Professional Learning in Challenging Work Environments: Developing Teachers Across Great Distances

Teaching teams in remote and regional environments face many challenges; they are working in culturally diverse and resource poor environments while also facing professional and physical isolation. In implementing new programmes in remote areas of the Northern Territory, learning leaders at Charles Darwin University have developed innovative approaches to developing and retaining strong and effective teaching teams. These teams need to be flexible and approachable in their dealings with broad student groups, while maintaining currency and relevance in their own content area as well as the continuous improvement cycles required by training and assessment qualifications frameworks. This paper outlines the issues faced by groups of teachers and the approaches used to build strong professional learning communities across the divides of location, personality, discipline area and approaches to learning. There is a particular focus on the lessons being learnt now and towards meeting the changing needs in the regions. � Common Ground, Lorraine Sushames, Ruth Wallace.