Science, ICT and Mathematics Education in Rural and Regional Australia: State and Territory Case Studies: Companion volume to the SiMERR National Survey

In talking about rural education, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the complexities of the issues identified and their apparent intractability. It is also easy to slip into a deficit-type model where everything is negative. However, we know that this is not an accurate portrayal of rural and regional schools. Woven within the case-studies in this volume is another side of the story. A side that does not negate the data concerning inequity but one that talks about hope, achievement, possibilities, and potential advantages. There are stories of capable and talented students, committed and enthusiastic teachers, and involved and caring parents. There are examples of innovative practices at work in difficult situations. Most significantly, there is the sense that the many problems currently being experienced by rural and regional students are not inevitable. These case-studies offer glimpses of new or alternative ways of thinking and acting that highlight an exciting potential for rural education and allow us to contemplate that, with national collaboration, there may be an opportunity to bring about real and sustainable change