Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 11 of 11
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Appalachian And Rural Student Performance Differences On Kentucky's Educational Assessment: Eighth Grade Results, D. Clayton Smith
Appalachian And Rural Student Performance Differences On Kentucky's Educational Assessment: Eighth Grade Results, D. Clayton Smith
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
For assessment and accountability, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) developed the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS). Because the KIRIS assessment relied on student performance and was “high stakes” for schools, the fairness of the assessment was important. This paper examined whether 8th grade students living in Appalachia and/or in primarily rural school districts perform differently on the assessment than their peers. The four years of data (1993-1996) for this study came from KIRIS Cycle 2 data. The dependent variable was a composite score of student performance on constructed-response reading, mathematics, science, and social studies tests. The study found …
Population Change, Economic Restructuring, And The Evolving Landscape Of Retail Activities In The Rural Great Plains, Alexander C. Vias
Population Change, Economic Restructuring, And The Evolving Landscape Of Retail Activities In The Rural Great Plains, Alexander C. Vias
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
Over the past 15 to 20 years, changes such as retail concentration (fewer, larger stores owned by fewer corporations), technological innovation, and new labor practices have transformed the retail industry. These broad changes affect rural communities where the retail sector still employs a large portion of the workforce. When combined with the declining population of many rural areas in regions like the Great Plains, the impact of retail change is even more significant. Explored in this paper is how restructuring in the retail sector is accelerating the loss of retail firms in many rural parts of the Great Plains, a …
Editor's Preface, D. Clayton Smith
Editor's Preface, D. Clayton Smith
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
introduction of Doug Smith as new editor of SRS
The Effects Of Race, Place, Class, And Gender On Instructional Strategies In Kentucky's Seventh Grade Science Classes: Individual And School Level Analyses, Stephen K. Miller, D. Clayton Smith, Larry S. Ennis
The Effects Of Race, Place, Class, And Gender On Instructional Strategies In Kentucky's Seventh Grade Science Classes: Individual And School Level Analyses, Stephen K. Miller, D. Clayton Smith, Larry S. Ennis
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
This study explored the relationship of student demographics to teaching method in Kentucky’s seventh grade science classrooms for 1997-98, based on performance assessment data (student level N = 21,499; school level N = 264). Students’ perceptions of seven instructional strategies from the KIRIS student questionnaires were placed into three groups: traditional, inquiry-based, and computer. At the student level, these strategies were regressed on race, gender, free/reduced lunch, urbanity of the district, Appalachian status, and Educational Service Region. At the school level, the three approaches were regressed on aggregate school data for these same variables. Findings indicated that demographic factors do …
From Vulnerability To Resiliency: Assessing Impacts And Responses To Disaster, John J. Green, Duane A. Gill, Anna M. Kleiner
From Vulnerability To Resiliency: Assessing Impacts And Responses To Disaster, John J. Green, Duane A. Gill, Anna M. Kleiner
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
Hurricane Katrina devastated the social, economic, and physical infrastructure of communities along the Gulf Coast, and many organizations responded in a massive effort to meet their needs. Building from a livelihoods theoretical framework emphasizing the vulnerability-resiliency continuum, this research note focuses on informing services provided during post-disaster relief, recovery, and redevelopment. Based on a case study conducted in East Biloxi, Mississippi, we describe a project that included a needs assessment survey and qualitative interviews. Research findings address the expressed needs of community members following the disaster, types of relief and recovery assistance provided to them, and the kinds of social …
Poet Revisited: A Reanalysis Of Albrecht And Murdock's Part-Time Farming Model, Lisa A. Eargle
Poet Revisited: A Reanalysis Of Albrecht And Murdock's Part-Time Farming Model, Lisa A. Eargle
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
In this paper, I reanalyze Albrecht and Murdock’s (1984) POET (Population, Organization, Environment, and Technology) model of part-time farming prevalence using 2002 data and two indicators of part-time farming prevalence: percent of farm operators working 100 days or more off-farm and percent of farm operators whose principal occupation is not farming. I compare the results of analyses using these two measures to one another and to the results produced in Albrecht and Murdock’s earlier study using 1978 data. Findings from the analysis of 2002 are similar to those produced with 1978 data. However, the findings from the 2002 analyses do …
Evaluating The Pecan And Sweet Potato Pilot Insurance Programs: A Case Study In The Application Of Utilization-Focused Client-Based Methodology, Terrence W. Thomas, Benjamin Gray Jr.
Evaluating The Pecan And Sweet Potato Pilot Insurance Programs: A Case Study In The Application Of Utilization-Focused Client-Based Methodology, Terrence W. Thomas, Benjamin Gray Jr.
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the application of qualitative evaluation techniques to generate information for decision making in a field setting. To achieve this goal, the paper presents a brief review of the epistemology of the qualitative technique of participatory action research and use focused evaluation. This is followed by an analysis of the results of the evaluation of the Pecan and Sweet Potato Pilot Insurance Programs to demonstrate the application of these qualitative techniques to generate information for decision making in a complex social milieu. The results of this case-study demonstrate the utility of qualitative techniques …
Nonmetro/Metro Migration: Economic And Noneconomic Outcomes, Don E. Albrecht
Nonmetro/Metro Migration: Economic And Noneconomic Outcomes, Don E. Albrecht
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
Throughout U.S. history, millions of Americans have migrated between nonmetro and metro areas. Both economic and noneconomic factors have been thought to be important in motivating individuals and families to migrate. Economic opportunities have generally been better in metro communities prompting extensive levels of nonmetro to metro migration. At the same time, nonmetro communities have been felt to offer the advantages of safety, being closer to nature, and having more conservative religious and family values. In this analysis, data from recent General Social Surveys were used to compare the economic and noneconomic outcomes for nonmetro and metro migrants compared with …
The Spatial Dynamics Of High School Dropout: The Case Of Rural Louisiana, Mark J. Shafer, Makiko Hori
The Spatial Dynamics Of High School Dropout: The Case Of Rural Louisiana, Mark J. Shafer, Makiko Hori
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
This study uses data from the Louisiana Department of Education to conduct a spatial analysis of high school dropout. The paper suggests school-level factors influence dropout rates not only within their schools, but also more widely across schools in close proximity. These claims are tested in two distinct ways: (1) by comparing spatial cluster maps of dropout to measures of school processes, effectiveness, and structure and (2) by conducting spatial regression analysis to test whether spatial influences remain after considering school-level predictors of dropout. The findings show school processes, effectiveness, and structure all influence dropout rates. Moreover, findings demonstrate spatial …
An Analysis Of The Determinants Of Food Insecurity With Severe Hunger In Selected Southern States, Okwudilio O. Onianwa, Gerald D. Wheelock
An Analysis Of The Determinants Of Food Insecurity With Severe Hunger In Selected Southern States, Okwudilio O. Onianwa, Gerald D. Wheelock
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
This study predicts food insecurity with severe hunger versus food insecurity with moderate hunger among low-income households with children and without children. Data for the study was generated from a survey of the clients of nonprofit food assistance agencies in selected southern states. The questionnaire incorporated the 18 core questions for assessing food insecurity, as well as the socio-demographic characteristics of users. A two-stage process involving the application of the Rasch measurement scale and the Logit model was employed to analyze the data. Results indicate that for both households with children and households without children, income was a significant predictor …
The Delta E-Commerce Connection: Preliminary Findings, Susan Watson, Ogbonnaya John Nwoha, Gary A. Kennedy, Kenneth W. Rea
The Delta E-Commerce Connection: Preliminary Findings, Susan Watson, Ogbonnaya John Nwoha, Gary A. Kennedy, Kenneth W. Rea
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
A USDA Fund for Rural America project is creating economic opportunities for small agricultural and rural businesses in the Lower Mississippi Delta by assisting in e-commerce business development. Select rural businesses are provided technical support in web site development, marketing strategy formulation, electronic retailing services, and space on a secure server for one year. Businesses retaining web sites after this time assume responsibility for maintaining and funding the site. Characteristics of rural businesses adopting e-commerce are compared with those not adopting. Preliminary results suggest the amount of time invested in initial web site design, satisfaction with design, economic benefits from …