34th National SPERA Conference, Perth

29 – 30 November 2018 Access for All: Equity Matters SPERA, in partnership with the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education based at Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia held the 34th National SPERA Conference. Subthemes based on Halsey’s 2018 Independent Review on Rural, Regional and Remote Education: Global Directives [OECD & UN SDG4] Asset […]

The educational needs in non-metropolitan areas have been explored in a recent report.

In 2018 the Federal Government released the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education, commissioned in 2017 and led by Emeritus Professor John Halsey of Flinders University. Experts respond in MCERA: Continue Reading …MCERA_Independent Review into Regional Rural and Remote Education5

33rd National SPERA Conference

(includes Rural Educators Day) 27- 29 September 2017 Rethinking Rurality: Writing the Rural into Policy and Practice CLICK HERE TO REGISTER SPERA, in partnership with the Faculty of Education, Science, Technology & Mathematics at the University of Canberra, invites you to join us for the 33rd National SPERA Conference. Hosted by University of Canberra, the […]

Improving teaching in rural schools – we need to stop borrowing approaches from overseas

Simon White wrote in The Conversation on 6th September 2016 While statistics might show Australia has an oversupply of teachers, this masks the reality that many rural schools find it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain teachers. This has dire consequences for the life opportunities for rural students, and contributes to the widening gap in […]

Transparency needed in teacher recruitment: The smoke may be clearing in the ATAR battle

ACER recently reported that: In recent debates about ATARs we have lost sight of what matters most in teacher recruitment: selecting high-quality candidates to ensure a strong profession, says Lawrence Ingvarson. NSW Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli has been accused of ‘attacking students with shameful elitism’ with his plan requiring new teachers appointed to NSW […]

Labor will need more than scholarships to make teaching science an attractive career

Shaun Belward wrote in The Conversation on 20th May 2016 Labor has proposed to invest $400 million to ensure that all high school science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) teachers are fully qualified. While this education policy may look appealing, there is a distinct lack of breadth in what is on the table. The aim […]

Federal budget 2016: education experts react

Article written for The Conversation by Glenn C. Savage, Conor King, John Fischetti, Megan O’Connell & Perter Goss The government is spruiking a focus on education to drive innovation in the 2016 budget but it has put off higher education reforms in favour of further consultation. The higher education reforms, which included the deregulation of […]

Australian Rural Education Awards 2016

Call for Nominations Since 1994, the Australian Rural Education Award (AREA) has been awarded annually to an institution, organisation or industry to recognise excellence in rural education in Australia. Category 1 Existing projects that demonstrate a proven link between a rural, regional and/or remote school or learning context and the local community, and benefiting a […]

Five new frameworks that can drive teacher education reform

Written by Professor John Fischetti for The Conversation There have been more than 100 reports critiquing teacher education in Australia since the 1970s. These reports led to new tests and more accountability standards and measures of teacher behaviours. Today we have a regulated profession that has not changed the content of what is taught as […]

2016 ACEN Student scholarships

Eight scholarships of $1,500 for remote and regional Australia Applications are now open for scholarships to provide financial support for students undertaking a work integrated learning (WIL) placement in a regional or remote area of Australia as part of their 2016/2017 university studies. Once again eight scholarships to the value of $1,500 each are being […]

Julia Gillard to attend as Australia’s oldest continually running school in Newcastle celebrates 200 years

Article written by Jackson Vernon for ABC News Former prime minister Julia Gillard will be part of the upcoming bicentenary celebrations for Australia’s oldest continually running school. In February, Newcastle East Primary School will mark 200 years since it was opened in 1816. Back then 16 students made up the first class, including a mix […]

Remote Education Systems

About the project The Remote Education Systems (RES) project aims to find out how remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities can get the best benefit from the teaching and learning happening in and out of schools. It is doing this by engaging with members of communities, schools, government agencies and other end users who […]

Closing the ‘digital divide’ for disadvantaged students

Thursday 21 January 2016 Joint Media Release from The Department of Education and Training Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham Minister for Education and Training The Hon Christopher Pyne MP Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Leader of the House Australian students from rural, remote, disadvantaged and Indigenous schools stand to benefit from a $6.9 million […]

Inspiring Educators: An Interview with Mr Brian O’Neill

The Team at Faculty recently spoke with Mr Brian O’Neill, who is principal of Calen District College and President for the Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA). This 45 minute conversation provides a fascinating insight into teaching in rural Australia. Continue Reading…

Rural Voices Gather in the City

A prominent K-12 Queensland school principal and a number of leading academics will this week attend a conference at Deakin University’s Geelong Waterfront campus to discuss the future of rural education policy in Australia. Calen District State College and Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) President, Mr Brian O’Neill, will be […]

Notre Dame Pre-service Teachers contribute to the lives of the children in the Tjuntjuntjara Remote Community

Written by Glenda Cain, The University of Notre Dame Australia The Principal of the Tjuntjuntjara Remote Community School, Daniel Havelberg, has great praise for the ten The University of Notre Dame Australia pre-service teachers and staff who recently spent a week in the school and contributed significantly to the lives of the children. Tjuntjuntjara is located […]

Student Teacher Draws on Scientific Experience to Lead Whale Shark Project

Written by Murdoch University and Dr Susan Ledger A Murdoch University education student is taking the lead on a whale shark tagging project which will see pupils from schools across WA follow the progress of several of the majestic fish. Dr Andrew Nield, who holds a PhD from Murdoch for a research project on the emu’s role in seed dispersal, […]