Bronwyn Ellis

Influences of the learning environment of a Regional University Campus on its international graduates

Staff and students at small regional campuses often consider them to be a learning environment with many advantages. Students can benefit from the opportunities for enhanced access to staff provided by factors such as small classes and a compact campus. International students from non-English-speaking backgrounds are one group for whom these factors can be particularly helpful in their adjustment to a new society as well as in their continuing study program. This belief is tested in the study described in this paper. Factors identified by international students as influencing their learning at a small campus situated a considerable distance from the state capital indicate strengths to be built on and celebrated and areas that call for the development of strategies to improve the quality of that learning environment. Former international student graduates were surveyed concerning their perceptions of their regional Australian university experience and the professional preparation it provided. Other Australian higher education institutions, particularly those with regional campuses, can make use of the insights gained through the study: as well as having implications for the provision of a quality learning experience and environment for all students, not only international students, they also have a bearing on international marketing strategies.

Working Together to Make Things Happen: New On-Campus Higher Education Opportunities in a Regional Centre

In 2005 a South Australian university inaugurated a new provision of higher education programs in a regional city. Previously, would-be university students in the area had only the options of off-campus study, moving away from home to become internal students, or not pursuing university studies at all. The initiative provided the opportunity to study the effects of the new university presence on its students, university staff and the wider community, and at the same time to learn much that would enable continuous improvement of the methods used in offering these programs. This article reports on the results from focus groups of students and staff, and a survey of the first cohort of students, part of the first stage of a longitudinal study. A combination of effort and collaboration has contributed to meeting community educational needs and aspirations.

Philippine academic visit: brief but life-changing.

As one way of inculcating international perspectives in its graduates, the University of South Australia includes in its programs various opportunities for students to study abroad. It also encourages incoming short-term exchange and full-program international students. In 2001, the Discipline of Nursing and Rural Health (Whyalla Campus) sent two graduating students to a developing country in Asia, the Philippines, for a twelve-week academic experience. Despite problems causing the visit to be curtailed, much was learned. Participant and organiser insights are described, sharing valuable lessons to inform future plans and ensure better results. What could be regarded as a failed academic visit, nevertheless offered a life-changing opportunity and significant learning outcomes, reinforcing the belief that international academic experiences are extremely worthwhile for students and participating institutions. These experiences provide an important path to cultural understandings, and to personal and professional development.

Adopting a Proactive Approach to Good Health: A Way Forward for Rural Australians

Abstract Minimising discrepancies between Australia’s rural and the more favourable urban health status relates to more than workforce recruitment, retention and access to health services: A proactive strategy, using resources at hand, can empower people to improve their health. Academics from a nurse education unit have, therefore, regularly engaged with local communities in various activities to promote and maintain health. Participants range from children to older adults. The impact of these programs is examined is examined in this paper, reviewing the benefits to participants, contribution to students’ learning, and development of university–community relationships. Participants’ perceptions of the educational sessions and health-promoting activities were gathered using surveys and anecdotal accounts. Using Mezirow’s reflective framework and Prochaska et al. stages of change, the authors critically reflected on the learning involved, and on the real and potential health outcomes of the activities. Participants’ feedback on a range of such activities revealed consistently high satisfaction over the past decade. These health initiatives have challenged some of the existing health habits of participants’ culture. Continuing these endeavours in close collaboration with communities contributes to developing participants’ self-efficacy and building community capacity through increased knowledge of health management and links to health resources.