The North American community college model has received
increasing and significant attention in Australia in recent
years, particularly since the visit to Australia by Professor
John Dennison in 1974. The community college concept has
come to be seen as having much to offer for Australian
education. Professor Dennison suggested that a network of
community colleges be established throughout Australia and
his influence is reflected in almost every major educational
report published since his visit.
The interest being given to the concept combined with attempts
and proposals to develop community colleges raises a number
of questions: is there a consensus of opinion in Australia
about what is meant by 'community college'? why has the
concept achieved such widespread popularity? how important
is the educational rationale for community colleges when
compared with the economic rationale? does Australia need a
new type of post-secondary educational institution?
The evidence suggests that the characteristics of the North
American community colleges as summarised by Dennison have
been readily accepted by many in Australia as educationally
desirable goals. There has, however, been very little
questioning or analysis of whether a new type of institution
is necessary as a means of achieving these goals: there has
been even less research into the practicality and
feasibility of implementing an educational model conceived
and developed in another country into the Australian system
of post-secondary education.
An examination of the relationship between education and 'the
community', attempts to implement the community college model
in Australia and the complex legislative and funding arrangements
resulting from intricate Commonwealth/State relations in
education suggest that the North American community college
model cannot be developed in Australia without extreme
difficulty and frustration. Reference to the provision of
post-secondary education in this country indicates that
with the exception of some non-metropolitan areas, opportunity
already exists to meet the educational needs of individuals
and communities. In non-metropolitan areas, unable to
support each of the three existing types of post-secondary
educational institutions educational needs are not well met
and there is a need to consider the establishment of multipurpose,
multi-level educational facilities in these areas.
Should such an institution be established it is unlikely that
it could or would replicate a North American community college.
It is concluded that whilst current questioning of the
quality and quantity of post-secondary suggests that there may
be a need to restructure or rationalise the system any
proposal for implementing the North American community college
system can only be based on an inadequate knowledge of the
Australian system of post-secondary education and/or an
inadequate knowledge of the history, purpose and organisation
of community colleges.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218993 |
| Date | January 1977 |
| Creators | Hart, Gaye, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Teacher Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Gaye Hart |
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