Education for Sustainable Rural Development in Solomon Islands
Over the last decade, secondary schools have increasingly been built or implanted in existing primary schools around Solomon Islands. The rural nature of the country presents unique challenges to education for sustainable rural development provisions. Ninety one percent of the 173 secondary schools are located in the outer islands and provinces which are classified as rural secondary schools. Some of these rural secondary schools have fewer than 100 students and only few schools have a student population of more than 300 (Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, 2007). It is against this context that this chapter is written. This chapter contributes to the literature on education for sustainable rural development by examining the issues surrounding rural secondary schools. as an agent for sustainable development in one of the most remote and isolated provinces in Solomon Islands. The paper offers a detailed picture of what is happening in one such rural province, where the tensions associated with isolation seems to be affecting the performance of the schools as agents for education for sustainable rural development. Because the analysis of data clearly point to the issues related to quality of education for sustainable rural development, this chapter presents the discussion as a contribution to the literature on rural education in the context of sustainable development. Relying solely on qualitative methodology and focusing solely on one province, the chapter does not provide grounds for strong claims about generalised causal relationships. Nevertheless, the example of what is happening in one rural province IS Instructive, showing the types of development challenges with which other rural provinces might also be confronted with. This chapter is based on a research undertaken in 2007, which was a case study of rural secondary school in a remote island of Santa Cruz in the Temotu Province, Solomon Islands. I thank the Principal, teachers and students and Ministry of Education officials who assisted with the research.
Delivering Distance Learning in Rural Solomon: Practical Issues and Concerns
This paper is intended to inform readers about the use of on-line learning in rural Solomon Islands. The Distance Learning Centre Project is still in its early stages of implementation and therefore, this paper is not intended to provide a rigorous evaluation of the project or to assess student attainments. The objective of the project was to improve access to quality education in rural communities. The implementation of the project was funded by European Union and New Zealand Aid. There are nine Distance Learning Centres currently running and are located in rural communities across the country. The centres were equipped with network services, solar power and learning technologies. The learning technologies were hooked onto the network with six laptop computers in each centre. There were 15 courses offered on-line using the synchronous tuition tools. Observing the first year of the project, some practical issues and concerns are examined that relates to empowerment and access to quality education. The paper concludes with reflections on the issues of adequacy, practicality of teaching technical and vocational skills on-line, future sustainability, the importance of follow up and the need for further research to investigate the pertinent issues highlighted in this paper.
Relations between Personal Epistemology and Learning Approaches in Sociocultural Contexts: A Theoretical Conceptualization
This theoretical article attempts to examine the interrelation between individuals' epistemological beliefs and their approaches to learning in sociocultural settings. The seminal work published by Marton and Säljo in the 1970s, and the research studies conducted subsequently by others (Biggs, 1987; Phan & Deo, 2007; Simons, Dewitte, & Lens, 2004; Watkins & Regmi, 1990) establish a theoretical understanding into the approaches to learning that individuals may adopt in their studying. More recently, however, a number of theorists (Mugler & Landbeck, 1997; Phan, 2008) have attempted to situate individuals' approach to learning in sociocultural contexts. In the area of personal epistemology, research studies (Hofer, 2004; Hofer & Pintrich, 1997; Phan, 2008) have similarly provided evidence to indicate the importance of epistemology in learning and academic achievement. Amalgamating these two lines of inquiry within one theoretical framework, the focus then is concerned with the quest to relate individuals' learning approaches dialectically to the constituents of knowledge and the notion of knowing. For example, it is warranted to suggest that personal philosophical beliefs concerning the concepts of knowledge and learning dictate how one approaches his/her learning. In this theoretical examination, we discuss this intricate relationship and provide suggestions for continuing research in this area of inquiry. One fundamental aspect, which we argue in this discussion, is the notion that both personal epistemology and learning approaches are embedded culturally and historically.
Examining the Quality of Practical Learning in Secondary School Technical and Vocational Education Curriculum in Solomon Islands
The government of the Solomon Islands is committed to the achievement of 'Education for All' (EFA) through its various education reform programs. Central to the government's education sector reform is the provision of quality education, which is an important tool to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs), particularly the education sector goals of universal completion of basic education in primary and secondary education by 2015. To achieve the MDGs, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) has listed technical and vocational education (TVE) as one of the three key areas in its Education Strategic Framework (ESF). The ESF stresses that in order for the Solomon Islands to achieve the EFA goal, it should improve the quality of learning to enhance student achievement in all areas and forms of education. It is against this policy framework that this article sets to examine the quality of practical learning in the secondary school TVE curriculum. The focus question that guides the discussion is: how is Solomon Islands resourcing and promoting quality practical learning in its secondary school TVE curriculum? The article concludes that the delivery of quality practical learning in the secondary school TVE curriculum is hampered by a number of factors, important amongst them being the shortage of suitable qualified teachers, the dominance of academic education and lack of learning resources, tools and equipment. As the deadline for the achievement of the EFA is drawing near, it is critically important for the government to put in place a policy intervention to address the key impediments to quality practical learning in the secondary school TVE curriculum.