Twyford, Kylie

Crump, Stephen

Anderson, Alan

2009

<p>At the Western Institute of Technical and Further Education (WITAFE) in New South Wales (NSW), vocational education and training (VET) courses are being delivered to students in isolated homesteads and remote Aboriginal communities by Interactive Distance eLearning (IDL). IDL provides satellite-supported two-way broadband voice, one-way video and Internet access for school-age and adult distance education. Adults commonly access VET courses offered by WITAFE using the equipment provided to their children who are students of a 'School of the Air' or through community facilities in remote Aboriginal communities.</p><p> By providing lessons via satellite to isolated students TAFENSW is helping to counter long-standing inequities in distance and rural education by decreasing the digital divide and assisting with rural renewal. Through a case study, this paper examines the influence of the provision of IDL and Internet access for adult students in isolated homesteads in NSW and also the benefits and challenges of teaching and learning with IDL.</p>

Rural Society, 19(2), p. 127-135

2204-0536

1037-1656

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/54317

en

Routledge

Satellite Lessons: Vocational Education and Training for Isolated Communities

Journal Article

Publication