School of the Air explained

School of the Air is a generic term for correspondence schools catering for the primary and early secondary education of children in remote and outback Australia where some or all classes were historically conducted by radio, although this is now replaced by telephone and internet technology. In these areas, the school-age population is too small for a conventional school to be viable.

History

The invention of the pedal radio by Alfred Traeger around 1929,[1] and particularly the involvement of educator Adelaide Miethke in formulating and developing the idea of using the existing Royal Flying Doctor Service of radio communications, were pivotal in the establishment of the School of the Air.[2]

The first School of the Air lessons were officially sent from the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Alice Springs on 8 June 1951.[3] The service celebrated its 50th jubilee on 9 May 2001, ahead of the real jubilee on 8 June;[4] [5] [6]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Behr, John . http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120280b.htm . Biography – Alfred Hermann Traeger – Australian Dictionary of Biography . Traeger, Alfred Hermann (1895–1980) . Adb.online.anu.edu.au . National Centre of Biography, Australian National University . 24 August 2019.
  2. Web site: Territory Stories: Adelaide Miethke. 10070/218047. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190824105441/http://www.territorystories.nt.gov.au/handle/10070/218047. 24 August 2019. 24 August 2019.
  3. News: World's First School Air Opened. . . Adelaide . 9 June 1951 . 19 July 2011 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  4. Ashton, Jean (1978) School of the air. Adelaide : Rigby, 1978 Previously published as Out of the silence, Adelaide: Investigator Press, 1971.
  5. Western Australia. Education Dept & Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. Western Australian Section (1968). In The school of the air. Govt. Pr, [Perth]
  6. Some sources suggest later Students not to be taught through the Royal Flying Doctor Service. SatWeb introduced. re – the Kimberley School of the Air.Broome advertiser, 16 Dec. 2004, p.4
  7. News: New wings for schools of the air . Melbourne . The Age . 11 February 2003 . 18 July 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121107013532/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/08/1044579986662.html?oneclick=true . 7 November 2012 . live .
  8. Bond, Donald S & Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd (1978). In Satellite communications for the school of the air in Australia. Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd, Sydney
  9. Forster, M. F & Katherine School of the Air (1981). In Domestic satellite and the School of the Air. Katherine School of the Air, Katherine, N.T
  10. Crump, Stephen & Twyford, Kylie & Anderson, Alan & Towers, Lorraine & Devlin, Brian et al. (2010). Australian Research Council Linkage project on Interactive Distance eLearning : 'Opening Our Eyes' : project report. In Interactive distance learning for isolated communities : ARCL project discussion papers 2008–2010.
  11. Crump, Stephen & Twyford, Kylie & Littler, Margaret (2010). Interactive distance e-learning for isolated communities : the policy footprint. In Interactive distance learning for isolated communities : ARCL project discussion papers 2008–2010.
  12. Imamura, E (1987). In Conventional and nonconventional schooling: a comparison of pupil performance in rural schools and schools of the air. University of Western Australia
  13. Web site: PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND'S 150 ICONS. Bligh. Anna. Anna Bligh. 10 June 2009. Queensland Government. https://web.archive.org/web/20170524033717/http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301. 24 May 2017. 24 May 2017.
  14. Broken Hill School of the Air (1957). In Over to you : annual magazine of the School of the Air. The School, Broken Hill, N.S.W
  15. Australia – the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the School of the Air [kit] / photographed by James H. Barr ; commentary spoken by Edmund Pegge ; notes by Winifred M. Barker and James H. Barr. St. Albans, Herts. (England) : Hugh Baddeley Productions, 1984. 34 slides, 1 sound cassette, 1 sheet ; in box 24 x 36 x 2 cm.re Broken Hill School of the Air.
  16. Gibb, Phyllis (1986). In Classrooms a world apart : the story of the founding of the Broken Hill School of the Air. Spectrum, Melbourne. (pbk.)
  17. Web site: Archived copy. https://web.archive.org/web/20110706115309/http://www.tibooburra-d.schools.nsw.edu.au/. 6 July 2011. live. 18 July 2011.
  18. Katherine School of the Air (1981). In School of the Air, Katherine, Northern Territory of Australia. Katherine School of the Air, Katherine, N.T
  19. News: Australia's school of the air. King. Mark. 1 August 2007. The Guardian. 17 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20170806063217/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/aug/01/australia-schools. 6 August 2017. live. London.
  20. Web site: Charleville School of Distance Education. https://web.archive.org/web/20110720183132/http://charlevisde.eq.edu.au/wcms/. 20 July 2011. dead. 2011-07-18. dmy-all.
  21. Web site: Welcome to the Charters Towers School of Distance Education. https://web.archive.org/web/20110617000800/http://www.chartowsde.qld.edu.au/. 17 June 2011. live. 18 July 2011.
  22. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/stories/s140221.htm about Longreach
  23. http://www.mtisasde.eq.edu.au// School of the Air – Mount Isa
  24. McKerrow, Helen & Mt. Isa School of the Air. P. & C. Association (1985). In Over to you : the first 25 years of the School-of-the-Air in North-West Queensland. Mt Isa School-of-the-Air P & C Association, [Mt Isa, Qld.]
  25. Lacey, LloydDistance education by satellite: the experience of the trial use of Aussat at the School of the Air, Mt Isa. -Qld-. In New Horizons: Aussat '86: Conference & Exhibition 5 & 6 November 1986. 201-210.
  26. Web site: MISOTA . 2011-07-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120327194532/http://www.mtisasde.eq.edu.au/touristInfo.html . 27 March 2012 . dmy-all .
  27. Motley, Carrie & Starr, Bill (1990). In Bush tracks and radio waves : a history of Port Augusta School of the Air, 1958–1990. Tread Softly Pub, [Australia]
  28. Web site: Open Access College. Government of South Australia. Dept for Education. School of the Air, Port Augusta, South Australia (SOTA). 4 September 2019.
  29. Web site: Distance Education Centre Victoria. https://web.archive.org/web/20110719230119/http://www.distance.vic.edu.au/. 19 July 2011. live. 18 July 2011.
  30. Fitzpatrick, Jim & Western Australian Education Dept. Research Branch (1983). In The Carnarvon School of the Air : a study of the Parents and Citizens' Association and its interaction with the Education Department. Education Dept. of Western Australia, Research Branch, [Perth, W.A.]
  31. Web site: Kalgoorlie School of the Air. https://web.archive.org/web/20110501054538/http://www.emerge.net.au/~kalsota/. 1 May 2011. dead. 2011-07-18. dmy-all.
  32. Looking around.Kalgoorlie [W.A.] : Kalgoorlie School of the Air, 1965–1976.Battye Library has part of the series only – see http://henrietta.liswa.wa.gov.au/record=b1852139~S2
  33. Kimberley School of the Air (2000). In School days on the airwaves : 40 years of Kimberley School of the Air. Kimberley School of the Air, [Derby, W.A.]
  34. Kimberley School of the Air (1990). In Kimberley School of the Air, 1960–1990 : 30th anniversary magazine. The School, [Derby, W.A.?]
  35. One of the world's largest classrooms. Details of 40th birthday celebrations.of the Kimberley School of the Air. Broome Advertiser, 13 Dec. 2000, p.30-31
  36. Web site: Welcome to Kimberley School of the Air . Kimberley School of the Air . 10 November 2020.
  37. Aerial / Meekatharra School of the Air. Also Titled Wisdom by Wireless. Meekatharra, W.A. : The School, 1959-
  38. Meekatharra School of the Air (1984). In Wisdom by wireless : twenty five years, 1959–1984. Reads Printing & Pub, [Perth, W.A.]
  39. Hobson, Valerie.(1999) Shirley Forrester, elder of the bush. Outlines her own experiences in being educated as a student from rural WA and her contributions to rural education in Meekatharra including her establishment of the Meekatharra School of the Air, and her many achievements. in Network news for rural, remote and regional women, Summer, 1999, p. 14
  40. Lewis, Jo & Penfold, Chris & Port Hedland School of the Air (1989). In School of the Air : working together – apart : 1964–1989 : a silver anniversary project. Port Hedland School of the Air, [Port Hedland, W.A</ref><ref name="LE2015_SOTA">{{cite book|url=https://uwap.uwa.edu.au/products/the-leading-edge-innovation-technology-and-people-in-australias-royal-flying-doctor-service|title=The Leading Edge. Innovation, Technology and People in Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service|date=2015|publisher=University of WA Publishing|isbn=9781742588148|location=Perth|pages=13–14|last1=Langford|first1=Stephen|access-date=5 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729224636/https://uwap.uwa.edu.au/products/the-leading-edge-innovation-technology-and-people-in-australias-royal-flying-doctor-service|archive-date=29 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> ==See also== *[[Alice Springs School of the Air]]

    External links

  41. Port Augusta School of the Air (1979). In Information booklet. School of the Air, Port Augusta, [Port Augusta, S. Aust</ref><ref>Lloyd, Patricia & Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (2003). In You can't say no. Royal Flying Doctor Service, [Adelaide][27] – now part of Open Access College[28]

    Victoria

    Western Australia

  42. Alice Springs School of the Air (2001). In Alice Springs School of the Air. Alice Springs School of the Air, [Alice Springs, N.T</ref><ref>Alice Springs School of the Air (1991). In 40th birthday radio lesson booklet : week ending 8 June 1991. The School, [Alice Springs, N.T.]

    Queensland

    South Australia

  43. New South Wales. Dept. of Education. Public Relations Office (1969). In School of deine mudda. Govt. Pr, [Sydney</ref> and its 70th year on 8 June 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-08|title=World's largest classroom turns 70|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-08/alice-springs-school-of-the-air-turns-70/100196222|access-date=2021-06-08|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref> Each state of Australia that utilises this means of training has well-documented checks and overviews of the service.<ref>Calzoni, F (1991). In ''The Australian School of the Air: a conceptual test of its origins, history and recent evolution, with special reference to distance training in Western Australia 1955–1990''. Murdoch University</ref> ==Method== There are School of the Air programmes in all states except Tasmania.<ref>http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/school-of-the-air {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809132551/http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/school-of-the-air |date=9 August 2011 }} ''In 2005, there were more than sixteen schools of the air located around Australia, a network covering more than 1.5 million square kilometres. In fact, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory are the only states who do not have a SOA.... these schools also teach children who are travelling around Australia or who can't, for medical or other reasons, attend a regular school.''</ref> School classes were conducted via [[shortwave radio]] from 1951 until 2009,[6] after which most schools switched to wireless internet technologies to deliver lessons that include live one-way video feeds and clear two-way audio.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

    Each student has direct contact with a teacher in an inland town such as Broken Hill, Alice Springs or Meekatharra. Each student typically spends one hour per day receiving group or individual lessons from the teacher, and the rest of the day working through the assigned materials with a parent, older sibling or a hired home-stay tutor.

    Originally the students received their course materials and returned their written work and projects to their hub centre using either the Royal Flying Doctor Service or post office services. However the extension of Internet services into the outback now enables more rapid review of each child's homework.

    As the children are in isolated situations, the School of the Air is frequently their first chance of socialisation with children outside their immediate family. This is supplemented by 3 or 4 annual gatherings where the children travel to the school to spend one week with their teacher and classmates.

    Studies have shown that such education is on par with, if not better than, standards set by the traditional methods of schooling.[12]

    Awards

    In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the School of the Air was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as an iconic "innovation and invention".[13]

    Schools of the Air

    Schools of the Air operate from:

    New South Wales

    Northern Territory

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