Caleb Goman

Alice Springs NT

Master of Teaching (Primary) 2017

On campus study or online study? How was your experience studying either on campus or online?

I studied online. While the study part itself was tough, the resources, assistance and well- designed online platforms meant that I never felt thousands of kilometers away from the campus even though I was.

How did you find your UNE lecturers/professors?

A number of times life got in the way of my studies and I needed assistance.  The lecturers and professors were always supportive and understanding and took my circumstances into consideration.  When you're studying to be a teacher and doing month long practical placements in remote areas on top of full time study and trying to support yourself financially it can get a bit overwhelming.  I always felt I was able to get the academic and personal assistance I needed.  Otherwise I don't think I would have made it through.

What was your end goal when you started your degree?

To complete a masters in teaching and then to go on to be a primary teacher in the Northern Territory.

How are you using what you learned in your degree in your professional life?

I never ended up being a classroom Primary School teacher as such.  Instead, I'm teaching music all around Central Australian schools as a member of the Northern Territory Music School, a Department of Education body that brings instrumental music lessons to government schools right across the Northern Territory.

What are your hopes and dreams for the future?

Education is an antidote to a lot of the problems remote communities and towns face.  I'd like to continue to be a part of the positive changes we are seeing in Central Australia.  Also, maybe get a few more guitars while I'm at it.

What does living in the NT mean to you?

It means a lot more than you would think it would.  There really is something unique about it. There's a freedom and honesty I've not found anywhere else in Australia.  It feels very 'real', as if a veil lifts and you are able to see and feel an Australia that doesn't have the distractions and facades I've found in areas on the East Coast.  It has its own challenges but they seem meaningful, unlike say being stuck in traffic on the way to work.  Indigenous culture is very much alive, strong and intact here and sadly, I can't say I've felt that in the other areas of Australia I've visited or lived.

Anything else you would like to add?

Cheers for the degree!