Education Commons^™

Extending The Conversation: Raising Issues Of Rurality In English Teacher Education, Lisa Eckert, Robert Petrone

Faculty Works

Situated within the challenges faced by English teacher educators in the frontier state of Montana, this article argues for the need for increased attention to issues of rurality within the field of English Education. Conceptualizing rural education as an issue of social justice, the article suggests several approaches English teacher educators and researchers might take in thinking about rural English education, including integrating readings related to rurality in English Education coursework, researching the unique challenges of teacher identity formation within rural contexts, and emphasizing research focused on rural youth literacy practices.

Female High School Principals In Rural Midwestern School Districts: Their Lived Experiences In Leadership, Ellen M. Bartling

Theses and Dissertations

This study was explored the leadership experiences of female principals of rural high schools in a Midwestern state. The study sought to describe the leadership styles used by these principals to make changes within their schools. Qualitative methodology was used, and four female rural high school principals were interviewed during a series of four hour-long sessions. Transcripts of these interviews were then reviewed and themes identified.

The findings of the study revealed that the principals received informal mentorship and ongoing professional support and that the rural community required them to serve as community role models, effective communicators, and change agents …

Solo But Not Separate: Preparing 21st-Century School Library Professionals Who Can "Go It Alone", Becky Pasco

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Preparing school librarians for a diverse array of 21st-century educational environments is a daunting task. Faculty in school library preparation programs send candidates out into sparsely populated rural areas, dense urban settings, and everything in between. Some candidates will provide services and resources in updated, modern facilities, while others will operate in tiny, tattered little corners. Some new professionals will ply their trade in technically rich arenas, while others will work in technically starved settings. Regardless of place and space, resources and services must be developed and delivered in a proactive and productive manner for the P—12 community. School library …

Nclb Technology And A Rural School: A Case Study, Theresa A. Cullen, Thomas A. Brush, Timothy J. Frey, Rebecca S. Hinshaw, Scott J. Warren

Faculty Publications - Curriculum & Instruction

The requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) have presented special challenges and opportunities for rural schools (Reeves, 2003). Researchers have suggested that one way rural schools may be able to overcome these challenges is through an increase in the level of technology integration in their school (Collins & Dewees, 2001). This case study reports on one school’s attempt to use grant resources funded through NCLB to integrate specific instructional technologies to facilitate increased student achievement. Through interviews and observations, the roles, attitudes, and difficulties of teachers and administrators in implementing a technology initiative in a …

Filling A Need: Administrative Practices In Mason County, Wv One-Room Schools From 1935-1950, Douglas A. Sturgeon

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how administrative practices were carried out in Mason County, West Virginia’s one-room schools from 1935-1950. These practices were examined using Gulick and Urwick’s (1936) seven functions of the administrator and school-community relations as the framework. Twelve persons were interviewed for this study over the span of three months. Eleven of these persons were former one-room school teachers in Mason County. Of these eleven former teachers, two became central office administrators overseeing one-room schools. The twelfth person was a community leader in Mason County who attended a one-room school. The results of …

Use Of Selected Available Technology To Provide Relatively Inexpensive Distance Learning Courses Along The Texas/Mexico "Border Corridor.", Ralph M. Hausman, K. Kirk Hausman

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

As the population of minority pupils continues to increase, the need for special education personnel to identify and educate culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional students will also rise. Continuing shortages of qualified personnel in special education have been declared a national emergency, with "diagnostic staff" ranked as the fourth highest area of need. Shortages are particularly severe along the Texas-Mexico border, where a 1997 needs assessment predicted a need for 41 diagnosticians, preferably bilingual, within the ensuing 5 years. This paper describes initial steps in the development of Project DEED (Distance Education for Educational Diagnosticians), a federally funded distance learning …

A Technologically Based Model Program Including Reading Writing And Communication Skills For Rural Minority Students In The Lower Yakima Valley In The State Of Washington, Jennifer Anno Butler

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to design and develop a technologically based model program including reading writing and communication skills for rural minority students in the Lower Yakima Valley in the State of Washington. To accomplish this purpose, a review of current literature and research was conducted. Additionally, information and materials developed in conjunction with the Bridges - A Web Project for Kids, at Central Washington University, was studied, analyzed and incorporated into the project.