Fundamental elements in examining a child’s right to education: A study of home education research and regulation in Australia

Home education provides valuable educational and developmental opportunities for children. An examination of Australia’s research indicates many best educational practices, including more informed mediation, contextualised learning, and opportunities to exercise autonomy. Key features include lea...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Glenda Jackson, Sonia Allan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Kura Publishing 2010-07-01
Series:International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/244
Description
Summary:Home education provides valuable educational and developmental opportunities for children. An examination of Australia’s research indicates many best educational practices, including more informed mediation, contextualised learning, and opportunities to exercise autonomy. Key features include learning embedded in communities and program modification in response to students’ needs. Current state and territory legal requirements are examined within the context of this research and Australia’s obligations to international human rights treaties. All jurisdictions accept home education as one way to meet compulsory education requirements. The extent to which respective laws then reflect understanding of home education research and practice varies. Most jurisdictions allow for a variety of educational approaches. Some oversight regulation could however be modified to reflect a better understanding of home education. Consultation with home educators and reference to research would assist the development of more uniform legislation and policy across Australia, and enable better regulatory practice.
ISSN:1307-9298
1307-9298