Education Commons^™

Strengthening Families Affected By Intimate Partner Violence: A Pilot Evaluation Of A Rural Extension Program, Pamela B. Payne, Jill Baker-Tingey

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Heart and Hope (H&H) was designed to provide parenting education and social-emotional skills to children and parents exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in rural Nevada. The goal was to evaluate IPV efforts by measuring parent (N = 47) and children’s (N =100) knowledge and behavior change around building healthy relationships and improved parenting practices following exposure to IPV and the H&H curriculum. Results indicated significant increases in both perceived knowledge and behavior change, suggesting that the program is effective in strengthening family relationships, improving parenting practices, developing emotional competency, and helping families envision a positive future. One of the …

Education For Sustainable Development Competencies In A Community-Engaged Art Workshop, Amy J. Schmierbach

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Arts participation can expand empathy and cognitive growth capacity while creating a social bond and communal meaning (McCarthy et al., 2004). As an art instructor for over twenty years, I have witnessed the bonds that can be created through collaborative art experiences. These bonds are nurtured from a space of equity and inclusion. Teaching a community-engaged art course can bring these qualities into the community, allowing university students to use their art skills in real-world applications to impact society through experiential learning art practices. Making art with others will enable us to help others build empathy and social bonds that …

Assessing Parent And Guardian Outcomes For The Be Epic, Escape The Vape Program In Rural Southeast Utah, Ashley C. Yaugher, Christina Pay, Josie Hatch, Cris Meier

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Be Epic is a multi-component youth vape prevention program for rural youth, teachers, and parents. Annual parent/guardian events provide vape prevention education during a single session. Evaluation results showed that the program led to an increase in parents' knowledge and intention to talk with their youth about e-cigarettes.

Strategies To Recruit And Retain The Rural School Mental Health Workforce, Elaine S. Belansky, Liliana Diaz Solodukhin, Anna Edelman, Savannah Hobbs, Cynthia Hazel, Nicholas Cutforth

The Rural Educator

The United States is experiencing a teacher shortage crisis that is even more pronounced in rural communities. Teachers may be driven away from the profession if they feel inadequately trained or under-supported to address students’ mental health needs. As such, an important teacher retention strategy is to ensure schools have enough mental health professionals. The goal of this study was to explore three different yet complementary strategies to recruit and retain a robust rural school mental health workforce: a rural immersion program for graduate students enrolled in counseling and school psychology programs, a virtual professional development series for existing rural …

Addressing The Rural Youth Mental Health Crisis Through Youth Mental Health First Aid, Rawn Boulden, Christine Schimmel

The Rural Educator

This promising practice describes a statewide effort to address the surging youth mental health crisis through the provision of Youth Mental Health First Aid trainings in West Virginia Public Schools. Youth Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based training for adults who work with youth. This interactive training increases participants’ awareness of signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, adolescent development, the prevalence of mental health challenges among youth, and the steps they should take to ensure students with mental health challenges receive timely referral to mental health professionals. This intervention has proven highly effective in rural schools in West …

Rural, Poor And Working-Class Student Postsecondary Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Policy Lessons Learned For Supporting Future College Success, Ty C. Mcnamee, Sonja Ardoin, Jenay F.E. Willis

The Rural Educator

In this policy brief, we use research findings to illuminate experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic of U.S. rural college students from poor and working-class backgrounds. We offer institutional, state, and federal policy lessons gleaned from such experiences. We show how rural, poor and working-class students’ higher education success was impacted by COVID-19 and how the pandemic highlighted and exacerbated existing systemic geographic and social class barriers faced by such students pursuing college. In turn, we hope postsecondary policymakers at the institutional, state, and federal levels can learn from these experiences to better support rural, poor, and working-class students in the …

“It's The Commonwealth's Attempt To Censor . . . What We Teach”: Anti-Lgbtqia2s+ Educational Policy Influences On Rural Secondary Ela Teacher Practices, Josh Thompson, Clint Whitten, Karin Kaerwer

Virginia English Journal

The shift in political landscape in Virginia from former Democratic Governor Ralph Northam to current Republican Governor Glen Youngkin influenced educational policies in the commonwealth. Waving the banner of parental rights, the Youngkin administration began targeting LGBTQIA2S+ students and educators through legislation and policies such as SB 656 and Model Policies on Ensuring Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools. To understand the influence on rural school districts, this study asked how rural secondary English Language Arts educators understand and respond to these anti-LGBTQIA2S+ policies as well as the ways in which those educators …

Seasons Of Learning: Rural Indigenous Teacher Preparation, Dani O'Brien, Josh Montgomery, Bezhigogaabawiikwe Hunter, Niizhoobinesiikwe Howes, Waasegiizhigookwe Rosie Gonzalez, Manidoo Makwe Ikwe, Kevin Zak

The Rural Educator

We, four teachers in Ojibwe or majority-Ojibwe schools and three teachers in teacher preparation at a small ecologically focused liberal arts college, tell stories to reorient ourselves, centering place in ways accessible to our emerging practice. In these narratives, anchored in the seasons, we describe our challenges and successes in adapting education programs to better evoke the lifeways that predominate in our shared part of rural northern Wisconsin immersed in the lands of the Ojibwe. We relied on experiences, both ours and of Ojibwe learners, to illuminate the rhythms of our place and the seasons of learning defined by boreal …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 7, Issue 2, Fall 2023

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Fall 2023 issue (Volume 7, Issue 2) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Fall 2023 issue presents research and guidance on topics related to educational adaptation. The first article by C. Farrell describes an adaptation of the interteaching method to the hybrid delivery method. The second article by C. C. Loose and R. Jagielo-Manion describes a study of modules on personalized learning to preservice teachers and its impact on their comfort level and preparation to implement personalized learning in their classrooms. The third article by B. …

Reflections On Rurality In The Classroom: Connecting To Curriculum Through Place, Chea Parton

New Jersey English Journal

In this essay, I reflect on place-salient moments of my education career - one as a rural learner and the other as a rural teacher - to think about how rurality and where I came from affected my teaching and learning in rural classrooms.

The Big Sky Five: A Statewide Effort To Increase Teacher Preparedness For Inclusive Classrooms, Trent Atkins, Estee Aiken, Jayne Downey

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

The purpose of this paper is to describe a state-wide process used to determine which Teaching Works High Leverage Practices (Ball, 2016) pre-service teachers could be expected to implement at a proficient level by the completion of their preparation program (Initial HLPs), followed by two sets of high leverage practices novice teachers could master during their induction years (Induction and Expert HLPs) (Ball & Forzani, 2011; McLeskey & Brownell, 2015). Data were collected from a wide variety of stakeholders, including K-12 teachers, administrators, and educator preparation program faculty from across the state (N=203). Findings identified five High Leverage Practices that …

Impact Of An Opioid Harm Reduction Consortium: Emergency And Justice Engagement, Maren Wright Wright Voss, Gabriele Ciciurkaite, Matthew Huntington, Melissa Flint, Emily Hamilton, Jennifer Peatross

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah State University Extension engaged first responders and law enforcement officials in a consortium to identify local needs related to opioid use disorder (OUD). To this end, the Tooele Opioid Response Network (TORN) conducted three first-responder harm reduction summits to meet local overdose prevention needs. The initiative trained over 200 personnel, which resulted in an 87.5% increase in knowledge related to harm reduction. TORN also facilitated the acquisition of $90,000 in funding for jail-based opioid medication and the disbursement of 400 naloxone kits and training to incarcerated persons at discharge.

The Race, Social Class, And Place-Based Gap In Rural Turnaround Policy: A Policy Brief, Karynecia E. Conner

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Abstract: For teachers, leaders, and policymakers To understand the factors that contribute to the successful implementation of rural school turnaround, there is a need to understand how turnaround leadership implements school improvement in different types of communities of color (Wright, 2019). Studies examining the implications of school turnaround in minoritized educational contexts have solely examined urban school contexts to exclude rural contexts (Mette & Stanoch, 2018). Rural schools of color undergoing turnaround face the fundamental unique educational challenges of rural schools and the education debt that has accumulated over time for people of color (Ladson-Billings, 2006). There is a greater …

Viewing Rural, Rurality, And Ruralities As Social Constructs: An Author Interview And Book Review Of Teaching English In Rural Communities, Jordan Parker

The Montana English Journal

"Teaching English in Rural Communities: Toward a Critical Rural English Pedagogy" by Robert Petrone and Allison Wynhoff Olsen provides insights and practical strategies for teachers working in rural areas, where they often face unique challenges such as limited resources and cultural differences. This book provides a lens of criticality through the critiques and celebrations of rural living. This article opens with reviews of Critical Rural English Pedagogy and the chapters in the book. After the review, there are highlights of the exclusive interview with Petrone and Wynhoff Olsen as they relate their personal experiences and reflections on teaching in rural …

The Impact Of Usu Extension On Building Vibrant Communities, Heidi Leblanc

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah consists of many rural counties spread out over vast areas of land, and only a few urban counties in centralized locations. As a result, there is an increasing disparity in economic opportunities for residents in rural counties. Therefore, the aim of the Vibrant Communities program at Utah State University (USU) Extension is to strengthen communities across Utah through facilitated community-focused coalitions and partnerships, entrepreneurship education, and strategic initiatives to facilitate economic and social well-being.

Anti-Queer Policy & Rural Schools: A Framework To Analyze Anti-Queer Policy Implementation In Rural Schools, Clint Whitten, Courtney Thomas

The Rural Educator

No abstract provided.

Positive Influences On Why They Stay: A Qualitative Study On The Contributing Factors To Teacher Retention In Rural North Dakota, Jennifer Jung

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

In the United States, a considerable amount of educators leave the field within the first five years of employment. Midwestern rural schools experience a slightly higher turnover percentage than do their urban counterparts. Due to this shortage of teachers, many districts have employed strategies to recruit and retain effective teachers. Although many studies focus on the reasons teachers exit the profession, this study identifies the positive factors of why teachers remain in a rural North Dakota school. This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach which generated common themes among long-staying teachers in a rural district. Both the social constructivism and …

Rural Superintendent Turnover In Challenging Times: A Review Of The Literature, Sarah J. Zuckerman, Michael Teahon, Jeanne L. Surface, Ann T. Mausbach Dr., Kevin M. Riley

The Rural Educator

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown a light on structural problems in education. Changing conditions, policy recommendations, and pressure from local communities have caused strain among educators and administrators across the nation. For rural districts already strained by shortages of teachers and administrators, the pandemic particularly raised alarms about the potential for accelerating superintendent turnover. By examining the superintendent turnover literature through the lens of district leadership roles and critical leadership of place, this review can support research to address superintendent turnover, provide guidance for preparation programs that aim to reduce the instability of rural district leadership, and the preparation of …

Non-Governmental Organization/Non-Profit Organization Impact On Education Policy In Ghana, Sarah Ayikai Okine

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Non-Governmental Organizations/Nonprofit Organizations (NGOs/NPOs) are progressively becoming an essential source for government agencies in education worldwide. Developing countries such as Ghana have opened the way through regulations and policies for NGOs/NPOs to contribute to the educational system. Nevertheless, perceived threats and confrontations hinder their ability to support the Ministry of Education (MoE) and partner leaders to fulfill their duties in assisting the government in realizing comprehensive universal primary education. This qualitative case study responded to stakeholders’ perceptions of NGOs/NPOs influence on Ghana’s educational system to better comprehend the dynamic and power of NGOs/NPOs on education in Ghana’s rural communities. The …

Action Civics In Rural Communities, Karon N. Lecompte Ph.D., Kevin Magill, Brooke Blevins, Kenley Ritter, Tori Smith, Nate Scholten, Michelle Bauml

The Rural Educator

We used an action civics curriculum and conducted a qualitative analysis of two fifth-grade classrooms in a rural setting called Green Independent School District (pseudonym). We organized the curriculum into a week-long study whereby we conducted interviews, collected student work, and analyzed teacher and student data. We focused on Baiocchi et al.'s (2014) concept of the civic imagination to analyze rural students' beliefs about themselves as citizens as they engaged in an action civics inquiry model of learning. Three primary findings emerged from our data; an emphasis on solidarity by citizens in the community, student use of problem-solving through civic …

Book Review Of Rural Education In America: What Works For Our Students, Teachers, And Communities, By Geoff Marietta And Sky Marietta, Clifford Davis Jr.

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Marietta, G., & Marietta, S. (2020). Rural education in America: What works for our students, teachers, and communities. Harvard Education Press.

This review evaluates Geoff and Sky Marietta’s book, Rural Education in America: What Works for Our Students, Teachers, and Communities. As parents, community members, practitioners, and academics, the writers have a unique perspective on rural education. In this book, they seek to dispel the myth of the rural monolith of white poverty and social conservatism, arguing that rural communities and their challenges are far more complex and diverse than is presently reflected in the literature. This review …

Factors That Affect School Counselor Retention In Rural Settings-An Exploratory Study, Rawn Boulden, Chris Schimmel

The Rural Educator

Teacher attrition is a well-known issue impacting K-12 schools in the United States. Sizeable research exists highlighting noteworthy factors that promote retention and attrition. However, scant research exists describing these factors within the context of school counselors working in rural settings. Considering this gap, we employed an inductive phenomenological approach to learn more about key attrition and retention factors, utilizing a sample of five rural school counselors employed in rural locales throughout the United States. Two overarching categories were identified: (a) school-based factors and (b) school community factors. Limitations and implications for rural school districts and counselor preparation programs are …

Telemedicine And Healthcare Implications For Central Virginia: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Patricia A. Lynch, Charletta H. Barringer-Brown, Daniel N. Brown, Taneisha D. Brown

Journal of Research Initiatives

Background: Uncertainties and challenges associated with COVID-19 have affected the efficient delivery of health care in Central Virginia. Integrating and redesigning health systems could boost the quality and efficiency of care delivery. Telemedicine has been suggested as a viable solution to increase virtual access to patient advocacy healthcare education and training programs and has the potential to help facilitate the delivery of health services to rural and remote areas. It is projected that access to quality telehealth services can minimize the need for in-person hospital visitation amid the pandemic. The innovation also facilitates remote assessment of patients and monitoring of …

Keep Rural Schools Open: Position And Policy, Emily Norman

Online Journal of Rural Research & Policy

Rural schools are a central pillar in the communities in which they belong. They offer not only education for the community’s youth, but serve as a community space, educational location for all community members, and enhance new generations’ understanding of local history and current events. The schools ensure that education is accessible to everyone in the community by avoiding long commutes, employing numerous locals, and having smaller class sizes to better cater to individual student needs. While there are benefits to closing schools, often ones of financial nature, the loss of these schools is felt deeply within rural communities. There …

Systemic Approaches For Professional Development On Diverse Learners In Rural Communities, Elizabeth Thorne Wallington, Adrienne Johnson

Educational Considerations

While rural communities are not monolithic, many have seen recent shifts in demographics from historically homogenous populations to more racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse residents (e.g. Sharp & Lee, 2017; Brenner, 2016). Without clear systems for addressing such changes, reactionary policies to address the accompanying conflict can establish marginalized communities, deficit-based perspectives, and structural inequities (Lee & Sharp, 2017). As an alternative approach, this paper outlines promising practices for systemic approaches to addressing the ongoing professional development needs for teachers in rural communities who are supporting students from increasingly diverse backgrounds. These practices provide the support and professional development that …

Revisiting Rural Education Access, Elizabeth Wargo, Ian Hoke

Educational Considerations

Drawing on a contemporary construction of rurality, which acknowledges rural education amplified by technology, we capture two examples where online mathematics resources were used in a rural middle school setting. As such we examine issues and consider rural education access as it is changed with technology towards a more nuanced understanding of rural contexts necessary to inform future rural education policy, practice, and research.

Understanding The Priorities And Practices Of Rural Science Teachers: Implications For Designing Professional Learning, Kerri Wingert, Jennifer Jacobs, William Lindsay, Abraham S. Lo, Cari F. Herrmann-Abell, William R. Penuel

The Rural Educator

In order to design professional learning that supports rural science teachers to effectively implement standards-based “five-dimensional” (5D) instructional and assessment practices, a critical first step is to elicit their perspectives, prior experiences, concerns, and interests. Based on survey data from 87 rural science teachers in Colorado, along with focus group sessions with 18 of those teachers, this article investigates teachers’ perspectives on what makes rural science teaching unique, the degree to which they use 5D science instruction, their curricular and assessment resources, and their professional learning experiences and preferences. Overall, rural science teachers in Colorado reported using rich practices for …

The 2020-2021 Whippoorwill Award: Redefining And Reconsidering What Counts As Rural Ya Literature, Kate E. Kedley, Devon Brenner, Chea L. Parton, Karen Eppley, Nick Kleese, Jennifer Sanders, Stephanie Short

The Rural Educator

No abstract provided.

Why Teachers Remain Teaching In Rural Districts: Listening To The Voices From The Field, Nancy L. Leech, Carolyn A. Haug, Eleanor Rodriguez, Molly Gold

The Rural Educator

Retaining teachers is a problem in all districts but is especially difficult in rural areas. This survey research asked teachers in a western state to respond to open ended questions regarding their choice for teaching in a rural or urban area. Results indicate teachers work in a rural locale because they grew up in the area, already lived there as an adult, and/or had a spouse/partner with a job in the area. Both rural and non-rural teachers cited the importance of a positive school environment with supportive administrators and good working conditions. Teachers stated inadequate working conditions at school affected …

The Impact Of Racial Trauma: A Crucial Conversation In Rural Education, Tameka O. Grimes, Shannon K. Roosma

The Rural Educator

Coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting global health crisis, George Floyd's murder was broadcast on social media and popular news (The Marshall Project, 2021). While COVID-19 reports demonstrated the ways Communities of Color and rural communities were disproportionately disadvantaged in the U.S. healthcare system (Artiga et al., 2020; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021; Dandachi et al., 2021; Fortuna et al., 2020), marches and rallies for Black Lives Matter became emblematic of social discord and civic demand for social justice to upend a racist law enforcement and judicial system (Rickford, 2016). These recent examples of systemic racism …