstract:
&lt;h4&gt;The shortage of teachers in regional and remote schools remains a pressing problem and has been exacerbated by the current national teacher shortage. The preparedness and willingness of graduate teachers to work in regional and remote areas are central to this problem. Partnerships between professional experience sites, providers of initial teacher education, and education systems are considered key to a successful professional experience placement, combined they can prepare pre-service teachers for future graduate employment. This qualitative study provides insight into the perspectives of professional experience site leaders to understand the benefits and challenges of professional experience and graduate employment in regional and remote schools and how to address these issues. The findings suggest that the benefits and challenges of professional experience and graduate employment in regional and remote schools are complex and shaped by various factors. Mentor teacher availability, limited uptake of placements by pre-service teachers, a limited understanding of regional and remote contexts, specific preparation, and general early-career teacher retention all contribute to the multi-pronged complexity inhibiting regional and remote employment. Benefits such as offering an alternative to a city-centric lifestyle, fast-tracked permanency, and financial incentives have shaped policy with limited success in addressing the teacher workforce crisis. Our findings suggest an alternative approach may benefit the issue of teacher shortage in regional and remote schools. We propose the widespread implementation of successful context-specific instruction as pre-service teachers prepare for professional experience in regional and remote schools as a possible means to address the long-standing regional and remote teacher shortage.&lt;/h4&gt;


author: Barry, Sue Samson, Hannah
year: 2025
title: Empowering Remote Communities Through Education: The Roxby Downs Early Childhood Pilot Project
pages: 97-103
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/783
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.783
access_date: 2025/03/15
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;The  Roxby Downs Early Childhood Pilot Project was designed to address a critical shortage of qualified early childhood educators in the remote mining town of Roxby Downs, South Australia. This shortage impacts not only early childhood services but also workforce participation and overall community stability. In collaboration with BHP, the Roxby Downs Children’s Centre, and CQUniversity, Uni Hub Spencer Gulf developed a blended learning model that allows residents to complete a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care through a combination of flexible online coursework and practical, hands-on training. This initiative helped participants gain qualifications while directly contributing to the needs of their community. The paper explores how workforce shortages in remote areas can be addressed through locally adapted, creative solutions, the value of building strong partnerships between industry and education to create sustainable workforce models and the impact of blended learning in supporting local workforce development and community.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Ashenden, Kalie Millington, Rhys
year: 2025
title: Growing our own: A Community-led Approach to Building a Local Health Workforce
pages: 84-89
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/780
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.780
access_date: 2025/03/15
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Rural and regional Australia faces significant healthcare challenges, exacerbated by chronic workforce shortages and limited access to higher education opportunities. Uni Hub Spencer Gulf (Uni Hub) has undertaken a community-led initiative to address these gaps growing in our local health workforce. Established in 2019, Uni Hub delivers support for regional students pursuing university qualifications, focusing on locally delivered, industry-relevant education that meets the specific needs of regional communities.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By partnering with universities, schools, and health networks, Uni Hub has grown from a single study centre with 15 students to five campuses supporting over 500 students, including more than 100 in health-related fields. Since 2019, Uni Hub has supported 16 local nursing and social work graduates, with an additional 70 graduates projected by 2027. Uni Hub’s model combines a whole-of-workforce perspective with dedicated student support services, including academic tutoring, placement coordination, and career guidance, ensuring students can succeed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Key to Uni Hub’s success is its focus on partnerships and advocacy. Collaborations with universities have increased accessibility to health qualifications, while persistent engagement with government has secured investment in regional training facilities. The initiative demonstrates a strengths-based, place-based approach, addressing critical workforce shortages while empowering local students to transform their communities. Growing a regional health workforce is complex, but Uni Hub’s model demonstrates that sustainable, community-driven solutions are achievable and impactful.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Archer, Ben
year: 2025
pages: 66-83
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 1
date: 03/11
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/761
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i1.761
access_date: 2025/03/15
title:
Bridging the gap: Comparative Analysis of Academic Support and Teacher-student Relationships in Faith-based Schools Across Regional and Urban Contexts

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;This article investigates the association between teachers providing academic support to their students and student's perceptions of their relationships with their teachers, with a focus on the role of geographical location. Utilising the Revised School Climate Measure, this pilot study surveyed 522 students across four Australian faith-based schools—two urban, and two regional schools. The data were analysed using a combination of correlations, one-way MANOVA and binomial regression. The results indicate that academic support is a contributing factor to students in regional schools reporting stronger relationships with their teachers compared to their urban peers. This study provides a foundation for future research and could be replicated on a larger scale. The implications offer school leaders and policymakers additional information to help address areas of disadvantage within regional Australian schools, while also highlighting the need for further investigation in this area.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Death, Gemma Weller, Evan
year: 2025
title: EduVenture : Sparking the Conversation. Creating Moments of Connection
pages: 127-140
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 2
date: 07/29
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/785
section: RURAL CONNECTIONS: CELEBRATING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i2.785
access_date: 2025/07/31
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;The EduVenture project, initiated under the Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program (Australian Government Department of Education, 2024), aims to address barriers faced by regional and remote students in aspiring to and preparing for higher education. This initiative stems from the Australian Government Department of Education’s (2019) &lt;em&gt;National Regional, Rural, and Remote Tertiary Education Strategy&lt;/em&gt; and is led by Taree Universities Campus, a Regional University Study Hub, in partnership with the Australian National University and the University of Newcastle. By leveraging community consultation and co-design principles, the project fosters engagement between Taree Universities Campus, local high schools, universities and industries to enhance students’ aspirations and career preparedness. Phase 1 of the project emphasised gathering community insights, including perspectives from students, educators and local community members, including Indigenous leaders, while Phase 2 implements hands-on experiences, such as career workshops, industry collaboration and campus tours. Activities are tailored to address the socio-educational challenges identified in the Mid Coast region of New South Wales, where students and schools face significant socio-economic disadvantage and low attendance rates.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Nyaradi, Anett McNaught, Keith
year: 2025
title: Stepping into Country: How a Short Rural Immersion Transforms Medical Students' Perspectives
pages: 108-126
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 2
date: 07/29
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/799
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i2.799
access_date: 2025/07/31
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of a short-term Rural Immersion Week on medical students’ intentions to pursue rural practice and their transformative experiences. A mixed-methods study was implemented, combining pre- and post-surveys with quantitative and qualitative analysis. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests, and qualitative responses were explored through thematic analysis guided by Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory. The study was conducted at Curtin Medical School, with the immersion program held in rural areas of Western Australia. A total of 113 second-year medical students participated, with 101 completing both pre- and post-surveys included in the analysis. Quantitative analysis showed a significant increase in intentions to work rurally (pre M = 3.77, SD = 0.90; post M = 4.16, SD = 0.90; t(100) = -5.61, p &amp;lt; .001) and apply to Rural Clinical School (pre M = 3.80, SD = 1.01; post M = 4.21, SD = 1.05; t(100) = -4.93, p &amp;lt; .001). Qualitative findings revealed transformative learning, including enhanced cultural awareness, empathy, and understanding of social determinants of health. The Rural Immersion Week significantly influenced students’ intentions to pursue rural practice and fostered transformative personal and professional growth. Short-term rural immersion programs are a promising strategy to inspire interest in rural healthcare careers.&lt;/p&gt;


author: McNaught, Keith Sjepcevich, Gina
year: 2025
pages: 92-107
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 2
date: 07/29
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/784
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i2.784
access_date: 2025/07/31
title:
Rural Horizons: Short-term Rural Immersion and the Evolution of Medical Students' Attitudes Towards Rural Healthcare

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;The formation of rural intention—the aspiration of medical students to practice in rural settings post-graduation—is a complex process, particularly during the early stages of medical students’ professional and personal development, when career aspirations and life circumstances are evolving. Short-term rural immersion programs, such as the Kalgoorlie Immersion Program at Curtin Medical School, offer a unique opportunity to enrich this developmental phase through an experience of rural life and healthcare. This study examines the impact of the Kalgoorlie Immersion Program five-day rural immersion experience on perceptions of rural practice, career intentions, and interest in the Rural Clinical School of Western Australia of a group of second-year medical students. Using mixed-methods analysis of pre- and post-Kalgoorlie Immersion Program field trip data from 19 participants, the study found that the Program confirmed, refined, or opened the possibility of rural practice and interest in Rural Clinical School of Western Australia for students. The Program fostered engagement, addressed misconceptions, and helped students visualise themselves in rural settings. Short-term immersion programs like Kalgoorlie Immersion Program broaden the pipeline of future rural practitioners by complementing longer rural placements, such as Rural Clinical School of Western Australia. These programs help address workforce challenges in rural healthcare and produce well-rounded, empathetic doctors prepared to navigate diverse healthcare environments.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Graham, Scott Pratley, James Randall, David Gill, Lincoln McCormick, Jeff
year: 2025
title: An Evaluation of Secondary Agricultural Education Subject Offerings and Enrolments in Australia
pages: 70-91
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 2
date: 07/29
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/813
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i2.813
access_date: 2025/07/31
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Over recent decades in Australia, secondary and tertiary institution enrolments and completions in agriculture-related courses have been inadequate for the employment demand that exists. This demand, inter alia, includes the well-publicised global issues of climate change, food security and the need to feed a significantly larger population. This paper presents a study of the current secondary agricultural education system across states and territories in Australia and evaluates its performance as it endeavours to meet the workforce needs of the nation’s agricultural industries. The data reveal a plateau in university agriculture graduate numbers, although variable between states. The need to increase intakes to expand graduate numbers represents a challenge because of the decline in numbers of secondary school agriculture course participants, an important component of the pipeline. The variability in offerings across states and territories in secondary agricultural education appears to be a blockage in the system such that students in some states, and regions within states, have little opportunity to follow that line of study. Increasing supply of students into university courses in agriculture is the major challenge in addressing the workforce shortfall. There needs to be improvements in secondary student exposure to agriculture and the buoyant employment opportunities both on-farm and off-farm, including in the cities. An increase in agricultural literacy of school student advisers, i.e. parents and teachers, would seem to be an important endeavour.   &lt;/p&gt;


author: Gossner, Michelle Dittman, Cassy Lole, Lisa Miller-Lewis, Lauren
year: 2025
title: Community Insights into School Disengagement: Perspectives from a Regional-Rural Australian Context
pages: 33-50
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 2
date: 07/29
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/791
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i2.791
access_date: 2025/07/31
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;School disengagement is a significant issue in regional and rural Australian communities. Addressing this issue requires a comprehensive understanding of the relational, individual, and environmental factors that influence disengagement. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of community members who have experience working with disengaged school-aged children. The research applied the bioecological model of development to examine how &lt;em&gt;Process&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Person&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Context&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Time&lt;/em&gt; factors contribute to school disengagement. Data were collected through five focus groups with 24 participants from diverse professional backgrounds and sectors within a socioeconomically disadvantaged regional and rural area in Australia. A thematic analysis identified ten key themes within the &lt;em&gt;Process&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Person&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Context&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Time&lt;/em&gt; framework. &lt;em&gt;Process&lt;/em&gt; factors included parent-child and teacher-student interactions. &lt;em&gt;Person&lt;/em&gt; factors encompassed mental health challenges, diverse learning needs, antisocial behaviours, and personal and interpersonal skills. &lt;em&gt;Context &lt;/em&gt;factors involved the home environment, parental disengagement, school systems and structures, and broader regional and community challenges. &lt;em&gt;Time&lt;/em&gt; revealed disengagement to be a cumulative and dynamic process. This study highlights the importance of incorporating local perspectives to better understand school disengagement and calls for tailored interventions that address its complex nature alongside context-specific policies and practices to promote long-term educational engagement. Furthermore, the study emphasises the importance of prioritising teacher professional development and encouraging policymakers to implement reforms in higher education teacher training. These measures should help to equip teachers with the skills needed to support student wellbeing and foster greater engagement in learning.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Siljebo, Josef Pettersson, Fanny Norlin, Björn
year: 2025
title: A Genesis of Remote Teaching in Swedish Rural Compulsory Schooling
pages: 19-32
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 2
date: 07/29
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/792
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i2.792
access_date: 2025/07/31
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Remote teaching in Sweden has emerged as a response to the persistent challenges of rural education, including sparse populations, urbanisation, declining birthrates, and long travel distances. This study investigates the historical genesis of remote teaching in northern Sweden, particularly in small rural schools, where digital technologies have been used in K-12 education. Through a microhistory approach, we examine early developments in digital education, drawing from interviews with key stakeholders involved in school development and governance from the 1980s to 2010. The findings suggest that the integration of digital technologies in rural Swedish education was driven by both necessity and innovation, as schools sought solutions to sustain education in sparsely populated areas. The study contributes a historically contextualised perspective on remote teaching, emphasising the long-term challenges of rural schooling and the role of digital technologies in addressing these issues. By analysing the early adoption of digital education in Swedish rural municipalities, we provide insights into the evolution of remote teaching and its implications for future educational practices.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Wang, Xining Young, Gareth McGuckin, Conor
year: 2025
pages: 1-18
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 2
date: 07/29
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/771
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i2.771
access_date: 2025/07/31
title:
Leveraging Extended Reality for Quality Education and Classroom Atmosphere in Rural Regions of China

abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Despite access to quality education being essential for all, children and youth living in remote rural areas still struggle to gain the same opportunities as their urban counterparts. They face barriers that hinder their access to quality learning and classroom atmosphere. This study aimed to investigate the potential of leveraging extended reality to enhance quality education and classroom atmosphere in rural regions. A small-scale investigation was conducted to examine the existing urban-rural schools’ educational quality (Stage 1), then mixed methods were employed to investigate a total of 70 rural students (aged 10–16) in rural China, to examine differences between extended reality-assisted education and traditional classroom education (Stage 2). The results showed that students believed their traditional class was useful, but they favoured extended reality-based education. It was concluded that extended reality-based education can be a creative approach to improve classroom atmosphere and increase educational quality in underdeveloped rural areas.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Guenther, John Relf, Bronwyn
year: 2025
title: Improving Rural and Regional Student Experiences
pages: i-ix
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 2
date: 07/29
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/832
section: EDITORIAL
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i2.832
access_date: 2025/07/31
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;In this editorial for the second issue of the &lt;em&gt;Australian and International Journal of Rural Education&lt;/em&gt;, we explore the challenges and opportunities for researching and reporting student experience in rural and regional education. The articles in this issue illustrate how the voices of students can be and are represented through research. The articles from rural and regional contexts in China, Sweden and Australia offer insights into student experiences and what can be done to improve those experiences across a range of sectors. We also note that the influence of rurality on experiences is sometimes assumed but not explicitly discussed. In summary, the articles in this issue provide useful illustrations of how student voice and experiences can be used to powerfully reflect and improve the value of programs, pedagogical approaches, curriculum offerings and educational opportunities.&lt;/p&gt;


author: Suluma, Wili Burnett, Greg
year: 2025
title: The Boarding School Education of Remote Aboriginal Students: What are the Expected Outcomes?
pages: 51-69
secondary_title: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
volume: 35
number: 2
date: 07/29
url: https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/757
section: JOURNAL PAPERS
electronic_resource_number: 10.47381/aijre.v35i2.757
access_date: 2025/07/31
abstract:
&lt;p&gt;Boarding schools for remote Aboriginal students serve a multifaceted purpose that extends beyond education provision. These institutions address the critical need for accessible, quality education in regions where local schooling options are limited or non-existent. The push for young Aboriginal students from remote communities to obtain a boarding school education for better opportunities often comes at the expense of prolonged separation from family and culture, homesickness, mental health, and numerous other challenges. While recent studies indicate that these challenges impact education outcomes and completion, governments continue to invest in sending remote Aboriginal students to boarding schools. Stakeholders' aspirations for their children are often overlooked in discussions about a boarding school education. This paper explores teachers’, parents’, and students’ views and expectations of a boarding school education for remote Aboriginal students in an Indigenous boarding school in the Northern Territory of Australia. Research methods used to collect data for this study included documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews, and field observation. Findings were analysed through the Internal Colonialism and Human Capital Theory. Analysis of stakeholders’ expectations of a boarding school education indicates mixed insights. While there were common expectations amongst teachers, parents and students, there were also differences. Academic and employment agendas were shared by all stakeholders; however, the socio-political agendas were distinctive to teachers.&lt;/p&gt;


# terms

term:
principal, practices, Indigenous education, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, school leadership


# refs_ord

ro_key_3: 2020
ro_key_2:
BUI V   WOOLCOTT G   PEDDELL L   YEIGH T   LYNCH D   ELLIS D   MARKOPOULOS C   WILLIS R   SAMOJLOWICZ D   


# csort

sort_spec:
<sort_spec version="1"><locale id="en_US" /><key id="3" ascending="false" /><key id="2" ascending="false" /><key id="16386" ascending="false" /></sort_spec>


