Abstract
This article raises some questions about the appropriateness and value of the dominant models of professional development for early childhood professionals in rural areas. The issues raised in this article draw on both research conducted into the experiences of professional development of a group of early childhood professionals residing outside the main urban areas in Queensland, and the author's experiences in the conducting of these activities. The discussion raises questions about rural identity, the usefulness of professional development in a ‘one size fits all’ model and how this might position rurally located professionals as being needy, disadvantaged, deficit and to a large extent powerless in their own professional development choices. The article concludes that whilst these professionals identify themselves and are treated as ‘victims of isolation’, their capacity to take charge of their own professional development is constrained. The research findings and the issues raised suggest the need for further research, particularly into alternative models of professional development that are context sensitive and interact with issues of professional identity and rurality.