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Remote Education Systems

Project Overview

The Remote Education Systems project (RES) project concluded in June 2016. The research aimed 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.

The project found that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote communities believe that the purpose of education is to learn language, country and local knowledge, and for students to become Two-Ways strong. The idea of Two-Way broadly involves language knowledge, including literacy skills of home language and English, and cultural and social knowledge pertaining to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal domains. The importance of education is also to support a student’s identity that promote community leadership and prepare young people for meaningful engagement in the world.

The project engaged directly with more than 1250 education stakeholders from across Australia. More than 1000 people contributed to the findings, most of whom were from remote communities. About one-third of our responses came from remote Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia. The RES team collected data in about 16 different communities, but brought together respondents from more than 40 remote schools across the country (see map).

The team’s outputs included more than 70 peer reviewed papers and articles and a final product, an e-book called Red Dirt Education, covering topics of an 11-part lecture series. A film about the project is here.

For more information, contact:

John Guenther
Research Leader, Education and Training
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
Casuarina Campus, Blue 4, 1.01
T: 08 8946 7355
M: 0412 125 661
E: john.guenther@batchelor.edu.au

Project Outputs

Journal papers and book chapters

  • Guenther J, Disbray S, Benveniste T and Osborne S. 2017. ‘Red Dirt’ schools and pathways into higher education. In Indigenous pathways, transitions and participation in higher education. Eds. Frawley J, Larkin S and Smith J. pp. 251-70. Springer Nature. Singapore. doi:10.1007/978-981-10-4062-7_15.
  • Smith J, Larkin S, Yibarbuk D and Guenther J. 2017. What do we know about community engagement in Indigenous education contexts and how might this impact on pathways into higher education? In Indigenous pathways, transitions and participation in higher education. Eds. Frawley J, Larkin S and Smith J. pp. 31-44. Springer Nature. Singapore. doi:10.1007/978-981-10-4062-7_3.
  • Osborne S. 2016. Cultural capacity and development: the case for flexible, interdisciplinary research in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities. Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts. 19, Special issue: Synthesis & Integration writing from the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation. pp. 46-63. doi.
  • Disbray S and Bauer R. 2016. A place to learn and work: Yuendumu Learning Centre. Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts. 19, Special issue: Synthesis & Integration writing from the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation. pp. 26-45. doi.
  • Guenther J, Disbray S and Osborne S. 2015. Building on ‘Red Dirt’ perspectives: What counts as important for remote education? The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. FirstView Article, pp. 1-13. DOI.
  • Disbray S. 2015. Indigenous Languages in Education – Policy and Practice in Australia. UNESCO Observatory Multi-Disciplinary Journal in the Arts. 4, 1. pp. 31.
  • Osborne S. 2015. Families as foundation: Anangu perspectives on what else matters in remote education. UNESCO Observatory Multi-Disciplinary Journal in the Arts. 4, 2. pp. 25.
  • Minutjukur M, Patterson V, Anderson S, Gibson F, Kitson M, Martin B, Martin V, Morrison H, Oldfield N, Shannon S, Randall D, Namatjira M and Larry R. 2014. Voices from the ‘Red Dirt’ on education [Special issue: Red dirt research in remote Australia]. Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues. 17, 4. pp. 158-63.
  • Guenther J. 2014. Editorial: Red Dirt Research in Remote Australia [Special issue: Red dirt research in remote Australia]. Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues. 17, 4. pp. 3-4.
  • Guenther J, Disbray S and Osborne S. 2014. Digging up the (red) dirt on education: one shovel at a time [Special issue: Red dirt research in remote Australia]. Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues. 17, 4. pp. 40-56.
  • Townsend P. 2014. Mobile learning engagement is location neutral. Transactions on Mobile Learning. 3, pp. 5-9.
  • Guenther J, Bat M and Osborne S. forthcoming. Red dirt thinking on remote educational advantage. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education. 24, 1.
  • Burton R and Osborne S. 2014. Kuranyu-kutu nyakula nyaan nyanganyi? Imagining the future. AlterNative. 10, 1 Special issue ‘At the Heart of Learning’. pp. 33-44.
  • Minutjukur M and Osborne S. 2014. Witulya mulapa nganana mantjintjaku: from cultural devastation to cultural re-invention. AlterNative. 10, 1 Special issue ‘At the Heart of Learning’. pp. 15-22.
  • Osborne S. 2014. Putuna Kulini: the trouble with ‘hearing’. AlterNative. 10, 1 Special issue ‘At the Heart of Learning’. pp. 3-14.
  • Tijitayi K and Osborne S. 2014. Kurunta kanyintja: acquiring the ‘codes of power’, un-silencing the dialogue. AlterNative. 10, 1 Special issue ‘At the Heart of Learning’. pp. 23-44.
  • Bat M and Guenther J. 2013. Red dirt thinking on education: a people-based system. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 42, S02. pp. 123-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.20.
  • Guenther J. 2013. Are we making education count in remote Australian communities or just counting education? Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 42, S02. pp. 157-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.23.
  • Guenther J and Bat M. 2013. Towards a good education in very remote Australia: Is it just a case of moving the desks around? Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 42, S02. pp. 145-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.22.
  • Guenther J, Bat M and Osborne S. 2013. Red dirt thinking on educational disadvantage. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 42, S02. pp. 100-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.18.
  • Osborne S. 2013. Kulintja nganampa maa-kunpuntjaku (strengthening our thinking): place-based approaches to mental health and wellbeing in Anangu schools. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 42, S02. pp. 182-93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.25.
  • Osborne S. 2013. Learning vs. education: re-thinking learning in Anangu schools. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 42, S02. pp. 171-81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.24.
  • Osborne S and Guenther J. 2013. Red dirt thinking on aspiration and success. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 42, S02. pp. 88-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.17.
  • Osborne S and Guenther J. 2013. Red dirt thinking on power, pedagogy and paradigms: re-framing the dialogue in remote education. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 42, S02. pp. 111-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.19.
  • Guenther J and McRae-Williams E. 2011-2012. Making the most of technologies for learning in remote context. VOCAL (Australian Journal of Vocational Education and Training in Schools). 9, pp. 88-92.

Conference proceedings

  • Townsend P. 2016. A theory of enhancement of professional learning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pre-service teachers in very remote communities through mobile learning. In Proceedings of Mobile Learning Futures – Sustaining Quality Research and Practice in Mobile Learning: 15th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning, mLearn 2016. Dyson LE, Ng W and Fergusson J. Sydney. 24-26 October. University of Technology Sydney. pp. 239-49. (external site link)
  • Guenther J. 2013. Towards educational advantage in very remote Australia: An analysis of 2012 NAPLAN data: what does it tell us about remote education in the last five years? In Proceedings of AARE 2013: Shaping Australian Educational Research. Adelaide. 1-5 December.
  • Guenther J and Boyle A. 2013. How did our desert grow? With fluoro shirts on planes lined up in rows. In Proceedings of AVETRA 16th Annual Conference: VET Research At the Edge – Training for Diversity and Change. Fremantle. 3-5 April. Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association.
  • Guenther J and Bat M. 2012. Towards a good education in remote Australia: Is it just a case of moving the desks around? In Proceedings of International Rural Network Forum 2012. Whyalla, South Australia. 24-28 September. International Rural Networks.
  • Osborne S. 2012. Learning Vs Education; Leading Learning in Anangu Schools. In Proceedings of International Rural Network Forum 2012. Whyalla, South Australia. 24-28 September. International Rural Network.
  • Guenther J, McRae-Williams E and Townsend P. 2012. Can m- and e-learning support pathways for meaningful vocation in remote communities? In Proceedings of AVETRA 15th Annual Conference: The Value and Voice of VET Research for individuals, industry, community and the nation. Canberra. 12-13 April. Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association.
  • McRae-Williams E and Guenther J. 2012. Pathways: following the highway, taking the scenic route or journeying through the dreaming. In Proceedings of AVETRA 15th Annual Conference: The Value and Voice of VET Research for individuals, industry, community and the nation. Canberra. Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association.
  • Guenther J, Osborne S, Milgate G and O’Beirne P. 2014. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aspirations and expectations of schooling in very remote Australian schools Proceedings of AARE-NZARE 2014 – Speaking back through research. 30 November – 4 December. Brisbane.

Conference papers

  • Guenther J, Milgate G, Perrett B, Benveniste T, Osborne S and Disbray S. 2016. Boarding schools for remote secondary Aboriginal learners in the Northern Territory: Smooth transition or rough ride? AARE 2016. 27 November – 1 December. Melbourne.
  • McRae-Williams E and Guenther J. 2016. Our North, whose future: What is the scope for Aboriginal workforce development? Developing Northern Australia Conference 2016: Above the line – unleashing the North’s potential. 20-22 June. Darwin. (slideshare)
  • Guenther J. 2015. Sustainable Learning Environments in Remote Australia: Keynote preconference symposium address. Third SAERA Conference. 26 October 2015. University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
  • Lovell J and Guenther J. 2015. Northern Australian Aspirations. Developing Northern Australia Conference (DNAC). 20–22 July. Townsville. Link to slideshare presentation.
  • Benveniste T. 2015. Making the most of research: How boarding can benefit from meaningful research opportunities. Boarding Australia: Change on Board. 6-8 July. Adelaide. Link to slideshare presentation.
  • Benveniste T, Guenther J, Dawson D and Rainbird S. 2014. Out of sight, out of mind? Bringing indigenous parent — boarding school communication to light. AARE-NZARE 2014 – Speaking back through research. 30 November – 4 December. Brisbane. Link to slideshare presentation.
  • Disbray S. 2014. Curriculum as Knowledge System: Warlpiri Pina-jarrinjaku. International Association for Applied Linguistics World Congress. 10-15 August. Brisbane Convention Centre, Brisbane. Link to slideshare presentation.
  • Disbray S. 2014. Evaluating the Northern Territory Bilingual Education Program. Strehlow Conference. 24-26 September. Araluen Centre, Alice Springs. Link to slideshare presentation.
  • Disbray S. 2014. *Keynote*: 2014 Growing up Talking: A Window into Language Development. Kids, Creoles and Classrooms Symposium. 8 April 2014. Charles Darwin University, Darwin. 32.28  Link to YouTube film
  • Disbray S. 2014. *Keynote*: 2014 Growing up Talking: A Window into Language Development. Kids, Creoles and Classrooms Symposium. 8 April 2014. Charles Darwin University, Darwin. Link to slideshare presentation.
  • Disbray S and Wigglesworth G. 2014. Remote Control: Language in Indigenous Education Policy and Practice. Australian Council of TESOL Associations Conference. 30 September – 3 October. Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne. Link to slideshare presentation.
  • Guenther J and McRae-Williams E. 2014. Does education and training for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lead to ‘real’ jobs? Evidence from the 2011 Census. AVETRA 17th Annual Conference: Informing Changes in VET Policy and Practice: The Central Role of Research. 22-24 April. Surfers Paradise.
  • Guenther J, Osborne S, Arnott A, McRae-Williams E and Disbray S. 2014. Amplifying the voice of remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander VET stakeholders using research methodologies: Volume 1. AVETRA 17th Annual Conference: Informing Changes in VET Policy and Practice: The Central Role of Research. 22-24 April. Surfers Paradise.
  • McRae-Williams E and Guenther J. 2014. Learning pathways for economic enterprise in remote Aboriginal communities: are Certificate IIIs the ticket? AVETRA 17th Annual Conference: Informing Changes in VET Policy and Practice: The Central Role of Research. 22-24 April. Surfers Paradise.
  • Osborne S. 2014. Between the bookends: what else matters other than attendance and economic development in remote education? Australian Education Union Federal Conference. 21 February. Ninti One Limited. Melbourne.
  • Guenther J. 2013. Towards educational advantage in very remote Australia: An analysis of 2012 NAPLAN data: what does it tell us about remote education in the last five years? AARE 2013: Shaping Australian Educational Research. 1-5 December. Adelaide.
  • Guenther J, Osborne S and Disbray S. 2013. Red dirt thinking on remote Australian education: towards models of advantage. AARE 2013: Shaping Australian Educational Research. 1-5 December. Adelaide.
  • Townsend P, Halsey J and Guenther J. 2013. Negotiating and navigating doing research in remote communities: a contemporary experience. AARE 2013: Shaping Australian Educational Research. 1-5 December. Adelaide.
  • Guenther J, Osborne S and Bat M. 2013. Red dirt thinking on educational disadvantage. ISFIRE 2013: Rural Education on the Global Stage. 13-15 February. Perth. http://www.slideshare.net/Ninti_One/isfire-red-dirt-thinking-on-educational-disadvantage
  • Bat M. 2013. Red dirt thinking on education systems: Shifting from remote to local. ISFIRE 2013: Rural Education on the Global Stage. 13-15 February. Perth. http://www.slideshare.net/Ninti_One/isfire-14-feb-2013-education-systems-melodie-bat-16946140
  • Guenther J, Osborne S, Clarke K and Denton M. 2013. Red dirt thinking about remote education in Australia: summary of panel discussion. ISFIRE 2013: Rural Education on the Global Stage. 13-15 February. Perth. http://www.slideshare.net/Ninti_One/isfire-14-feb-2013-remote-education
  • Osborne S and Guenther J. 2013. Red dirt thinking on power, pedagogy and paradigms: Delimiting the dialogue in remote education. ISFIRE 2013: Rural Education on the Global Stage. 13-15 February. Perth. http://www.slideshare.net/Ninti_One/isfire-red-dirt-thinking-sam-osborne-john-guenther-16942669
  • Osborne S. 2012. A community-led approach to mental health and wellbeing. 4th Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium. 19-21 November. Adelaide.
  • Sam Osborne at International Rural Network Forum 2012: Learning Vs Education; Leading Learning in Anangu Schools (September 2012)
  • John Guenther and Melodie Bat at International Rural Network Forum 2012: Towards a good education in remote Australia: Is it just a case of moving the desks around? (September 2012)
  • Guenther J, McRae-Williams E and Townsend P. 2012. Can m- and e-learning support pathways for meaningful vocation in remote communities? AVETRA 15th Annual Conference: The Value and Voice of VET Research for individuals, industry, community and the nation. 12-13 April. Canberra.
  • McRae-Williams E and Guenther J. 2012. Pathways: following the highway, taking the scenic route or journeying through the dreaming. AVETRA 15th Annual Conference: The Value and Voice of VET Research for individuals, industry, community and the nation. 12-13 April. Canberra.
  • Guenther J. 2011. Remote Education Systems. Rural and Remote Curriculum Conference. James Cook University. 4 November. Cairns.

Other presentations

  • Guenther J. 2016. A Red Dirt journey. Project findings presentation. Adelaide. 9 February. (slideshare presentation).
  • Osborne S. 2015. Power and Pedagogy in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education- why families and communities matter in pursuing educational justice. RES Lecture Series #11. Magill Campus, UniSA. 27 November. Ninti One Limited. Adelaide.
  • Guenther J. 2014. CREd Seminar. What is education for in a remote school and community. Uni SA, Adelaide.
  • Disbray S. 2014. Curriculum as Knowledge System: The Warlpiri Theme Cycle. CAEPR. Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, ANU. Canberra.
  • Lester K, Minutjukur M, Osborne S and Tjitayi K. 2013. Red Dirt Curriculum: Reimagining Remote Education. Sidney Myer Lecture, Desert Knowledge Precinct, Alice Springs. 18 September. Alice Springs.
  • Guenther J. 2013. Education is the key, but do we need to change the locks? Paper presented at the NARU Public Seminar Series, Darwin. 20 November. Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs.
  • Guenther J. 2013. Education is the key, but what door does it open? The values of education for very remote NT young people. Paper presented at the CAEPR Seminar Series, Australian National University, Canberra. 4 September. Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs.
  • Guenther J. 2013. Remote Education Systems. Ninti One research presentation day Theme 2: Knowledge to Practice, presented at the National Portrait Gallery. 8 August. Canberra. (watch the presentation delivery on Youtube).
  • Guenther J. 2013. Are we making education count in remote Australian communities or just counting education? Western Australian Aboriginal Education and Training Council. 7 March. Perth.
  • Guenther J. 2012. Are we making education count in remote Australian communities or just counting education? NARU public seminar series, Darwin. 31 October. Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs. (Presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/Ninti_One/naru-2012-guenther-counting-education)
  • Guenther J. 2012. Foul play or a witch hunt? CDU ‘Food for thought’ seminar series. 23 May. Darwin. http://www.slideshare.net/Ninti_One/john-guenther-cdu-food-for-thought-seminar-series-foul-play-or-a-witch-hunt-23-may-2012.
  • Partner briefing session (May 2012)
  • Guenther J. 2011. Unlearning what we know is true: getting more from less in remote educational research. Post-Graduate Research Seminar Series. Flinders University. 11 November. Adelaide.

Project reports

  • Guenther J, Disbray S and Osborne S. 2016. Red dirt education: a compilation of learnings from the Remote Education Systems project. Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs.
  • Lovell J and Guenther J. 2015. Northern Australian Aspirations. CDU Northern Institute. Darwin.
  • Guenther J. 2015. Overview of Remote Education Systems qualitative results. CRC-REP Working Paper CW025. Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs.
  • Guenther J. 2014. Families and Schools Together (FAST) at Gillen Primary School: The sustained impact of a family-strengthening process. CRC-REP Research Report CR002. Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs.
  • Maughan C. 2012. Remote Education Systems. CRC-REP Working Paper CW002. Ninti One Ltd. Alice Springs.

Other project materials

  • Osborne S. 2016. Visual model 1: Current levels of access to boarding school programs – Infographic. Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs.
  • Osborne S. 2016. Visual model 2: Brokers (to boarding school programs) – Infographic. Ninti One Limited. Alice Springs.
  • Ninti One Limited. 2013. Ninti One 10th anniversary event A1 poster: Remote Education Systems project. 8 August, Parliament House, Canberra.
  • Guenther J. 2013. Remote Education Systems: Policy briefing. Ninti One Ltd. Alice Springs.
  • Need a quick reference document about this project? Download the project postcard orlisten to a quick overview.

Project updates

Video reports

Philip Townsend, CRC-REP PhD scholarship recipient, on research for his thesis “Travelling together and sitting alongside”.

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