Education Commons^™

Stem Smart Goal Planning For Elementary Educators In Rural North Texas: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Katherine Marie Mccandless

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of educators setting pre-STEMs SMART goals and implementation at the elementary classroom level in rural North Texas districts. The pre-STEM areas are important to develop and intervene early as they are foundational building blocks later to STEM education and professional opportunities for the rural population. The study's central research question was: What are the experiences of elementary educators in planning STEM SMART goals? The theory guiding the study is Locke's goal-setting theory (1968), based on his five tenets. The tenets of Locke's theory were used to guide …

Collaborative Leadership For Research Investigating Stem Teacher Preparation Across Many Institutions, Dana P. Franz, Keith Hubbard, Devon Brenner

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

This paper describes the creation of a collaborative research team investigating the impacts of education preparation on the recruitment and retention of science and mathematics teacher candidates in rural settings. Our collaborative research includes a core leadership team across 3 institutions and with collaboration across 14 total universities. We discuss the process from the inception through year two of this program, including the structure of leadership, communication techniques with the large group, and efforts to translate this research into scalable action. Using a framework for transdisciplinary research (Hall et al., 2012), we describe the processes and challenges that we encountered …

Effects Of Adaptive Learning Technologies On Mathematics Achievement In Low Ses Settings, William Roberts

Doctor of Education in Secondary and Middle Grades Education Dissertations

Low socioeconomic status is linked to poor mathematical achievement (NCES, 2019 & Barr, 2015). Furthermore, students in rural settings exhibit mathematical incompetencies (Harmon & Wilborn, 2016). One possible remedy is adaptive learning technology (AT). These are computer programs that determine what a student already knows about mathematics (or other content areas) and then identify areas for growth to increase a student’s knowledge about a topic such as Geometry or Algebra 2. Although not necessarily taking a teacher’s place, an AT can aid the teacher by allowing multiple students to be in multiple different places all within the same classroom. This …

Designing A Program To Develop Computer Science Master Teachers For An Underserved Rural Area, Susie Morrissey, Thomas Koballa, Robert Allen, Judy Godfrey, Michael Dias, Shawn Utley, Deannia Clements

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Due to a shortage of rural computer science teachers, researchers used a three-phase method to design a computer science endorsement, which will be coupled with an instructional coaching endorsement within an Educational Specialist degree program. The team conducted interviews of teachers as well as school and district level administrators in rural areas to determine needs and resources available to develop computer science master teachers. Interviewers also investigated recruitment, preparation and support processes pertinent to the program. Findings included that, although infrastructure for wireless access is lacking, school and district administrators are very interested in supporting teachers to become computer science …

Conceptions Of Rurality: Examining Beliefs And Their Impact On Teacher Efficacy In A Small Appalachian School, Lori Wickham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current literature documents the historical peripheralization of rural communities and the deficit narratives often imposed upon their schools, students and families. Research further suggests this history of peripheralization is often internalized by those identifying with these communities and that this internalization of deficit orientations may be impacting perceptions of possibility in educational practice. This mixed-methods study investigates more thoroughly if and how these core-periphery dynamics manifest in a small Appalachian school by examining possible connections between educators’ beliefs regarding rurality and their sense of teacher and collective efficacy. The research was guided by the following question:

How do rural …

A Wedge Issue For The 21st Century: The Conditional Effect Of Party Identification For Predicting Feelings Towards Immigrants And Refugees In A Higher Ed Setting, Nicholas Bauroth, Kjersten Nelson

Online Journal of Rural Research & Policy

The issue of immigration played an important role in recent U.S. elections. How did the salience of immigration and refugees in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections play out amongst young voters? Did increased opportunities to interact with immigrants and refugees affect respondents’ feelings towards these groups, as social contact theory might predict? The analyses here focus on a sample of college students, given that the higher education experience presents conditions for social contact theory to play out. We find that party identification is a key piece of the puzzle – measures of social contact theory operate differently for Democratic …

Non-Native Educators’ Interpretation Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy With Mojave Students, Cellina Marie Reyes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe non-Mojave teachers are struggling to implement culturally responsive pedagogy practices to meet the educational needs of Fort Mojave students from a rural reservation. Research indicates that all students should be provided with responsive pedagogical practices that allow them to be engaged in the classroom. The purpose of this basic qualitative study is to investigate how non-Mojave classroom teachers are implementing culturally responsive pedagogy and what their perceived needs are when teaching Fort Mojave students in an elementary school located in southwestern, Arizona. Culturally responsive pedagogy was used as a practical theoretical framework through the incorporation of Gay’s four teacher …

Non-Native Educators’ Interpretation Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy With Mojave Students, Cellina Marie Reyes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe non-Mojave teachers are struggling to implement culturally responsive pedagogy practices to meet the educational needs of Fort Mojave students from a rural reservation. Research indicates that all students should be provided with responsive pedagogical practices that allow them to be engaged in the classroom. The purpose of this basic qualitative study is to investigate how non-Mojave classroom teachers are implementing culturally responsive pedagogy and what their perceived needs are when teaching Fort Mojave students in an elementary school located in southwestern, Arizona. Culturally responsive pedagogy was used as a practical theoretical framework through the incorporation of Gay’s four teacher …

Challenges Of The Community Eligibility Provision Of The National School Lunch Program: A Conversation About The Poverty Indicators In Education Working Groups, Tara Thomas, Devon Brenner

The Rural Educator

No abstract provided.

Understanding Perceptions Of Graduating Seniors From Rural Schools On Higher Education: A Preregistered Study, Desiree Denise Brake

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case (preregistered) study is to interview rural young Americans, deeply explore how they think about higher education as they prepare for life beyond high school, and analyze how those views and perceptions translate into barriers or motivators to its pursuit. Rural Americans feel less optimistic about their financial futures, find it more difficult to find a job in their communities, and believe their children will have a lower standard of living than their parents when they reach their parents’ age (Morin, 2016). Rural students are more likely to graduate from high school than their urban …

Principal Decision-Making And Perception Of Fine Arts Programing In Curricular Design, Osvaldo Altamirano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study included an exploration of the concept of perception affecting decision- making in curriculum design and the support of school administrators toward fine art programs in West Texas School Regions 18 and 19. Research shows that the fine arts provide students the social and creative skills to become productive citizens. However, research shows that in the current realm of urban and rural public school curricula, the fine arts exist at either a limited capacity or are nonexistent. This dissertation included an attempt to answer how a school leader's fine arts perception affects a principal's ability to support, build, …

Collaborative Practices Of Rural Inclusive Postsecondary Education Program (Ipse) Directors, Elizabeth Susanne Goode Dimond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Inclusive postsecondary education programs (IPSE) for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) are relatively new, having their formal beginning in the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA; P.L. 110-315) of 2008. These programs vary greatly and are found in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the United States. Those programs in rural areas face unique barriers and have unique strengths that affect how they collaborate and with whom they collaborate. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to describe the collaborative practices of rural IPSE program directors. This study gathered the lived experiences of rural IPSE program directors collaborating with agencies …

The Appalachian Commitment Of Berea College: A Review Of Historical Figures, Narratives, And An Analysis Of Programmatic Outcomes, Rebecca E. Tucker

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Since its founding in 1855 Berea College has continuously defined and redefined itself based on eight Great Commitments that collectively shape Berea’s mission. All Bereans, from students to alums to Presidents, have a responsibility to review and evaluate the ways in which Berea College is acting on each of its eight Commitments. This study offers a review of Berea’s Appalachian Commitment, “To engage Appalachian communities, families, and students in partnership for mutual learning, growth, and service” (Berea College, 2017). The following three articles seek to understand some of the ways in which Berea College leaders have interpreted and acted on …

Listening To Voices Of Latinx Immigrants In Rural America, Jacqueline Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to capture and gain an understanding of Latinx immigrants’ lived experiences during their transitions from their native countries to rural Arkansas. Using purposeful criterion-based sampling, the population of interest was five Latinx immigrant students and families who migrated from their native countries to the state of Arkansas. The analytic strategy included a single-case model of each family’s transcription, two-case model, cluster analysis to identify likeness, document portrait, and subtheme development. The structural descriptions that formed the essence of the experience resulted in three themes: education, migration, and emotional experiences. The three overall …

Teacher Perceptions Of Skills, Knowledge, And Resources Needed To Promote Social And Emotional Learning In Rural Classrooms, Staci M. Zolkoski, Samantha Estrada Aguilera, Erin M. West, Gary J. Miller, Jessica M. Holm, Sarah Sass, Eric L. Stokes

The Rural Educator

The incorporation of social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools has been shown to improve academic and psychological health of students. Research has been limited regarding implementation of SEL programs in rural communities, where student needs are heightened. The current study examined factors that could impact teachers’ intentions to be early adopters of a SEL curriculum in a rural community. Seventy-six teachers provided self-report data regarding perceptions of professional strengths, school climate, school resources for student support, ability to educate diverse students, ability to teach specific SEL domains, and intentions to be an early adopter of a SEL program. Present …

A Musically Embedded Curriculum For Rural Elementary Schools, Rachael Marie Dubay

Masters Theses

Rural school districts across the nation have been at a crossroads for decades. The amount of funding and resources provided to these small towns is often meager and falls short to provide the schools and students with the proper education, teacher training, curriculum, building maintenance, and other necessary educational materials. School officials and board members in these areas across the nation each year have had to make the hard decisions of what to prioritize and what will have to fall by the wayside. Unfortunately, cuts in budgetary and educational reform have regularly faced music education programs and it has become …

Emerging Teacher-Leaders For English Learners: A Professional Development Model In Rural Florida, Raisa Ankeny, Nidza Marichal, Maria Coady

School Leadership Review

This paper describes an ongoing Professional Development (PD) program that aimed to prepare teacher-leaders for rural English learner (EL) students. We delineate the theoretical underpinnings of the PD design and describe the two-year graduate coursework program with onsite coaching in rural schools in detail. We define rurality and the context of ELs in the rural partner school district and describe the PD coursework, which was adapted to meet the local rural educational needs of the participants. At its outset, participants reflected on the overall PD through online discussions, surveys, and focus group interviews. Data revealed that the participants found the …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Burnout Among Rural Elementary, Middle, And High School Teachers, Keisha N. Hamby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a prevalent shortage of school teachers in the United States. Teacher burnout is a chronic issue that plagues school districts. Burnout is one of the primary causes of teachers leaving the profession altogether. The purpose of this study was to determine differences of burnout among elementary, middle, and high school teachers in a rural area. A gap in literature was addressed by comparing the burnout levels of teachers in a rural school district across all grade levels. The chosen research design for this study was a causal-comparative design. The independent variable was teachers’ grade across three levels (elementary, …

A Learning Model For Rural Yukon Educators, Alexandrea Postoloski

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

Rural educators face challenges in accessing timely, relevant, and appropriate professional learning opportunities in Yukon due to the complexities of living and working in geographically and professionally isolated communities (Hellsten, McIntyre, & Prytula, 2011). Complexities surrounding the political landscapes within Yukon also creates a unique set of challenges. Adding to the challenges, Yukon education is also in the process of implementing a new curriculum model that attempts to be more holistic and considerate of the needs of the people living and working within the Territory (Yukon Education, 2011). The current change processes and vision for Yukon education provides a …

A Learning Model For Rural Yukon Educators, Alexandrea Postoloski

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Rural educators face challenges in accessing timely, relevant, and appropriate professional learning opportunities in Yukon due to the complexities of living and working in geographically and professionally isolated communities (Hellsten, McIntyre, & Prytula, 2011). Complexities surrounding the political landscapes within Yukon also creates a unique set of challenges. Adding to the challenges, Yukon education is also in the process of implementing a new curriculum model that attempts to be more holistic and considerate of the needs of the people living and working within the Territory (Yukon Education, 2011). The current change processes and vision for Yukon education provides a unique …

Capability Approach And Teacher Quality: An Analysis Of Female Teacher Experience In A Rural, Malawian Community, Annabelle Hardy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study used the capability approach as a lens to understand teacher quality from both the perspective of educational leaders and practicing teachers in a rural community in central Malawi. The overarching question of this research study was “How can the capability approach inform our understanding of teacher quality from both the perspective of educational leaders and practicing teachers?” The focus questions to guide this research were:

1. What do national educational leaders value in a quality teacher?
2. What do rural, Malawian, female teachers value in teaching?
3. How do these teachers pursue and achieve what they value in teaching?

This study …

Componentes Y Percepciones De La Educación Rural En La Investigación Científica Y Sus Implicaciones, Ibeth Eliana Castañeda Guerrero, Geiber Eduardo Peña Cardona

Licenciatura en Español y Lenguas Extranjeras

Esta investigación de enfoque cualitativo- descriptivo tiene como objeto de estudio la Educación Rural y la representación de esta en el medio científico. Aquí, por medio de un análisis documental de las revistas científicas indexadas de la plataforma Latindex, se estudiaron los conceptos de educación y escuela rural, sus principales componentes: el contexto, el proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje, los actores, sus características y cómo estos modelan la educación en la ruralidad. También se analizaron las diferencias y los efectos negativos de comparar las condiciones de la educación rural con la educación urbana; especialmente las implicaciones que tienen estos artículos de investigación sobre …

Making Sense Of Place: A Case Study Of A Sensemaking In A Rural School-Community Partnership, Sarah J. Zuckerman

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Cross-sector, place-based, school-community partnerships seeking to improve educational and other outcomes at scale have experienced a resurgence in the United States. Rather than isolated eff orts, this new generation relies on scaling up models in networks, such as Strive Together. However, many of these models evolved in urban contexts, creating challenges for scaling up in rural areas with fewer organizations, limited resources, and lower population density. Using conceptions of sensemaking as precursor for collective action, this case study examines the strategies used by partnership leaders in a rural county to make sense of Strive and the local community. By iteratively …

Uncovering And Responding To The Professional Development Needs Of Afterschool Program Leaders Across Rural Nebraska, Kimberly K. Larson

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

An effective state-level professional development system designed for Nebraska 21^stCentury Community Learning Centers (21^stCCLC) program leaders should consider both the unique characteristics of the program leaders themselves, as well as the rural communities where the afterschool programs are implemented. Some of these differentiating characteristics include background of the program leader and their years of experience, the size of the community, availability of staff and frequency of staff turnover, availability of potential community partners, and the quality of the relationship with the school administration and teachers where the afterschool program is implemented. Ultimately, the state-level system must …

Country Road, Take Me Home: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Public School Personnel In Two Rural Central Virginia School Divisions And Their Perception Of Homelessness And The Mckinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Cora Peterson Tolliver

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how school personnel in two rural Virginia school districts perceive the phenomenon of homelessness and the McKinney-Vento Act for Homeless Education. Participants in this study were10 school employees from two school districts located in the rural Central Virginia counties of Framingham and Marlborough, and included teachers, reading specialists, school administrators, registrars, counselors, and homeless liaisons. The theoretical framework guiding this study was Burns’s (1978) theory of transformational leadership, which holds that, with the proper leadership, stakeholders, such as teachers, can be connected more to the project at hand and to …

The Relationship Of School-Community Partnerships With Act Benchmark Scores In Rural Tennessee Schools, Kari Eubanks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if a relationship existed between the quality of school-community partnerships and the average score of each ACT subtest for rural Tennessee high school students. Specifically, the researcher examined the following school-community partnerships: business partnerships, university partnerships, service learning partnerships, school-linked service integration, and faith-based partnerships (Sanders, 2006). Administrators from 62 rural Tennessee high schools rated the partnerships present in their schools using the Improving Community Partnership Quality rating scale developed by Sanders (2006). Each of these ratings was compared to the participating school’s mean score for each ACT benchmark to determine …

"The Whole Building Is A Classroom": An Oral History Of A School's Role In The Culture Of The Community, Valerie Free Jones

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Edward Lee and Lulu McClain gave the gift of a new high school to the rural Appalachian community of Greenfield, Ohio, in 1915. Inspired in part by John Dewey’s Progressive theories of education, the school became the center of the community, both literally and figuratively, providing the best, most modern education for its students. The school was particularly unique in its focus on the arts, with its spaces carefully crafted and developed; its halls and classrooms filled with over 200 pieces of classic and original art, including murals, sculpture, and other works; and its curriculum inspired by art-based ideas of …

Schooling In Rural East Texas: Contextualizing And Responding To The Needs Of African American Students, Brandon L. Fox, Patrick S. De Walt

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

This critical analysis contextualizes and responds to the current state of education for persons of African descent in rural East Texas, specifically Region VII. The researchers analyzed assessment data, attendance data, demographic data, and discipline data from the Texas Education Agency. Selected data provided a pathway to explore variables that directly impact students’ academic performance and identities. Findings from this study highlight concerns that range from discrepancies in out-of-school suspensions, disproportionate representation of faculty with the student populations, and challenges faced by East Texas schools and school districts to meet state and federal policies and accountability standards. The authors recommend …

Parent-Teacher Relationships Across Community Types, Amanda Witte

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Children with social-behavioral problems are at high risk for developing long-term, pervasive adjustment problems. Home–school relationships may be critical to alleviating the negative effects of behavior problems and to fostering student success. The environment or community in which homes and schools are situated represents an important influence on the home–school relationship. Despite the evidence supporting positive parent–teacher relationships and the association between community context and educational practices and student outcomes, little is known about the relation between community context and parent–teacher relationships. The manner in which cumulative risk factors and child behavior problems influence the link between community type and …

The Relationship Among Principal Instructional Leadership, Collective Teacher Efficacy, Student Academic Achievement, And Socioeconomic Status In Appalachia Eastern Kentucky High Schools, William H. Salazar

Online Theses and Dissertations

Current studies have shown that principal instructional leadership can affect student academic achievement as much as 15% (Hallinger & Murphy, 1982; Hallinger & Heck, 1996; Leithwood & Beatty, 2009). Research studies on collective teacher efficacy have shown that teacher efficacy can significantly affect student academic achievement (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001; Tschannen, Moran &Woolfolk, 2001; Woolfolk; 2004; Goddard, et. al, 2000; Francera, 2009). Previous research has suggested that the effects of socioeconomic status of students can be ameliorated through a combination of principal instructional leadership and collective teacher efficacy (Howley & Howley, 2010; Coleman, 1966). This non-experimental research project developed four …