The Fairbanks American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Science Camp was designed for Alaska Native middle school students from 11 school districts. The camp enables students to learn from Native Elders while completing hands-on science projects; stimulates interest and confidence in mathematics, science, and engineering among Alaska…

The Tasmanian (Australia) Office of Youth Affairs and Family conducted consultations concerning issues impacting young people living in rural and isolated areas. Eight workshops specifically for youth were attended by 123 young people. Five community forums were attended by 25-30 participants each. The difficulties of living in isolated situations…

This report describes some economic development efforts of the 32 tribal colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Although the data needed for a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of tribal colleges are not available, the report argues that the colleges affect local community development on many levels. Specific data…

Observes the changes in public education that occurred along the Wisconsin frontier. As the territory progressed, education changed from a winter-term only enterprise lead by male farmer/teachers to a full term lead by professionally trained women teachers. Identifies professionalization as the greatest influence on the feminization of teaching.…

Because of its unique leadership and supportive faculty, Salish Kootenai College, on the Flathead reservation in Western Montana, has become one of the leading institutions nationwide in providing distance learning programs. Consistent with the college's mission, all distance courses are designed to preserve and enhance Salish and Kootenai…

Christchurch College of Education (New Zealand) offers a distance teacher education course to a rural Maori community experiencing a teacher shortage. Program success is attributed to local initiative in establishing the program, significant local input into program development, attention to the student profile in course design and delivery,…

Texas Tech University offers online courses in special education for graduate credit or inservice education. This approach addresses the problems of time, distance, resources, and expertise experienced by rural educators. Unenrolled practitioners not interested in returning to school can access chat rooms and threaded discussions to get support…

Three Arizona programs aim to train culturally and linguistically diverse general and special educators who understand the needs and strengths of rural communities. Native Americans and Mexican Americans from rural areas who want to work with special needs populations are recruited, as well as whites. Many are paraprofessionals, working full time…

A conference was held to develop a plan of research into rural education in Australia and to form a consortium of rural education researchers. Part I of this proceedings contains an introductory paper, "Rural Education: The State of the Art" (Steve Clark), which analyzes research in rural education in Australia in recent decades with…

This paper describes two programs that work together to meet the educational needs of at-risk secondary students in small rural schools in Queensland, Australia. The goal of the Students At Risk program (STAR) is to increase retention rates of identified at-risk students. The Priority Country Areas Program (PCAP) assists schools and community…

The Wahsa Distance Education Centre is operated by the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council (NNEC) for Cree and Oji-Cree secondary students living in the 23 remote communities of Sioux Lookout District in northwestern Ontario. Although most communities have locally controlled K-8 schools, very few communities offer secondary education. The NNEC, a…

This report characterizes the problem of shortage of qualified special educators in rural schools and describes the Rural Special Educator Project developed to address this problem in Maine. The traditional model demanding that individuals wishing to broaden their skills must leave their community to receive training works in direct opposition to…

Remote and isolated locations in Australia provide the greatest challenges for improving provision of education options and pathways for children and families. These challenges are often compounded when considering the needs and aspirations of Indigenous communities, especially those that adhere to traditional cultures and lifestyles. In response…

Central Queensland University's Women into Science and Technology program aimed to broaden the access of women to higher education, improve their career opportunities and employment prospects, and address the personnel shortage in engineering and technology by encouraging mature age women to consider these fields. The distance learning program was…

Lists seven characteristics of online instruction, and discusses related questions. Topics include costs, increased usage of educational technology, access to information/communication for isolated groups, the present text-based system and technological change, the pattern of hypertext, effectiveness of online instruction, and the student/teacher…