Second Call for Papers

ISFIRE 2009

International Symposium for Innovation in Rural Education

11-14 February 2009

University of New England

Armidale, Australia

We are very pleased to announce that the ISFIRE website is now open to authors wishing to upload papers or abstracts. Researchers and educators are encouraged to submit papers or proposals by 18 August, 2008. Full papers will be peer reviewed by our Scientific Committee and published in the symposium proceedings. Members of the Scientific Committee are listed here.

ISFIRE Keynote Speakers

We have been fortunate in attracting six prominent keynote speakers from six countries:

Associate Professor Patricia Hardré of the University of Oklahoma is Chair of the National Research Committee for the National Rural Education Association, and Program Co-Chair, American Educational Research Association (AERA) Rural Special Interest Group. Associate Professor Hardré will be presenting on 'Nurturing the Rural Teacher Experience', including the issue of attracting, retaining and sustaining rural teachers in the US.

Professor Karl Jan Solstad of the Nordland Research Institute, Norway, co- authored the influential UNESCO Handbook Making Small Schools Work (2001), as well as the 2005 INTERSKOLA report, Small Rural Schools. Professor Solstad will draw on his extensive experience in Scandinavia, Europe and North Africa in presenting a keynote on the 'Impact of Globalisation on Small Rural Schools'.

Professor Wang Li is Deputy Director of the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED) in China. He has worked extensively in rural community planning, resourcing and development, as well as in comparative education and sustainable rural development. Professor Li will address 'Quality Improvement in Rural Education in Asia-Pacific', including some insights on rural education policy in China.

>Professor Dennis Mulcahy, from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, is Chair of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Rural Special Interest Group (SIG). He has published extensively on rural school education in Canada and is also familiar with the Australian context. Professor Mulcahy's keynote will address 'Developing Government Policies for Successful Rural Education', with a secondary focus on the role of ICT in rural education.

Professor Youn-Kee Im is Head of the NURI Teacher Education Innovation Center and Director of the Educational Research Institute at Kongju National University, South Korea. Professor Im is Co-Chair of ISFIRE 2009, and will be addressing key issues in rural education in Korea.

Professor John Pegg is Director of the National Centre for Science, ICT and Mathematics Education in Rural and Regional Australia (SiMERR Australia), University of New England, Australia. Professor Pegg is Co-Chair of ISFIRE 2009, and will present his vision for rural school education in Australia in the next decade.

Further details about the keynotes and presentations will soon be available on our website. Guidelines for authors can be found in the Presenters' Area of the website.

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First Announcement

ISFIRE 2009

Innovation for Equity in Rural Education

First International Symposium for Innovation in Rural Education

11-14 February 2009

University of New England

Armidale, Australia

ISFIRE will be an international forum for sharing research findings, innovative ideas and evaluated approaches linked to positive, practical action.

The symposium will have a particular focus on using research to influence policy aimed at delivering socially just outcomes for rural students and communities.

ISFIRE is organised around eight themes. Papers are encouraged that address issues, and present innovative solutions, within these themes. More details are available here.

Important dates

Full papers and all Abstracts due: 18 August 2008 (please note, this is the extended deadline)

Notification of acceptance: 8 October 2008

Types of submissions

Authors can choose to present full papers, proposals, or posters.

Full papers for presentation

Full paper (max. 4000 words including references) plus Abstract (max. 200 words). Papers will be refereed by two members of the Scientific Committee and included in the Symposium Proceedings.

Proposals for presentation (when full paper refereeing is not required)

Abstract (max. 300 words)

Posters

Abstract (max. 200 words)

Note:

All abstracts will be refereed and included in the Program booklet. However, only refereed full papers will be included in the Symposium Proceedings. Details about submissions and formatting guidelines can be found here.

Symposium themes

There are eight symposium themes and suggested issues, with more detail about these available here.

1. Promoting Rural Policy Initiatives
2. Nurturing the Rural Teacher Experience
3. Enhancing Rural Student Experience/Growth
4. Building Rural School Communities
5. Responding to Cultural Diversity
6. Optimising the Curriculum
7. Improving Resources in Rural Schools
8. Addressing Special Issues in Rural Education

Symposium Co-chairs

Professor John Pegg is the Director of The National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia (SiMERR), University of New England, Armidale, Australia.

Professor Youn-Kee Im is the Head of NURI Teacher Education Innovation Centre; Director of Education Research Institute, College of Education, Kongju National University, Korea.

Contact

Please note, all refereed submissions (full papers, abstracts for non-refereed papers and abstracts for posters) must be submitted for consideration using online submission. Details regarding online submission can be found here.

ISFIRE 2009 Armidale NSW 2351 Australia Email:ISFIRE2009@une.edu.au Tel: +61 2 6773 5065