Describes the partial conversion of Iceland's three-year teacher certification course into distance education mode. The social context and rationale of the project and the conditions and experience of participants in the initial phase of this pilot project are discussed. Technological and pedagogical concerns and program prospects are mentioned.…

A qualitative study examined the experiences of 10 mostly inexperienced, female teachers working in two isolated Native communities in northern Ontario. Findings focus on teachers' uncertainties about appropriate pedagogical goals, the relationship of teachers to First Nations communities, living in the North, cross-cultural and multicultural…

Diverse university student cohorts are becoming the norm in rural universities. As universities reach out to an increasingly diverse group of students in rural areas it has become evident that traditional support structures are inadequate to meet the needs of students who tend to be mature aged women and first generation students. Studies have…

While many efforts to reform high schools target large cities, a similar minority located at the fringes of American culture has been relatively overlooked. Low-income, rural students suffer many of the same social maladies--such as severe poverty and widespread drug abuse--as urban minority children, and they are comparably disadvantaged when it…

This paper describes various types of distance education technologies and their use in rural Australia. Communications and information technologies may be categorized as distributive or interactive. Correspondence education is a distributive form of distance education, involving the postal service and, at times, educational television or radio.…

A case study investigated the use of telematics technology in the delivery of learning programs from a rural high school in Western Australia to four receiver schools. Telematics is an audiographic computer system that simultaneously links a teacher to classrooms in one to five other schools. The program was introduced in 1991 to widen curriculum…

A 1987 meeting in Fuji that examined the supply, training, and professional support of educational personnel in multi-island situations led to development of a directory of innovative practices relevant to any situation of isolation. Questionnaires were sent to a sample of countries in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and South Pacific. Findings are…

This research analyzes the impact of the Thai government's activities to promote educational opportunities for people of the northern hill tribes. In addition to interviews with government and nongovernmental organization staff, field surveys were conducted in hill tribe villages. The introductory chapter provides background information on the…

Many small, inland, and remote Australian rural communities continue to lose population and businesses, a trend that has intensified over the last 2 decades. Mean age continues to rise, while the 15-24 age group contracts dramatically. Such declining demographics are caused by the stress and uncertainty of volatile world commodity markets, as well…

This report examines the feasibility of a Rural Learning Network (RLN) using technology to connect rural California schools to educational resources at the University of California at Davis (UCD). Teachers from five rural schools agreed to participate in the pilot project for 2 years, during which time they would participate in on-line…

In 1998, a consortium including the University of Calgary (Alberta) and representatives from social service agencies and Native organizations developed a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) model for delivery in rural, remote, and Aboriginal communities. The model called for innovative course content that was culturally and geographically relevant to…

This annotated bibliography was prepared for the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (Australia) to assist in its inquiry into rural and remote education in Australia. It includes highly relevant, more recent, seminal, theoretical, and policy-oriented Australian materials. Only items directly related to rural and remote education have…

This report presents synopses of case studies highlighting workable local strategies to improve employment, education, training, and children's services in rural and remote Australia. Common features of each study include a description of the local context, the targeted group for each program, significant features, sustainability factors, major…

Ontario's funding formula fails to recognize the unique needs of northern school boards, which cover immense geographic areas, have many small schools, and enroll a high proportion of Aboriginal students. This report examines school size, enrollment, and staffing in northern Ontario schools, drawing on 2002-03 tracking reports of provincial…

Case studies of five small and isolated rural schools in the Southwest focused on their ability to fully implement Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSR) programs over the 3-year period of their federal grants. Data were gathered via interviews with school personnel, classroom observations, document reviews, and telephone interviews with…