Resilience enables innovation: Understanding the psychological pathways and temporal dynamics of innovative teaching in rural schools

Aesthetic education is an important part of the overall development of students. This study analyzes the number of rural schools and enrollment, number of classes, and number of full-time teachers in those schools from 2013 to 2022, and clarifies the current challenges in aesthetic education in rural elementary schools and the path of quality improvement. It then constructs a curriculum cluster model that shares resources, teachers, management, instructional design, and practical activities, etc. The results find that (1) the number of rural primary schools in 2013-2022 shows a decreasing trend, and in 2022 there was a 45.77% decrease relative to 2013. The number of rural elementary schools in 2022 shows a decreasing trend, and the relative decrease in 2022 compared with 2013 is 45.77%. From 2013 to 2022, the number of elementary schools in rural areas was more than 50% of the total number of elementary schools. Rural elementary schools in China are scattered, the distribution rate of aesthetic education resources is low, and it is difficult to popularize high-quality aesthetic education resources. (2) The number of classes in China's rural elementary schools decreased 30.28% from 1.139 million in 2013 to 788,000 in 2022. The small size of rural schools, small number of teaching classes, and small number of students lead to less investment in resources for schools to offer aesthetic education, and the integration of collective public art courses cannot be realized. (3) Using the model of a "two-dimensional aesthetic education curriculum cluster," we can improve the high-quality development of aesthetic education in rural schools. (4) The design path of the aesthetic education curriculum clusters focuses on the implementation and implantation of teaching objectives, teaching design and teaching process by grade, and links interest activities, nature and social observation activities, etc. Organically with aesthetic education. This study can thereby an effective path for the improvement of the quality of aesthetic education in rural elementary schools and the high-quality development of aesthetic education in rural schools.

Background/Context Policy makers and scholars have long called for the large-scale recruitment of teachers of color, partly based on evidence highlighting the positive effects of racial/ethnic matching between students and teachers of color on various student experiences and achievements. A more nuanced understanding of racial/ethnic matching effects moderated by contextual factors may help policy makers’ and administrators’ assignment decisions on how to consider student and teacher race/ethnicity. Purpose/Objective/Research Question This study examined the contextualized effects of racial/ethnic matching between high school students and teachers, focusing on the urbanicity of schools in the United States, by asking two main research questions: (1) What are the associations between the racial/ethnic matching of students and teachers, and students’ math achievement and self-efficacy in the United States overall? (2) What are the associations among racial/ethnic matching, math achievement, and math self-efficacy in urban schools, and do these patterns differ for suburban and rural schools? Research Design This study used restricted-use national longitudinal data provided by the NCES High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. A strategy of disaggregating data by schools’ urbanicity and three separate analyses with fixed-effect models for each urbanicity (urban, suburban, and rural) was followed to capture the variations across different schools’ urbanicity and to obtain unbiased estimates of racial/ethnic matching effects. Findings/Results Relatively lower percentages of Black, Hispanic, and Asian students were matched with their same-race/ethnicity math teachers compared with White students in all communities. This study found no supporting evidence for positive associations between racial/ethnic matching and math achievement scores and self-efficacy without considering urbanicity. Within the context of urbanicity, positive associations for math achievement were mainly found in the racial/ethnic matching of Black and Asian students taught by same-race/ethnicity teachers in suburban schools. Conversely, the racial/ethnic matching among Asian students and teachers in rural schools was significantly and negatively associated with both math achievement and self-efficacy. Conclusions/Recommendations By focusing specifically on schools’ urbanicity contexts, policy makers and education leaders should consider the relatively lower percentage of racial/ethnic matching between Black students and teachers in urban and suburban schools, and Hispanic students and teachers in urban and rural schools. As rural Asian populations grow and diversify, Asian teachers from diverse cultural backgrounds are urgently needed in these communities. Contextualized policy solutions that consider school environments and cultural differences and that challenge the one-size-fits-all approach will ultimately better address the specific and diverse needs of students of color living in different communities across the United States.

This chapter explores the plotlines of resilience as narrated by three early career teachers (ECTs) in rural schools and the deliberation process they undertook in response to their key challenges. Regular online reflections about their transition into rural teaching were collected through www.goingok.org, a digital tool (see Gibson A, Willis J, Morrison C, Crosswell L, Not losing the plot: creating, collecting and curating qualitative data through a web-based application. In The Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA) 2013 Conference, July 2013, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD. (Unpublished), 2013). Drawing on a transactional-ecological theory of resilience, the qualitative analysis was informed by current literature (see Day C, Gu Q, Resilient teachers, resilient schools: Building and sustaining quality in testing times. Routledge, Oxon, 2014; Mansfield CF, Beltman S, Broadley T, Weatherby-Fell N. Teach Teach Educ 54:77–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.11.016, 2016) that highlights the dynamic and ongoing process of interaction between the contextual and personal factors. The analysis was also informed by Archer’s (2000) theories of social realism that enables the interplay between the personal powers of humans to act (PEPs), the affordances and constraints of the structural-material (SEPs) and cultural-discursive systems (CEPs). Rather than focusing solely on the capacities of individual ECTs, or structural and cultural conditions, together the transactional-ecological theories of resilience and Archer’s theoretical concepts enable a more nuanced analysis of the transition experiences for these rural ECTs. The data suggest the ECTs relied heavily on their available personal resources (PEPs) to maintain their resilience; however in doing so, they experienced strong fluctuations as they navigated the constant uncertainty inherent in the first year of teaching as well as the tensions of settling into a small rural community. Furthermore, the researchers recognised that these highly agentic early career teachers were seeking greater access to structural and cultural opportunities (SEPs and CEPs) within their resilience ecologies to affirm their own experiences, expectations and practice with colleagues and school leaders. The findings have implications for initial teacher preparation programs, school leadership and policy development in regard to retaining quality teachers in rural and remote schools.

The aim of the paper is to reveal the challenges of implementation of inclusive education in typical rural schools of Ukraine. The authors performed empirical research to identify attitudes of rural school teachers towards inclusive education as well as their understanding of existing barriers and priorities to improve the quality of educational services for students with special educational needs (SEN). To achieve the aim of the research, the following methods have been used: reviewing of psychological and pedagogical literature, questionnaire surveys, quantitative and qualitative analysis of the obtained data. The outlined problem has been theoretically analyzed and the peculiarities and difficulties of teaching students with special educational needs in rural areas have been substantiated. The paper describes survey responses of teachers involved in the inclusive process in rural schools. 192 representatives of different age categories and regions of Ukraine participated in this empirical study. The paper explores questions of effective management of rural schools, professional cooperation in a team of psychological and pedagogical support of students with special educational needs, promotion of inclusive practices via information and communication technologies (ICT) and STEAM-laboratories, cooperation within local communities, introduction of universal design for learning and others. Prospects for the development of rural inclusive schools in current conditions of digitalization of education also have been identified.

Embedded cultivation is a major measure for local universities to address the shortage of professional capital for normal students to teach in rural schools. Based on the survey data of 11,882 local college normal students in five provinces, the research investigated whether embedded cultivation enhances the willingness of local normal university students to teach in rural schools. The research has found that there is a moderate positive correlation between the form, content, and methods of embedded cultivation and the willingness of normal students to teach in rural schools. However, in contrast, bidirectional, transformative, and continuous embedding, acquiring the norms and values of rural teachers, and developing professional competencies in rural education are more important. With the increase in the intensity of embedded cultivation, it has enhanced the willingness of normal students to teach in rural schools, but not all embedded cultivation content has played a positive role. Only formal embedding, developing professional competencies in rural education, and bidirectional embedding can play a positive guiding role. To enhance the willingness of normal students to teach in rural schools, we should strengthen the bidirectional nature of embedded cultivation and enhance the professional matching between normal school students and rural schools; fully implement embedded content to enhance the intrinsic motivation of normal students to teach in rural schools; adopt a multi-dimensional intervention approach to guide normal students to have a correct understanding of teaching in rural schools.

At present, with the rapid development of biology, the national basic education also pays more and more attention to the biology curriculum, updates the educational concept, and implements the curriculum reform, which has significantly improved the quality of biology teaching in middle school. However, due to the uneven distribution of educational resources between urban and rural areas, there is still a big gap in biology teaching between rural and urban areas. This paper mainly analyzes the main problems of biology teaching in rural middle schools through literature research and combined with the current teaching situation of several rural middle schools in Henan Province. The results show that the problems existing in biology teaching in rural middle schools mainly focus on three aspects: teachers, biology experiment teaching, and the development and utilization of biology curriculum resources. This paper aims to investigate and study the main problems existing in biology teaching in rural middle schools, and then put forward targeted development countermeasures to improve the quality of biology teaching in rural middle schools and narrow the teaching gap between urban and rural areas. Such as strengthening the construction of biology teachers and promoting teachers’ professional development, changing the concept of biological experiments,s and strengthening the construction of laboratories, on the basis of making full use of school resources, vigorously developing natural resources, and network resources. The number of rural middle schools in China is huge and the teaching situation is complex. Therefore, this study is not comprehensive. It is the problem of most rural schools, not all schools. Rural education is the weak point of Chinese education, and biology teaching is the weak point of rural education. Analyzing the existing main problems of biology teaching in rural middle schools and putting forward development countermeasures can not only enrich the theoretical research of rural education, but also provide reference for the teaching practice of rural teachers.

Knowledge and attitude of school teachers with regard to seizure disorder has an important impact on continuation of schooling of children with seizure disorder. Though school teachers in both rural and urban settings are exposed to the same training, their perception of seizure disorder could be influenced by the environment in which they reside. To determine the knowledge and attitudes of school teachers towards children with seizure disorder, and the influence of urban residence on perception of seizure disorder by the teachers. A self-administered questionnaire on knowledge and attitudes to seizure disorder were filled by school teachers drawn from both urban and rural settings in Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria. One-hundred and thirty-two urban school teachers and an equal number of their rural counterparts completed the questionnaire. There were significantly more female teachers in the urban schools whereas the rural schools were dominated by male teachers with male to female ratio of 1:5.6 and 1.2:1, respectively. Majority of the urban (60.6%) and rural (57.6%) school teachers were National Certificate of Education holders. Thirty-eight (28.8%) of urban respondents versus eight (6.1%) of rural respondents thought seizure disorder was caused by evil spirits whereas 60 (45.5%) urban respondents compared to 80 (60.6%) of rural respondents felt seizure disorder was infectious. Majority of the respondents from both urban and rural schools (68.2% and 63.6% respectively) believed that the foam from the mouth of a convulsing child with seizure disorder is the infecting agent. However, 62.1% of urban respondents as well as 45.5% of rural respondents would advise that children with seizure disorder be admitted into special schools. There was no significant difference in the mean overall knowledge and attitudes of school teachers to seizure disorder in the two settings ( P = 0.33 for knowledge and 0.28 for attitudes). Teachers' high level of education however, had a positive influence on their knowledge and attitudes towards children with seizure disorder. School teachers in both urban and rural schools exhibited poor knowledge and negative attitudes towards children with seizure disorder. Residing in the urban setting did not have a positive impact on teachers' perception of seizure disorder. Massive health education on seizure disorder is therefore advocated for teachers in both urban and rural schools.

Why can't rural schools retain young teachers? An analysis of the professional development of rural school teachers in China:Taking teachers in rural western China

The purpose of the article is to explore the importance of teaching resources on the academic achievement of physical science learners in selected rural secondary schools. Qualitative research was undertaken and data were collected from physical sciences teachers, principals and curriculum advisers, through in-depth face-to-face interviews. A multiple-case study design was used and the Activity Theory acts as a theoretical lens, offering a broad approach to analysing the availability of instructional resources and the context of teaching and learning in rural secondary schools. The study revealed three important aspects: resource availability, the quality of textbooks and the value of information, communication and technology (ICT). The availability and quality of resources were found to impact the effectiveness of science teaching in rural schools significantly. The resources make it possible for learners to do practical work, which could contribute to comprehension and possibly improve learner's performance. It is therefore recommended that the Department of Basic Education should address interlocking frameworks for change that include, providing Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) aligned textbooks, well-equipped laboratories, use of ICT and develop teachers’ skills and knowledge in rural secondary schools.

Inequalities in terms of access, retention and completion compromise the provision of quality education in rural schools. Like other developing countries in Africa, South Africa’s rural communities remain disadvantaged compared to their counterparts in urban areas. The achievement of the goals set for 2015 by the millennium declaration – and especially, poverty reduction, food security, universal primary education and gender equity require special efforts in rural areas such as the use of multi-grade education. Multi-grade education is recognised as the viable option for promoting access to basic education for disadvantaged children, especially those living in rural areas. The study investigates the challenges faced by multi-grade teachers in rural South African schools. The study employs a descriptive qualitative case study design. Participants in this study were multi-grade teachers in a rural school. Data collection were done using semi-structured interviews. Two teachers were purposefully selected to participate in this small-scale study. Collected data were analysed qualitatively using themes. The key findings in this study indicate that teachers found teaching in a multi-grade context challenging and difficult. The study also showed that teachers have a negative attitude towards multi-grade teaching. Furthermore, there is no specific training provided for teachers teaching multi-grade classes. The article highlights the need for in-service training and on-going support for teachers in multi-grade schools for the provision of quality education. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n1p531

Differences in the autonomic nervous system stress status of urban and rural school teachers

Introduction. The scientific relevance and social significance of the mental burnout are determined by the maladaptive nature of its manifestations, which have a negative impact on the effectiveness of the professional activity of specialists. At the same time in the scientific field there is a deficit of research revealing the mechanisms of influence of specific conditions of pedagogical activity realization on its efficiency and presenting the consequences of this influence. Objective. To study mental burnout in school teachers working in rural areas. Materials and Methods. The study participants were 184 teachers from schools in the districts of the city of Zabaikalski Krai and Chita. In the process of forming the sample, the questionnaire survey was used, based on the results of which two groups were formed: the first group included 56 teachers from rural schools, and the second group consisted of 58 teachers from city schools. At the stage of empirical research, we used the method of psychodiagnostic testing, which included the method of professional burnout by K. Maslach and S. Jackson in adaptation of N. E. Vodopyanova and V. V. Boyko’s method of diagnosing emotional burnout. The non-parametric criterion of reliability of differences U Mann-Whitney was used in processing the results of the study. Results. It was found that the frequency of occurrence and the degree of severity of mental burnout manifestations are lower in rural school teachers compared to urban school teachers. The dynamics of symptoms in this group is characterized by earlier stages of development and the emerging nature of symptoms, and there is a qualitative peculiarity of the general structure of mental burnout, manifested in the dominance of certain symptoms and the nature of their completeness. Discussion. The analysis of the empirical research results allows us to speak about the peculiarities of mental burnout concerning its frequency of occurrence, degree of expression, and qualitative uniqueness in rural and urban school teachers. The results of the study indicate higher adaptive capabilities of rural school teachers in relation to the development of mental burnout and allow us to outline an effective direction of appropriate preventive work.

The provision of basic education for all children in South African rural schools is regulated and guided by South African education law, policies and plans. These regulating and guiding documents provide for a provision of education that promotes social justice. Social justice in education refers to a commitment to challenging social, cultural and economic inequalities imposed on individuals from any differential distribution of power, resources and privilege. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is responsible for implementing the applicable law, policies and plans to provide education and promote social justice in approximately 11,252 schools in rural areas across the country. Social justice consolidates the rights of every person in the country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom (Section 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996). The current incidents regarding the violation of human rights in rural schools are against the promotion of human rights provided by Chapter 2 (Bill of Rights) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. The following five research questions are addressed using legal, policy, and academic documents and plans analysed through document analysis: How is social justice promoted through meaningful access to education in rural schools? How does educational inequality affect rural education? How do the factors such as religion, politics, socio-economic affairs and culture influence rural education? How do class, race, gender and LGBTQ status affect rural education? How are digital access and equity promoted in rural schools? This chapter is underpinned by the theory of social justice as developed by Robert Nozick (Nozick, 1974) and John Rawls (Rawls, 1999). It provides recommendations on how social justice can be promoted in rural schools of South Africa. The main finding is that the State has had some achievements, but a lot still needs to be done in the provision of basic education in rural public schools. The main recommendation is that the State should effectively use the applicable law, policies and plans to promote social justice in rural communities and schools.

Teacher training institutions, have to date, paid little or no attention to train teachers to teach in rural schools. This paper examines what needs to be done by teacher training institutions in South Africa to address the issue. Pre-service teachers following the Bachelor of Education programme at a South African university were interviewed to ascertain what needs to be done in order to address the professional needs of pre-service teachers to teach in rural schools? The data indicated that pre-service teacher were not given the opportunity to be exposed to teaching in rural schools during their teaching practice and the curriculum content of the Bachelor of Education degree did not include aspects that relate to aspects of rural teaching, making it difficult for rural schools to retain teachers. Based on the findings the following recommendations are made: modules that have a specific focus on teaching in rural schools be included in the curriculum and that every student is required to spend at least one practice teaching session in the course of the Bachelor of Education programme in a rural school. Education faculties must ensure that they have staff members who have experience in teaching at rural schools to teach the modules that relate to rural teaching. It is also recommended that incentives be offered to teachers who teach in rural schools. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1795

Sexuality education in rural South African schools encounters significant challenges, including limited resources, socio-cultural barriers, and lack of contextual relevance. This study explored culturally relevant, contextualised approaches to delivering sexuality education in rural schools using a qualitative design. Data were collected using participatory action research during a three-day workshop with 19 educators from the Soutpansberg North Circuit in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The workshop, guided by the UN Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education and the training cycle competency framework, sought to facilitate open dialogue and interactive engagement. Group discussions were documented using flip charts, photographs, and audiovisual recordings. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Three main themes were developed: educators’ learning needs; barriers to effective sexuality education; and strategies for delivering contextually and culturally relevant instruction. Findings highlight the importance of empowering educators with context-sensitive approaches to sexuality education to bridge the gap between formal curricula and the everyday experiences and realities of rural learners.