Rural Schools Research Articles

Preparing Future Special Education Faculty for Service in Rural Communities

In this program description, the authors explain how a doctoral-level embedded service-learning opportunity, part of Project PURPLE (Preparing Urban and Rural Personnel as Leaders in Education), a collaborative personnel preparation training program, taught future faculty to meet the needs of urban and rural schools in high-need settings. The collaboration between two large institutions in the same state offered scholars a unique opportunity to engage in teaching, research, and service across institutions. For the service-learning project, teams of cross-institution scholars partnered with consultants from a regional special education cooperative that provides technical assistance to a large rural geographical area. Eleven scholars completed seven diverse service projects, ranging from training education professionals to engaging caregivers. This description discusses these projects, along with the benefits to the scholars and the regional cooperative. It also explores implications for practice for future personnel preparation collaborations and possible avenues for future research.

Initial teacher education is not the problem: retaining teachers in regional, rural, and remote schools

ABSTRACT This abstract presents an analysis of federal policies concerning rural, regional, and remote (RRR) teaching, focusing on initial teacher education and teaching quality within these areas. The study utilises Bacchi’s ‘What’s the Problem Represented to Be?’ (WPR) approach to interrogate the framing of RRR teaching issues within policy discourse. Through a comprehensive review of two federal policies, this analysis explores how the design and implementation of teacher education programmes are placed to address the challenges in providing quality education in RRR areas. We underscore the importance of critically examining policy representations to better understand and address the complex issues surrounding RRR teachers and teaching.

Consciouness and Practice of Personal Hygiene among the High School Students of a Rural Area in Chattogram

Backround: Good health is a sign of a country's economic well-being. Personal hygiene should be maintained first and foremost for high accuracy in work, low disease suffering and disease prevention. Maintaining good hygiene is crucial because it can prevent many infectious diseases. Personal hygiene habits may have developed during childhood. Children in school are especially prone to disregarding basic personal hygiene.This study was conducted to assess the consciousness and practice of personal hygiene among the students of a rural high school in Chattogram. Materials and methods: It was a descriptive type of cross-sectionalstudy and data were collected from 314 students of Guman Mardan Pashkarhut High School in Hathazari Upazila, Chattogram from August to October 2023 by interviewer administrative questionnaire. Results: Among the respondents, most of them 141(45%) were in the age group 11-12 years. About 207 (66%) were girls and 302(96%) were Muslims. Maximum 172 (54.8%) respondents were from class VII and class 8 and 36.5% were from lower middle class. About 241(77%) heard about the term personal hygiene and maximum students, 152(63.1%) heard it from school. Most of the students 241(77%) had idea on basic requirement of personal hygiene. It was found that maximum respondents 300 (96%) know about the importance of handwashing. Among all students, 73% brush twice daily, about 307(97.77%) take shower daily in summer and 302 (96%) practiced in winter, 293 (93.31%) used a towel of their own. During tiffin time, 211(67.20%) had taken home made food. Conclusion: As most of the children neglect maintenance of personal hygiene, so their habit should be changed. It should be practiced from early childhood to lead a healthy, disease-free productive life. IAHS Medical Journal Vol 6(2), December 2023; 24-30

Examining the Acceptability of Helminth Education Packages "Magic Glasses Lower Mekong" and "Magic Glasses Opisthorchiasis" and Their Impact on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Schoolchildren in the Lower Mekong Basin: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Helminths are a major global health issue, impacting health, educational, and socioeconomic outcomes. Infections, often starting in childhood, are linked to anemia, malnutrition, cognitive deficit, and in chronic cases of Opisthorchis viverrini (OV), cholangiocarcinoma. The main control strategy for helminth infection is mass drug administration; however, this does not prevent reinfection. As such, prevention strategies are needed. The "Magic Glasses" is a school-based cartoon health education package that has demonstrated success in improving knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surrounding soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in China and the Philippines. This study is designed to assess the acceptability and impact of the 2 new versions of the Magic Glasses targeting STH and OV designed for the Lower Mekong audience in Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), and Thailand. The objective of this study is to evaluate the acceptability of the "Magic Glasses Lower Mekong" and "Magic Glasses Opisthorchiasis" education packages among schoolchildren in the Lower Mekong Basin, and the impact of these education packages on students' KAP surrounding STH and OV, respectively. Schoolchildren will be recruited into a cluster randomized controlled trial with intervention and control arms in rural schools in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand. Schoolchildren's initial acceptability of the intervention will be evaluated using an adapted questionnaire. Sustained acceptability will be assessed at 9-month follow-up through focus group discussions with students and interviews with teachers. Impact will be evaluated by KAP questionnaires on STH and OV. KAP questionnaires will be administered to children at baseline and at follow-up. Indirect impact on parents' KAP of OV and STH will be assessed through focus group discussions at follow-up. The trial is in progress in Lao PDR and Thailand and is expected to commence in Cambodia in January 2024. The results of the study are expected to be available 18 months from the start of recruitment. We hypothesize that participants enrolled in the intervention arm of the study will have higher KAP scores for STH and OV, compared with the participants in the control arm at follow-up. We expect that students will have initial and sustained acceptability of these intervention packages. This trial will examine the acceptability of the "Magic Glasses Opisthorchiasis" and "Magic Glasses Lower Mekong" interventions and provide evidence on the effectiveness of the "Magic Glasses" on KAP related to OV and STH among schoolchildren in the Lower Mekong Basin. Study results will provide insight on acceptability and impact indicators and inform a scaling up protocol for the "Magic Glasses" education packages in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12623000271606; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=385315&isReview=true. DERR1-10.2196/55290.

Beyond the Horizon: Understanding Rural Secondary School Dropout through Case Studies

Despite numerous initiatives targeted to improve education outcomes, secondary school dropout rates in rural India remain a tenacious challenge. This paper sheds light on the underlying causes of dropout rates in rural areas through a qualitative case study approach. Drawing on in-depth interviews with rural students and their parents, this study examines the interplay of poverty, gender disparities, lack of access to quality education, and social expectations that contribute to students' decisions to leave school. The findings disclose the nuanced and complex ways various dynamics intersect and influence a student's educational trajectory. By exploring the personal, familial, and community factors that shape educational experiences, this study intends to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the dropout phenomenon in rural India. The findings have implications for policymakers, educators, and community leaders seeking operative strategies to address this prominent issue.

Reconciling Modern Engineering Education with the Everyday of Rural Schools and Youths

Reconciling Modern Engineering Education with the Everyday of Rural Schools and Youths

Research on the Mechanism of Occupational Burnout among Rural Primary School Teachers

Occupational burnout is a phenomenon that occurs in the career of primary school teachers, which is very detrimental to their own development and student growth. Through a qualitative study of 15 teachers at L Elementary School, it was found that individual environments are formed by physical condition, age, university background, family situation, work experience, personality traits, and ideal pursuits. Family school cooperation, leadership style, student situation, and teaching reform shape the collective environment. Time allocation, energy allocation, and ability allocation form a sense of professional rhythm, and being trusted, recognized, valuable, and growing form a sense of professional achievement. Among them, the sense of occupational rhythm and occupational achievement directly affect the occupational burnout of rural primary school teachers, while individual and collective environments indirectly affect occupational burnout through the sense of occupational rhythm and occupational achievement. Rural primary school teachers should be guided to rationally view professional burnout, attach importance to career guidance for rural primary school teachers, and further optimize the professional environment for rural primary school teachers.

Climate change education in semiarid and coastal regions of Mexico: towards an inclusive educational program

The study addresses climate change education (CCE) in Mexico’s semiarid and coastal regions, a strategy crucial for community adaptability and resilience. Emphasis is placed on the lack of educational materials adapted to the region and the need for active learning strategies in the school context to promote climate literacy and awareness of the phenomenon. We work with research groups and universities to create a climate change program for young students in underprivileged areas. We used a mixed method to assess the impact on climate change awareness and knowledge in urban and rural schools. The findings showed that concern, pro-environmental behavior, and knowledge about climate change significantly increased after the intervention. However, compared to the group that did not receive the intervention, we observed a decrease in hope related to climate change. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of contextualized and active educational programs in raising awareness of climate change in disadvantaged contexts and highlighting the importance of adding meaningful content to these communities and balancing it with local challenges and solutions.

Geographic Differences in School Success Among Children and Adolescents in the United States.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between rurality and challenges to school success: lack of school engagement, school absenteeism, and repeated grade. Cross-sectional data from the 2020 to 2021 National Survey of Children's Health, children ages 6 to 17 (n = 42,089), was used. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between residence rurality and each outcome of interest. In bivariate analysis, rural children were more likely to have school absenteeism and repeat a school grade. In our adjusted models, there were no differences between rurality and the three measures of school success. Rural and urban children may be vulnerable to different risk factors for school failure. Findings from this study may be used by school nurses and policymakers as they design and implement programs in rural schools.

Developmental Trajectory of Depressive Symptoms among Left-behind Children in Rural China: The Roles of Family Adversity and Personal Growth Initiative.

The adversity faced by left-behind children due to parental migration affects their depressive symptoms, but little is known about the mechanism underlying this association and protective factors from a dynamic perspective. The present study examined the association between family adversity and the developmental trajectory of depressive symptoms, and the potential mediating and moderating role of personal growth initiative in this association among left-behind children. A total of 363 left-behind children (48.8% female; Mage = 12.97 at T1, SDage = 0.55) from five rural middle schools in the Hunan Province of China participated in this three-wave study, employing one-year intervals between assessments. The results indicated the initial level of personal growth initiative mediated the association between family adversity at T1 and the development of depressive symptoms, while the growth rate of personal growth initiative both mediated and moderated this association, with consistent effects across sexes. These findings underscore the critical role of personal growth initiative in the association between family adversity and depressive symptoms among left-behind children.

Self-identification and Racial Preference in Urban and Rural Primary School Children from Southern Peru

Objective: This study aimed to understand the dynamics of self-identification and racial preference in urban and rural primary school children in southern Peru, and to discern the underlying causes of discrimination and racism in these contexts. Materials and Methods: The research adopted a naturalistic paradigm with a qualitative approach and a case study design. Participants included 24 students from urban and rural educational institutions in the southern highlands of Peru. Data was collected using the "Doll Test" questionnaire, based on the original "Doll Test" designed in the 1940s in the USA. Re-sults: The study revealed a concerning trend in students' perceptions of beauty related to the skin color of dolls. Stereotypes were evident in students' perceptions, associating the black doll with "bad" and the white doll with "good". A marked preference was identified for the blonde doll, but a majority identified with the black doll in terms of similarity. Most students anticipated an economically disadvantaged future for the black doll and a privileged one for the blonde doll. Discussion: The findings unveil the palpa-ble presence of racial stereotypes and prejudices in students' perceptions and preferences regarding skin color. This underscores the urgent need to promote a culture of inclusion and respect from childhood and the importance of implementing educational and cultur-al interventions to eradicate these stereotypes.

Teaching the Teachers: Technological Proficiency and Professional Growth in Rural Education

Preparing teachers in small rural schools to effectively integrate technology into their teaching practices is vital for fostering 21st-century skills in students, despite the unique challenges these settings present. To explore the specific challenges and opportunities related to the professional development of teachers in small rural schools, in the context of increasing digitalisation of education. This study employs a systematic review as its research method, aiming to identify, critically evaluate, and synthesize relevant studies that shed light on this context. Teacher education programmes that adeptly incorporate technology, such as mobile devices, into their curricula offer a critical support system not just for urban educators, but importantly for rural teacher candidates who may have limited access to higher education resources. Smartphones and tablets, for instance, can serve as valuable tools for these teachers, allowing them constant and remote access to professional development materials and effective learning resources. The technology also presents an opportunity for iterative learning, where immediate feedback can guide improvements in teaching strategies. Examples include the use of virtual avatars as teaching aids instead of in-person instruction. As the push for digitalisation continues, it is incumbent upon educational institutions to articulate the benefits and returns of such investments, especially in the context of small rural schools where resources may be limited and the challenges distinct. This articulation must be framed in terms that resonate with educators, students, communities, and potential educational funders in these rural contexts.

Grammaticality in Writing Skills of L2 English Learners: Challenges in Pakistani Academic Setting

This study examines how second-language English learners' grammar issues differ in rural and urban Pakistani schools. This study is quasi-experimental. The study uses a quantitative approach and SPSS-analyzed writing test samples. The key findings reveal that pupils struggle to understand complicated syntactic structures like qualifiers, adjectives, adverbs, and adjunct and complement categories, even though they understand subject-verb agreement. Lack of resources and poor language education exacerbate these issues in rural areas. Teachers emphasize the need for the government to improve English grammar education and the necessity for custom learning aids to help rural students with their particular issues in grammar and syntax. Teachers also want enhanced professional development to master advanced grammar teaching methods. Students expressed mixed confidence in their grammatical skills since they were unsure how well they comprehended complex grammar principles. To assist students in comprehending and using grammar rules, the study recommends adding more interactive and relevant grammar assignments to courses and using the process-genre technique. The results also demonstrate the need for teachers to continue to study and have support networks to ensure good language sessions. Policy suggestions include equipping schools, especially rural ones, modifying the curriculum, and funding teacher training. This study enhances Pakistani second language learners' academic and employment prospects by identifying grammar issues and providing writing tips. Thus, it expands ESL instruction.

Migration for school choice: urbanisation and rural social stratification in China

ABSTRACT The peidu trend has become prevalent in rural China in the last decade, with many rural children seen studying in urban schools accompanied by their adult family members in county capitals. Essentially, peidu is a practice of migration for school choice. However, unlike in the international context, this school choice phenomenon in rural China is not driven by marketisation reform, but by a strategy of the local government to achieve urbanisation. Based on questionnaires and interviews, this study reveals that peidu is stratified by family socioeconomic status. As the rural middle and top strata migrate out of the countryside by choosing urban schools for their children, rural schools further deteriorate and children of the most disadvantaged families are left behind in deeper struggles. Similar to school choice effects in other countries, peidu reinforces the rural-urban educational disparities and calls into question the urbanisation strategy in China.

Improving English Teaching Skills: An Online Course for Non-English Major Teachers in Southern Thailand’s Rural Primary Schools

The mixed-methods study addressed the needs and challenges faced by first-grade English teachers in rural primary schools in Southern Thailand (for example, lack of pedagogical training). The study’s primary objectives were to investigate these teachers’ needs and difficulties, develop a 15-hour online pedadgocial training course, and evaluate its effectiveness after the training was completed. The research involved 33 teachers and 153 students and employed various tools, including questionnaires, an online pedagogical training and language course, pre-and post-tests, and semi-structured interviews about the experience. The findings highlighted the importance of training in speaking, vocabulary, materials, games, and communicative language teaching (CLT) for these teachers. Statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) were observed in post-test scores for both teachers and students, indicating the positive impact of the customized online training course on teachers’ English skills and teaching performance and improvement in student learning outcomes.

Fostering an enabling environment for Learners with Special Needs in rural primary schools in Lesotho

Successful inclusion of Learners with Special Educational Needs in mainstream teaching and learning is a challenge globally. This study explores fostering an enabling environment for Learners with Special Educational Needs in rural primary schools in Lesotho. Data for the study were collected using a qualitative approach using a case study design, and analysis was done through Thematic Analysis. Thirteen teachers from two primary schools in the rural community and two officials from the Ministry of Education and Training purposively were selected in Lesotho and participated in this study. Focus group discussions and one-on-one semi-structured interviews were used as instruments for data collection. Thematic results showed that teachers’ inflexibility hindered the creation of an enabling environment in terms of infrastructure and poor allocation of resources, which were critical challenges to support LSEN in their daily teaching and learning activities. The results revealed that not enabling environments and the unavailability of relevant resources increase the number of dropouts in schools among LSEN. The results further revealed that the lack of pertinent training for regular teachers to help special education learners succeed effectively handicapped the education of LSEN in mainstream teaching and learning. Therefore, the study recommends that teachers be given continuous workshops by MoET and in-service training to fill the gaps in special education programmes and produce teachers who can be relevant in inclusive teaching and learning in Lesotho's primary mainstream schools, particularly rural schools.

Exploring teachers' experiences in teaching learners with Dissociative identity disorder at rural schools in the Amajuba district KwaZulu-Natal

This study aims to investigate how Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) affects learners’ academic achievements, engagements, and overall school experience. The objectives were to identify the prevalence of DID among learners in rural KwaZulu-Natal schools, examine the impact of DID on their academic performance, and explore interventions that could support affected learners. The study gained qualitative insight from interviews and focus groups involving learners, teachers, and psychologists. This comprehensive method facilitated a nuanced understanding of DID's effects on learning and academic outcomes. Results indicated a significant correlation between learners with DID and lower academic performance when compared to their peers without DID. Qualitative findings revealed that dissociative episodes, memory lapse, and the psychological stress associated with Dissociative Identity DID adversely affected learners’ participation in class, homework completion, and exam performance. The study further found a general lack of awareness and resources in rural schools to effectively support learners with DID, compounding the challenges they face. The study concludes with several key findings: the need for targeted training for educators in identifying and supporting learners with DID, the importance of integrating psychological support within the school system, and the potential benefits of personalized learning plans for affected learners. The focus should not merely be on academic performance but on creating a holistic experience where every learner, regardless of their challenges, feels included and valued. The study calls for further research and strategies to identify and address dissociative symptoms in learners.

Novice teachers’ challenges and strategies in coping with COVID-19 at a rural school

The study was undertaken to investigate and understand the challenges and strategies of novice teachers in coping with COVID-19 at a rural school. The researcher observed and experienced many challenges during the first year of teaching, including stress, anxiety, depression, lack of support, and lack of collaboration with teammates. This study explores the challenges faced by novice teachers in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic at a rural school. The study employed a qualitative approach, interpretive paradigm, and case study design. Four high school novice teachers participated in this study. Guided by ethical considerations in research, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. This study used narrative analysis to analyse data from the participants. This study found overcrowded classrooms, heavy workloads, lack of resources, lack of support, tribalism, lack of orientation, lack of discipline, lack of knowledge of subject content, and pressure from school administration as challenges encountered by novice teachers during COVID-19. This study also revealed frustration, discouragement, Insomnia, and mood swings as the effects affecting novice teachers’ well-being. In conclusion, novice teachers applied different strategies to deal with challenges during COVID-19. The Department of Education in Free State should provide mobile classrooms so learners are comfortable and enjoy the lesson, and teachers can also move around when presenting a lesson. The government must develop supportive social networks and proper orientation for novice teachers to limit the lack of support.

Cultivation of Chinese Study Habits of Rural Middle School Students

The cultivation of Chinese learning habits among rural secondary school students is crucial to improving their academic performance and language proficiency. By establishing a favorable learning atmosphere, stimulating students’ interest in learning, and providing effective teaching methods and resources, rural secondary school students can be helped to better master Chinese language knowledge. In order to comprehensively promote rural secondary school students’ Chinese language learning, educators should focus on cultivating students’ independent learning abilities, encouraging diversified forms of teaching and learning, as well as strengthening teacher-student interaction and cooperation. These initiatives will help improve students’ language proficiency and overall academic performance.

Relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and age, gender, and marital status among teachers at rural high schools

This study determines the relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and age, gender, and marital status among teachers at rural high schools in the free state. To measure the effect of demographic variables in efficacy Influence, decision making, efficacy to influence school resources instructional self-efficacy, disciplinary self-efficacy, efficacy to enlist parental Involvement, and efficacy to enlist Community Involvement. This study used the quantitative method and the Bandura Teacher Self-efficacy questionnaire to establish the correlation between variables. Participants were randomly selected from the Thabo-Mofutsanyana district of Free State rural high schools. A descriptive research design was used to interpret the findings, and it was concluded that there was no significant relationship between teacher self-efficacy and gender, marital status, age, and educational level. This means that teachers’ self-efficacy could not depend on demographic variables.