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This paper presents the rationale for the development of an elementary teacher training program designed to prepare students to teach in rural areas. The Province of British Columbia (Canada) is a vast geographic region populated by only two and a quarter million people. Most reside in rural communities ranging in population from a few hundred to several thousand. The schools in these small communities are the focal point of the teacher training program. At present most teacher training programs prepare students for teaching positions in urban centers and large rural communities. The University of Victoria, British Columbia, structured a training program to develop teachers specifically for these small communities. This program incorporates 2 years of univesity study with two years of "first hand" experience of teaching and living in an isolated settlement. Students complete several community, school, and classroom projects dealing with the unique environment of a small rural settlement. To be awarded a Bachelor of Education degree, the students complete a fifth year of study at the main campus of the University. The rural elementary teacher training program more adequately prepares students for careers in rural schools and sensitizes them to the professional life of a rural teacher. Graduates of this program embark on their professional careers in rural communities with greater confidence. A chart outlining the time frame of the program is given. This paper contains 16 references. (ALL)

This paper describes a special elementary teacher education program developed at the University of Victoria, British Columbia (Canada). Designed to prepare students for rural teaching positions, this program consists of two years of university level education and two years of practice in a rural community. The educational system in the Province of British Columbia has been characterized by diminishing resources, declining enrollment, and increasing expenditures. Demand for teachers, especially in urban centers, has drastically declined, but vacancies for teachers continue to exist in rural areas. Rural teachers, however, are very mobile, either securing positions in large communities or leaving the classroom to begin new careers. Studies indicate rural teacher mobility is caused by geographic isolation, lack of privacy, and limited professional contacts. Another reason contributing to mobility is a lack of preparation for either the unique learning environment of rural schools or the intimate relationship between rural schools and their local communities. The early field experience described in this paper allows students to study the rural community as a total entity and places the schools in a community context. Required activities include community and classroom projects. Education students trained in this program are expected to provide rural children with a high quality of instruction when they become practicing professional educators. An awareness of life in a rural community will also enable them to adjust more easily to the socio-cultural milieu of a small town. Both these outcomes are expected to reduce the mobility of rural teachers. A chart outlines the chronology of the program. (ALL)

Continuing professional education activities offered off-campus by satellite by the University of Victoria, British Columbia, are discussed. One- to three-day workshops and off-campus degree programs are offered throughout the province by the university. Both increased demand and economic factors have encouraged the use of distance education delivery methods. Since 1978 the university has provided live interactive satellite programming, most of which has been credit courses, along with some professional development activities and community education programs. Credit course offerings have been a major component of part-time degree programs in nursing, public administration, and education. Child care and social work programs have used other distance delivery systems. Advantages and problems associated with public access delivery systems for continuing professional education are identified, along with trends in continuing professional education. Enrollment in credit courses has continued to increase and the demand for courses is starting to exceed the satellite time available. As a result, delivery options are being enlarged. (SW)

An experimental cooperative graduate program for practicing educational administrators, offered by the University of Victoria, British Columbia, provides adult educators with opportunities for relating theory, practice, and research to resolve practical administrative problems. A candidate must be approved as an intern by an educational agency. The 14-month program consists of three components: academic, research, and internship. While completing courses on organizational theory, governance, personnel management, philosophy of administration and educational planning, associates are required to attend a series of professional seminars and professional luncheons. Associates become familiar with the sociopolitical culture of organizations and observe political interest groups interacting. To be awarded a masters degree, associates are required to defend their research reports in an oral examination. The professional training program is designed to develop adult educators who are knowledgeable of organizations, politically astute, skillful in interpersonal relations, and able to manage change. (SW)

One strategy for better preparing students for teaching in contemporary schools is to offer them programs which provide extended field experience. If well-planned and directed, these programs can generate many benefits by integrating the theory and practice of teaching. The University of Victoria (British Columbia, Canada), through various internship programs, offers students extended field experiences. Though these programs differ in many ways, they are all based on a philosophy of personalized professional growth. The Saanich Internship Program assigns students to a specific school for an entire school year, enabling them to teach under supervision at different grade levels. The Secondary Internship Program, designed for prospective secondary school teachers, involves an 8-month internship which allows students to teach and to observe other teachers. The Secondary Professional Year Music Program, designed for students who hold an academic degree in music, provides prospective teachers with an 8-month practicum. The Elementary Rural Teacher Preparation Program offers courses and teaching experiences at the University of Victoria and at more rural locations. The Educational Administration Graduate Cooperative Program, established for practicing administrators, offers an academic session, a 6-month internship, and a 2-month period for preparing a research report. (JD)