• Promoting the development of rural Australia

    SPERA acknowledges that the land we call Australia has – for tens of thousands of years – been the spiritual and physical home of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who continue to carry this unbroken cultural connection into the 21st century. We pay our respects to the ancestors and elders past, present and emerging.

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RUN welcomes changes to Youth Allowance to help regional students

The Regional Universities Network (RUN) welcomes changes to Youth…
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Thank You Deakin

Since the first SPERA National Conference was held 31 years…
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Improving mathematics and science education in rural Australia: A practice report

Robert Whannell, Steve Tobias There has been a steady decline in the number of secondary and tertiary students studying mathematics and science. Rural schools also report a shortage of qualified teachers in these disciplines. This paper describes the steps taken at the University of New England (UNE) to improve the provision of mathematics and science education (MS) in rural Australia. Initiatives such as the use of an online interactive digital classroom by rural NSW schools presenting MS contexts based on a SMART (sustainable, management, and accessible rural technologies) Farm will be presented. Research to improve teacher confidence and competence in these areas will be discussed along with the steps being taken to develop a Higher Education Research Facility (HERF) which will support research and engagement in the STEM domain.
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Using virtual worlds in rural and regional educational institutions

Sue Gregory, Lisa Jacka, Mathew Hillier, Scott Grant This paper presents four case studies from two regional and two metropolitan Australian universities, showcasing how 3D virtual world platforms have been used to connect, engage and motivate students in both co-located and non-co-located contexts. The case studies provide practical examples of how virtual worlds and associated applications have been operationalised in real teaching and learning contexts involving a range of different disciplines. For rural educators looking for innovative ways to enrich the student learning experience, the case studies offer first hand insights into the potential and the problems of using virtual worlds for educational purposes.
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Comparing rural and urban education contexts for GLBTIQ students

Tiffany Jones This paper considers the different experiences for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (GLBTIQ) students from rural and urban education contexts. It draws on data from three studies of GLBTIQ students I have conducted since 2010, including a 2010 online survey of 3,134 GLBTIQ students in which one fifth came from rural areas; a 2012 study of transgender people and a 2013 study of transgender and intersex students. The different studies repeatedly showed that GLBTIQ students from rural and remote towns experienced isolation, social discrimination and a lack of appropriate services and support. They were less likely to feel safe at school, at social occasions and on the internet than their urban peers. Many aspired to leave their rural and regional homes to become the person they wanted to be in an urban environment. The paper concludes by recommending specific training, resources and contacts to improve rural education services for these students.
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