Australian Government Funding for Regional Study Hubs

One of the new measures in the Australian Government Budget for 2017/2018 is expanded funding for Regional Study Hubs. These are community-owned facilities where students studying by distance education can meet with tutors and other students. As a distance education student myself I felt a need to meet other students face to face. This was noticed decades ago shortly after the Open University UK started correspondence courses: students sought out each other and booked rooms at the nearest educational institution.

The budget has funded  500 sub‑bachelor and 500 bachelor students. It is good to see the inclusion of sub-degree programs, as these are very useful for distance education students, who tend to take longer and drop out more frequently. The regional study hubs have some similarities to the government programs supporting regional tele-centers of the 1990s.

In 2000 I visited the University of WA Albany centre, where as well as the usual STEM subjects, there was a groups of students having a poetry reading via teleconference.

Review into Australian regional, rural and remote education calls for submissions

Submissions to the Independent review into regional, rural and remote education, close 29 August 2017. The 59 page discussion paper by the review chair, Emeritus Professor John Halsey, of Flinders University, has nine themes:

1. Curriculum and assessment 
2. Teachers and teaching 
3. Leaders and leadership 
4. School and community 
5. Information and communication technology
6. Entrepreneurship and schools
7. Improving access – enrolments, clusters, distance education and boarding
8. Diversity
9. Transitioning beyond school 

From page 9 

Questions asked:

6.1.1 Is the Australian Curriculum meeting the learning needs and interest of regional, rural and remote students?
6.1.2 Do current assessment processes help to improve the achievements of regional, rural and remote students?
6.1.3 How can schools be supported to deliver the Australian Curriculum in a flexible way to meet local needs?
6.1.4 Are there other examples of innovative ways in which curriculum is being delivered in regional, rural and remote schools?

From Page 23.

6.2.1 What key initiatives are helping to attract ‘top teachers’ to regional, rural and remote schools?
6.2.2 How can we improve retention of ‘top teachers’ in regional, rural and remote schools?
6.2.3 What professional development should be available for teachers, schools and communities?
6.2.4 What innovative approaches could be taken to support a high quality teaching workforce for regional, rural and remote school communities?

From page 26.

6.3.1 What needs to occur so regional, rural remote principals can devote most of their time and attention to student achievements in and beyond school?
6.3.2 What changes could be made to attract and retain experienced educational leaders for country schools?
6.3.3 What innovative approaches could be taken to support high quality leadership for regional, rural and remote school communities?

From page 28.

6.4.1 What new and innovative approaches are you aware of that improve the connection between schools and the broader community?
6.4.2 What motivates regional, rural and remote students to succeed and how can they be supported to realise their aspirations?
6.4.3 Are there untapped priorities in rural and remote settings which, if utilised, could help students realise their potential?
6.4.4 What role does/could the philanthropic sector play in improving outcomes for regional, rural and remote students in relation to school achievement and post-school transition?

From page 33.

6.5.1 What has to be done to ensure ICT supports education in regional, rural and remote schools and communities like it does in the ‘best of the best' city schools?
6.5.2 How could ICT be used to improve educational outcomes for regional, rural, remote students?
6.5.3 What are the main barriers to regional, rural and remote schools realising the full potential benefits of ICT?

From page 34.

6.6.1 What kinds of support would be needed for a school or group of schools to specialise in entrepreneurial education?
6.6.2 What other entrepreneurial education opportunities exist for regional, rural and remote schools?
6.6.3 Are there other examples where entrepreneurial education has improved outcomes for regional, rural and remote students?
6.6.4 What gaps need to be addressed to help students transition successfully to further study, training or work?

From page 37.

6.7.1 Are there changes that could be made to the ways schools are organised and function that would improve opportunities for regional, rural and remote students?
  
6.7.2  What could be done to expand the opportunities available to regional, rural and remote students to access high quality education?

From page 39.

6.8.1 Noting the findings of the Red dirt education project, what do you consider to be the purpose/role of education in remote communities?
6.8.2 What does educational success look like in remote communities?
6.8.3 How can schools/teachers in regional, rural and remote areas be supported to meet the individual learning needs of all students?
6.8.4 How can we create and sustain vibrant, high quality learning environments in regional, rural and remote schools?
6.8.5 What can be done to address the directional flow of regional, rural and remote students towards cities?

From page 45.

6.9.1 Are there changes that should be made to education, training and employment policies and practices which would improve post school opportunities for regional, rural and remote young people?
  
6.9.2 Are there innovative models of accommodation delivery that could benefit regional, rural and remote tertiary students studying away from home?
  
6.9.3 What can be done to address the directional flow of regional, rural and remote students moving to cities for further education and/or training?

From page 50.

Education System for Rural and Regional Students

Senator Bridget McKenzie, Chair of the Senate Education and Employment Standing Committee writes that "The education system has failed students in rural and regional areas" (The Australian, 8 March 2017). As the Senator  points out "... regional and remote students suffer significant disadvantage simply because of where they live". 

For the last five years, I have been a graduate student of education, looking into the question of how to provide quality higher education in regional areas. I found that Australia was a pioneer in this field, providing a form of Distance Education at regional universities which was later adopted by the UK for its Open University. More recently Australia produced the Moodle free open source learning management system, used around the world.

What I suggest is to "blend" and "flip" the delivery of education for upper secondary, vocational and university students in Australia. In this way all Australian students can be given a high quality education which also happens to be accessible to regional and remote students. Students would study on-line, supported by real time on-line and, where possible, classroom based education.

Rather than design courses and curricular for city campuses and then think how to adapt this for regional students, flip the approach. Design courses and curricular for on-line delivery, wherever the students happen to be. The on-line courses can then be supplemented with classroom activities for those students who can get to a campus regularly. For those students can't get to a campus, or who don't have a specialist teacher for their subject, a combination of real time on-line classes and short intensive sessions can be provided.

What is needed is for policy makers to get over the idea that quality education requires a teacher standing out the front of a class talking at students. Quality education is provided where students work with each other, learning to solve real world problems, with the help of a teacher. We have the technology and the educational techniques to do this, backed up by decades of research to show it works, as detailed in my book "digital teaching".

Review of Regional, Rural and Remote Education in Australia

Senator Simon Birmingham, Federal Minister for Education and Training, has announced an Independent review into regional, rural and remote education. The review will be conducted by Emeritus Professor John Halsey, Flinders University. A discussion paper will be released in  April 2017, with a  final report due at the end of the year.

Scope of the Review

• "the gap in educational achievement between regional, rural and remote students and metropolitan students
• the key barriers and challenges that impact on the educational outcomes of regional, rural and remote students, including aspirations and access issues
• the appropriateness and effectiveness of current modes of education delivered to these students, including the use of information and communications technology and the importance of face to face regional, rural and remote education provision
• the effectiveness of public policies and programs that have been implemented to bridge the divide
• the gaps and opportunities to help students successfully transition from school to further study, training and employment
• innovative approaches that support regional, rural and remote students to succeed in school and in their transition to further study, training and employment."

From: Terms of Reference of the Independent review into regional, rural and remote education, Department of Education and Training, March 2017

I suggest that e-learning and vocational education have key roles in improving regional, rural and remote education. What we need to aim to do is provide education to students in the regions, ideally while those students are also employed in a job, apprenticeship or internship. or more on this, see my book "Digital Teaching In Higher Education".