Researchers at Charles Sturt University (CSU) have been surprised by the initial response to their invitation to small rural and remote Australian schools to participate in a study of strategies to attract and retain quality teachers.

 

“Staffing rural, remote and regional schools is an increasing concern for small, isolated communities and education departments around Australia,” said CSU education researcher Professor Jo-Anne Reid.

 

“We have been surprised by the number of early nominations from parents and citizens, as well as from staff members at successful schools.

 

“We now want more rural communities to nominate schools that attract and retain high quality teachers. The role of communities in retaining their teachers is important and is generally overlooked in similar studies.”

 

The new project, lead by CSU with collaboration between Edith Cowan University in Western Australia (WA) and University of Ballarat and Deakin University in Victoria, intends to gather and investigate the roles of communities in retaining teachers.

 

Titled ‘TERRA nova in Teacher Education for Rural and Regional Australia’, the project has already received nominations from as far away as Bruce Rock in WA and Robinson River in the Northern Territory, as well as from NSW, Queensland and South Australia.

 

According to project leader Professor Reid, the TERRA nova - or ‘new ground’ - study will examine current incentive schemes that attempt to ‘lure’ teachers into the bush. “We will also examine the measures used by universities to equip new teachers with skills needed to address the specific needs and circumstances of rural areas and look at how we could retain teachers in these areas,” she said.

 

“We hope community members and parents will nominate schools where they feel the teachers are staying long enough to really engage with students and achieve successful outcomes.  We will then study these communities to investigate the individual and general characteristics of these places that make for good educational and social well-being.”

 

The TERRA nova project, funded by the Australian Research Council, is worth around $245 000 and is due to be completed in 2010.

 

Nominations are welcome from all sections of the community.  To nominate a school, contact Professor Reid on 02 6338 4341 or send an email.