In this study, teachers from primary schools in a rural district of New South Wales were surveyed about their views on non-compliant behaviour, its frequency in the classroom and its effect on classroom management. Teachers generally agreed on definitions of moderate to serious non-compliant behaviours but some teachers rated minor non-compliant…

Few studies have investigated pre-service teachers' beliefs and their knowledge of Education for Sustainability (EfS). Where they have, their perceptions of EfS and the instrumentality of their actions have not been linked to their knowledge of EfS. This matter is particularly important to prepare teachers to teach in Australian rural schools…

The present study investigated rural residents' perceived importance of university presence in rural, regional and remote Australia. The present data indicate that the presence of university in rural areas is perceived as highly important by both rural and urban citizens. Results indicate that rural residents perceive that there is a need for…

Schools have always been central to rural communities, but today they are critical to the sustainability of social and economic life for people who live beyond major centres of population. The development of virtual structures and processes that enhance classes in and between rural schools has provided extended educational and, indirectly,…

The history of online learning at the K-12 level is almost as long as its history at the post-secondary level, with the first virtual school programs beginning in the early 1990s. While these opportunities were designed as a way to provide rural students with access to more specialized courses, as opportunities have become organized into virtual…

This ALTC project is a collaborative endeavour between the four public universities involved in teacher education in Western Australia (Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University and The University of Western Australia), focussed on improving the quality of preparation of pre-service teachers for rural, regional and remote…

Research about rural education, and education policy directions for rural schools, are set against formal measures of "disadvantage". These measures about rural "disadvantage" have been defined, evaluated and compared to more "advantaged" provincial and urban schools. Rarely has educational research or policy been…

This paper discusses an initiative called "Scientists in Schools" which was implemented with a group of seventy (n=70) Year 4 and Year 7 students studying in a local school in regional South Australia with the primary objective of raising awareness and interest in the study of sciences. Mezirow's critical reflection was used by the…

Relationship building in the remote rural settings studied occurred at various levels: professional, school-based, personal, and community-wide. Principals and teachers who understand the importance of relationship building--especially its personal and community-wide facets--who take the initiative in establishing and nurturing relationships and…

In order to improve recruitment of teachers to rural schools, preservice teachers need opportunities to become familiar with rural education contexts, overcome anxieties promoted by negative stereotypes and build confidence in their professional and personal abilities. Traditional approaches involve rural practicums which are not feasible for many…

Much is written about teacher leaders and the impact they have in promoting and influencing change. This is a reflection from four teacher leaders from four secondary high schools of a rural, non-government system of schools as they seek to build a capacity in the learning and teaching of mathematics and science within their schools. The original…

The Vinson report (2001) into public education highlighted the growing incidence of behavioural problems within the NSW public school system. One disorder that is currently causing particular concern is Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) as the outcomes for students with ODD who do not receive intervention are dire. Barcalow (2006) claims that…

Due to the difficulties inherent in staffing rural schools in Australia, it is increasingly common for beginning teachers to fill school leadership roles early in their careers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the accelerated progression of some early career teachers who have been offered leadership opportunities in rural schools. Results…

Attracting and retaining effective education leaders and teaching staff for regional, rural and remote schools in Australia is a major sustainability and quality issue facing every State and Territory. It is also a major concern in pre-service teacher education, particularly for those universities which have a commitment to rural and regional…

This article offers an insight into the process of Kindergarten transition at Callan Public School, a small school in rural NSW. The transition programme at Callan Public School was recently developed and had its inaugural implementation in 2007. A case study analysis revealed that the transition programme experienced clear stages of development,…