The Australian outback is one of the most isolated parts of the world. It covers a huge area of more than 1.5 million square kilometers. The towns are hundreds of kilometers apart. Most people live on sheep farms or cattle stations. Outback children are different to children from urban areas. They study at home and don't attend traditional schools. Many of them work on the family farm from an early age. The learn to ride horses and to survive in difficult situations. This means that they are more mature and better at studying alone than city children. They are also good at organising their work
Young outback children study with the School of the Air,and older students can enrol at a School Of Distance Education (SODE). About 15 percent of the students are Aborigines. In the past. students and teachers used two-way radio. The name School of the Air come from that time. Today. teachers give lessons by satellite and use an electronic whiteboard. Most students have a satellite dish and a computer with a webcam. They log in to classes in real time and can see their teacher on their computer screen. The teacher can demonstrate skills in science, music,art,PE,drama or poetry. Students can also talk to each other and to the teacher.
As well as attending classes students also have to do coursework and exams and younger children have an online school assembly once a week in addition there are opportunities for students to meet three or four times a year students travel to the nearest centre to take part in different activities such as sports week and school excursions