Abstract
This study compares rural educational disadvantage across Australia, Canada, and New Zealand using data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Across the three countries, student reading literacy and school learning environments are less positive in rural communities than in urban. Furthermore, rural disadvantage in educational outcomes (reading) and opportunities is greater in Australia than Canada or New Zealand. This could be seen as surprising as student socioeconomic status (SES), typically a strong predictor of educational outcomes, is similar for rural communities in Australia and Canada, but lower in New Zealand. Rural school principals in Australia are most likely among the three countries to report that shortages of teaching personnel hinder learning. This could suggest that policies and structures can play a role in ameliorating or exacerbating rural educational disadvantage. We conclude with questions and recommendations for future research.
Highlights
International large-scale assessments and comparative studies are useful for examining cross-national variations in educational outcomes and experiences
Examining educational inequity associated with ruralurban differences for these three culturally alike systems provides the prospect of better understanding variables that could potentially reduce the disadvantages in educational opportunities and outcomes for rural communities
As researchers based in Australia, we are, concerned with identifying trends in student and school variables to inform efforts that reduce rural educational disadvantage in Australia
Summary
International large-scale assessments and comparative studies are useful for examining cross-national variations in educational outcomes and experiences. They are useful for broadening perspectives and generating theory about the contexts and conditions that mediate educational phenomena. Analysis of individual countries has shown, that urban/rural achievement differences do not exist in almost half of the developed countries that participate in PISA. This suggests the possibility that national education policies and school practices may play a role in ameliorating or exacerbating rural disadvantage
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