School of the Air
By maximax8
@maximax8 (31053)
United Kingdom
July 21, 2009 9:44am CST
When I visited Western Australia I went to see the School of the Air. It is a service that communicates with students that live on farms and in rural locations far from cities. They might live in the outback region or by the coast on which some settlements are isolated. They had a map with pins in it showing where each student lived. They had photos of the students with the teachers that visit them twice a year. I got to sit in to a lesson. The teacher was discussing water shortages with a number of students that were participating in the lesson. It was fascinating to see a different sort of education. I know Australia is a huge country and some children live miles from there next door neighbor. The School of the Air gives them a good education because there isn't a school in the locality the students live in.
What do you think about that?
2 people like this
6 responses
@snowy22315 (170737)
• United States
21 Jul 09
I saw something about that when I went to a museum one time. I know alot of children that live in the Outback and some of the more rural regions get their education that way. It is pretty amazing that is a form of education. I think the children would lose something though without that face to face contact. It just seems like something would be lost in the translation.
1 person likes this
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
21 Jul 09
Hello max, this kind of education has been going on in Australia fo fifty odd years. You are very lucky to have wittnessed it first hand, and I'm a little envious. I believe Internet teaching is replacing radio in many cases as it becomes more widely accessably. Hane a nice day.
@tigeraunt (6326)
• Philippines
21 Jul 09
it is very nice to know that there is a kind of school like that. here in our country, there are still places that dont have regular teachers to teach children in the hinterland. there are volunteers though but i know teachers are very much needed in those areas to teach the natives. professionals from this country usually prefer to go abroad because the salary there is much bigger. 
do you have the same problem as our country? i wonder why you call it school of the air. ann
do you have the same problem as our country? i wonder why you call it school of the air. ann
In Thailand, almost private school have the air conditions.I think the air con help the children comfort but sometime they can release disease to children too.For me i would like only fans but almost expensive schools have the air conditions.
@kevchua (1004)
• Malaysia
23 Jul 09
I think it is a truly fantastic idea; the government goes all out to ensure education reaches every one even in the remotest part of Australia. I heard of this School on Air programme at least 10 years ago from a documentary or a book - can't remember, and I was amazed by it. I still am. If I'm not mistaken, radio is used as the communication tool.
Three cheers to them.
