Online learning reduces need to travel

Accessing higher education without leaving your Wheatbelt home town has always been a possibility, but the idea of studying 100 percent online seemed a lonely prospect, but not anymore.

If continuing to live and work in a regional area while taking on study appeals to you, and you live in, or around, the towns of Merredin, Narrogin, York and Wongan Hills, you will be keen to know about Lumen Wheatbelt Regional University Study Hubs (Lumen).

Lumen has four dedicated learning and study spaces which are supported by the Australian Government through the Regional Universities Centre program.

Director Elise Woods said the hubs offered free support and facilities to Central Midlands, Central East, Avon and Wheatbelt South students studying at any university, TAFE or registered training organisation.

"We have had 65 students enrol with the study hubs since we started in December 2022," Ms Woods said.

"Everyone is welcome, we'd love to see 100 students registered by the end of this year."

Each of the hubs offers students access to reliable internet, free printing, desks/docking stations and monitors, and general academic support from an onsite student support officer.

The student support officers offer assistance to students with study advice and planning, pastoral support, time management skills, university learning management system platform support and enrolment.

"We have five part time support officers across the four locations," Ms Woods said.

"And we encourage students to interact with each other to build their own support networks too."

Three of the 65 students who currently utilise the hubs are Kaitlyn Anderson, Wickepin, Annette Bowen, Doodlakine and Oakley Treasure, Cunderdin.

Lumen sponsored the three students to attend the recent evokeAG. conference in Perth, covering the cost of the conference and accommodation, to increase their exposure to the wider agricultural networks.

Ms Bowen is doing her PhD in Functional Movement Outcome Measures in Equine Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Charles Sturt University, while Ms Treasure is studying an Associate Degree in Agribusiness at Curtin University's Muresk campus.

For more information Go to: https://lumenwruc.edu.au

Meet Kaitlyn Anderson

Kaitlyn Anderson, who lives in Wickepin, is fully immersed in the agriculture industry, with both her work and her study.

After graduating from Murdoch University with a Bachelor in Agricultural Science majoring in Animal Science, with a minor in Science Communication, Ms Anderson is now undertaking the very challenging Master of Science in Agricultural Communications with Texas Tech University.

As she also works as an agricultural research and extension co-ordinator for the Facey Group, having use of the Narrogin Lumen Wheatbelt Regional University Study Hub has been a game changer.

Ms Anderson said she was grateful to be able to continue to work with the Facey Group and also study.

"I stumbled upon Lumen," Ms Anderson said.

"I was looking for a quiet space to study in Narrogin, and although the library is a great spot, it's used for multiple purposes and not always quiet.

"I was walking through the streets and saw the Lumen flag outside the hub and that is how I found it."

Dedicating 15 to 20 hours per week to the online course means Ms Anderson can continue being a part of her local farming community.

"My goal is to learn as much as I can in my current role at the Facey Group," she said.

"The Facey Group and the local farming community have been so generous in sharing their knowledge and insights into the industry with me, so I am making the most of learning from farmers to understand some of the challenges that might be ahead and how I can play a key role in helping them through those challenges.

"I am focusing on getting to Texas and finishing my course, so I can get back to Western Australia and put my degree into practice.

"I am off to Texas in August for about eight months to finish the course."

Ms Anderson is hoping to see more students like herself utilise the study hubs and is passionate about spreading the word of their benefits.

"The Lumen study hub is a fantastic space, and I think it will create a real sense of place and support for those studying in the local community," she said.

"I did my bachelor degree on campus at Murdoch in Perth, found a great support group and met some fantastic people, but since moving to an online platform I have had trouble finding peer interaction.

"Although not everyone at the study hub shares my field of study, we face similar challenges, and meeting other students at the Narrogin Lumen Open Day was a great experience as it provided an opportunity to connect with other students, share our experiences, and discuss potential solutions to our common challenges."

Ms Anderson believes urban migration poses an overlooked challenge in agricultural communities and could become a silent killer for the industry.

"Initiatives like the Lumen study hubs play a crucial role in reducing the risk by allowing individuals to pursue higher education without having to migrate to urban areas," she said.

"This helps in retaining and creating valuable skills in the regions, strengthening not just the agricultural sector but the surrounding communities that support it.

"I truly love being a part of the grower group community, I believe there is a lot of work to be done in the extension and communication of agricultural research so our farmers can have understandable and useful information that can help them to be successful within their enterprises."