Sample records for rural secondary school

  1. Who Makes It to Secondary School? Determinants of Transition to Secondary Schools in Rural India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siddhu, Gaurav

    2011-01-01

    Despite considerable progress made, a significant proportion of children continue to drop out before reaching secondary school in India. This study investigates factors influencing parental decision-making with regard to children's secondary schooling in the context of a rural area of Uttar Pradesh. The study finds that cost, distance to the…

  2. An Investigation of Science Teaching Practices in Indonesian Rural Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wahyudi; Treagust, David F.

    2004-01-01

    This study reports on teaching practices in science classrooms of Indonesian lower secondary schools in rural areas. Using six schools from three districts in the province of Kalimantan Selatan as the sample, this study found that most teaching practices in science classrooms in rural schools were teacher-centred with students copying notes.…

  3. Head Teachers' Perspectives on School Drop-Out in Secondary Schools in Rural Punjab, Pakistan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mughal, Abdul Waheed; Aldridge, Jo

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates head teachers' perspectives of the school dropout problem at public secondary schools in rural Punjab, Pakistan. The study is based on qualitative methods and included interviews to collect primary data. Sixteen districts of the Punjab where secondary school dropout rate is above 20% were purposively selected for the study.…

  4. "They'd Never Hire a Girl": Vocational Education in Rural Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dunne, Faith

    Rural high school girls face a strong home-versus-career conflict stemming from traditional rural values and myths about women. They also face the reality of few local job opportunities, due to rural economic and value structures and to occupational sex-stereotyping. For the most part, rural secondary vocational education maintains its…

  5. A study on acceptance of mobileschool at secondary schools in Malaysia: Urban vs rural

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hashim, Ahmad Sobri; Ahmad, Wan Fatimah Wan; Sarlan, Aliza

    2017-10-01

    Developing countries are in dilemma where sophisticated technologies are more advance as compared to the way their people think. In education, there have been many novel approaches and technologies were introduced. However, very minimal efforts were put to apply in our education. MobileSchool is a mobile learning (m-learning) management system, developed for administrative, teaching and learning processes at secondary schools in Malaysia. The paper presents the acceptance of MobileSchool between urban and rural secondary schools in Malaysia. Research framework was designed based on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The constructs of the framework include computer anxiety, self-efficacy, facilitating condition, technological complexity, perceived behavioral control, perceive ease of use, perceive usefulness, attitude and behavioral intention. Questionnaire was applied as research instrument which involved 373 students from four secondary schools (two schools in urban category and another two in rural category) in Perak. Inferential analyses using hypothesis and t-test, and descriptive analyses using mean and percentage were used to analyze the data. Results showed that there were no big difference (<20%) of all acceptance constructs between urban and rural secondary schools except computer anxiety.

  6. A Case Study of Two Rural Secondary Schools in New Mexico: Perspectives on Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iron Moccasin, Shawl D.

    2012-01-01

    The present study was designed to examine factors that led to the academic success of two rural secondary schools in New Mexico. The primary focus was on the characteristics and behaviors of leaders in two high-achieving rural schools and how these factors might have contributed to achievement of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in school year…

  7. Drug Use in a Rural Secondary School in Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ndetei, David M.; Khasakhala, Lincoln I.; Mutiso, Victoria; Ongecha-Owuor, Francisca A.; Kokonya, Donald A.

    2010-01-01

    Alcohol abuse and alcohol-related use problems among adolescents are highly prevalent and are a major concern worldwide. This study estimated the prevalence of drug abuse, knowledge about drug abuse and its effect on psychosocial well-being and induced behavioral problems among students of a public rural secondary school that admitted both girls…

  8. The Rural Context and Post-Secondary School Enrollment: An Ecological Systems Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demi, Mary Ann; Coleman-Jensen, Alisha; Snyder, Anastasia R.

    2010-01-01

    This study uses an ecological systems framework to examine how indicators of individual, family, and school contexts are associated with post-secondary educational enrollment among a sample of rural youth. Structural equation modeling allows us to examine both direct and indirect effects of these contexts on school enrollment. Unique elements of…

  9. Beyond the City Lights: A Multiple-Case Study of Successful, Experienced Secondary Science Teachers in Rural Schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    DeVore-Wedding, Beverly R.

    Recruitment and retention concerns for teachers, particularly in rural school districts and in science, fill the daily news and research literature. The shortage of STEM workers is also another concern as well. Then why do nationally recognized secondary science teachers remain in rural schools with lower salaries, increased responsibilities beyond teaching content, and multi-preparations, stay in those schools? How do they overcome challenges in their schools? This multiple case study focuses on Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) awardees who have taught secondary science in rural school districts 10 years or more. Eight rural PAEMST high school science teachers were identified in Nebraska and the six contiguous states; four consented to participate in this study. Interviews of these teachers and a colleague, principal, and or students were conducted to answer the research questions. Using a lens of resiliency, similarities were identified that show how these teachers overcome adversity and thrived in their rural school and communities. Resilient themes that emerged from this study are adaptability, autonomy, collaborative, competency, connectedness, problem-solvers, and resourcefulness. Common themes of success for teaching in rural schools for the four teachers were autonomy and relationships. Common themes of challenges for teaching in rural schools were diversity, funding, professional isolation, and teaching assignments. These characteristics and strategies may help schools with their recruitment and retention of teachers as well as teachers themselves benefiting from hearing other teachers' stories of success and longevity.

  10. Views of adolescents on addressing violence in semi-rural secondary schools in Mafikeng, North West province.

    PubMed

    Mosome, Connie; Poggenpoel, Marie; Myburgh, Chris

    2011-11-17

    Violence is a public health problem and often an issue of criminal justice.Violence in schools is a worldwide phenomenon and exposes adolescents to premature death. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe adolescents' views on addressing violence in semi-rural secondary schools in Mafikeng. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised. Purposive sampling was used to select adolescents from semi-rural secondary schools in Mafikeng who fell between the ages of 13 and 20 years and who were involved in community youth groups or associations. In-depth focus group discussion using audiotape, reflexive notes and naïve sketches were used for data collection. The central question which was asked was 'What are the adolescents' views on addressing violence in semi-rural secondary schools?' Data were analysed by means of open coding. The results showed that adolescents understood the complexities associated with violence in this country, and they suggested multiple approaches and interventions. The adolescents were of the opinion that responsible communication patterns in the school environment could build healthy relationships between learners and educators and lead to a decrease in violence in the school setting. They also felt that enforcement of a secure teaching environment through encouragement of behavioural and attitudinal change guided by school codes of conduct and provision of firm security will help reduce violence in schools.

  11. [Hygienic assessment of intraschool environment in rural and urban secondary school institutions].

    PubMed

    Mylnikova, I V

    The purpose of the research is to assess the intra-environment indices in urban and rural secondary schools. In the course of special studies there was given the hygienic assessment of the climate, illumination and air quality of classrooms. In classrooms in rural schools microclimate indices were established to fail to meet hygienic requirements mainly on the temperature and humidity parameters. In rural schools, the temperature was decreased to 16-17 °C in 19.0 ± 8.6% of classrooms, humidity was elevated to 63.1% in 25.7 ± 7.4% of classrooms. Among urban schools the humidity in 49.6 ± 4.4% of classrooms reduced to 23.3 ± 0.3%, in 20.8 ± 5.4% of offices it was increased to 71.9 ± 0.9%. The coefficient of the natural illumination in rural schools has been reduced to 0.86-1.4% in 33.9 ± 14.2% of classrooms. In 25.1 ± 2.3% of classrooms in urban schools the level of natural light ratio was below the normative values and varied in the range of 0.32-1.3%. It is noted that in the offices of informatics natural light indices are significantly lower than in the classrooms for core subjects. The artificial lighting in urban schools was found to be lower than hygienic standards on the desks by 1.9 times, 2.2 times - at the board. There were obtained statistically significant handshaking health problems of urban schoolchildren due to intraenvironmental factors. The c dimate in surveyed gyms in rural schools is different in the low temperature and high humidity. The hygienic assessment of the air pollution classrooms’ medium was executed for a range of chemicals: formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter. Concentrations of formaldehyde; nitrogen dioxide, suspended solids in the air in classrooms in urban schools appeared to be higher than in rural schools. Carbon monoxide concentrations in classrooms in rural schools was found to exceed their values in urban schools. The air in classrooms of the one of the cities was found

  12. Supporting and Resourcing Secondary Science Teachers in Rural and Regional Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kenny, John; Seen, Andrew; Purser, John

    2008-01-01

    This paper reports on the outcomes of a pilot project to support secondary teachers of science in rural and regional Tasmania. The pilot project involved eight regional schools and was based on the provision of a kit of materials and an associated learning program that used brine shrimp or "sea-monkeys" to test for water quality. The…

  13. Integrated Literacies in a Rural Kenyan Girls' Secondary School Journalism Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kendrick, Maureen; Early, Margaret; Chemjor, Walter

    2013-01-01

    Our purpose in this paper is to foreground contextual issues in studies of situated writing practices. During a year-long case study in a rural Kenyan secondary school, we applied a number of ethnographic techniques to document how 32 girls (aged 14-18 years) used local cultural and digital resources (i.e., donated digital cameras, voice…

  14. Implementation of Ptechls Modules in Rural Malaysian Secondary School: A Needs Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alias, Norlidah; DeWitt, Dorothy; Siraj, Saedah; Rahman, Mohd Nazri Abdul; Gelamdin, Rashidah Begum; Rauf, Rose Amnah Abd

    2014-01-01

    Research has shown that the strategy of matching learning style with certain technology enhances students' learning experience. This study seeks to identify the learning styles among students in a rural secondary school, based on the Felder Silverman Model (1988) which comprises four dimensions (visual/verbal, active/reflective, sequential/global,…

  15. Why Rural Community Day Secondary Schools Students' Performance in Physical Science Examinations Is Poor in Lilongwe Rural West Education District in Malawi

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mlangeni, Angstone Noel J. Thembachako; Chiotha, Sosten Staphael

    2015-01-01

    A study was conducted to investigate factors that affect students' poor performance in physical science examinations at Malawi School Certificate of Education and Junior Certificate of Education levels in Community day secondary schools (CDSS) in Lilongwe Rural West Education District in Malawi. Students' performance was collected from schools'…

  16. The Science Program in Small Rural Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colton, R. W.

    Rural schools may have an advantage over urban schools in science teaching if sciences are perceived as means of exploring our surroundings, are presented as many viewpoints of one overall picture, and are taught in a form that deals with human situations. Collaboratively taught, rural science curricula can include study of agricultural ecology,…

  17. Memory and Cognitive Strategies of High Ability Students in a Rural Secondary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ali, Fuziana; Yunus, Melor Md

    2013-01-01

    This study was conducted to examine language learning strategies employed by the high ability students in a rural secondary school. Memory and cognitive strategies employed by the high ability students were the main focus in this study. A survey design was used and data was collected using Oxford's questionnaires. Findings reveal that the high…

  18. An Investigation of Science Teaching Practices in Indonesian Rural Secondary Schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wahyudi; Treagust, David F.

    2004-08-01

    This study reports on teaching practices in science classrooms of Indonesian lower secondary schools in rural areas. Using six schools from three districts in the province of Kalimantan Selatan as the sample, this study found that most teaching practices in science classrooms in rural schools were teacher-centred with students copying notes. However, the study also found unique teaching practices of an exemplary science teacher whose teaching style can be described as both student-centred and teacher-centred, with students encouraged to be active learners. Four features of exemplary teaching practices were identified: The teacher managed the classroom effectively; used a variety of questioning techniques; employed various teaching approaches instead of traditional methods; and created a favourable learning environment. Data from classroom observations, interviews with teachers, and students responses to a questionnaire were used to compare the exemplary teacher and his colleagues. This study identified internal factors that may affect teaching practices such as a teachers content knowledge and beliefs about teaching. Compared to the other teachers, the exemplary teacher possessed more content knowledge and had a relatively stronger belief in his ability to teach.

  19. Problems Facing Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, C. E.; And Others

    Problems facing rural Scottish schools range from short term consideration of daily operation to long term consideration of organizational alternatives. Addressed specifically, such problems include consideration of: (1) liaison between a secondary school and its feeder primary schools; (2) preservice teacher training for work in small, isolated…

  20. Which Children Will Go to Secondary School? Factors Affecting Parents' Decisions in Rural Thailand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Lindy; And Others

    1997-01-01

    Interviews in 1,776 households in rural Thailand and parent focus groups revealed that larger families sent proportionately fewer children to secondary school. Parents sent more sons than daughters and more youngest than eldest children. Economic factors included children's perceived earnings potential, opportunity costs, and family poverty;…

  1. Health risk behavior of rural secondary school students in Zimbabwe.

    PubMed

    Gwede, C K; McDermott, R J; Westhoff, W W; Mushore, M; Mushore, T; Chitsika, E; Majange, C S; Chauke, P

    2001-10-01

    A socioculturally appropriate health risk behavior instrument, modeled after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), was administered to 717 secondary school students in a rural area of Zimbabwe. Comparisons of risk behaviors by gender and school grade were made using univariate procedures and multiple logistic regression. Males were significantly more likely than females to have had sexual intercourse (odds ratio = 5.02, p < .0001) and to report drug use behaviors. Males also were significantly more likely to report early initiation (by age 13 years) of alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and marijuana use. School site violence and drug use behaviors also were prevalent in this sample. An interaction between gender and grade was evident for some behaviors. Additional research may further the understanding of these risk behaviors and facilitate development of effective, culturally relevant risk reduction programs.

  2. The Central Importance of Peer Relationships for Student Engagement and Well-Being in a Rural Secondary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gristy, Cath

    2012-01-01

    This case study records the voices of a group of young people from an isolated rural community as they reflect on their experiences of secondary school. The study was driven by a desire to develop an understanding of the human connections young people make (or not) at school, to help develop understandings of how schools can be better places for…

  3. Economic Role of School Districts in Rural Communities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sederberg, Charles H.

    1987-01-01

    Explores secondary economic effects of rural Minnesota school districts, including purchasing power of payrolls, employment, retail stimulus, recapture of taxes, property values, and banking services. Provides nontechnical approach to interpreting how school operations offset costs of rural education. Study can be replicated by rural educators.…

  4. Are Environmental Influences on Physical Activity Distinct for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Schools? A Multilevel Study among Secondary School Students in Ontario, Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hobin, Erin P.; Leatherdale, Scott; Manske, Steve; Dubin, Joel A.; Elliott, Susan; Veugelers, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Background: This study examined differences in students' time spent in physical activity (PA) across secondary schools in rural, suburban, and urban environments and identified the environment-level factors associated with these between school differences in students' PA. Methods: Multilevel linear regression analyses were used to examine the…

  5. A comparison of the vending environment among three rural subtypes of secondary schools.

    PubMed

    Kehm, Rebecca; Davey, Cynthia S; Kubik, Martha Y; Nanney, Marilyn S

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to further explore the rural school food environment. This study assessed trends in prevalence of vending machines and vending items within and between Minnesota schools located in 3 rural subtypes: town/rural fringe, town/rural distant, and remote rural. Generalized estimating equation models were employed to analyze data from the 2006 through 2012 School Health Profiles Principal's Surveys (Profiles). All 3 rural subtypes had a statistically significant decrease in the prevalence of low nutrient energy dense (LNED) vending items between 2006 and 2012, with the exception of sports drinks. However, different vending practices were observed between rural subtypes, with town/rural fringe schools providing more LNED vending options and experiencing less positive change over time compared to town/rural distant and remote rural schools. Differences in vending machine practices emerge when rural schools are subtyped.

  6. Substance use amongst secondary school students in a rural setting in South Africa: Prevalence and possible contributing factors

    PubMed Central

    Tosin, Oni H.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction This study determined the prevalence of substance abuse amongst rural secondary school learners in a selected province of South Africa. Methodology The study adopted a quantitative approach using a descriptive survey design. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from a total of 338 randomly selected learners, age 14 to 18 years, from 10 secondary schools that make up a rural Vhembedzi circuit in the Limpopo Province. Permission to enter the circuit and the schools was obtained from the circuit manager and parents’ or learners’ informed consent was obtained prior to data collection. Results The majority of the participants (94% male, 98% female) had never used substances. Most of the learners started using substances between the ages 15 to 20 years. The majority of learners who were using substances were male. Of the respondents, all the female (100%) students reported to have stopped substance abuse. The majority (63% male, 50% female) of the learners tried to stop substance abuse but failed. Most of the learners (72% male, 71% female) did not have family members who were substance users. The majority of the students attested that substances can be easily obtained in their communities or villages. The majority (68%) of the leaners knew that substance abuse is dangerous to health. Conclusion and recommendation Rural secondary school learners in South Africa have a low prevalence rate of substance abuse. Hence, there is a need for a counselling program in each school to provide support and refer such learners to an appropriate institution for rehabilitation. PMID:27380837

  7. My Future, My Family, My Freedom: Meanings of Schooling for Poor, Rural Chinese Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xiang, Xin

    2018-01-01

    In this article, Xin Xiang investigates what dushu, or "schooling," means for rural senior secondary school students in a high-poverty county in southwestern China. With the persistence of China's rural-urban education inequality and alarming reports about secondary school dropout rates, rural students' and their families' attitudes…

  8. Rural disparities in the distribution of policies that support healthy eating in US secondary schools.

    PubMed

    Nanney, Marilyn S; Davey, Cynthia S; Kubik, Martha Y

    2013-08-01

    The distribution of food and nutrition policies and practices from 28 US states representing 6,732 secondary schools was evaluated using data from the 2008 School Health Profiles principal survey. School policies and practices evaluated were: availability of low-nutrient, energy-dense (LNED) snacks/drinks; use of healthy eating strategies; banning food marketing; availability of fruits and vegetables; and food package sizes. For each school, school-level demographic characteristics (percentage of students enrolled in free/reduced-price meals, minority enrollment, and geographic location) were also evaluated. Schools in small town/rural locations had significantly fewer policies that support healthy eating strategies and ban food marketing, and were less likely to serve fruits and vegetables at school celebrations, have fruits and vegetables available in vending or school stores, and limit serving-size packages. Schools serving the highest percentage of minority students consistently reported the same or better school food environments. However, schools serving the highest percentage of low-income students had varied results: vending and LNED vending policies were consistently better and fruit and vegetable availability-related policies were consistently worse. Disparities in the distribution of policies and practices that promote healthy school food environments seem most pronounced in small town/rural schools. The data also support the need for continued reinforcement and the potential for expansion of these efforts in urban and suburban areas and schools with highest minority enrollment. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Rural Disparities in the Distribution of Policies that Support Healthy Eating in US Secondary Schools

    PubMed Central

    Nanney, Marilyn S.; Davey, Cynthia S.; Kubik, Martha Y.

    2017-01-01

    The distribution of food and nutrition policies and practices from 28 US states representing 6,732 secondary schools was evaluated using data from the 2008 School Health Profiles principal survey. School policies and practices evaluated were: availability of low-nutrient, energy-dense (LNED) snacks/drinks; use of healthy eating strategies; banning food marketing; availability of fruits and vegetables; and food package sizes. For each school, school-level demographic characteristics (percentage of students enrolled in free/reduced-price meals, minority enrollment, and geographic location) were also evaluated. Schools in small town/rural locations had significantly fewer policies that support healthy eating strategies and ban food marketing, and were less likely to serve fruits and vegetables at school celebrations, have fruits and vegetables available in vending or school stores, and limit serving-size packages. Schools serving the highest percentage of minority students consistently reported the same or better school food environments. However, schools serving the highest percentage of low-income students had varied results: vending and LNED vending policies were consistently better and fruit and vegetable availability–related policies were consistently worse. Disparities in the distribution of policies and practices that promote healthy school food environments seem most pronounced in small town/rural schools. The data also support the need for continued reinforcement and the potential for expansion of these efforts in urban and suburban areas and schools with highest minority enrollment. PMID:23885703

  10. State Limitations, Self-Help Secondary Schooling, and Development in Kenya.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bradshaw, York W.

    1993-01-01

    Over 60% of Kenya's secondary schools are nongovernment community-run schools. Analysis of district-level data on adult literacy, secondary enrollment, child health and mortality, malaria prevalence, and rural development indicates that government schooling has few effects. Nongovernment schooling is associated with lower child mortality and other…

  11. Alternative Strategies to Improve and Expand the Delivery of Vocational Education in Small, Rural, and/or Isolated Secondary Schools in Hawaii.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawaii State Dept. of Education, Honolulu. Office of the Director for Vocational Education.

    Intended for administrators of schools within the Hawaii Department of Education, this document provides descriptions of 34 alternative strategies implemented by small, rural, and/or isolated secondary schools across the nation to improve the quality of their vocational programs. Introductory materials discuss the document's purpose, the need for…

  12. A Report of Innovative Rural School Programs In the United States.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barker, Bruce O.; Muse, Ivan D.

    Ten innovative rural school programs are briefly described. Included are North Dakota's Mott School District #6 (316 students), which cooperates in a Multi-District Vocational Mobile Program bringing vocational education opportunities to isolated, rural students; Washington's Liberty School District (180 secondary students), where supervised…

  13. Incorporating Rural and Farm Novels in the Secondary School Classroom: Where We Come from Is Who We Are

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Longhurst, Jesse Moon

    2012-01-01

    Place-based education has received significant attention in recent years. This article briefly surveys common place-based education models and then argues for a more place-focused English language arts classroom in secondary schools where rural and regional literature is often absent from the curricula. The author posits that teacher-education…

  14. Are environmental influences on physical activity distinct for urban, suburban, and rural schools? A multilevel study among secondary school students in Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Hobin, Erin P; Leatherdale, Scott; Manske, Steve; Dubin, Joel A; Elliott, Susan; Veugelers, Paul

    2013-05-01

    This study examined differences in students' time spent in physical activity (PA) across secondary schools in rural, suburban, and urban environments and identified the environment-level factors associated with these between school differences in students' PA. Multilevel linear regression analyses were used to examine the environment- and student-level characteristics associated with time spent in PA among grades 9 to 12 students attending 76 secondary schools in Ontario, Canada, as part of the SHAPES-Ontario study. This approach was first conducted with the full data set testing for interactions between environment-level factors and school location. Then, school-location specific regression models were run separately. Statistically significant between-school variation was identified among students attending urban (σ(2) μ0  = 8959.63 [372.46]), suburban (σ(2) μ0  = 8918.75 [186.20]), and rural (σ(2) μ0  = 9403.17 [203.69]) schools, where school-level differences accounted for 4.0%, 2.0%, and 2.1% of the variability in students' time spent in PA, respectively. Students attending an urban or suburban school that provided another room for PA or was located within close proximity to a shopping mall or fast food outlet spent more time in PA. Students' time spent in PA varies by school location and some features of the school environment have a different impact on students' time spent in PA by school location. Developing a better understanding of the environment-level characteristics associated with students' time spent in PA by school location may help public health and planning experts to tailor school programs and policies to the needs of students in different locations. © 2013, American School Health Association.

  15. Drug use in a rural secondary school in Kenya.

    PubMed

    Ndetei, David M; Khasakhala, Lincoln I; Mutiso, Victoria; Ongecha-Owuor, Francisca A; Kokonya, Donald A

    2010-07-01

    Alcohol abuse and alcohol-related use problems among adolescents are highly prevalent and are a major concern worldwide. This study estimated the prevalence of drug abuse, knowledge about drug abuse and its effect on psychosocial well-being and induced behavioral problems among students of a public rural secondary school that admitted both girls and boys which offered both boarding and day school facilities. The students filled out a self-reporting substance use tool which measures the prevalence, frequency, and general patterns of substance use. Alcohol, tobacco, khat (catha edulis) and bhang (cannabis) were the most commonly reported substance of use, with user prevalence rates of 5.2%, 3.8%, 3.2%, and 1.7%, respectively. Tobacco use was initiated at 10 years, while cannabis, hard drugs, khat, and alcohol were initiated at 11, 12, 13, and 15 years of age, respectively. Among the students 71% were aware that their schoolmates were on drugs and it was known by 49.8%, 41.7%, 37.6%, 44.3%, and 32.4% of these students that using alcohol, tobacco, khat, cannabis, and hard drugs, respectively was a behavioral problem in the school. Three quarters of the students were aware that use of drugs was harmful to their health, with majority (78.6%) indicating that drug users need help to stop the drug use behavior. However most (73.6%) of the students suggested drug users in school should be punished. The drug use behavioral problems included school dropout, poor scholastic attainment, drunken driving, delinquency, and adolescence pregnancy which threaten the stability of the education system, family as an institution (family difficulties) and society at large. Therefore, teachers have an added burden of playing an active role in guidance and counselling the survivors of drug abuse, a pandemic facing teaching institutions apart from instilling knowledge.

  16. Motivation for Math in Rural Schools: Student and Teacher Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardre, Patricia L.

    2011-01-01

    Rural schools, students, teachers, administrators, families and community leaders face unique challenges from those of their urban and suburban counterparts. This paper investigates motivation in rural secondary schools, with a particular focus on mathematics, from teacher and student perspectives. It integrates recent research on math learning…

  17. Collaborative innovations with rural and regional secondary teachers: enhancing student learning in mathematics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pegg, John; Panizzon, Debra

    2011-06-01

    When questioned, secondary mathematics teachers in rural and regional schools in Australia refer to their limited opportunities to engage and share experiences with peers in other schools as an under-utilised and cost-effective mechanism to support their professional learning and enhance their students' learning. The paper reports on the creation and evaluation of a network of learning communities of rural secondary mathematics teachers around a common purpose—enhancement and increased engagement of student learning in mathematics. To achieve this goal, teams of teachers from six rural schools identified an issue hindering improved student learning of mathematics in their school. Working collaboratively with support from university personnel with expertise in curriculum, assessment and quality pedagogy, teachers developed and implemented strategies to address an identified issue in ways that were relevant to their teaching contexts. The research study identifies issues in mathematics of major concern to rural teachers of mathematics, the successes and challenges the teachers faced in working in learning communities on the issue they identified, and the efficacy of the professional learning model.

  18. Substance Use in Urban and Rural Texas School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maxwell, Jane Carlisle; Tackett-Gibson, Melissa; Dyer, James

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this study is to compare substance use between urban and rural secondary school districts in Texas between 1998 and 2003. The differences were analyzed using chi-square and analysis of variance. The analysis found that rural schools had students who reported higher rates of use of tobacco, frequent binge drinking, and driving while…

  19. Internet addiction and physical and psychosocial behavior problems among rural secondary school students.

    PubMed

    Gür, Kamer; Yurt, Seher; Bulduk, Serap; Atagöz, Sinem

    2015-09-01

    The aim of this study was to determine secondary school students' levels of Internet addiction and the physical and psychosocial behavior problems they face while using the Internet. This descriptive study was conducted in three state secondary schools in a rural area in the western part of Turkey. This study's sample consisted of 549 students who agreed to participate, with the consent of their families, and who had an Internet connection at home. The data were evaluated using t-tests and variance analyses. In this study the students' score of Internet addiction was at medium level (mean addiction score 44.51 ± 17.90). There were significant differences between the students' Internet addiction scores and the presence of physical behavior problems (going to bed late, skipping meals, eating meals in front of the computer) and psychosocial behavior problems (suffering from conditions such as restlessness, anger, heart palpitations, or tremors when they could not connect to the Internet, decreased relationships with family and friends, feelings of anger, arguing with parents, and finding life boring and empty without an Internet connection). © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  20. Spectacle compliance amongst rural secondary school children in Pune district, India

    PubMed Central

    Gogate, Parikshit; Mukhopadhyaya, Debapriya; Mahadik, Ashok; Naduvilath, Thomas J; Sane, Shrivallabh; Shinde, Amit; Holden, Brien

    2013-01-01

    Background: Refractive errors (RE) are the most common cause of avoidable visual impairment in children. But benefits of visual aids, which are means for correcting RE, depend on the compliance of visual aids by end users. Aim: To study the compliance of spectacle wear among rural school children in Pune district as part of the sarva siksha abhiyan (education for all scheme) after 6 - 12 months of providing free spectacles. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional follow-up study of rural secondary school children in western India. Materials and Methods: The students were examined by a team of optometrists who collected the demographic details, observed if the child was wearing the spectacles, and performed an ocular examination. The students were asked to give reasons for non-wear in a closed-ended questionnaire. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression used for data analysis. Results: Of the 2312 students who were dispensed spectacles in 2009, 1018 were re-examined in 2010. 523 students (51.4%) were female, the mean age was 12.1 years 300 (29.5%) were wearing their spectacles, 492 (68.5%) students claimed to have them at home while 211 (29.4%) reported not having them at all. Compliance of spectacle wear was positively associated to the magnitude of refractive error (P < 0.001), father's education (P = 0.016), female sex (P = 0.029) and negatively associated to the visual acuity of the better eye (P < 0.001) and area of residence (P < 0.0001). Of those that were examined and found to be myopic (N = 499), 220 (44%) wore their spectacles to examination. Factors associated with compliance to spectacle usage in the myopic population included increasing refractive error (P < 0.001), worsening visual acuity (P < 0.001), and higher academic performance (P < 0.001). The causes for not wearing spectacles were ‘lost spectacles’ 67(9.3%), ‘broken spectacles’ 125 (17.4%), ‘forgot spectacles at home’ 117 (16.3%), ‘uses spectacles

  1. Reading Interests of Gifted Secondary School Writers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Emilie P.; Donoho, Grace E.

    A study investigated the relationship between reading and the writings of gifted secondary school writers, especially their developmental reading interests, leisure reading selections, and the influence of others on their literary choices. Subjects, 79 students from rural and urban Arkansas schools were participating in a gifted writers'…

  2. Early College High Schools: A Proposed Solution to Secondary Transition Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bridges, Jeanne M.; Maxwell, Gerri M.

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative case study examines the challenges facing rural secondary schools in transitioning youth from high school to post-secondary education and careers, and whether the interventions, strategies and support built into the Early College High School could offer a solution to this long-standing challenge to better meet the needs of special…

  3. Rural Junior Secondary School Students' Perceptions of Classroom Learning Environments and Their Attitude and Achievement in Mathematics in West China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Xinrong

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports findings from a survey of how rural junior secondary school students in the western part of China perceive their mathematics classroom learning environments and associations of learning environment with their attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics achievement. Using adaptations of the widely-used What Is Happening In this…

  4. Beyond the Education Silo? Tackling Adolescent Secondary Education in Rural India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Orla; Bhabha, Jacqueline

    2014-01-01

    In this paper we examine the factors contributing to gender inequality in secondary schooling in India by critically reviewing the government's secondary education policy. Drawing on the findings of a study in rural Gujarat, we couple this analysis with an examination of the gendered dynamics that restrict girls' ability to fully benefit from the…

  5. Disparities in Supports for Student Wellness Promotion Efforts among Secondary Schools in Minnesota

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larson, Nicole; O'Connell, Michael; Davey, Cynthia S.; Caspi, Caitlin; Kubik, Martha Y.; Nanney, Marilyn S.

    2017-01-01

    Background: We examined whether there are differences in the presence of supports for student wellness promotion (1) between schools in city, suburban and rural locations and, (2) among rural schools, according to distance from a metropolitan center. Methods: The analysis was conducted in a sample of 309 secondary schools using 2012 Minnesota…

  6. Curriculum Reform and the Displacement of Knowledge in Peruvian Rural Secondary Schools: Exploring the Unintended Local Consequences of Global Education Policies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balarin, Maria; Benavides, Martin

    2010-01-01

    This paper draws attention to processes of policy implementation in developing contexts, and to the unintended consequences of education policies that follow international policy scripts without enough consideration of local histories and cultures. Drawing on a study of teaching practices in Peruvian rural secondary schools after a period of…

  7. Vocational Education Offerings in Rural High Schools. Issue Brief.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hudson, Lisa; Shafer, Linda

    A study examined the types of vocational education programs offered in rural, suburban, and urban schools. Data from the 1999 Survey on Vocational Programs in Secondary Schools indicate no significant differences in the distribution of vocational education offerings in urban and suburban schools, so they were combined into a single category of…

  8. The Abolition of Secondary School Fees in Kenya: Responses by the Poor

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohba, Asayo

    2011-01-01

    Following the 2007 presidential election, the Government of Kenya abolished secondary school fees in 2008. In the context of this significant change in policy, this study examines the effect of fees on transition to secondary schooling by following 109 primary school leavers in rural Kenya after the fee abolition, starting in 2007. The study draws…

  9. Factors associated with perception of risk of contracting HIV among secondary school female learners in Mbonge subdivision of rural Cameroon.

    PubMed

    Tarkang, Elvis Enowbeyang

    2014-01-01

    Since learners in secondary schools fall within the age group hardest hit by HIV/AIDS, it is obvious that these learners might be at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. However, little has been explored on the perception of risk of contracting HIV among secondary school learners in Cameroon. This study aimed at examining the perception of risk of contracting HIV among secondary school learners in Mbonge subdivision of rural Cameroon using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as framework. A quantitative, correlational design was adopted, using a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 210 female learners selected through disproportional, stratified, simple random sampling technique, from three participating senior secondary schools. Statistics were calculated using SPSS version 20 software program. Only 39.4% of the respondents perceived themselves to be at high risk of contracting HIV, though the majority, 54.0% were sexually active. Multinomial logistic regression analyses show that sexual risk behaviours (p=0.000) and the Integrated Value Mapping (IVM) of the perception components of the HBM are the most significant factors associated with perception of risk of contracting HIV at the level p<0.05. The findings of this study can play an instrumental role in the development of effective preventive and interventional messages for adolescents in Cameroon.

  10. Spatial Thinking Ability Assessment in Rwandan Secondary Schools: Baseline Results

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tomaszewski, Brian; Vodacek, Anthony; Parody, Robert; Holt, Nicholas

    2015-01-01

    This article discusses use and modification of Lee and Bednarz's (2012) Spatial Thinking Ability Test (STAT) as a spatial thinking assessment device in Rwandan secondary schools. After piloting and modifying the STAT, 222 students total from our rural and urban test schools and one control school were tested. Statistical analysis revealed that…

  11. Improving Boys' Literacy: A Survey of Effective Practice in Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Basic Skills Agency, London (England).

    Noting that the achievements of boys have been the subject of growing concern in England for a number of years, this booklet indicates some ways to improve the achievement of boys in literacy. The booklet focuses on work in secondary schools and is based on visits to 14 mixed secondary schools in urban, suburban, and rural areas. It begins with a…

  12. Teachers' Teaching Experience and Students' Learning Outcomes in Secondary Schools in Ondo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adeyemi, T. O.

    2008-01-01

    This article examined teachers' teaching experience and students' learning outcomes in the secondary schools in Ondo State Nigeria. As a correlational survey, the study population comprised all the 257 secondary schools in the State. This population was made up of 147 rural schools and 110 urban schools. It was also made up of 12 single sex…

  13. Motivating Study Groups across the Disciplines in Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Styslinger, Mary E.; Clary, Deidre M.; Oglan, Victoria A.

    2015-01-01

    This article introduces Project RAISSE: Reading Assistance Initiative for Secondary School Educators and shares the findings of a study into those factors found to motivate study group participants at two rural high schools in the southern USA. The research team collected qualitative data over a two-year period, including interviews, artifacts,…

  14. Factors associated with perception of risk of contracting HIV among secondary school female learners in Mbonge subdivision of rural Cameroon

    PubMed Central

    Tarkang, Elvis Enowbeyang

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Since learners in secondary schools fall within the age group hardest hit by HIV/AIDS, it is obvious that these learners might be at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. However, little has been explored on the perception of risk of contracting HIV among secondary school learners in Cameroon. This study aimed at examining the perception of risk of contracting HIV among secondary school learners in Mbonge subdivision of rural Cameroon using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as framework. Methods A quantitative, correlational design was adopted, using a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 210 female learners selected through disproportional, stratified, simple random sampling technique, from three participating senior secondary schools. Statistics were calculated using SPSS version 20 software program. Results Only 39.4% of the respondents perceived themselves to be at high risk of contracting HIV, though the majority, 54.0% were sexually active. Multinomial logistic regression analyses show that sexual risk behaviours (p=0.000) and the Integrated Value Mapping (IVM) of the perception components of the HBM are the most significant factors associated with perception of risk of contracting HIV at the level p<0.05. Conclusion The findings of this study can play an instrumental role in the development of effective preventive and interventional messages for adolescents in Cameroon. PMID:25309659

  15. Student Achievement Conditioned upon School Selection: Religious and Secular Secondary School Quality in Bangladesh

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Niaz Asadullah, Mohammad; Chaudhury, Nazmul; Dar, Amit

    2007-01-01

    In this paper we present new evidence on the impact of school characteristics on secondary student achievement using a rich dataset from rural Bangladesh. We deal with a potentially important selectivity issue in the South Asian context: the non-random sorting of children into madrasas (Islamic faith schools). We do so by employing a combination…

  16. Teaching in Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woofter, Thomas Jackson

    Published in 1917, this book overviews rural schooling during the early 1900s and was written to address the problems of rural teaching and to serve as an introductory guide for rural teachers. Specifically, the book aimed to bring attention to the needs of rural life and the possible contributions of the rural school, to describe effective…

  17. Strategies for Recruitment and Retention of Secondary Teachers in Central Region Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beesley, Andrea; Atwill, Kim; Blair, Pamela; Barley, Zoe

    2008-01-01

    Recruiting and retaining teachers is a nationwide issue for schools in all locales. For rural schools, however, lower salaries, small school sizes, and geographic isolation can make it even more difficult to recruit and retain a qualified teaching staff. This study sought to quantify and characterize differences in recruiting teachers between…

  18. Rural Schools Prototype Analysis. Volume I: Design, Determinants and Options.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Construction Systems Management, Inc., Anchorage, AK.

    This resource guide presents Design Determinants and Options to be used by designers, school district personnel, and State officials in the programing and design of small rural secondary schools in the Alaska bush. The vast and unconventional educational and space planning challenge is compounded by: the need to provide most or all of the…

  19. Rural Schools and Communities: How Globalization Influences Rural School and Community Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    This study examined how a rural school district and the communities in which the district belonged collaborated on a community development initiative. This dissertation examined the opportunities and constraints rural communities are facing and the role that a rural school system could play in increasing social and economic sustainability of rural…

  20. Change in Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edington, Everett D.

    1981-01-01

    Discusses nine major characteristics of rural schools which affected their willingness to accept change, as revealed in a study of the five-year Rural Experimental Schools Program. Available from: Rural Sociological Society, 325 Morgan Hall, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37916. (NEC)

  1. Mobile Phone Use in Two Secondary Schools in Tanzania

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joyce-Gibbons, Andrew; Galloway, David; Mollel, Andrew; Mgoma, Sylvester; Pima, Madeleke; Deogratias, Enos

    2018-01-01

    Mobile phone technology in Tanzania has grown rapidly but there is insufficient data on its application in schools. This paper aims to show how students in the first and third year (F1 and F3) teachers in two rural secondary schools perceived its use. F1 and F3 students completed a questionnaire. Teachers and students in F1 and F3 discussed the…

  2. Thai-Alberta Co-Operative Assessment Project Concerning Thirty-Two Rural Secondary Schools in the Third National Economic and Social Plan, Thailand (1972-1976). Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chareonchai, Ruang; And Others

    This extensive assessment project report focuses on the Rural Secondary Schools (RSS) Project in Thailand. The background, design, rationale and objectives of the assessment are described, as are the eight phases of the study: reconnaissance; proposals; basic planning and pre-testing; data collection; analysis; academic review; final report; and…

  3. Key Dimensions of Effective Leadership for Change: A Focus on Township and Rural Schools in South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngcobo, Thandi; Tikly, Leon Paul

    2010-01-01

    The article identifies key dimensions of effective leadership for change in historically disadvantaged, township and rural schools in South Africa. It is based on original case study research in 13 schools in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Although the sample included mainly township and rural primary and secondary schools it also included a smaller sample of…

  4. Differences in students' mathematics engagement between gender and between rural and urban schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ayub, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd; Yunus, Aida Suraya Md.; Mahmud, Rosnaini; Salim, Nur Raidah; Sulaiman, Tajularipin

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore secondary school students' mathematics engagement focusing on the cognitive, affective and behavioural engagement domains. A total of 387 students (186 male and 201 female) from the urban and rural secondary schools in Pahang, Malaysia, were randomly selected. There were 158 students from the urban schools and 229 students from the rural schools. Descriptive analyses for mathematics engagement domains revealed behavioural engagement had the highest mean (M = 3.74, SD = .63), followed by cognitive engagement (M = 3.56, SD = .43) and affective engagement (M = 3.48, SD = .47). The mean for students' overall mathematics engagement was 3.56 (SD = .46). Further analyses showed there were significant differences in each of the engagement domains in mathematics learning (affective, cognitive and behavioural), where students in the urban schools showed significantly better in the mean scores for affective, cognitive, behavioural domains and the overall mathematics engagement as compared to the students in the rural schools. Similar findings also showed there were significant differences in the overall mathematics engagement mean between the genders. The findings indicated girls were significantly better than boys in all (affective, cognitive and behavioural) of the engagement domains in mathematics learning. It was also shown girls had higher overall mathematics engagement mean as compared to boys. However, the study also indicated the overall students' mathematics engagement was at a moderate level. Besides, the rural school students did not show high mathematics engagement as compared to the urban school students. Further analyses showed girls significantly had better mathematics engagement as compared to boys. Hence, it is recommended that in order to optimize students' mathematics engagement, they should be actively engaged in more participative learning activities in mathematics classrooms. Focus should be given to rural schools

  5. Disparities in Supports for Student Wellness Promotion Efforts Among Secondary Schools in Minnesota.

    PubMed

    Larson, Nicole; O'Connell, Michael; Davey, Cynthia S; Caspi, Caitlin; Kubik, Martha Y; Nanney, Marilyn S

    2017-02-01

    We examined whether there are differences in the presence of supports for student wellness promotion (1) between schools in city, suburban and rural locations and, (2) among rural schools, according to distance from a metropolitan center. The analysis was conducted in a sample of 309 secondary schools using 2012 Minnesota School Health Profiles surveys and National Center for Educational Statistics Common Core Data. Scores for overall support addressed school health improvement coordination (range: 0-29), collaboration on health education activities (range: 0-5), and teachers' professional preparation (range: 0-7). Mean overall scores for health improvement coordination (10.5 ± 7.3), collaboration on health education activities (3.0 ± 1.5) and professional preparation (4.0 ± 1.9) indicated supports are lacking in schools across city, suburban, and rural locations. Comparison of overall scores did not identify disparities; however, weaknesses and strengths of particular relevance for rural schools were identified in examining specific aspects of support. For example, the proportion of rural schools having a written school improvement plan was 54.8% compared to 84.6% of city schools and 64.3% of suburban schools (p = .01). Tailored training and technical assistance are needed to better support schools in implementing recommended wellness policies and practices. © 2017, American School Health Association.

  6. Disparities in supports for student wellness promotion efforts among secondary schools in Minnesota

    PubMed Central

    O’Connell, Michael; Davey, Cynthia S.; Caspi, Caitlin; Kubik, Martha Y.; Nanney, Marilyn S.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND We examined whether there are differences in the presence of supports for student wellness promotion (1) between schools in city, suburban and rural locations and, (2) among rural schools, according to distance from a metropolitan center. METHODS The analysis was conducted in a sample of 309 secondary schools using 2012 Minnesota School Health Profiles surveys and National Center for Educational Statistics Common Core Data. Scores for overall support addressed school health improvement coordination (range: 0–29), collaboration on health education activities (range: 0–5), and teachers’ professional preparation (range: 0–7). RESULTS Mean overall scores for health improvement coordination (10.5 ± 7.3), collaboration on health education activities (3.0 ± 1.5) and professional preparation (4.0 ± 1.9) indicated supports are lacking in schools across city, suburban and rural locations. Comparison of overall scores did not identify disparities; however, weaknesses and strengths of particular relevance for rural schools were identified in examining specific aspects of support. For example, the proportion of rural schools having a written school improvement plan was 54.8% compared to 84.6% of city schools and 64.3% of suburban schools (p = .01). CONCLUSIONS Tailored training and technical assistance are needed to better support schools in implementing recommended wellness policies and practices. PMID:28076918

  7. Age at menarche in relation to nutritional status and critical life events among rural and urban secondary school girls in post-conflict northern Uganda.

    PubMed

    Odongkara Mpora, Beatrice; Piloya, Thereza; Awor, Sylvia; Ngwiri, Thomas; Laigong, Paul; Mworozi, Edison A; Hochberg, Ze'ev

    2014-05-09

    Menarche age is an important indicator of reproductive health of a woman or a community. In industrial societies, age at menarche has been declining over the last 150 years with a secular trend, and similar trends have been reported in some developing countries. Menarche age is affected by genetic and environmental cues, including nutrition. The study was designed to determine the age at menarche and its relation to childhood critical life events and nutritional status in post-conflict northern Uganda. This was a comparative cross-sectional study of rural and urban secondary school girls in northern Uganda. Structured questionnaires were administered to 274 secondary school girls, aged 12 - 18 years to determine the age at menarche in relation to home location, nutritional status, body composition and critical life events. The mean age at menarche was 13.6 ± 1.3 for rural and 13.3 ± 1.4 years for urban dwelling girls (t = -1.996, p = 0.047). Among the body composition measures, hip circumference was negatively correlated with the age at menarche (r = -0.109, p = 0.036), whereas height, BMI and waist circumference did not correlate with menarche. Paternal (but not maternal) education was associated with earlier menarche (F = 2.959, p = 0.033). Childhood critical life events were not associated with age at menarche. Age at menarche differed among urban and rural dwelling school girls and dependent on current nutritional status, as manifested by the hip circumference. It was not associated with extreme stressful childhood critical life events.

  8. School Dropouts in Rural Colorado School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tombari, Martin; Andrews, Alex; Gallinati, Tina

    2009-01-01

    Dropouts from rural school districts have not received the same scrutiny as given to those from urban ones. The reasons behind this lack of knowledge about the experience of rural school districts with dropouts are unclear. The purpose of the present study was to begin to close this knowledge gap. A first major study of rural dropouts in the…

  9. Changes & Challenges for Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blair, Leslie Asher, Ed.

    2001-01-01

    This theme issue of the newsletter SEDLetter contains articles about the challenges facing rural youth, communities, and schools, and the ways that rural schools are meeting those challenges. "When Rural Traditions Really Count" (Ullik Rouk) outlines the rural situation with regard to adolescent substance abuse, youth gangs, teen pregnancy,…

  10. Attitudes towards dysmenorrhoea, impact and treatment seeking among adolescent girls: a rural school-based survey.

    PubMed

    Wong, Li Ping

    2011-08-01

    Study aimed to determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhoea, its impact, and treatment-seeking behaviour of rural adolescent girls in Malaysia. Large cross-sectional study on 1295 adolescent girls (aged 13-19 years) from 16 public secondary schools in rural districts of Kelantan, Malaysia conducted between February 2009 and April 2009. Dysmenorrhoea was reported in 76.0% of the participants. Concentration at school (59.9%) and participation in social events (58.6%) have been most affected. Multivariate analysis shows that being in upper secondary level was the strongest predictor for poor concentration, absenteeism, and poor school grade due to dysmenorrhoea. In spite of its high prevalence and enormous impact on their lives, 76.1% believed that dysmenorrhoea is a normal part of the female menstrual cycle and only 14.8% sought medical treatment. The majority of adolescents obtained information from their mothers (62.3%) and peers (52.9%). The findings imply the need for educating adolescent girls on effective management of dysmenorrhoea. Education should be extended to parents and school peer leaders to address the reproductive health needs of adolescents. © 2011 The Author. Australian Journal of Rural Health © National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

  11. Relationship between decile score of secondary school, the size of town of origin and career intentions of New Zealand medical students.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Clinton J; Shulruf, Boaz; Poole, Phillippa J

    2010-09-01

    New Zealand is facing a general practice workforce crisis, especially in rural communities. Medical school entrants from low decile schools or rural locations may be more likely to choose rural general practice as their career path. To determine whether a relationship exists between secondary school decile rating, the size of the town of origin of medical students and their subsequent medical career intentions. University of Auckland medical students from 2006 to 2008 completed an entry questionnaire on a range of variables thought important in workforce determination. Analyses were performed on data from the 346 students who had attended a high school in New Zealand. There was a close relationship between size of town of origin and decile of secondary school. Most students expressed interests in a wide range of careers, with students from outside major cities making slightly fewer choices on average. There is no strong signal from these data that career specialty choices will be determined by decile of secondary school or size of town of origin. An increase in the proportion of rural students in medical programmes may increase the number of students from lower decile schools, without adding another affirmative action pathway.

  12. School and Community Influences on Occupational and Educational Plans of Rural Youth. Special Circular 138.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster.

    This collection of papers reports the research done in the Department of Agricultural Education at the Ohio State University during the years 1986 to 1990. The studies, which provide information about rural schools and rural students; are as follows: (1) "Aspirations of Rural Secondary Students in Ohio" (J. David McCracken and Kerry S.…

  13. Comparative evaluation of MRSA nasal colonization epidemiology in the urban and rural secondary school community of Kurdistan, Iraq.

    PubMed

    Hussein, Nawfal R; Basharat, Zarrin; Muhammed, Ary H; Al-Dabbagh, Samim A

    2015-01-01

    To study the nasal carriage rate of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (including methicillin-resistant strains) in secondary school community of the urban and rural districts of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, a cross-sectional population based survey was carried out in the city Duhok and rural areas of Amedya, Akre and Zakho. Nasal swabs were obtained from nostrils of 509 students aged 14-23 years. Resistance to methicillin was assessed by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion and agar dilution assay. Vancomycin sensitivity was also tested on Muller-Hinton agar. It was found that the frequency of overall S. aureus nasal carriage (SANC) was 17.75% (90/509, CI95, 14.58-21.42%). In urban areas, the carriage rate was 20.59% (49/239, CI95, 15.64-26.29%), whereas it was 15.24% (41/270, CI95, 11.17-20.10%) in rural districts. The frequency of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) among the isolated strains was found to be 2.04% (1/49) and 21.95% (9/41) in urban and rural areas respectively. It was found that in urban residents, the odd ratio (OR) of acquiring SANC was 1.44 (CI95, 0.91-2.27%) and risk ratio (RR) was at least 1.35 (CI95, 0.92-1.96%) while OR decreased to 0.12 (CI95, 0.01-0.96%) for MRSA carriage. Hence, the S. aureus carriage rate was higher in urban districts compared to rural areas while more MRSA were found in rural areas compared to urban districts. All studied strains were sensitive to vancomycin. This study provided baseline information for S. aureus nasal colonization in the region. Also, it showed that living in rural areas increased the odds of MRSA colonization. More attention should be paid to control MRSA colonization in rural communities.

  14. Comparative Evaluation of MRSA Nasal Colonization Epidemiology in the Urban and Rural Secondary School Community of Kurdistan, Iraq

    PubMed Central

    Hussein, Nawfal R.; Basharat, Zarrin; Muhammed, Ary H.; Al-Dabbagh, Samim A.

    2015-01-01

    Background To study the nasal carriage rate of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (including methicillin-resistant strains) in secondary school community of the urban and rural districts of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, a cross-sectional population based survey was carried out in the city Duhok and rural areas of Amedya, Akre and Zakho. Methods Nasal swabs were obtained from nostrils of 509 students aged 14-23 years. Resistance to methicillin was assessed by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion and agar dilution assay. Vancomycin sensitivity was also tested on Muller-Hinton agar. Results It was found that the frequency of overall S. aureus nasal carriage (SANC) was 17.75% (90/509, CI95, 14.58–21.42%). In urban areas, the carriage rate was 20.59% (49/239, CI95, 15.64–26.29%), whereas it was 15.24% (41/270, CI95, 11.17–20.10%) in rural districts. The frequency of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) among the isolated strains was found to be 2.04% (1/49) and 21.95% (9/41) in urban and rural areas respectively. It was found that in urban residents, the odd ratio (OR) of acquiring SANC was 1.44 (CI95, 0.91-2.27%) and risk ratio (RR) was at least 1.35 (CI95, 0.92-1.96%) while OR decreased to 0.12 (CI95, 0.01-0.96%) for MRSA carriage. Hence, the S. aureus carriage rate was higher in urban districts compared to rural areas while more MRSA were found in rural areas compared to urban districts. All studied strains were sensitive to vancomycin. Conclusion This study provided baseline information for S. aureus nasal colonization in the region. Also, it showed that living in rural areas increased the odds of MRSA colonization. More attention should be paid to control MRSA colonization in rural communities. PMID:25932644

  15. An Exploration and Analysis of the Modes of Rural School Consolidation in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hongyong, Jia; Fenfen, Zhou

    2013-01-01

    Based on research involving 177 primary and secondary schools spread over thirty-eight counties in six provinces (including one autonomous region), this article explores and analyzes four modes used in rural school consolidation in China. These four modes are: complete amalgamation, annexation, crossover, and centralization-decentralization.

  16. School Closures in Rural Finnish Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Autti, Outi; Hyry-Beihammer, Eeva Kaisa

    2014-01-01

    The network of small rural schools in Finland has been radically weakened since the global recession of the 1990s. This article focuses on the social role of rural schools and the phenomenon of school closures. Our aim is to look at rural schools from the viewpoint of local residents and examine how they experience school closures. We seek to hear…

  17. Age at menarche in relation to nutritional status and critical life events among rural and urban secondary school girls in post-conflict Northern Uganda

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Menarche age is an important indicator of reproductive health of a woman or a community. In industrial societies, age at menarche has been declining over the last 150 years with a secular trend, and similar trends have been reported in some developing countries. Menarche age is affected by genetic and environmental cues, including nutrition. The study was designed to determine the age at menarche and its relation to childhood critical life events and nutritional status in post-conflict northern Uganda. Methods This was a comparative cross-sectional study of rural and urban secondary school girls in northern Uganda. Structured questionnaires were administered to 274 secondary school girls, aged 12 – 18 years to determine the age at menarche in relation to home location, nutritional status, body composition and critical life events. Results The mean age at menarche was 13.6 ± 1.3 for rural and 13.3 ± 1.4 years for urban dwelling girls (t = -1.996, p = 0.047). Among the body composition measures, hip circumference was negatively correlated with the age at menarche (r = -0.109, p = 0.036), whereas height, BMI and waist circumference did not correlate with menarche. Paternal (but not maternal) education was associated with earlier menarche (F = 2.959, p = 0.033). Childhood critical life events were not associated with age at menarche. Conclusions Age at menarche differed among urban and rural dwelling school girls and dependent on current nutritional status, as manifested by the hip circumference. It was not associated with extreme stressful childhood critical life events. PMID:24885913

  18. Rural School Communities in Colorado.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cousins, Jack

    Visits to nine of the smallest rural elementary schools in Colorado were conducted to gain insights into types of communities served by the schools. No one definition of "rural" covered all nine communities, so they were classified into six types: predominantly agricultural, rural industrial, stable recreational, ranching/railraod, rural…

  19. Mathematics Course-Taking in Rural High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Rick; Chang, Beng

    2011-01-01

    Using data from the 2005 NAEP High School Transcript Study, this paper examines the mathematics course-taking of rural high school students. Although several studies indicate rural high school students' mathematics achievement is comparable to that of students in non-rural high schools, the mathematics course-taking patterns of rural and non-rural…

  20. Rural School Busing. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howley, Aimee; Howley, Craig

    This digest summarizes information suggesting that long bus rides are part of the hidden costs of school and district consolidation. Rural school districts spend more than twice per pupil what urban districts spend on transportation. A review of studies shows that rural school children were more likely than suburban school children to have bus…

  1. Evaluation of the Implementation of the Rural and Low-Income School Program: Final Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Magill, Kathleen; Hallberg, Kelly; Hinojosa, Trisha; Reeves, Cynthia

    2010-01-01

    The Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program is part of the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) that was authorized under Title VI, Part B of the "Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965" ("ESEA"), as amended by the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" ("NCLB"). The RLIS program provides additional funds…

  2. Comments on "Measuring the Education Gap in Primary and Secondary Schooling in Pakistan".

    PubMed

    Ghafoor, A

    1992-01-01

    Naushin Mahmood and G. M. Zahid's article on the status of primary and secondary education in Pakistan was summarized and commented upon. It was noted that an error in one of the tables was misleading, and the article had indicated both an expansion of primary school facilities in rural areas was needed, and school facilities were underutilized in rural areas. The authors have suggested that funds for higher education be reallocated to primary and secondary education, but higher education still needs increased funding to provide for libraries and specialized facilities which are lacking. The tables of data were appropriate and informative, but more updated would have strengthened their argument about the disparities in education by gender and region. The title of the article was a misnomer. The article provided a comprehensive view of enrollment in primary and secondary education, continuation or retention, and utilization of schools by gender and region and urban/rural status during the 1970s and mid-1980s. There is evidence provided that Pakistan has disparities and imbalances by gender and urban and rural residence and region in education. There has been a slow expansion of education and inability to meet targets, partly due to funding gaps. Efficiency and equity would be improved with a better distribution of public funds. The authors provided an "excellent attempt" to establish basic facts about the educational system in Pakistan; the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics is commended for supporting the Eighth General Meeting of the Pakistan Society of Development Economists and encouraging young economists to examine social issues, such as education.

  3. Using a DEA Management Tool through a Nonparametric Approach: An Examination of Urban-Rural Effects on Thai School Efficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kantabutra, Sangchan

    2009-01-01

    This paper examines urban-rural effects on public upper-secondary school efficiency in northern Thailand. In the study, efficiency was measured by a nonparametric technique, data envelopment analysis (DEA). Urban-rural effects were examined through a Mann-Whitney nonparametric statistical test. Results indicate that urban schools appear to have…

  4. Education Quality and the Kenyan 8-4-4 Curriculum: Secondary School Learners' Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milligan, Lizzi O.

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the implementation of Kenyan secondary education in rural Western Kenya, focusing on learners' experiences. One of the key challenges to educational quality is shown to be the size and breadth of the secondary education curriculum. Learners are in school 12 hours a day with those approaching their final exams working three to…

  5. Preferred practice location at medical school commencement strongly determines graduates' rural preferences and work locations.

    PubMed

    Herd, Marie S; Bulsara, Max K; Jones, Michael P; Mak, Donna B

    2017-02-01

    To identify factors influencing whether Australian medical graduates prefer to, or actually, work rurally. Secondary analysis of longitudinal data from Medical Schools Outcomes Database (MSOD) using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Twenty Australian medical schools. Australian or New Zealand citizens and Australian permanent residents who completed MSOD questionnaires between 2006 and 2013. Preferred and actual work locations 1 (PGY1) and 3 (PGY3) years postgraduation. Of 20 784 participants, 4028 completed a PGY1 or PGY3 questionnaire. Self-reported preference for rural practice location at medical school commencement was the most consistent independent predictor of whether a graduate would have a rural location preference at PGY1 (odds ratio (OR) 6.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.91-7.51) and PGY3 (OR 7.95, 95% CI 4.93-12.84), and work rurally during PGY1 (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.01-1.88) and PGY3 (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.30-2.64). The effect of preferred practice location at medical school commencement is independent of, and enhances the effect of, rural background. Graduates of graduate-entry programs or with dependent children were less likely to have worked rurally during PGY1 and PGY3 respectively. The most consistent factor associated with rural preferences and work location was students' preferred location of practice at medical school commencement; this association is independent of, and enhances the effect of, rural background. Better understanding of what determines rural preference at medical school commencement and its influence on rural workplace outcomes beyond PGY3 is required to inform Australian medical school selection policies and rural health curricula. © 2016 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

  6. De facto Privatization and Inequalities in Educational Opportunity in the Transition to Secondary School in Rural Malawi.

    PubMed

    Grant, Monica J

    2017-09-01

    There has been a recent, rapid de facto privatization of education in many African countries, as the number of private secondary schools operating in the region grew. The majority of these schools are "low-cost" private schools where tuition and fees are set as low as possible to cover operating costs and still generate profit. Proponents of low-cost private schools argue that these schools have proliferated in impoverished areas to meet unmet demand for access to education and where private schools may offer better quality than locally available public schools. Theories of inequality of educational opportunity suggest that if private schools offer better quality education, students from more advantaged families will be more likely to enroll at these institutions, potentially exacerbating educational inequality in the region. This analysis uses data from a school-based longitudinal survey, the Malawi Schooling and Adolescent Study, to examine socio-economic inequalities in the transition to secondary school and on-time enrollment in upper secondary. My findings indicate that youth from non-poor households are not only more likely to enroll in secondary school than poor youth, but they are also more likely to substitute enrollment in private schools for enrollment in second-tier government schools. Enrollment at private schools, however, does not yield schooling advantages; relative to both tiers of government secondary schooling, students who initially enrolled at private schools were the least likely to enroll on time in upper secondary school. These patterns suggest that these schooling circumstances may yield less segregation of opportunity than might otherwise be assumed.

  7. Prevalence of and Differences in Salad Bar Implementation in Rural Versus Urban Arizona Schools.

    PubMed

    Blumenschine, Michelle; Adams, Marc; Bruening, Meg

    2018-03-01

    Rural children consume more calories per day on average than urban children, and they are less likely to consume fruit. Self-service salad bars have been proposed as an effective approach to better meet the National School Lunch Program's fruit and vegetable recommendations. No studies have examined how rural and urban schools differ in the implementation of school salad bars. To compare the prevalence of school-lunch salad bars and differences in implementation between urban and rural Arizona schools. Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional web-based survey. School nutrition managers (N=596) in the state of Arizona. National Center for Education Statistics locale codes defined rural and urban classifications. Barriers to salad bar implementation were examined among schools that have never had, once had, and currently have a school salad bar. Promotional practices were examined among schools that once had and currently have a school salad bar. Generalized estimating equation models were used to compare urban and rural differences in presence and implementation of salad bars, adjusting for school-level demographics and the clustering of schools within districts. After adjustment, the prevalence of salad bars did not differ between urban and rural schools (46.9%±4.3% vs 46.8%±8.5%, respectively). Rural schools without salad bars more often reported perceived food waste and cost of produce as barriers to implementing salad bars, and funding was a necessary resource for offering a salad bar in the future, as compared with urban schools (P<0.05). No other geographic differences were observed in reported salad bar promotion, challenges, or resources among schools that currently have or once had a salad bar. After adjustment, salad bar prevalence, implementation practices, and concerns are similar across geographic settings. Future research is needed to investigate methods to address cost and food waste concerns in rural areas. Copyright © 2018 Academy of Nutrition and

  8. Teachers Beliefs in Problem Solving in Rural Malaysian Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palraj, Shalini; DeWitt, Dorothy; Alias, Norlidah

    2017-01-01

    Problem solving is the highest level of cognitive skill. However, this skill seems to be lacking among secondary school students. Teachers' beliefs influence the instructional strategies used for students' learning. Hence, it is important to understand teachers' beliefs so as to improve the processes for teaching problem solving. The purpose of…

  9. Evaluation of the Implementation of the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) Program: Interim Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Magill, Kathleen; Reeves, Cynthia; Hallberg, Kelly; Hinojosa, Trisha

    2009-01-01

    The Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program is part of the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) that was authorized under Title VI, Part B of the "Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965" ("ESEA"), as amended by the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" ("NCLB"). The RLIS program provides additional funds…

  10. Student-Issued One-to-One Laptop Computers on Secondary Campuses in Four Texas School Districts: A Phenomenological Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoyer, Randall J.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to investigate the impact of one-to-one student issued laptop computers on secondary campuses in four rural Texas school districts. Data were collected using focus groups which included 27 leaders in four rural Texas school districts that had implemented the one-to-one laptop initiative. The…

  11. Post-Secondary Education and Rural-Urban Migration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Synge, J.

    1974-01-01

    This study examined education and career plans of Scottish rural youth who entered post-secondary education in order to determine the extent to which the educational system offers rural youth not only specific training but only entry to the urban labour market. (Author/RK)

  12. Rural School Counselors and LGBTQ Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robertson, Phyllis K.; Full, Jennifer

    2015-01-01

    The pathways employed school counselors take for continuing their education beyond graduate school on issues of diversity may be somewhat limited in rural areas and the perception may be that few lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning students exist in rural schools. School counselors have an ethical and legal obligation to…

  13. Community Problem Solving and Small/Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeFoe, Bettye Haller

    Because demographic and social changes in rural communities also affect small and rural school environments, schools must consider the impact of community change and plan accordingly. Rural school administrators, who are visible and respected, know how to work with groups, and understand the local community, are well qualified to provide their…

  14. Therapeutic Responses to "At Risk" Disengaged Early School Leavers in a Rural Alternative Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fish, Tim

    2017-01-01

    The identification of disengaged early school leavers as young people "at risk" can lead to a deficit-based framing of how educational institutions respond to them. A rural secondary school in Victoria, Australia established an alternative education programme to cater for local disengaged young people. A critical ethnographic study was…

  15. Missouri Rural School Board Governance and Student Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Zach; Webster, Amanda Beeler

    2009-01-01

    Through research, data collection, and analysis, this descriptive project examined rural Missouri school board governance practices. The study focused on Missouri rural schools with a student population of 400 to 1000. Effective school board members, as questionnaire respondents, were identified as having served rural Missouri school districts…

  16. Belongingness in Early Secondary School: Key Factors that Primary and Secondary Schools Need to Consider.

    PubMed

    Vaz, Sharmila; Falkmer, Marita; Ciccarelli, Marina; Passmore, Anne; Parsons, Richard; Black, Melissa; Cuomo, Belinda; Tan, Tele; Falkmer, Torbjörn

    2015-01-01

    It is unknown if, and how, students redefine their sense of school belongingness after negotiating the transition to secondary school. The current study used longitudinal data from 266 students with, and without, disabilities who negotiated the transition from 52 primary schools to 152 secondary schools. The study presents the 13 most significant personal student and contextual factors associated with belongingness in the first year of secondary school. Student perception of school belongingness was found to be stable across the transition. No variability in school belongingness due to gender, disability or household-socio-economic status (SES) was noted. Primary school belongingness accounted for 22% of the variability in secondary school belongingness. Several personal student factors (competence, coping skills) and school factors (low-level classroom task-goal orientation), which influenced belongingness in primary school, continued to influence belongingness in secondary school. In secondary school, effort-goal orientation of the student and perception of their school's tolerance to disability were each associated with perception of school belongingness. Family factors did not influence belongingness in secondary school. Findings of the current study highlight the need for primary schools to foster belongingness among their students at an early age, and transfer students' belongingness profiles as part of the hand-over documentation. Most of the factors that influenced school belongingness before and after the transition to secondary are amenable to change.

  17. Rural School Psychology: Re-Opening the Discussion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clopton, Kerri L.; Knesting, Kimberly

    2006-01-01

    The practice of school psychology in rural areas is a topic that has been fairly absent from the literature since the 1980s. A needs assessment of school psychologists practicing in rural counties in a midwestern state was conducted to explore current issues for rural school psychologists. The response rate for usable surveys was 72% (N = 106).…

  18. Need for Improvement of Rural School Facilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodges, V. Pauline

    The Government Accounting Agency estimates that one third of the nation's schools are in need of extensive repairs or replacement of one or more buildings. The condition of America's rural schools are at a crisis stage and need to be improved to continue to educate rural youth. This paper profiles the state of rural schools' infrastructure, rural…

  19. Belongingness in Early Secondary School: Key Factors that Primary and Secondary Schools Need to Consider

    PubMed Central

    Vaz, Sharmila; Falkmer, Marita; Ciccarelli, Marina; Passmore, Anne; Parsons, Richard; Black, Melissa; Cuomo, Belinda; Tan, Tele; Falkmer, Torbjörn

    2015-01-01

    It is unknown if, and how, students redefine their sense of school belongingness after negotiating the transition to secondary school. The current study used longitudinal data from 266 students with, and without, disabilities who negotiated the transition from 52 primary schools to 152 secondary schools. The study presents the 13 most significant personal student and contextual factors associated with belongingness in the first year of secondary school. Student perception of school belongingness was found to be stable across the transition. No variability in school belongingness due to gender, disability or household-socio-economic status (SES) was noted. Primary school belongingness accounted for 22% of the variability in secondary school belongingness. Several personal student factors (competence, coping skills) and school factors (low-level classroom task-goal orientation), which influenced belongingness in primary school, continued to influence belongingness in secondary school. In secondary school, effort-goal orientation of the student and perception of their school’s tolerance to disability were each associated with perception of school belongingness. Family factors did not influence belongingness in secondary school. Findings of the current study highlight the need for primary schools to foster belongingness among their students at an early age, and transfer students’ belongingness profiles as part of the hand-over documentation. Most of the factors that influenced school belongingness before and after the transition to secondary are amenable to change. PMID:26372554

  20. The Promise and the Reality: Exploring Virtual Schooling in Rural Juristictions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barbour, Michael K.

    2011-01-01

    The history of online learning at the K-12 level is almost as long as its history at the post-secondary level, with the first virtual school programs beginning in the early 1990s. While these opportunities were designed as a way to provide rural students with access to more specialized courses, as opportunities have become organized into virtual…

  1. Transitioning from Teacher Leader to Administrator in Rural Schools in Southwestern Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hohner, Julie; Riveros, Augusto

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates the experiences of a group of classroom teachers who transitioned into administrative roles as vice-principals in a rural schoolboard in southwestern Ontario. We included both elementary and secondary former teacher leaders who moved into the school administration and explored the aspects of their leadership experience that…

  2. Improvement Efforts in Rural Schools: Experiences of Nine Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenberg, Linda; Christianson, Megan Davis; Hague Angus, Megan

    2015-01-01

    Low-performing schools in rural settings can face challenges common to all struggling schools, such as low student motivation and maintaining a qualified teaching staff. However, aspects of rural schools' settings, such as the distance from urban areas and the commute between the schools and the students' and teachers' homes, can exacerbate the…

  3. Leadership for Rural Schools: Lessons for All Educators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chalker, Donald M., Ed.

    Rural schools present unique challenges for school administrators, challenges that require knowledge of various skills in a range of disciplines. This book touches nearly every aspect of rural school leadership. It aims to help educational leaders in small or rural schools better understand their role, and to help all educators learn elements of…

  4. Pilot study on depression among secondary school students in Selangor.

    PubMed

    Adlina, S; Suthahar, A; Ramli, M; Edariah, A B; Soe, Soe Aye; Mohd Ariff, F; Narimah, A H H; Nuraliza, A S; Karuthan, C

    2007-08-01

    A cross sectional descriptive study of 2048 subjects was conducted to determine the prevalence of depression and factors influencing depression among students in secondary school from urban and rural areas in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The children's depression inventory (CDI) developed by Maria Kovacs was used in this study. Students who participated in this study come from two urban schools and three rural schools. It was found that in the yield for scores for five factors were 9.2% have negative mood, 5% have interpersonal problems, 8.3% have ineffectiveness, 9.8% have anhedonia and 10.6% have negative self esteem. Following the interpretive guidelines for the T-scores, it was found that 10.3% of the students were much above average in the depression scale. This study also found that: 1% of students were smoking, 1.6% of students were gum sniffling, 0.9% took drugs, 4.1% took alcohol and 9.9% took things from other people. Females were more depressed than males. The Chinese students were more depressed compared to Indian students. Students whose parents had no formal education or had only primary education were more depressed than students whose parents had secondary, college or university education. Depression increased with increasing number of siblings. Depression contributed to the habit of drug abuse, gum sniffing and stealing but not to smoking and alcohol abuse. Suicidal tendencies were more likely among the depressed students. It is imperative that not only caregivers but also teachers have to be equipped with the knowledge, attitude and skills to assist secondary school children cope with their emotions, handle conflicts and manage stress early so that a more productive society will develop in the future.

  5. "In the Too Hard Basket": Issues Faced by 20 Rural Australian Teachers When Students with Disabilities Are Included in Their Secondary Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuhl, Susan; Pagliano, Paul; Boon, Helen

    2015-01-01

    Given the urban dominance of inclusion literature, it is germane to explore issues pertaining to including students with disability in the rural school. As such, this paper uses a qualitative research methodology to examine how 20 teachers experience including students with disabilities in their rural secondary classrooms. As a mother of an adult…

  6. Comparison of perceptions among rural versus nonrural secondary science teachers: A multistate survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baird, William E.; Preston Prather, J.; Finson, Kevin D.; Oliver, J. Steve

    A 100-item survey was distributed to science teachers in eight states to determine characteristics of teachers, schools, programs, and perceived needs. Results from 1258 secondary science teachers indicate that they perceive the following to be among their greatest needs: (1) to motivate students to want to learn science; (2) to discover sources of free and inexpensive science materials; (3) to learn more about how to use computers to deliver and manage instruction; (4) to find and use materials about science careers; and (5) to improve problem solving skills among their students. Based on whether teachers classified themselves as nonrural or rural, rural teachers do not perceive as much need for help with multicultural issues in the classroom or maintaining student discipline as their nonrural peers. Rural teachers report using the following classroom activities less often than nonrural teachers: cooperative learning groups, hands-on laboratory activities, individualized strategies, and inquiry teaching. More rural than nonrural teachers report problems with too many class preparations per day, a lack of career role models in the community, and lack of colleagues with whom to discuss problems. Among all secondary science teachers, the most pronounced problems reported by teachers were (in rank order): (1) insufficient student problem-solving skills; (2) insufficient funds for supplies; (3) poor student reading ability; (4) lack of student interest in science: and (5) inadequate laboratory facilities.

  7. 75 FR 21265 - Small, Rural School Achievement Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-23

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Small, Rural School Achievement Program AGENCY: Office of Elementary and... Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.358A. SUMMARY: Under the Small, Rural School Achievement... eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) to address the unique needs of rural school districts. In this...

  8. 76 FR 19758 - Small, Rural School Achievement Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-08

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Small, Rural School Achievement Program AGENCY: Office of Elementary and... Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.358A. SUMMARY: Under the Small, Rural School Achievement... eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) to address the unique needs of rural school districts. In this...

  9. Rural Roots: News, Information, and Commentary from the Rural School and Community Trust, 2002.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yaunches, Alison, Ed.; Loveland, Elaina, Ed.

    2002-01-01

    This document contains the six issues of "Rural Roots" published bimonthly in 2002. A newsletter of the Rural School and Community Trust, "Rural Roots" provides news, information, and commentary from the Rural Trust and highlights the wide variety of place-based education work happening in rural schools and communities across…

  10. Increasing Caring and Reducing Violence in Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schroth, Gwen; Fishbaugh, Mary Susan

    This paper briefly reviews the literature on violence in rural schools and communities, as well as the causes of rural crime and violence. General demographic and economic characteristics of rural communities are listed, followed by facts on rural school enrollments, achievement, and funding. Recent changes in rural communities that might…

  11. Advertising and availability of 'obesogenic' foods around New Zealand secondary schools: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Maher, Anthony; Wilson, Nick; Signal, Louise

    2005-07-15

    To examine the extent and content of outdoor food advertisements and food availability from outlets in the vicinity of secondary schools. The sample of schools (n=10) was randomly selected from a sample frame of schools in both an urban and rural region (Wellington and Wairarapa regions respectively) and at each extreme of the socioeconomic status (SES) distribution (based on school characteristics). An area of 1-km radius around the schools was examined for food and non-food product advertisements and shops/outlets. Out of 1408 outdoor advertisements for products, 61.5% were for food (i.e. 28 per square kilometre). The major categories were soft drinks (21.6%), frozen confectionary (16.2%), savoury snacks (11.4%), and alcohol (8.1%). Overall, 70.2% of food advertisements were for foods classified as 'unhealthy' (i.e. inconsistent with the national nutritional guidelines for adolescents). A majority of the 224 outlets sold food (i.e. 56.3%). Those that primarily sold food were (on average) closer than other outlets to the secondary schools (p=0.03). Out of those schools that sold meals, the proportion of these that advertised a salad option was significantly lower in the low SES neighbourhoods (p=0.006). Other significantly different patterns for food outlet distribution, and category of advertised food were found by SES and rurality. Although only a pilot study, the information obtained suggests that food advertising and food outlets are prevalent in the vicinity of secondary schools and that the advertising is generally not compatible with nutritional guidelines for adolescents. Larger studies into such advertising are needed as well as consideration of policy options to control aspects of the 'obesogenic environment.'

  12. Rural Middle School Students' Perceptions of Bullying

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Jonte' C.

    2009-01-01

    The present study is an examination of bullying perceptions by rural middle school students. Three rural middle schools participated in the study which involved 138 students completing The School Bullying Survey to determine their experiences with bullying by types and the overall school climate as it relates to bullying behavior. Results from…

  13. Prevalence of Malnutrition and Relationship with Scholastic Performance among Primary and Secondary School Children in Two Select Private Schools in Bangalore Rural District (India).

    PubMed

    Rashmi, M R; Shweta, B M; Fathima, Farah Naaz; Agrawal, Twinkle; Shah, Moulik; Sequeira, Randell

    2015-01-01

    Malnutrition is a serious problem among children in developing countries. In India; a school meal program is in place to combat malnutrition, but only in government schools. This study is an attempt to assess the prevalence of malnutrition in primary and secondary school children in private schools and to also assess the relationship between malnutrition and academic performance. All 582 students from class 1-7 from two select schools in rural Bangalore, India were included in the study. Information on age of study subjects were collected from school records. Height and weight measurements were taken. BMI was calculated. Children were clinically examined for pallor. Data on height, weight and BMI was transformed into WHO 2007 Z scores and then was categorized as < -3 SD, -2 to -3 SD, > -2 SD, > 2 SD. Mathematics and English scores of the previous two class tests were taken, average scores were calculated. Statistical tests used were Chi square test, Odd's ratio, Chi square for trend. A total of 582 students participated in this study. Males were 54% (315) and females were 46% (267). One hundred and fifty-nine (27%) of the children had pallor, 81 (20%) had under nutrition, 38 (7%) had stunting, 197 (34%) had thinness and 5 (1%) were found to be obese. Positive relationship was found between weight for ageZscores and English as well as Maths; Height for age Z scores with English. Hence we conclude that the prevalence of malnutrition is high among children in private schools also; and the nutritional status of the children is strongly associated with their academic performance.

  14. Professional Development for Rural School Assistant Principals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Enomoto, Ernestine K.

    2012-01-01

    Given rural school administrators' challenges and the need to support their leadership development, this qualitative study describes how one rural school district delivered professional development through a university-school partnership to prepare its assistant principals for their work. Methods: Eight assistant principals from nine schools…

  15. Rural Schools for Tomorrow. Yearbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butterworth, Julian E., Ed.

    This 1945 National Education Association yearbook focuses attention on the post-World War II problems of rural schools and encourages national, state, and local leaders to lay plans for strengthening rural education programs. The articles examine social and economic problems faced by rural Americans, the implications of these problems for rural…

  16. Education Achievements and School Efficiency in Rural Bangladesh. World Bank Discussion Papers, 319.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khandker, Shahidur R.

    Two of the largest World Bank investment projects in Bangladesh are the general education project and the female secondary scholarship and assistance project. This paper evaluates the expected results of these educational projects using the household and school survey data recently collected in rural Bangladesh. Bangladesh spends only 2 percent of…

  17. 34 CFR 300.36 - Secondary school.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Secondary school. 300.36 Section 300.36 Education... DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.36 Secondary school. Secondary school means a nonprofit institutional day or residential school, including a public secondary charter school that provides...

  18. Closing the Achievement Gap: Rural Schools. CSR Connection.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Doris Terry

    Twenty percent of the children enrolled in rural and small-town schools are non-Caucasian, children of color. As in nonrural schools, rural schools have yet to close the achievement gap across various racial and economic subgroups of this diverse population. Overall, rural students perform as well as or better than their nonrural peers on…

  19. Secondary School Dropouts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Minnesota State Dept. of Education, St. Paul.

    This report on secondary school dropouts consists of an analysis of the scope and nature of the dropout problem, a discussion of successful programs and activities for dropouts, a description of a pilot study involving Minnesota public secondary schools and Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) agencies, and presentation of…

  20. Paediatric case mix in a rural clinical school is relevant to future practice.

    PubMed

    Wright, Helen M; Maley, Moira A L; Playford, Denese E; Nicol, Pam; Evans, Sharon F

    2017-11-29

    Exposure to a representative case mix is essential for clinical learning, with logbooks established as a way of demonstrating patient contacts. Few studies have reported the paediatric case mix available to geographically distributed students within the same medical school. Given international interest in expanding medical teaching locations to rural contexts, equitable case exposure in rural relative to urban settings is topical. The Rural Clinical School of Western Australia locates students up to 3500 km from the urban university for an academic year. There is particular need to examine paediatric case mix as a study reported Australian graduates felt unprepared for paediatric rotations. We asked: Does a rural clinical school provide a paediatric case mix relevant to future practice? How does the paediatric case mix as logged by rural students compare with that by urban students? The 3745 logs of 76 urban and 76 rural consenting medical students were categorised by presenting symptoms and compared to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) database Major Diagnostic Categories (MDCs). Rural and urban students logged core paediatric cases, in similar order, despite the striking difference in geographic locations. The pattern of overall presenting problems closely corresponded to Australian paediatric hospital admissions. Rural students logged 91% of cases in secondary healthcare settings; urban students logged 90% of cases in tertiary settings. The top four presenting problems were ENT/respiratory, gastrointestinal/urogenital, neurodevelopmental and musculoskeletal; these made up 60% of all cases. Rural and urban students logged similar proportions of infants, children and adolescents, with a variety of case morbidity. Rural clinical school students logged a mix of core paediatric cases relevant to illnesses of Australian children admitted to public hospitals, with similar order and pattern by age group to urban students, despite major differences

  1. Household Perspectives on School Attendance in Rural Tibet

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Postiglione, Gerard; Jiao, Ben; Gyatso, Sonam

    2006-01-01

    This study explores household perspectives on school access at the village level in rural Tibet. Data from two rural areas are compared. This paper argues that despite abolition of all school fees, the use of Tibetan as a medium of instruction, the provision of boarding schools, and other incentives, dropout rates in rural areas remain high. This…

  2. Poverty and Rural Schools. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnston, Howard

    2009-01-01

    Impoverished populations and schools in rural areas face special challenges that are different from other settings. Among these are the distances from social services, the sparse availability of assistance programs, and the shortage of resources to support educational programs and student learning. Rural schools, do, however, have assets that can…

  3. Rural Primary School Closures in England.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitfield, Richard C.

    A three-phase interdisciplinary effort between educators and environmental planners is focusing on the social effects of rural primary school reorganization now occuring in England as a result of a declining birth rate and the resulting need for school closure. A questionnaire mailed nationally to rural Local Education Authorities, cross-community…

  4. Disparities persist in nutrition policies and practices in Minnesota secondary schools

    PubMed Central

    Caspi, Caitlin Eicher; Davey, Cynthia; Nelson, Toben F.; Larson, Nicole; Kubik, Martha Y.; Coombes, Brandon; Nanney, Marilyn S.

    2014-01-01

    Access to healthy foods among secondary school students is patterned by individual-level socioeconomic status, but few studies have examined how school nutrition policies and practices are patterned by school-level characteristics. The objective of this study was to examine school nutrition policies and practices by school characteristics (location, racial/ethnic composition and free/reduced priced lunch eligibility [FRPL]) in Minnesota secondary schools between 2008 and 2012. Data from the 2008 to 2012 Minnesota School Health Profiles survey were used to assess school nutrition policies and practices, and National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) data were used for school characteristics (n = 505 secondary schools). Nutrition policies and practices included: 1) the availability of low-nutrient, energy dense (LNED) items, 2) strategies to engage students in healthy eating, and 3) restrictions on advertisements of LNED products in areas around the school. Among school-level characteristics, school location was most strongly related to school nutrition policies. Across all years, city schools were less likely than town/rural schools to have vending machines/school stores [prevalence difference (PD)=13.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) -25.0,-2.3], and less likely to sell sports drinks (PD= -36.3, 95% CI: -51.8, -20.7). City schools were also more likely to prohibit advertisements for LNED products in school buildings (PD=17.7, 95% CI: 5.5, 29.9) and on school grounds (PD=15.6, 95% CI: 1.7, 29.5). Between 2008 and 2012 the prevalence of some healthy eating policies/practices (limiting salty snacks, offering taste testing, banning unhealthy food advertisements in school publications) declined in city schools only, where these policies/practices had previously been more common. Monitoring of these trends is needed to understand the impact of these policies on student outcomes across school settings. PMID:25441964

  5. Rural Electric Youth Tour Packet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Washington, DC.

    This packet of materials provides information about tours for rural secondary students in Washington, D.C., sponsored jointly by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), state rural electric cooperatives, and statewide associations of rural electric systems. Since 1958 this program has selected high school students to visit…

  6. Unregulated Autonomy: Uncredentialed Educational Interpreters in Rural Schools.

    PubMed

    Fitzmaurice, Stephen

    2017-01-01

    Although many rural Deaf and Hard of Hearing students attend public schools most of the day and use the services of educational interpreters to gain access to the school environment, little information exists on what interpreters are doing in rural school systems in the absence of credentialing requirements. The researcher used ethnographic interviews and field observations of three educational interpreters with no certification or professional assessment to explore how uncredentialed interpreters were enacting their role in a rural high school. The findings indicate that uncredentialed interpreters in rural settings perform four major functions during their school day: preparing the environment, staff, and materials; interpreting a variety of content; interacting with numerous stakeholders; and directly instructing Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. Generally, educational interpreters in rural districts operate with unregulated autonomy, a situation that warrants further research and a national standard for all educational interpreters.

  7. Curriculum and the American Rural School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feldmann, Doug

    This book begins by tracing the history of curriculum development and the subjugation of rural school districts to curriculum decisions made from afar and tailored to urban needs. Local and teacher interpretation of the formal curriculum gave rise to the enacted curriculum, or that which was actually taught in classrooms. But for rural schools,…

  8. Association between self-efficacy, career interest and rural career intent in Australian medical students with rural clinical school experience

    PubMed Central

    Isaac, Vivian; Walters, Lucie; McLachlan, Craig S

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To investigate medical student's self-efficacy at the time of finishing their rural clinical school (RCS) placement and factors associated with self-efficacy. Secondary aims are to explore whether interest levels or self-efficacy are associated with rural or remote career intentions. Design, setting and participants A cross-sectional study of medical students who had completed their RCS term in 17 Australian universities. Data were derived from the 2013 Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators (FRAME) evaluation survey. Questionnaire responses were analysed from 653 medical students from regional Australia. All 732 students who completed their RCS term in 2013 were invited to participate. Primary and secondary outcome measures Rural self-efficacy: Six questions to measure self-efficacy beliefs in rural medical practice, based on the sources of self-efficacy described by Bandura. Rural career intention: Students were asked to identify their preferred location for future practice. The options were, Capital or Major City; Inner regional city or large town; Smaller town and very remote area. Results Questionnaire responses were analysed from 653 medical students from regional Australia (response rate 89.2%). 83.8% of all students recalled an increase in their interest levels for rural medicine as a result of their RCS experience. Actual career intention to work in a regional area or rural area was 60.2%. Bivariate analyses showed female gender (p=0.003), rural background (p<0.001), an RCS preference for clinical training (p<0.001) and general practice intentions (p=0.004) were factors associated with higher levels of self-efficacy. Logistic regression analyses showed that self-efficacy was independently associated with increased interest in rural medicine (OR 1.4 (95% CI 1.3 to 1.5)) and rural career intent (OR 1.2 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.3)). (Model included gender, rural background, preference for RCS, generalist intent, rural practice interest and self

  9. Teacher perceptions of usefulness of mobile learning devices in rural secondary science classrooms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tighe, Lisa

    The internet and easy accessibility to a wide range of digital content has created the necessity for teachers to embrace and integrate digitial media in their curriculums. Although there is a call for digital media integration in curriculum by current learning standards, rural schools continue to have access to fewer resources due to limited budgets, potentially preventing teachers from having access to the most current technology and science instructional materials. This dissertation identifies the perceptions rural secondary science teachers have on the usefulness of mobile learning devices in the science classroom. The successes and challenges in using mobile learning devices in the secondary classroom were also explored. Throughout this research, teachers generally supported the integration of mobile devices in the classroom, while harboring some concerns relating to student distractability and the time required for integrating mobile devices in exisiting curriculum. Quantitative and qualitative data collected through surveys, interviews, and classroom observations revealed that teachers perceive that mobile devices bring benefits such as ease of communication and easy access to digitial information. However, there are perceived challenges with the ability to effectively communicate complex scientific information via mobile devices, distractibility of students, and the time required to develop effective curriculum to integrate digital media into the secondary science classroom.

  10. Rural Aspirations and Expectations of Ohio and Georgia Secondary Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCracken, J. David; And Others

    Different areas and regions of the nation have characteristically different rural high school systems due to differences in socioeconomic status of the residents, racial or ethnic membership, and family background. Differences in staffing patterns, enrollment levels, and school budgets are also characteristics that help to differentiate rural and…

  11. ICTs as Placed Resources in a Rural Kenyan Secondary School Journalism Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kendrick, Maureen; Chemjor, Walter; Early, Margaret

    2012-01-01

    In this study, we draw on three interrelated concepts, i.e. placed resources, multiliteracies and the carnivalesque, to understand how information and communication technology (ICT) resources are taken up within the context of a print-based journalism club. Our research participants attend an under-resourced girls' residential secondary school in…

  12. Transcending an Urban-Rural Divide: Rural Youth's Resistance to Townization and Schooling, a Case Study of a Middle School in Northwest China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lou, Jingjing

    2011-01-01

    Based on an ethnographic study in a rural middle school in Northwest China, the author explores how the transition of the rural countryside, specifically townization, has challenged the urban-rural dichotomy being reproduced in and by formal schooling. Rural students express criticism of the chaos, pollution, and corruption they have experienced…

  13. One Secondary School's Subject-Area Teachers' Perspectives on Co-Teaching Students with Special Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Legutko, Robert S.

    2015-01-01

    This study is an action research study conducted at one rural northeastern Pennsylvania junior/senior high school to gain secondary education subject-area teacher's perspectives on educating students with special needs in a co-teaching environment. A written open-ended questionnaire was issued to relevant faculty members which determined that…

  14. Myopia among school students in rural China (Yunnan).

    PubMed

    Qian, Deng-Juan; Zhong, Hua; Li, Jun; Niu, Zhiqiang; Yuan, Yuansheng; Pan, Chen-Wei

    2016-07-01

    We described the prevalence and associated factors of myopia and high myopia in school children of different ethnicities in a rural community in Yunnan province, China. A total of 7681 (93.4%) primary and secondary school students aged 5-16 years in Mangshi participated in this study. Cycloplegic refraction was performed using an auto-refractor. Information regarding demographic factors, socioeconomic status and lifestyle-related exposures were collected using a questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the risk factors for myopia and high myopia. The overall prevalence of myopia and high myopia was 39.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 38.0, 40.2) and 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4, 0.8) in this study. Myopia prevalence increased significantly with increasing age (p for trend <0.001). Girls were more likely to have myopia compared with boys (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the presence of myopia was associated with increasing height (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.03), computer use (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.32), having myopic father (OR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.94), having myopic mother (OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.63), and increasing time on reading (OR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.28) after adjusting for age, sex and ethnicity. Nowadays myopia but not high myopia is prevalent among school children in rural China. Significant ethnic differences in myopia prevalence were not observed. A significant 'cohort effect' of myopia previously observed in urban cities had occurred in rural communities in China. © 2016 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2016 The College of Optometrists.

  15. Rural School Children Picturing Family Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Lange, Naydene; Olivier, Tilla; Geldenhuys, Johanna; Mitchell, Claudia

    2012-01-01

    Rurality is an active agent and central to the lived experiences of children growing up on a farm and attending a farm school. It is a key to their everyday experiences, and influences family life, schooling and their future. Previous studies elsewhere in the world have explored the notion of childhood in rural contexts, but there is a dearth of…

  16. Wayne School of Engineering: Case Study of a Rural Inclusive STEM-Focused High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peters Burton, Erin; Kaminsky, Samuel E.; Lynch, Sharon; Behrend, Tara; Han, Edmund; Ross, Kathleen; House, Ann

    2014-01-01

    Rural schools face challenges that are often different than nonrural schools. Resource constraints are particularly acute in rural schools, and they struggle to offer advanced courses and extracurricular programs. The purpose of this paper is to present a descriptive, instrumental case study of an inclusive rural science, technology, engineering,…

  17. Visual disability, visual function, and myopia among rural chinese secondary school children: the Xichang Pediatric Refractive Error Study (X-PRES)--report 1.

    PubMed

    Congdon, Nathan; Wang, Yunfei; Song, Yue; Choi, Kai; Zhang, Mingzhi; Zhou, Zhongxia; Xie, Zhenling; Li, Liping; Liu, Xueyu; Sharma, Abhishek; Wu, Bin; Lam, Dennis S C

    2008-07-01

    To evaluate visual acuity, visual function, and prevalence of refractive error among Chinese secondary-school children in a cross-sectional school-based study. Uncorrected, presenting, and best corrected visual acuity, cycloplegic autorefraction with refinement, and self-reported visual function were assessed in a random, cluster sample of rural secondary school students in Xichang, China. Among the 1892 subjects (97.3% of the consenting children, 84.7% of the total sample), mean age was 14.7 +/- 0.8 years, 51.2% were female, and 26.4% were wearing glasses. The proportion of children with uncorrected, presenting, and corrected visual disability (< or = 6/12 in the better eye) was 41.2%, 19.3%, and 0.5%, respectively. Myopia < -0.5, < -2.0, and < -6.0 D in both eyes was present in 62.3%, 31.1%, and 1.9% of the subjects, respectively. Among the children with visual disability when tested without correction, 98.7% was due to refractive error, while only 53.8% (414/770) of these children had appropriate correction. The girls had significantly (P < 0.001) more presenting visual disability and myopia < -2.0 D than did the boys. More myopic refractive error was associated with worse self-reported visual function (ANOVA trend test, P < 0.001). Visual disability in this population was common, highly correctable, and frequently uncorrected. The impact of refractive error on self-reported visual function was significant. Strategies and studies to understand and remove barriers to spectacle wear are needed.

  18. School and local authority characteristics associated with take-up of free school meals in Scottish secondary schools, 2014

    PubMed Central

    Chambers, Stephanie; Dundas, Ruth; Torsney, Ben

    2016-01-01

    School meals are an important state-delivered mechanism for improving children’s diets. Scottish local authorities have a statutory duty to provide free school meals (FSM) to families meeting means-testing criteria. Inevitably take-up of FSM does not reach 100%. Explanations put forward to explain this include social stigma, as well as a more general dissatisfaction amongst pupils about lack of modern facilities and meal quality, and a preference to eat where friends are eating. This study investigated characteristics associated with take-up across Scottish secondary schools in 2013–2014 using multilevel modelling techniques. Results suggest that stigma, food quality and the ability to eat with friends are associated with greater take-up. Levels of school modernisation appeared less important, as did differences between more urban or rural areas. Future studies should focus on additional school-level variables to identify characteristics associated with take-up, with the aim of reducing the number of registered pupils not taking-up FSM. PMID:28191363

  19. School and local authority characteristics associated with take-up of free school meals in Scottish secondary schools, 2014.

    PubMed

    Chambers, Stephanie; Dundas, Ruth; Torsney, Ben

    2016-01-02

    School meals are an important state-delivered mechanism for improving children's diets. Scottish local authorities have a statutory duty to provide free school meals (FSM) to families meeting means-testing criteria. Inevitably take-up of FSM does not reach 100%. Explanations put forward to explain this include social stigma, as well as a more general dissatisfaction amongst pupils about lack of modern facilities and meal quality, and a preference to eat where friends are eating. This study investigated characteristics associated with take-up across Scottish secondary schools in 2013-2014 using multilevel modelling techniques. Results suggest that stigma, food quality and the ability to eat with friends are associated with greater take-up. Levels of school modernisation appeared less important, as did differences between more urban or rural areas. Future studies should focus on additional school-level variables to identify characteristics associated with take-up, with the aim of reducing the number of registered pupils not taking-up FSM.

  20. Rural School/Small College Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Reese

    Lewis-Clark State College, a small college in Lewiston, Idaho, establishes close cooperation with rural schools through specialized teacher preparation, community outreach, and willingness to bring educational ideas and expertise to rural areas. The teacher preparation program stresses development of professional versatility through composite…

  1. Designing Rural School Improvement Networks: Aspirations and Actualities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hargreaves, Andy; Parsley, Danette; Cox, Elizabeth K.

    2015-01-01

    Rural school educators are often isolated and have few opportunities to learn from neighboring schools or colleagues. This is an especially daunting challenge for low-performing rural schools faced with implementing significant reform efforts (e.g., turnaround approaches, educator effectiveness systems, college- and career-ready standards and…

  2. Gifted Secondary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brigandi, Carla B.; Siegle, Del; Weiner, Jennie M.; Gubbins, E. Jean; Little, Catherine A.

    2016-01-01

    Grounded in the Enrichment Triad and Achievement Orientation Models, this qualitative case study builds understanding of the relationship between participation in Type III Enrichment and the achievement orientation attitude of goal valuation in gifted secondary school students. Participants included 10 gifted secondary school students, their…

  3. Psychosocial correlates of substance use amongst secondary school students in south western Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Fatoye, F O

    2003-03-01

    To determine the psychosocial correlates of substance use among secondary school students in rural and urban communities in south western Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey of secondary school students using questionnaire eliciting substance use by students (WHO drug use questionnaire) and a well designed questionnaire on psychosocial variables. Six secondary schools selected from two local government areas in Ilesa, Osun State, South Western Nigeria. The study population comprised 600 randomly selected senior secondary school students from six schools. A total of 562 questionnaires were analysed. Current stimulant use was significantly associated with lower socio-economic status, coming from a polygamous family and self-rated poor academic performance. Current alcohol use was associated with being a male, polygamous family background, living alone or with friends, not being religious and self-rated poor academic performance. Current hypnosedatives use was commoner in students living alone or with friends and in those with self-rated poor academic performance. There was also significant positive relationship between current tobacco use and the male sex, not being religious and self-rated poor academic perfomance. Lifetime use of these substances had similar association with the psychosocial variables with slight differences. The similarity between the psychosocial correlates highlighted in this study and those reported in previous studies from other parts of Nigeria makes these observations useful enough for the planning of preventive strategies.

  4. Federal Initiatives and Rural School Improvement: Findings from the Experimental Schools Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herriott, Robert E.

    Abt Associates' concluding report on its research of the federally funded Experimental Schools (ES) program identifies educational needs in rural schools, introduces the substance of the ES program, and presents the major findings of the research in terms of the dynamics of rural school districts and the design and implementation of federal…

  5. Disparities persist in nutrition policies and practices in Minnesota secondary schools.

    PubMed

    Caspi, Caitlin E; Davey, Cynthia; Nelson, Toben F; Larson, Nicole; Kubik, Martha Y; Coombes, Brandon; Nanney, Marilyn S

    2015-03-01

    Access to healthy foods among secondary school students is patterned by individual-level socioeconomic status, but few studies have examined how school nutrition policies and practices are patterned by school-level characteristics. The objective of our study was to examine school nutrition policies and practices by school characteristics (eg, location, racial/ethnic composition, and free/reduced priced lunch eligibility) in Minnesota secondary schools between 2008 and 2012. Data from the 2008 to 2012 Minnesota School Health Profiles survey were used to assess school nutrition policies and practices, and National Center for Educational Statistics data were used for school characteristics (n=505 secondary schools). Nutrition policies and practices included the availability of low-nutrient, energy dense (LNED) items, strategies to engage students in healthy eating, and restrictions on advertisements of LNED products in areas around the school. Among school-level characteristics, school location was most strongly related to school nutrition policies. Across all years, city schools were less likely than town/rural schools to have vending machines/school stores (prevalence difference [PD] -13.7, 95% CI -25.0 to -2.3), and less likely to sell sport drinks (PD -36.3, 95% CI -51.8 to -20.7). City schools were also more likely to prohibit advertisements for LNED products in school buildings (PD 17.7, 95% CI 5.5 to 29.9) and on school grounds (PD 15.6, 95% CI 1.7 to 29.5). Between 2008 and 2012, the prevalence of some healthy eating policies/practices (eg, limiting salty snacks, offering taste testing, and banning unhealthy food advertisements in school publications) declined in city schools only, where these policies/practices had previously been more common. Monitoring of these trends is needed to understand the influence of these policies on student outcomes across school settings. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

  6. Effective Schools: Do Elementary Prescriptions Fit Secondary Schools?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Firestone, William A.; Herriott, Robert E.

    Most of the recent research identifying organizational characteristics that seem to make schools unusually effective has been conducted at the elementary level and may not be applicable to secondary schools. Research currently underway suggests that the basic organizational structures of elementary and secondary schools dictate two different…

  7. Realities of Rural School Reform.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seal, Kenna R.; Harmon, Hobart L.

    1995-01-01

    Schools in isolated rural areas like Braxton County, West Virginia, can emerge as learning communities and telecommuting villages. Future school mergers will be less common than consolidation of programs and services to improve access for students, their families, and the community. Technology will link schools with a global information network.…

  8. Unregulated Autonomy: Uncredentialed Educational Interpreters in Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fitzmaurice, Stephen

    2017-01-01

    Although many rural Deaf and Hard of Hearing students attend public schools most of the day and use the services of educational interpreters to gain access to the school environment, little information exists on what interpreters are doing in rural school systems in the absence of credentialing requirements. The researcher used ethnographic…

  9. Early Career Leadership Opportunities in Australian Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Lorraine; Miller, Judith; Paterson, David

    2009-01-01

    Due to the difficulties inherent in staffing rural schools in Australia, it is increasingly common for beginning teachers to fill school leadership roles early in their careers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the accelerated progression of some early career teachers who have been offered leadership opportunities in rural schools. Results…

  10. Rural Life and Education: A Study of the Rural-School Problem As a Phase of the Rural-Life Problem. Revised Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cubberley, Ellwood Patterson

    Published in 1922, this book examines changes in rural life during the 19th century, and resulting problems and effects on rural schooling in the early 20th century. The book suggests that by the early 20th century, rural schools had lost their former importance to the community and were far behind compared to the progress of urban schools. The…

  11. Barriers to Distance Education in Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Irvin, Matthew J.; Hannum, Wallace H.; Varre, Claire de la; Farmer, Thomas W.

    2010-01-01

    The primary purpose of the current study was to examine barriers to the use of distance education and explore related factors in small and low-income rural schools. Data were collected via a telephone survey with administrators or other qualified personnel. The sample involved 417 randomly selected small and low-income rural school districts…

  12. Nambour: The Model Rural School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brady, Tony

    2012-01-01

    This paper examines the Rural Schools of Queensland. Starting with Nambour in 1917, the scheme incorporated thirty schools, and operated for over forty years. The rhetoric of the day was that boys and girls from the senior classes of primary school would be provided with elementary instruction of a practical character. In reality, the subjects…

  13. The Small Rural School Principalship: Key Challenges and Cross-School Responses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Starr, Karen; White, Simone

    2008-01-01

    This article explores the responses of school principals of small rural schools in Victoria, Australia to leadership challenges they identify as characteristic of these contexts. The research is an exercise in grounded theory building, with the focus on the principalship as it is enacted in small rural settings. The article also seeks to trace the…

  14. Technical Subjects in Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howard, A. E.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to examine technical education in various types of secondary schools, and suggests three levels of technical courses to be taught in secondary schools. Design/methodology/approach: The paper discusses the differences between technical schools and colleges, and vocational technical courses taught in "academic"…

  15. Promoting Learning in Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Redding, Sam; Walberg, Herbert J.

    2012-01-01

    The research reviewed in this report suggests that some of the contentions about schools, districts, and communities in rural areas are mistaken. Many of the issues they face also confront urban and suburban educators, and rural communities offer several distinctive educational advantages. A lack of student motivation to learn is a problem often…

  16. Education in Rural and City School Systems: Some Statistical Indices for 1947-48. Circular 329.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Rose Marie

    Nine comparative indices present both financial and non-financial statistics for rural and urban public elementary and secondary schools in 36 states and for all 36 states combined. The 1947-48 data cover the average salary of the instructional staff, instructional expenditure per pupil, total current expenditure per pupil, capital outlay per…

  17. Rural school-based telehealth: how to make it happen.

    PubMed

    Burke, Bryan; Bynum, Ann; Hall-Barrow, Julie; Ott, Rachel; Albright, Margaret

    2008-11-01

    When organizing new health care interventions among a rural population, a careful planning process respecting community-specific considerations should be used. The project objective centered on the successful implementation of a school-based telehealth clinic serving a rural, health-disparate population. Using an American Academy of Pediatrics Community Access to Child Health planning grant, a needs assessment of the Delta community was conducted. In synthesizing the results of this planning project, consensually addressed issues led to establishing a pilot school-based telehealth clinic within the rural county schools. Seven essential steps emerged as a set of guidelines that entities might consider in introducing a telemedicine school-based service in a rural community. The steps included assessing local and regional needs, securing community support and establishing goals, evaluating resources, configuring logistics, training staff, informing parents, and launching the clinic. Proper planning is crucial to the establishment of a rural school-based telehealth clinic.

  18. Rural School Consolidation: History, Research Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bard, Joe; Gardener, Clark; Wieland, Regi

    2006-01-01

    The consolidation of rural schools in the United States has been a controversial topic for policy-makers, school administrators, and rural communities since the 1800s. At issue in the consolidation movement have been concerns of efficiency, economics, student achievement, school size, and community identity. Throughout the history of schooling in…

  19. School Segregation and Disparities in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas

    PubMed Central

    Logan, John R.; Burdick-Will, Julia

    2018-01-01

    Much of the literature on racial and ethnic educational inequality focuses on the contrast between Black and Hispanic students in urban areas and white suburban students. This study extends past research on school segregation and racial/ethnic disparities by highlighting the importance of rural areas and regional variation. Although schools in rural America are disproportionately white, they nevertheless are like urban schools, and disadvantaged relative to suburban schools, in terms of poverty and test performance. The group most affected by rural school disadvantage is Native Americans, who are a small share of students nationally but much more prominent and highly disadvantaged in rural areas, particularly in some parts of the country. These figures suggest a strong case for including rural schools in the continuing conversation about how to deal with unfairness in public education. PMID:29430018

  20. Rural School Math and Science Teachers' Technology Integration Familiarization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kalonde, Gilbert

    2017-01-01

    This study explored the significance of technology integration familiarization and the subsequent PD provided to rural middle school teachers with several opportunities to gain technological skills for technology use in rural middle school math and science classrooms. In order to explore the use of technology in rural schools, this study surveyed…

  1. Rural High School Students' Attitudes towards School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lyons, Terry; Quinn, Frances

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports findings from an Australian survey of Year 10 students (N=3759) indicating that those in small rural and remote areas tend to enjoy school science significantly less than their peers in larger towns and cities (Lyons & Quinn, 2010). The study also found that rural and remote students were less inclined than those in other…

  2. Reading in the Secondary School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Teaching English, 1976

    1976-01-01

    The topic of discussion of this issue of the journal "Teaching English" is reading instruction in the secondary school. Articles include "Reading in the Primary School" (Alastair Hendry), "Patterns of Progress" (Fergus McBride), "Teaching Reading--Whose Business?" (James Maxwell), "A Reading Policy for the Secondary School" (Iain McGillivray),…

  3. Exploring Implementation of the Ontario School Food and Beverage Policy at the Secondary-School Level: A Qualitative Study.

    PubMed

    Vine, Michelle M; Elliott, Susan J; Raine, Kim D

    2014-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation of the Ontario School Food and Beverage Policy (P/PM 150) from the perspective of secondary-school students. This research, informed by the ANGELO framework, undertook three focus groups with secondary students (n = 20) in 2 school boards representing both high- and low-income neighbourhoods in fall 2012. Focus groups were transcribed verbatim for subsequent analysis. Key themes were generated deductively from the research objectives and inductively as they emerged from transcripts. Perceived impacts of P/PM 150 included high-priced policy-compliant food for sale, lower revenue generation, and food purchased off-campus. Limited designated eating spaces, proximity to external, nonpolicy-compliant food, and time constraints acted as key local level barriers to healthy eating. Pricing strategies are needed to ensure that all students have access to nutritious food, particularly in the context of vulnerable populations. Recognition of the context and culture in which school nutrition policies are being implemented is essential. Future research to explore the role of public health dietitians in school nutrition policy initiatives and how to leverage local resources and stakeholder support in low income, rural and remote populations is needed.

  4. Effective Schooling in Rural Africa Report 3: Case Study Briefs on Rural Schooling.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    World Bank, Washington, DC. Human Development Network.

    This document contains 20 case study briefs about efforts to improve rural schools and teachers in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Some reforms focus on a part of the education system or a particular population; others attempt to change the national education system. At least seven programs were begun as an alternative to government schools. Most…

  5. Are Rural Schools Inferior to Urban Schools? A Multilevel Analysis of School Accountability Trends in Kentucky

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reeves, Edward B.; Bylund, Robert A.

    2005-01-01

    Recent research does not provide clear evidence that rural schools are inferior to urban schools. For example, one prominent study finds that students in rural schools perform less well than their urban counterparts, but other studies using the same national data set have reached divergent conclusions. The present study reassesses the issue using…

  6. A Vanishing Rural School Advantage? Changing Urban/Rural Student Achievement Differences in Latin America and the Caribbean

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luschei, Thomas F.; Fagioli, Loris P.

    2016-01-01

    In 1997, a cross-national assessment of educational achievement in Latin America and the Caribbean found that rural schools in Colombia outperformed urban schools in tests of reading and mathematics, except in very large cities. Given a long history of urban/rural inequality in the region, Colombia's rural school advantage attracted substantial…

  7. School grounds and physical activity: Associations at secondary schools, and over the transition from primary to secondary schools.

    PubMed

    Harrison, Flo; van Sluijs, Esther M F; Corder, Kirsten; Jones, Andy

    2016-05-01

    This paper aims to further understanding of the physical environments of secondary schools and their associations with young peoples' physical activity. Accelerometer-derived physical activity measurements from 299 participants in the SPEEDY study (Norfolk, UK) were obtained from baseline measurements (age 9-10y) and +4y follow-up. These were linked to objective measures of primary and secondary school environments as measured by the SPEEDY grounds audit tool. We saw considerable differences in the nature of school grounds between primary and secondary schools. Cross-sectional associations were seen between active travel provision scores and commuting time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for 13-14 year old boys and adolescents living further from school. However, few associations were seen between changes in school grounds scores and changes in school-based MVPA. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. Rural and Small School Principal Candidates: Perspectives of Hiring Superintendents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cruzeiro, Patricia A.; Boone, Mike

    2009-01-01

    This article reports the results of an inquiry into the dynamics of principal selection in rural school districts in two mid-American states with high numbers of rural schools. The study focuses on two questions: (1) are rural school districts experiencing a shortage of qualified applicants for vacant principal's positions; and (2) what…

  9. Secondary School Counseling. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, Karen

    2005-01-01

    "Secondary school counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today's diverse student population" ("Why secondary school counselors?"). As times have changed, so has the role of the school counselor. In the early part of the 20th century when the country was…

  10. The Praxis of Building Capacity in Mathematics and Science in a Rural, Non-Government Systems of Schools: Voices of Teacher Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Connor, Vince; Auld, Billinda; Eakin, Patricia; Morris, Kerry; Tilston, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Much is written about teacher leaders and the impact they have in promoting and influencing change. This is a reflection from four teacher leaders from four secondary high schools of a rural, non-government system of schools as they seek to build a capacity in the learning and teaching of mathematics and science within their schools. The original…

  11. The School Experiences of Rural Youths: A Study in Appalachian Ohio

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoffman, Jill A.; Anderson-Butcher, Dawn; Fuller, Michael; Bates, Samantha

    2017-01-01

    Rural schools face unique challenges that affect student academic success or failure. Youths served in rural settings experience barriers to learning that negatively influence their achievement and developmental outcomes. To improve outcomes for rural youths, it is important for schools to understand overall school experiences so that school-wide…

  12. Revisiting Rurality and Schooling: A Teacher's Story

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pillay, Daisy; Saloojee, Sheeren

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents an understanding of what it means to be a teacher in a school defined as "rural". From a sociological perspective, we consider the mechanisms and ways of knowing that are adopted by a teacher for understanding not only the external world but for being a certain kind of teacher for a school in a rural setting.…

  13. Predicting Rural Practice Using Different Definitions to Classify Medical School Applicants as Having a Rural Upbringing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owen, John A.; Conaway, Mark R.; Bailey, Beth A.; Hayden, Gregory F.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: This study determines the relationship between a medical school applicant's rural background and the likelihood of rural practice using different definitions of rural background. Methods: Cohort study of 599 physicians who entered the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1990-1995 and graduated in 1994-1999. The…

  14. School and Community, Community and School: A Case Study of a Rural Missouri Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franklin, Melia K.

    2011-01-01

    How do a school and a community interact? This question guided this dissertation examining one rural school and community. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the relationship between the rural Marceline R-V School District (a K-12 school system) and its community, Marceline, Missouri. The framework for this study included the…

  15. Do Rural Schools Need Character Education?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reynolds, Janice Carner

    Studies suggest that the challenge of violence in public schools can be met through character education, whether by providing a school culture in which core values are practiced or some form of moral training (indoctrination). To assess the need for character education in rural schools, small-school superintendents and board members in central…

  16. Effective Schooling in Rural Africa Report 4: Frequently Asked Questions about Effective Schooling in Rural Communities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    World Bank, Washington, DC. Human Development Network.

    The challenges of making rural schools more effective vary with different types of rural conditions. But typically these challenges might include any of the following: teacher shortages, lack of facilities, isolation, HIV/AIDS and related social stigma, war crises and displaced populations, multigrade and shift teaching, administration of small…

  17. Rebound in Dropout Rates as a Result of Rural School Consolidation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haibo, Yu

    2013-01-01

    Rural school consolidation has significantly changed the landscape of rural education in China. Based on a study carried out in nine provinces, this article analyzes the effect of this policy initiative. It has led to increased school dropout rates in rural schools.

  18. 76 FR 17106 - Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committee (RAC... meeting to be held authorized under the Secure Rural Schools Act and Community Self-Determination Act... federally designated Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committee (RAC). The public is invited to attend...

  19. School Choice: The Perceptions of Rural Public School Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brabham, Jessica Marlene

    2010-01-01

    This study identified the feelings and beliefs that rural educators possess about the options of school choice, via vouchers, as currently discussed by federal and state governments. The sample of this study consisted of 250 educators, representing 10 different schools, who completed a school choice survey developed by the researcher. A comparison…

  20. Counselors and Special Educators in Rural Schools Working Together to Create a Positive School Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thornton, Frank

    2018-01-01

    School counselors and special educators in rural areas working together can be a powerful team to help schools create a positive school community. In one rural school community, they partnered with faculty and staff to implement a School Wide Positive Behavior support program to improve student outcomes. The counselor and special educator, through…

  1. Biscuits, Sausage, Gravy, Milk, and Orange Juice: School Breakfast Environment in 4 Rural Appalachian Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graves, Andrea; Haughton, Betsy; Jahns, Lisa; Fitzhugh, Eugene; Jones, Sonya J.

    2008-01-01

    Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the school breakfast environment in rural Appalachian schools to inform school environment intervention and policy change. Methods: A total of 4 rural schools with fourth- and fifth-grade students in East Tennessee were assessed. A cross-sectional descriptive examination of the school food…

  2. Relationship of school context to rural youth's educational achievement and aspirations.

    PubMed

    Irvin, Matthew J; Meece, Judith L; Byun, Soo-Yong; Farmer, Thomas W; Hutchins, Bryan C

    2011-09-01

    Though the poverty encountered by many rural youth encompasses numerous developmental challenges and substantially increases the chances for educational problems, the school context is central to promoting and constraining their development. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of school characteristics and schooling experiences to the educational achievement and aspirations of youth from high-poverty rural communities. Differences in the relationship of school characteristics and schooling experiences to the educational outcomes of students from high- versus low-poverty rural communities were also examined. Participants included 6,247 high school students from 43 low-poverty and 21 high-poverty rural communities. Approximately 51.7% of participants were female and the sample was racially/ethnically diverse (66.4% White, 9.2% African American, 8.1% Hispanic/Latino(a), 4.4% Native American, and 11.8% Multiracial). After controlling for student and family background, school characteristics (e.g., lower student-teacher ratio) were predictive of achievement for rural youth from high-poverty communities. Schooling experiences (e.g., positive perceptions of their ability, a sense of school valuing and belonging, and preparation for postsecondary education) were predictive of educational achievement and aspirations for rural youth from high- and low-poverty communities. Overall, the study highlights unique ways schools can positively shape the educational outcomes for rural youth despite community poverty.

  3. Rural Transition Strategies That Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schwartz, Phebe

    Successful rural transition strategies which assist disabled rural secondary students in the transition from school to employment and community integration are described. Effective programs and specific strategies touch on such topic areas as job/career exploration, on-site job exploration, career planning, prevocational training, transition…

  4. Rural Schools, Rural Communities: An Alternative View of the Future. Keynote Address.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nachtigal, Paul M.

    The urbanization and industrialization of a society based on commercial competitiveness has resulted in the marginalization of rural communities and the disempowerment of rural people. An alternative view of the future is needed, and rural schools have a part to play in creating it. Four sets of forces are driving society toward a different…

  5. Equity and Adequacy Challenges in Rural Schools and Communities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mathis, William J.

    A meeting of education finance scholars discussed finance issues relevant to rural schools and communities. This paper summarizes major themes that emerged during the meeting. Notions of efficiency and economies of scale have contributed to widespread consolidation of rural schools and school districts. The value of community is not easily…

  6. Leadership in Australian Rural Schools: Bush Track, Fast Track

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Lorraine; Paterson, David; Miller, Judith

    2008-01-01

    Due to the difficulties inherent in staffing rural schools it is increasingly common for beginning teachers to fill school leadership roles early in their careers. The accelerated progression of some teachers impacts on the overall nature of leadership in rural schools and creates unique pathways, generally different from those available to…

  7. Top-Down, Routinized Reform in Low-Income, Rural Schools: NSF's Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bickel, Robert; Tomasek, Terry; Eagle, Teresa Hardman

    2000-01-01

    Describes and evaluates the Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative, a six-state consortium for academic improvement supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), that focuses on low-income rural schools. The 1-day, one-school site visits that constitute program reviews in this initiative are unlikely to enhance achievement in either science…

  8. Technology Facilitation in the Rural School: An Analysis of Options.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawkes, Mark; Halverson, Pamela; Brockmueller, Bradley

    2002-01-01

    A study examining technology support in rural schools surveyed 129 school technology coordinators in four upper plains states. Heavy pedagogical and technical demands were placed on rural technology coordinators. Rural technology coordinators should have teaching experience and advanced degree work in network administration, computer hardware…

  9. Creating Technology Infrastructures in a Rural School District: A Partnership Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jensen, Dennis

    Rural schools face significant challenges in upgrading their technology infrastructures. Rural school districts tend to have older school buildings that have multiple problems and lack climate control, adequate space, and necessary wiring. In rural districts, it may be difficult to find the leadership and expertise needed to provide professional…

  10. Community and School Characteristics and Voter Behavior in Ohio Rural School District Property Tax Elections.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Matt; McCracken, J. David

    This study explores the relationships between the percentage of successful property tax issues and community and school characteristics in rural school districts in Ohio. Data were obtained for 74 rural school districts between 1984 and 1988; sources were government statistics and a questionnaire survey of school principals. The dependent variable…

  11. Preschool Guidelines: Rural Model (Trimble Local School District).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Educational Services.

    The purpose of this handbook is to guide rural school districts intending to establish a preschool program. The program described was established in the Trimble Local School District in the rural Appalachian area of northern Athens County, the third poorest district in Ohio. Contents concern: (1) the district's beliefs about children; (2)…

  12. Church Schools, Educational Markets and the Rural Idyll

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hemming, Peter J.; Roberts, Christopher

    2018-01-01

    Researchers have begun to explore the role that faith schools play in contemporary educational markets but the emphasis to date has been on urban rather than rural contexts. This article approaches the issue of marketisation through a qualitative case-study comparison of two Anglican primary schools in contrasting rural localities in England and…

  13. Female High School Principals in Rural Midwestern School Districts: Their Lived Experiences in Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bartling, Ellen M.

    2013-01-01

    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…

  14. Rural School Consolidation Report: History, Research Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bard, Joe; Gardener, Clark; Wieland, Regi

    2005-01-01

    The consolidation of rural schools in the United States has been a controversial topic for policy-makers, school administrators, and rural communities since the 1800s. Issues in the consolidation movement have been concerns of efficiency, economics, student achievement, school size, and community identity. Throughout the history of schooling in…

  15. Improving Science Education in Rural Elementary Schools: A New Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dacus, Judy M.; Hutto, Nora

    Rural elementary school teachers interested in improving science instruction are frequently hampered by inadequate training in science, lack of information on local natural history resources, and time and curriculum constraints. On the other hand, rural schools are usually located near meadows, forests, or undeveloped land, and rural students…

  16. Sport Specialization Characteristics Between Rural and Suburban High School Athletes.

    PubMed

    Bell, David R; Post, Eric G; Trigsted, Stephanie M; Schaefer, Daniel A; McGuine, Timothy A; Watson, Andrew M; Brooks, M Alison

    2018-01-01

    Sport specialization has been associated with overuse injuries and is more common in larger high schools, which are often located in more urban/suburban settings. However, sport participation characteristics have not been compared between suburban and rural high schools. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in sport participation characteristics between athletes at suburban and rural high schools. It was hypothesized that suburban high school students would be more likely to be highly specialized, participate in more athletic competitions per year, and play in a league outside of school. We also hypothesized that suburban high school students would start playing their primary sport at a younger age, would have participated in their primary sport for longer, and would play more months per year and hours per week. Cross-sectional study. High school athletes from 4 high schools (2 suburban and 2 rural) participated in this study (N = 354 [222 females]; mean age, 15.7 ± 1.2 years). Athletes were on a school-sponsored athletic team in 1 of 4 sports (volleyball, tennis, basketball, soccer). The suburban schools (study enrollment, n = 226) had total school enrollments of 2271 and 622 students, while the rural schools (study enrollment, n = 128) had total school enrollments of 443 and 297. Participants completed a questionnaire prior to the start of their high school sport season. The questionnaire consisted of demographic information, a sport specialization scale, and sport participation information. Primary sport competition volume in the previous 12 months was classified as high (>60 primary sport competitions), moderate (30-60), or low (<30). Sport specialization status was classified via a 3-point scale as low, moderate, or high. As compared with athletes at rural schools, athletes at suburban schools started playing their primary sport at a younger age (suburban, 7.8 ± 2.9 years; rural, 9.7 ± 3.2 years; P < .001) and participated for more years

  17. School Factors Related to Reading Achievement in Rural Schools with and without High Poverty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Seth W.

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative study identified how rural schools differ on five school-level factors related to student achievement according to their performance on Grade 3 reading. Through use of a MANOVA test, it was shown that principals of high-poverty rural schools that made AYP in Grade 3 reading reported significantly higher levels of guaranteed and…

  18. School attributes, household characteristics, and demand for schooling: A case study of rural Peru

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ilon, Lynn; Moock, Peter

    1991-12-01

    Educational expansion, long a goal of many LDCs, has become a difficult policy to pursue. Growing populations, shrinking national incomes and higher marginal costs of schooling as schooling reaches more rural dwellers have caused policy makers to take a hard look at factors which influence educational demand and expansion. This paper examines the case of Peru where rural areas have yet to attain the nearly universal enrollment of urban areas. The study examines 2500 rural households to explore reasons why children do not attend school, drop out of school, and begin school at later ages. The study finds that the monetary costs of schools (fees and other costs) have a substantial influence on parental decisions regarding school attendance and continuation. Sensitivity analysis reveals that mother's education has a bearing on their children's educational participation, particularly in low-income households. Sensitivity analysis also reveals that school attendance of low income and female children are most strongly affected by simulated changes in school fees.

  19. Differences in Student Misbehavior after Completing In-School Suspension between Rural High School and Suburban High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welch, Martin Ervind

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the differences that exist in rural and suburban high school student misbehavior after completing in-school suspension (ISS) in Alabama's Mobile County Public School System. The independent variables of rural or suburban, gender, and ethnicity were used to determine the differences of the various groups. The archival…

  20. "XSEL" Virtual Selective High School Provision: Delivering Academically Selective Secondary Curriculum in Regional, Rural and Remote NSW

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Furney, Ann-Marie; McDiarmid, Carole

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes the development and implementation of the "xsel" program in Western NSW. The program supports identified high school students from regional, rural and remote communities to access the study of English, maths and science at an academically selective level. A program review was undertaken during 2012 using a structured…

  1. Athletic Trainer Services in US Private Secondary Schools.

    PubMed

    Pike, Alicia; Pryor, Riana R; Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Stearns, Rebecca L; Casa, Douglas J

    2016-09-01

    Availability of athletic trainer (AT) services in US secondary schools has recently been reported to be as high as 70%, but this only describes the public sector. The extent of AT coverage in private secondary school settings has yet to be investigated and may differ from the public secondary school setting for several reasons, including differences in funding sources. To determine the level of AT services in US private secondary schools and identify the reasons why some schools did not employ ATs. Concurrent mixed-methods study. Private secondary schools in the United States. Of 5414 private secondary schools, 2044 (38%) responded to the survey. School administrators responded to the survey via telephone or e-mail. This instrument was previously used in a study examining AT services among public secondary schools. Descriptive statistics provided national data. Open-ended questions were evaluated through content analysis. Of the 2044 schools that responded, 58% (1176/2044) offered AT services, including 28% (574/2040) full time, 25% (501/2042) part time, 4% (78/1918) per diem, and 20% (409/2042) from a hospital or clinic. A total of 84% (281 285/336 165) of athletes had access to AT services. Larger private secondary schools were more likely to have AT services available. Barriers to providing AT services in the private sector were budgetary constraints, school size and sports, and lack of awareness of the role of an AT. More than half of the surveyed private secondary schools in the United States had AT services available; however, only 28% had a full-time AT. This demonstrates the need for increased medical coverage to provide athletes in this setting the appropriate level of care. Budgetary concerns, size of the school and sport offerings, and lack of awareness of the role of the AT continued to be barriers in the secondary school setting.

  2. A New Frontier: Utilizing Charter Schooling to Strengthen Rural Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smarick, Andy

    2014-01-01

    This report, the first in the series, points out that, while urban families increasingly have access to a variety of school options--including charter schools--many rural families have just a single school option. There are numerous examples of rural charter schools that have done great things for students while also benefiting the larger…

  3. Demographic and Financial Characteristics of School Districts with Low and High À La Carte Sales in Rural Kansas Public Schools

    PubMed Central

    Nollen, Nicole L.; Kimminau, Kim; Nazir, Niaman

    2013-01-01

    Reducing à la carte (ALC) items in schools – i.e., foods and beverages sold outside the reimbursable meals program -- may have important implications for childhood obesity. However, schools are reluctant to reduce ALC offerings because of the impact these changes could have on revenue. Some food service programs operate with limited ALC sales, but little is known about these programs. This secondary data analysis compared rural and urban/suburban school districts with low and high ALC sales. Food service financial records (2007–2008) were obtained from the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) for all public K-12 school districts (n=302). Chi-square and t-tests were used to examine the independent association of variables to ALC sales. A multivariate model was then constructed of the factors most strongly associated with low ALC sales. In rural districts with low ALC sales, lunch prices and participation were higher; lunch costs and ALC quality were lower; and fewer free/reduced price lunches were served compared to rural districts with high ALC sales. Lunch price (OR=1.2, 95% CI = 1.1–1.4) and free/reduced price lunch participation (OR=3.0, 95% CI=1.0–9.8) remained in the multivariate model predicting low ALC sales. No differences were found between urban/suburban districts with low and high ALC sales. Findings highlight important factors to maintaining low ALC sales. Schools should consider raising lunch prices and increasing meal participation rates as two potential strategies for reducing the sale of ALC items without compromising food service revenue. PMID:21616201

  4. Modernising Portugal's Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heitor, Teresa V.

    2008-01-01

    Portugal has a total of 477 public secondary schools. Some date from the end of the 19th century but the majority were built after 1970, reflecting the period of expansion in the school network and the extension of compulsory schooling. The schools are heterogeneous in terms of building types, architectural features and quality. An assessment of…

  5. School Sports Opportunities Influence Physical Activity in Secondary School and beyond

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fuller, Daniel; Sabiston, Catherine; Karp, Igor; Barnett, Tracie; O'Loughlin, Jennifer

    2011-01-01

    Background: The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the availability of intramural or extramural sports in secondary schools is associated with physical activity levels in youth throughout secondary school and at age 20. Methods: Eight hundred and eight adolescents from 10 secondary schools in Montreal, Canada, provided physical…

  6. A Synthesis of International Rural Education Issues and Responses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stelmach, Bonnie L.

    2011-01-01

    This article synthesizes problems impacting rural primary and secondary schools and describes how schools and relevant organizations have responded to the challenges. Given the context of a globally-compressed world, the focus of the literature review is on international rural education research and strategies. The exploration took the path of…

  7. Secondary Schools Included: A Literature Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Vroey, Annet; Struyf, Elke; Petry, Katja

    2016-01-01

    For over a decade, inclusive discourse comprises the development of a school for all, both in primary and in secondary education. Facing long-standing barriers for effective comprehensive education, secondary schools show specific interests, strengths and needs in a school-wide movement towards inclusion. Reviewing literature of recent research in…

  8. Physics Teaching in a Rural School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilhite, Lora

    1979-01-01

    The author describes, in a highly personal manner, physics teaching in a rural school. Topics detailed include: program descriptions, teaching methods, textbook selection and adoption procedures, teaching load, and the problems associated with teaching in a school district with limited funds. (BT)

  9. Education and Rural Depopulation - The Experience of the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sewel, J.

    The charge has often been made that in peripheral regions of Scotland the secondary educational system has contributed to rural depopulation, since students often must leave the rural community for a distant, centralized secondary school located in an urban area where values and aspirations differ from those of rural communities. In a study of…

  10. Study of Experiences and Needs of Rural Education Achievement Program Grantees

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmidt, Rebecca Anne; Caspary, Kyra; Jonas, Deborah

    2016-01-01

    Nationally, 28 percent of all public elementary and secondary schools were in rural locations in 2013-14, serving 18 percent of all K-12 students (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics 2015). Rural schools serve students in sparsely populated areas and have smaller overall populations than schools in other…

  11. Beating the Odds: High Performing, Small High-Schools in the Rural South

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rural School and Community Trust, 2004

    2004-01-01

    The Southern Rural High School Study Initiative seeks to identify high performing rural high schools in the South, engage education leaders in the region in analyzing the challenges faced by these schools and consider the public policies that might serve to transfer the lessons and strategies used by these schools to other small rural high schools…

  12. Operating School Meal Programs in Rural Districts: Challenges and Solutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoffman, Vanessa; Srinivasan, Mithuna; Levin, Madeleine; Scarmo, Stephanie

    2018-01-01

    Purpose/Objectives: The goal of this study was to explore unique issues that rural school nutrition professionals face in operating successful school meal programs, and their strategies for overcoming those barriers. Methods: This study was conducted through 10 key informant interviews and three focus groups with rural school nutrition…

  13. The Role and Responsibility of Administrators in Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlson, M. Dale

    Effective administration of rural school districts is a challenge. Rural administrators must develop, execute, and supervise the total school program. Because administrators must do whatever is necessary to operate the program and support staff frequently are not available, administrative roles and responsibilities are many and varied. Most…

  14. Creative Thinking Abilities of Rural and Urban Elementary School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Irons, Jerry Lee

    The 1967 study was designed to determine if there were significant differences in the creative thinking abilities of students attending certain urban and rural elementary schools in North Texas. The target population was selected from 7 rural and 2 urban school districts. The subjects, 100 urban and 100 rural, were matched in terms of 6 selection…

  15. Patterns of Home and School Behavior Problems in Rural and Urban Settings

    PubMed Central

    Hope, Timothy L; Bierman, Karen L

    2009-01-01

    This study examined the cross-situational patterns of behavior problems shown by children in rural and urban communities at school entry. Behavior problems exhibited in home settings were not expected to vary significantly across urban and rural settings. In contrast, it was anticipated that child behavior at school would be heavily influenced by the increased exposure to aggressive models and deviant peer support experienced by children in urban as compared to rural schools, leading to higher rates of school conduct problems for children in urban settings. Statistical comparisons of the patterns of behavior problems shown by representative samples of 89 rural and 221 urban children provided support for these hypotheses, as significant rural-urban differences emerged in school and not in home settings. Cross-situational patterns of behavior problems also varied across setting, with home-only patterns of problems characterizing more children at the rural site and school-only, patterns of behavior problems characterizing more children at the urban sites. In addition, whereas externalizing behavior was the primary school problem exhibited by urban children, rural children displayed significantly higher rates of internalizing problems at school. The implications of these results are discussed for developmental models of behavior problems and for preventive interventions. PMID:19834584

  16. Athletic Trainer Services in US Private Secondary Schools

    PubMed Central

    Pike, Alicia; Pryor, Riana R.; Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Stearns, Rebecca L.; Casa, Douglas J.

    2016-01-01

    Context: Availability of athletic trainer (AT) services in US secondary schools has recently been reported to be as high as 70%, but this only describes the public sector. The extent of AT coverage in private secondary school settings has yet to be investigated and may differ from the public secondary school setting for several reasons, including differences in funding sources. Objective: To determine the level of AT services in US private secondary schools and identify the reasons why some schools did not employ ATs. Design: Concurrent mixed-methods study. Setting: Private secondary schools in the United States. Patients or Other Participants: Of 5414 private secondary schools, 2044 (38%) responded to the survey. Main Outcome Measure(s): School administrators responded to the survey via telephone or e-mail. This instrument was previously used in a study examining AT services among public secondary schools. Descriptive statistics provided national data. Open-ended questions were evaluated through content analysis. Results: Of the 2044 schools that responded, 58% (1176/2044) offered AT services, including 28% (574/2040) full time, 25% (501/2042) part time, 4% (78/1918) per diem, and 20% (409/2042) from a hospital or clinic. A total of 84% (281 285/336 165) of athletes had access to AT services. Larger private secondary schools were more likely to have AT services available. Barriers to providing AT services in the private sector were budgetary constraints, school size and sports, and lack of awareness of the role of an AT. Conclusions: More than half of the surveyed private secondary schools in the United States had AT services available; however, only 28% had a full-time AT. This demonstrates the need for increased medical coverage to provide athletes in this setting the appropriate level of care. Budgetary concerns, size of the school and sport offerings, and lack of awareness of the role of the AT continued to be barriers in the secondary school setting. PMID

  17. The Operations of Kentucky Rural School Councils.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Din, Feng S.

    1998-01-01

    A survey of 127 rural Kentucky school councils found that more parent members than teacher members held positive views about their school-council performance, and more teacher members than principals had such opinions. Members indicated main benefits to the school from council performance and main problems faced by school councils. Contains 22…

  18. Perception on mathematics teachers' quality of teaching between all boys secondary schools and all girls secondary schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arbin, Norazman; Kamarudin, Norsyazana; Abu, Mohd Syafarudy; Hamzah, Firdaus Mohamad; Ghani, Sazelli Abdul

    2015-05-01

    This survey research was designed to identify the secondary mathematics teachers' quality of teaching. Specifically, this study focused on students' perception, based on genders on the quality of teaching of their secondary mathematics teachers and, its relationship with the former's mathematics achievement. This research was carried in four different schools: two all boys' secondary schools and two all girls' secondary schools. Thus, a comparison between these two types of schools was made. The sample of the study involved 100 form four students from those schools. The result showed that the students from those schools had positive perception on their teachers' quality of teaching. Statistically, there was no difference between the boys' and girls' perceptions. There was a significant relationship between the boys' perception on the quality of their teachers' teaching and the boys' achievement. However, there was no significant relationship between the girls' perceptions on the quality of their teachers' teaching and the girls' achievement. The findings of this research could be used as a useful guideline for mathematics teachers and future mathematics teachers in enhancing the quality of their teaching and learning.

  19. Rural Roots: News, Information, and Commentary from the Rural School and Community Trust, 2000-2001.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westra, Kathryn E., Ed.; Yaunches, H. Alison, Ed.

    2001-01-01

    This document contains the first eight issues of "Rural Roots"--two published in 2000 and six published bimonthly in 2001. A newsletter of the Rural School and Community Trust, "Rural Roots" provides news, information, and commentary from the Rural Trust and highlights the wide variety of place-based education work happening in…

  20. A Multi-Method Inquiry of the Practice and Context of Rural School Psychology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goforth, Anisa N.; Yosai, Erin R.; Brown, Jacqueline A.; Shindorf, Zachary R.

    2017-01-01

    This multi-method inquiry used (1) quantitative examination of context, characteristics, roles, and responsibilities of rural school psychologists compared to their suburban and urban counterparts and (2) qualitative examination of two focus groups of rural school psychologists. Results showed that rural school psychologists served more schools,…

  1. The Reasons, Motivation, and Selection of Approach to the Consolidation of Primary and Secondary Schools in Rural Areas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xianzuo, Fan

    2013-01-01

    Beginning in the late 1990s and especially since 2000, a new round of large-scale school consolidation has been introduced in rural communities in China. What is the background of this policy initiative? How has it been introduced and implemented? This article examines these issues.

  2. "Guanxi" and School Success: An Ethnographic Inquiry of Parental Involvement in Rural China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xie, Ailei; Postiglione, Gerard A.

    2016-01-01

    This study examines the differential patterns of school success of rural students as a result of China's market transition. The process dimension, how families from different social backgrounds within rural society get involved in rural schooling and how this contributes to the inequality of school success within rural society, is investigated.…

  3. Reshaping Rural Schools in the Northwest Region: Lessons from Federal School Improvement Grant Implementation. REL 2016-107

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Caitlin; Ostler, Nora

    2016-01-01

    The five states in the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Northwest Region have many rural schools that have been designated as in need of improvement. And all five states had rural schools in the first cohort of federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) recipients. To address school improvement, the majority of those schools implemented the…

  4. Increasing Inequality in Physical Activity Among Minnesota Secondary Schools, 2001-2010.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Toben F; MacLehose, Richard F; Davey, Cynthia; Rode, Peter; Nanney, Marilyn S

    2018-05-01

    Two Healthy People 2020 goals are to increase physical activity (PA) and to reduce disparities in PA. We explored whether PA at the school level changed over time in Minnesota schools and whether differences existed by demographic and socioeconomic factors. We examine self-reported PA (n = 276,089 students; N = 276 schools) for 2001-2010 from the Minnesota Student Survey linked to school demographic data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the Rural-Urban Commuting Area Codes. We conducted analyses at the school level using multivariable linear regression with cluster-robust recommendation errors. Overall, students who met PA recommendations increased from 59.8% in 2001 to 66.3% in 2010 (P < .001). Large gains in PA occurred at schools with fewer racial/ethnic minority students (0%-60.1% in 2001 to 67.5% in 2010, P < .001), whereas gains in PA were comparatively small at schools with a high proportion of racial/ethnic minority students in 2001 (30%-59.2% in 2001 to 62.7% in 2010). We found increasing inequalities in school-level PA by racial/ethnic characteristics of their schools and communities among secondary school students. Future research should monitor patterns of PA over time and explore mechanisms for patterns of inequality.

  5. Strategies to Affect Student Sensory Awareness of the Environment in a Rural Schools Setting: Grade Seven through Grade Twelve.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peters, Richard O.

    Describing the Union 58 Experimental Schools Program (ESP) in northern, rural New Hampshire, this curriculum guide presents the concept of "proximity congruency" as a means for developing secondary level student sensory awareness of the environment in outdoor and/or environmental education procedures. Proximity congruency is defined as a…

  6. "Hey, I Saw Your Grandparents at Walmart": Teacher Education for Rural Schools and Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eppley, Karen

    2015-01-01

    This is a case study about how teacher education might better prepare rural teacher candidates for rural schools. Parents, teachers, community members, and students associated with a rural school described what is important in the preparation of teachers for today's rural schools. Their goals and wishes for their children's school and community…

  7. Post-Secondary Education and Rural Women Enrolled in Liberal Arts Undergraduate Degrees

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bourgeois, Monique; Kirby, Dale

    2012-01-01

    The significance of post-secondary education is investigated for rural Newfoundland women enrolled in undergraduate liberal arts degree programs. Data collection for this research involved comprehensive, detailed semi-structured biographical interviews with rural women studying liberal arts disciplines during the 2006-2007 academic year at…

  8. Supporting Beginning Rural Teachers: Lessons from Successful Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Simone; Lock, Graeme; Hastings, Wendy; Reid, Jo-Anne; Green, Bill; Cooper, Maxine

    2009-01-01

    Across Australia and internationally, the vexed problem of staffing rural school remains a major issue affecting the educational outcomes of many rural students and their families. TERRAnova, (New Ground in Teacher Education for Rural and Regional Australia), is the name of a large Australian Research Council funded (2008-2010) project involving:…

  9. Toward the 21st Century: A Rural Education Anthology. Rural School Development Outreach Project. Volume 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karim, Gordon P., Ed.; Weate, Nathan James, Ed.

    This anthology focuses on rural education improvement that will prepare students for the 21st century. Articles address issues related to school funding, educational technology, curriculum offerings, state and federal policies, the role of rural teachers and administrators in school reform, cultural diversity, and changing socioeconomic factors in…

  10. Problems Encountered by Religious Vocational Secondary School and Other Secondary School Students in Physical Education and Sports Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bar, Mustafa; Yaman, Menzure Sibel; Hergüner, Gülten

    2016-01-01

    The study aimed to determine problems encountered by Religious Vocational Secondary School and other Secondary School students in physical education and sports activities and to compare these problems according to school type and gender. A questionnaire named "Problems encountered in attending to physical education and sports activities"…

  11. Poor, Rural Neighborhoods and Early School Achievement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bickel, Robert; Smith, Cynthia; Eagle, Teresa Hardman

    A study sought to identify the existence of neighborhood effects on school achievement that are independent of social class and family background among students from poor, rural neighborhoods. Ethnographic material yielded a concept of rural West Virginia neighborhoods in which residents expect their encounters to be friendly, informal, almost…

  12. A comparison of rural high school students in Germany with rural Tennessee high school students' mathematics and science achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harding, R. Fredrick

    This descriptive study compared the science and mathematics aptitudes and achievement test scores for the final school year students in rural White County and Van Buren County, Tennessee with rural county students in Germany. In accordance with the previous research literature (Stevenson, 2002), German students outperformed U.S. students on The International Trends in Math and Science test (TIMSS). As reform in the U.S. education system has been underway, this study intended to compare German county student final school year performance with White County and Van Buren County (Grade 12) performance in science and mathematics. The entire populations of 176 White and Van Buren Counties senior high final school year students were compared with 120 school final year students from two rural German county high schools. The student responses to identical test and questionnaire items were compared using the t-test statistical analysis. In conclusion after t-test analyses, there was no significant difference (p>.05 level) in student attitudes on the 27 problem achievement and the 35 TIMSS questionnaire items between the sampled population of 120 German students compared with the population of 176 White and Van Buren students. Also, there was no statistically significant difference (p>.05 level) between the German, White, and Van Buren County rural science and math achievement in the TIMSS problem section of the final year test. Based on the research, recommendations to improve U.S. student scores to number one in the world include making changes in teaching methodology in mathematics and science; incorporating pamphlet lessons rather than heavily reliance on textbooks; focusing on problem solving; establishing an online clearinghouse for effective lessons; creating national standards in mathematics and science; matching students' course choices to job aspirations; tracking misbehaving students rather than mainstreaming them into the regular classroom; and designing

  13. Association between junk food consumption and fast-food outlet access near school among Quebec secondary-school children: findings from the Quebec Health Survey of High School Students (QHSHSS) 2010-11.

    PubMed

    Cutumisu, Nicoleta; Traoré, Issouf; Paquette, Marie-Claude; Cazale, Linda; Camirand, Hélène; Lalonde, Benoit; Robitaille, Eric

    2017-04-01

    We investigated the association between junk food consumption at lunchtime (JCL) and fast-food outlet access near school among secondary-school children in Quebec. A geographic information system database was used to characterize the food environment around a sub-sample of 374 public schools in which 26 655 students were enrolled. The outcome variable was JCL during the previous week, dichotomized into low JCL (none or once) v. high JCL (twice or more). Access to fast-food outlets near school was assessed using an existing database of fast-food outlets in Quebec. Covariates included student (age, sex and self-rated perceived health), family (familial status and parental education) and school (urban/rural status and deprivation) variables. Hierarchical logistic regression models were employed for analyses using PROC GLIMMIX of SAS version 9.3. Province of Quebec, Canada. We used data from the Quebec Health Survey of High School Students (QHSHSS) 2010-11, a survey of secondary-school Quebec students. Exposure to two or more fast-food outlets within a radius of 750 m around schools was associated with a higher likelihood of excess JCL (OR=1·50; 95 % CI 1·28, 1·75), controlling for the characteristics of the students, their families and their schools. The food environment surrounding schools can constitute a target for interventions to improve food choices among secondary-school children living in the province of Quebec. Transforming environments around schools to promote healthy eating includes modifying zoning regulations that restrict access to fast-food outlets around schools.

  14. A Comparison of Health Screenings in Rural and Urban Schools in Missouri.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waignandt, Alex; Brown, James

    1991-01-01

    Studied health screening methods of schools in mid-Missouri. Found significant differences between rural and urban schools in terms of number of school nurses employed and percentage of schools screening in all areas studied: physical assessment, vision, hearing, scoliosis, and dental. Recommends improved health screenings in rural schools. (KS)

  15. Building Strong Rural Schools in South Carolina: The Foundations We Need.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rural School and Community Trust, Washington, DC.

    During 2001, rural people from across South Carolina met to discuss how their schools are faring in the new environment of increased accountability and testing. This report identifies six foundations that are essential for building stronger rural schools. Eliminating poverty and improving the health and overall well-being of rural residents could…

  16. Secondary School Science Department Chairs Leading Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaubatz, Julie A.

    2012-01-01

    Secondary school department chairs are content area specialists in their schools and are responsible for providing students with the most appropriate curricula. However, most secondary school department chairs have limited authority to institute change unilaterally (Gmelch, 1993; Hannay & Erb, 1999). To explore how these educational leaders…

  17. Gaseous pollutants on rural and urban nursery schools in Northern Portugal.

    PubMed

    Nunes, R A O; Branco, P T B S; Alvim-Ferraz, M C M; Martins, F G; Sousa, S I V

    2016-01-01

    Indoor air quality in nursery schools is different from other schools and this has been largely ignored, particularly in rural areas. Urban and rural nursery schools have different environmental characteristics whose knowledge needs improvement. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate continuously the concentrations of CO2, CO, NO2, O3, CH2O and total VOC in three rural nursery schools and one urban, being the only one comparing urban and rural nurseries with continuous measurements, thus considering occupation and non-occupation periods. Regarding CO2, urban nursery recorded higher concentrations (739-2328 mg m(-3)) than rural nurseries (653-1078 mg m(-3)). The influence of outdoor air was the main source of CO, NO2 and O3 indoor concentrations. CO and NO2 concentrations were higher in the urban nursery and O3 concentrations were higher in rural ones. CH2O and TVOC concentrations seemed to be related to internal sources, such as furniture and flooring finishing and cleaning products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Violence in Rural, Suburban, and Urban Schools in Pennsylvania.

    PubMed

    Flynn, Kalen; McDonald, Catherine C; D'Alonzo, Bernadette A; Tam, Vicky; Wiebe, Douglas J

    2018-01-01

    School violence is a public health issue with direct and collateral consequences that has academic and social impacts for youth. School violence is often considered a uniquely urban problem, yet more research is needed to understand how violence in rural and suburban schools may be similar or different from urban counterparts. Using school violence data from a state with urban, suburban, and rural counties, we explored the landscape of school violence in Pennsylvania (PA) through mapping, descriptive statistics, and factor analysis. Results show school violence is not solely an urban problem. Schools in all county types and across grade levels deal with violence to varying degrees, and the majority of schools across county types experience low levels of violence. Types of violence experienced by PA schools loaded onto three factors, suggesting that targeted interventions may be better suited to addressing school violence.

  19. Idea Generating among Secondary School Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tomic, Welko; Brouwers, Andre

    This study investigated where and how secondary school teachers generated ideas linked to their work environment. A group of 146 teachers from 20 secondary schools in the Netherlands completed an adapted version of Geschka's questionnaire, which focused on (1) teachers' preferred conditions, environments, media, people, and activities before the…

  20. Secondary School Students: Prevention Resource Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Office for Substance Abuse Prevention.

    This prevention resource guide (compiled from a variety of publications and data bases and representing the most currently available information) focuses on secondary school students, and is divided into four sections. The first section contains facts from current research about substance abuse prevention for secondary school students. For…

  1. Particulate matter in rural and urban nursery schools in Portugal.

    PubMed

    Nunes, R A O; Branco, P T B S; Alvim-Ferraz, M C M; Martins, F G; Sousa, S I V

    2015-07-01

    Studies have been showing strong associations between exposures to indoor particulate matter (PM) and health effects on children. Urban and rural nursery schools have different known environmental and social differences which make their study relevant. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate indoor PM concentrations on different microenvironments of three rural nursery schools and one urban nursery school, being the only study comparing urban and rural nursery schools considering the PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 fractions (measured continuously and in terms of mass). Outdoor PM2.5 and PM10 were also obtained and I/O ratios have been determined. Indoor PM mean concentrations were higher in the urban nursery than in rural ones, which might have been related to traffic emissions. However, I/O ratios allowed concluding that the recorded concentrations depended more significantly of indoor sources. WHO guidelines and Portuguese legislation exceedances for PM2.5 and PM10 were observed mainly in the urban nursery school. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Family Engagement in Rural Schools. R[superscript 2]Ed Working Papers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Witte, Amanda L.; Sheridan, Susan M.

    2011-01-01

    The importance of family-school partnerships for student success is unequivocal. Given the limited resources evident in many rural communities, family-school partnerships can be especially beneficial for students in rural schools. Decades of research has documented the positive effects of parent participation in children's academic endeavors for…

  3. Factors shaping the HIV-competence of two primary schools in rural Zimbabwe

    PubMed Central

    Campbell, Catherine; Andersen, Louise; Mutsikiwa, Alice; Pufall, Erica; Skovdal, Morten; Madanhire, Claudius; Nyamukapa, Connie; Gregson, Simon

    2016-01-01

    We present multi-method case studies of two Zimbabwean primary schools – one rural and one small-town. The rural school scored higher than the small-town school on measures of child well-being and school attendance by HIV-affected children. The small-town school had superior facilities, more teachers with higher morale, more specialist HIV/AIDS activities, and an explicit religious ethos. The relatively impoverished rural school was located in a more cohesive community with a more critically conscious, dynamic and networking headmaster. The current emphasis on HIV/AIDS-related teacher training and specialist school-based activities should be supplemented with greater attention to impacts of school leadership and the nature of the school-community interface on the HIV-competence of schools. PMID:26997748

  4. School nurse experiences with prescription opioids in urban and rural schools: A cross-sectional survey.

    PubMed

    Pattison-Sharp, Ella; Estrada, Robin Dawson; Elio, Alice; Prendergast, Melissa; Carpenter, Delesha M

    2017-01-01

    Few studies have examined the use of prescription opioids in schools. The current study aimed to: (1) describe the context within which school nurses encounter student opioid prescriptions; (2) assess school nurses' preferences for training and student education; and (3) explore urban-rural differences in school nurses' experiences and training preferences. A convenience sample of school nurses (n = 633) from North Carolina and South Carolina participated in a brief, anonymous, online survey. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically and statistical tests (t-tests and Chi-square tests) were performed to investigate urban-rural differences. Many school nurses (40.3%) had encountered a student with an opioid prescription, but only 3.6% had naloxone available in case of an overdose. Most school nurses (69.9%), especially rural school nurses, believed students would benefit from opioid education (74.9 versus 66.6%, p = 0.03). The majority of school nurses (83.9%) were interested in opioid-related training. Many school nurses encounter students with prescription opioids and would like additional opioid-related training. The potential benefits of providing naloxone access to prevent opioid-related deaths at schools should be explored.

  5. Shared Services for Rural and Small Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanuske, Sarah

    As school populations decline and costs rise due to inflation, rural and small schools are turning to shared services in order to keep community schools open, meet federal mandates, and improve educational opportunities. Sharing ventures may be for limited purposes, such as sharing a physics teacher or having a joint drama production, or for more…

  6. Food-related practices and beliefs of rural US elementary and middle school teachers.

    PubMed

    Findholt, Nancy E; Izumi, Betty T; Shannon, Jackilen; Nguyen, Thuan

    2016-01-01

    Childhood obesity disproportionately affects rural populations; therefore, promoting healthy eating among rural children is essential. Teachers are important role models for children and can influence children's eating behaviors through their own behaviors and beliefs about food. This study examined the food-related practices and beliefs of rural elementary and middle school teachers. Data were used from the SNACZ study, a school- and community-based trial conducted in rural Oregon. Kindergarten through eighth-grade teachers (n=87), teaching students usually aged 5-14 years, from eight rural school districts completed a baseline survey in November 2012 concerning their classroom food practices, eating behaviors at school, beliefs about the school food environment, and nutrition knowledge. Frequencies of responses to each item were calculated. Nearly all teachers (97.6%) agreed that a healthy school food environment is important, but fewer agreed that teachers' behaviors and the foods available at school influence students' eating behaviors (71.0% and 67.0%, respectively). Nearly 86% of teachers used candy as a reward for students, while 78.2% consumed unhealthy snacks and 42.5% consumed sweetened beverages in the classroom. The results suggest that most rural teachers recognize that having a healthy school food environment is important, but are less aware of factors within the school that influence students' eating behaviors - including their own eating behaviors and classroom food practices - and, perhaps for this reason, many rural teachers engage in classroom practices and behaviors that do not promote healthy eating. Teacher training and expanded school policies that focus on teacher behavior may be needed to ensure a healthier rural school food environment.

  7. Sexual abstinence: What is the understanding and views of secondary school learners in a semi-rural area of North West Province, South Africa?

    PubMed Central

    Mokwena, Kebogile; Morabe, Mamaponesa

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Among strategies to prevent HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies, are programs that promote sexual abstinence among adolescents. However, literature suggests that there may be differences in the understanding of abstinence across adolescents, and this study sought to explore the understanding of sexual abstinence among both male and female learners in a secondary school in a semi-rural area of North West Province, South Africa. Focus group discussions were used to collect data from learners who were in grades 8–10 at the time of the study. The findings are that the learners in this area understand sexual abstinence as the decision not to have sex, and this was associated with prevention of HIV, STIs and unwanted pregnancies, which ensures a better future. Barriers to sexual abstinence include peer pressure, myths and wrong perceptions about sex, influence of drugs and alcohol and the influence of television. Based on how it is delivered, school-based sex education was viewed as both an enabler and barrier to sexual abstinence. It is recommended that programs to promote sexual abstinence be strengthened and such programs be community-based. PMID:27315574

  8. Sexual abstinence: What is the understanding and views of secondary school learners in a semi-rural area of North West Province, South Africa?

    PubMed

    Mokwena, Kebogile; Morabe, Mamaponesa

    2016-12-01

    Among strategies to prevent HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies, are programs that promote sexual abstinence among adolescents. However, literature suggests that there may be differences in the understanding of abstinence across adolescents, and this study sought to explore the understanding of sexual abstinence among both male and female learners in a secondary school in a semi-rural area of North West Province, South Africa. Focus group discussions were used to collect data from learners who were in grades 8-10 at the time of the study. The findings are that the learners in this area understand sexual abstinence as the decision not to have sex, and this was associated with prevention of HIV, STIs and unwanted pregnancies, which ensures a better future. Barriers to sexual abstinence include peer pressure, myths and wrong perceptions about sex, influence of drugs and alcohol and the influence of television. Based on how it is delivered, school-based sex education was viewed as both an enabler and barrier to sexual abstinence. It is recommended that programs to promote sexual abstinence be strengthened and such programs be community-based.

  9. The impact of teacher preparation on student achievement in rural secondary schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barnes, Shontier Prescott

    The primary purpose of this study was to examine significant differences, if any, in student achievement in the area of math and science of students taught by traditionally certified teachers and alternatively certified teachers. This study examined alternatively certified teachers, as identified from through the Georgia TAPP (Teacher Alternative Preparation Program), and traditionally certified teachers in rural high schools in the Central Savannah River Area of Georgia. Student achievement was measured by student scores on the Algebra I and Physical Science End-Of-Course Test, a criterion-referenced test aligned with state adopted curriculum standards. The study utilized frequency distributions, correlations, descriptive statistics, and univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine the data. Univariate tests were done to find individual differences for each dependent variable. The ANOVA was used for the single dependent (student achievement) and formed comparisons and tracked the effect of the independent variable (teacher preparation), each of which (traditional and alternative) may have a number of levels and may interact to affect the dependent variable. The covariates, the independent variables not manipulated, but still affecting the response, are students' ethnicity, gender, and school socioeconomic status were also analyzed to predict student achievement. KEY WORDS. Teacher Preparation, Student Achievement, Math, Science, Traditionally certified teachers, Alternatively certified teachers, Georgia TAPP (Teacher Alternative Preparation Program), End-Of-Course Test (EOCT), Performance standard.

  10. Developing Vocational Competences during Secondary School?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Behle, Heike

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Using the example of an amalgamated secondary school qualification (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme--IBCP), in which both vocational education and training (VET) and academic subjects are taught, the paper aims to discuss the use of skills and knowledge gained during the IBCP for post-secondary school activities.…

  11. Perspectives on English Teacher Development in Rural Primary Schools in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ping, Wang

    2013-01-01

    Questionnaires are used to examine Chinese rural primary school English teachers' needs and challenges and perceptions in the implementation of Standards for Teachers of English in Primary Schools as professional development in rural school contexts in China. A total of 300 teachers participated in the research. Their feedback illustrates that…

  12. The influence of rural clinical school experiences on medical students' levels of interest in rural careers.

    PubMed

    Isaac, Vivian; Watts, Lisa; Forster, Lesley; McLachlan, Craig S

    2014-08-28

    Australian Rural Clinical School (RCS) programmes have been designed to create experiences that positively influence graduates to choose rural medical careers. Rural career intent is a categorical evaluation measure and has been used to assess the Australian RCS model. Predictors for rural medical career intent have been associated with extrinsic values such as students with a rural background. Intrinsic values such as personal interest have not been assessed with respect to rural career intent. In psychology, a predictor of the motivation or emotion for a specific career or career location is the level of interest. Our primary aims are to model over one year of Australian RCS training, change in self-reported interest for future rural career intent. Secondary aims are to model student factors associated with rural career intent while attending an RCS. The study participants were medical students enrolled in a RCS in the year 2013 at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and who completed the newly developed self-administered UNSW Undergraduate Destinations Study (UDS) questionnaire. Data were collected at baseline and after one year of RCS training on preferred location for internship, work and intended specialty. Interest for graduate practice location (career intent) was assessed on a five-variable Likert scale at both baseline and at follow-up. A total of 165 students completed the UDS at baseline and 150 students after 1 year of follow-up. Factors associated with intent to practise in a rural location were rural background (χ2 = 28.4, P < 0.001), two or more previous years at an RCS (χ2 = 9.0, P = 0.003), and preference for a rural internship (χ2 = 17.8, P < 0.001). At follow-up, 41% of participants who originally intended to work in a metropolitan location at baseline changed their preference and indicated a preference for a rural location. The level of interest in intended practice location was significantly higher for those

  13. Record Management in Nigerian Secondary School Administration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nakpodia, E. D.

    2009-01-01

    This paper examined the usefulness of record management in Nigerian Secondary Schools. Record keeping is one of the administrative principles in secondary school administration and it cannot be overemphasized in any organisation. The continuity of any school organisation depends on availability of useful records of past activities. In a complex…

  14. The Increasingly Long Road to School in Rural China: The Impacts of Education Network Consolidation on Broadly Defined Schooling Distance in Xinfeng County of Rural China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhao, Dan; Barakat, Bilal

    2015-01-01

    In the early 2000s, China's Ministry of Education embarked on a program of school mapping restructure (SMR) that involved closing small rural schools and opening up larger centralized schools in towns and county seats.The stated aim of the policy was to improve educational resources and raise the human capital of rural students. Any progress that…

  15. Rural High School Principals: Leadership in Rural Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shuman, Aaron L.

    2010-01-01

    Educational leadership has been the focus of many studies; however, leadership does not occur in a vacuum. Understanding the context in which it occurs will in turn help to explain the phenomenon itself. Rural communities in the United States have many differences when compared to urban and suburban areas. Twenty-eight percent of schools in the…

  16. Needs of Rural Schools Regarding HIV Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Helge, Doris

    This document reviews problems related to sexual activity among rural U.S. teenagers, successes and failures of teen sex education programs, and problems and needs specific to rural areas. In a recent poll, 89% of adults favored sex education in the schools and 73% supported making birth control information and contraceptives available in school…

  17. Public Schools as Partners in Rural Development: Considerations for Policymakers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harmon, Hobart L.

    This paper describes four considerations for policymakers who wish to have public schools serve as viable partners in the rural development efforts of their communities. First, schools are a community resource. When rural students are given opportunities to engage in community-based learning, they develop responsible citizenship and leadership…

  18. Strengthening Rural Schools: Training Paraprofessionals in Crisis Prevention and Intervention.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Melissa; Ashbaker, Betty Y.; Stott, Kathryn A.

    The long-term effects of crisis and tragedy can be improved significantly by immediate intervention and emergency mental health services. Providing crisis intervention in rural schools poses challenges related to lack of financial resources, community resources, and trained personnel; isolation of rural schools; and long distances between school…

  19. Demographic and financial characteristics of school districts with low and high à la Carte sales in rural Kansas Public Schools.

    PubMed

    Nollen, Nicole L; Kimminau, Kim S; Nazir, Niaman

    2011-06-01

    Reducing à la carte items in schools-foods and beverages sold outside the reimbursable meals program-can have important implications for childhood obesity. However, schools are reluctant to reduce à la carte offerings because of the impact these changes could have on revenue. Some foodservice programs operate with limited à la carte sales, but little is known about these programs. This secondary data analysis compared rural and urban/suburban school districts with low and high à la carte sales. Foodservice financial records (2007-2008) were obtained from the Kansas State Department of Education for all public K-12 school districts (n=302). χ² and t tests were used to examine the independent association of variables to à la carte sales. A multivariate model was then constructed of the factors most strongly associated with low à la carte sales. In rural districts with low à la carte sales, lunch prices and participation were higher, lunch costs and à la carte quality were lower, and fewer free/reduced price lunches were served compared to rural districts with high à la carte sales. Lunch price (odds ratio=1.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 1.4) and free/reduced price lunch participation (odds ratio=3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 9.8) remained in the multivariate model predicting low à la carte sales. No differences were found between urban/suburban districts with low and high à la carte sales. Findings highlight important factors to maintaining low à la carte sales. Schools should consider raising lunch prices and increasing meal participation rates as two potential strategies for reducing the sale of à la carte items without compromising foodservice revenue. Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Athletic Trainer Services in Public and Private Secondary Schools.

    PubMed

    Pike, Alicia M; Pryor, Riana R; Vandermark, Lesley W; Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Casa, Douglas J

    2017-01-01

     The presence of athletic trainers (ATs) in secondary schools to provide medical care is crucial, especially with the rise in sports participation and resulting high volume of injuries. Previous authors have investigated the level of AT services offered, but the differences in medical care offered between the public and private sectors have not been explored.  To compare the level of AT services in public and private secondary schools.  Concurrent mixed-methods study.  Public and private secondary schools in the United States.  A total of 10 553 secondary schools responded to the survey (8509 public, 2044 private).  School administrators responded to the survey via telephone or e-mail. Descriptive statistics depict national data. Open-ended questions were evaluated through content analysis.  A greater percentage of public secondary schools than private secondary schools hired ATs. Public secondary schools provided a higher percentage of full-time, part-time, and clinic AT services than private secondary schools. Only per diem AT services were more frequent in the private sector. Regardless of the extent of services, reasons for not employing an AT were similar between sectors. Common barriers were budget, school size, and lack of awareness of the role of an AT. Unique to the public sector, remote location was identified as a challenge faced by some administrators.  Both public and private secondary schools lacked ATs, but higher percentages of total AT services and full-time services were available in the public sector. Despite differences in AT services, both settings provided a similar number of student-athletes with access to medical care. Barriers to hiring ATs were comparable between public and private secondary schools; however, remote location was a unique challenge for the public sector.

  1. Athletic Trainer Services in Public and Private Secondary Schools

    PubMed Central

    Pike, Alicia M.; Pryor, Riana R.; Vandermark, Lesley W.; Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Casa, Douglas J.

    2017-01-01

    Context: The presence of athletic trainers (ATs) in secondary schools to provide medical care is crucial, especially with the rise in sports participation and resulting high volume of injuries. Previous authors have investigated the level of AT services offered, but the differences in medical care offered between the public and private sectors have not been explored. Objective: To compare the level of AT services in public and private secondary schools. Design: Concurrent mixed-methods study. Setting: Public and private secondary schools in the United States. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 10 553 secondary schools responded to the survey (8509 public, 2044 private). Main Outcome Measure(s): School administrators responded to the survey via telephone or e-mail. Descriptive statistics depict national data. Open-ended questions were evaluated through content analysis. Results: A greater percentage of public secondary schools than private secondary schools hired ATs. Public secondary schools provided a higher percentage of full-time, part-time, and clinic AT services than private secondary schools. Only per diem AT services were more frequent in the private sector. Regardless of the extent of services, reasons for not employing an AT were similar between sectors. Common barriers were budget, school size, and lack of awareness of the role of an AT. Unique to the public sector, remote location was identified as a challenge faced by some administrators. Conclusions: Both public and private secondary schools lacked ATs, but higher percentages of total AT services and full-time services were available in the public sector. Despite differences in AT services, both settings provided a similar number of student-athletes with access to medical care. Barriers to hiring ATs were comparable between public and private secondary schools; however, remote location was a unique challenge for the public sector. PMID:28157403

  2. How Size and Setting Impact Education in Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bouck, Emily C.

    2004-01-01

    School variables, such as school size and school location, matter. School size and location impact many areas of education, including the characteristics of the school, curriculum, and post-school outcomes. Research reveals that students in rural schools face many personal and education hardships--from living in poverty to having less opportunity…

  3. Making Small Schools Work: A Handbook for Teachers in Small Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sigsworth, Alan; Solstad, Karl Jan

    This handbook addresses the provision of an equitable basic education in rural areas, particularly in developing countries, by means of small schools located close to the pupils' homes. It is based on beliefs that small schools can be good schools; the appropriate place for a small school and its teachers is within the community; and small schools…

  4. Rural Nebraskans' Perceptions of Tax Restructuring and Local Schools. 1998 Nebraska Rural Poll Results. A Working Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, John C.; Filkins, Rebecca; Cordes, Sam; Jarecki, Eric J.

    This report details results of the 1998 Nebraska Rural Poll, which asked rural Nebraskans their opinions on taxes, school finance, and school consolidation. Survey responses were received from 4,196 residents of Nebraska's 87 non-metropolitan counties. When asked about the tax structure, most respondents favored changing the current distribution…

  5. A modeling analysis of alternative primary and secondary US ozone standards in urban and rural areas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nopmongcol, Uarporn; Emery, Chris; Sakulyanontvittaya, Tanarit; Jung, Jaegun; Knipping, Eladio; Yarwood, Greg

    2014-12-01

    This study employed the High-Order Decoupled Direct Method (HDDM) of sensitivity analysis in a photochemical grid model to determine US anthropogenic emissions reductions required from 2006 levels to meet alternative US primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) ozone (O3) standards. Applying the modeling techniques developed by Yarwood et al. (2013), we specifically evaluated sector-wide emission reductions needed to meet primary standards in the range of 60-75 ppb, and secondary standards in the range of 7-15 ppm-h, in 22 cities and at 20 rural sites across the US for NOx-only, combined NOx and VOC, and VOC-only scenarios. Site-specific model biases were taken into account by applying adjustment factors separately for the primary and secondary standard metrics, analogous to the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) relative response factor technique. Both bias-adjusted and unadjusted results are presented and analyzed. We found that the secondary metric does not necessarily respond to emission reductions the same way the primary metric does, indicating sensitivity to their different forms. Combined NOx and VOC reductions are most effective for cities, whereas NOx-only reductions are sufficient at rural sites. Most cities we examined require more than 50% US anthropogenic emission reductions from 2006 levels to meet the current primary 75 ppb US standard and secondary 15 ppm-h target. Most rural sites require less than 20% reductions to meet the primary 75 ppb standard and less than 40% reductions to meet the secondary 15 ppm-h target. Whether the primary standard is protective of the secondary standard depends on the combination of alternative standard levels. Our modeling suggests that the current 75 ppb standard achieves a 15 ppm-h secondary target in most (17 of 22) cities, but only half of the rural sites; the inability for several western cities and rural areas to achieve the seasonally-summed secondary 15 ppm-h target while meeting the 75 ppb

  6. Rural Alaskan Schools: Educational Specifications. Reprinted September, 1971.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alaska State Dept. of Education, Juneau. Office of Public Information and Publications.

    The educational specifications of facilities for rural Alaskan schools are given in this 1964 report. Alaska's 6 recognized geographic regions are briefly described with consideration to topography, climate, permafrost conditions, latitude position, and transportation difficulties which present problems in planning schools. Since the school design…

  7. School Psychology in Rural Contexts: Ethical, Professional, and Legal Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Lynn M.; Sullivan, Amanda L.

    2014-01-01

    Delivering psychological services in rural communities presents a number of unique challenges for practitioners relative to their peers in urban and suburban communities. In this article, the authors describe the current context of rural schools and examine the ethical and legal issues school psychologists may face when practicing in rural…

  8. Financing Rural and Small Schools: Issues of Adequacy and Equity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Honeyman, David S.; And Others

    This monograph investigates issues related to the financial support of rural schools. The first section describes various state formulas and the methods used to distribute funds to rural schools. It considers questions about the adequacy of funding adjustments based on sparsity and the relationship of such adjustments to equal educational…

  9. Managing Smallness: Promising Fiscal Practices for Rural School District Administrators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freitas, Deborah Inman

    Based on a mail survey of over 100 rural school administrators in 34 states, this handbook outlines common problems and successful strategies in the financial management of rural, small school districts. Major problems are related to revenue and cash flow, increasing expenditures, providing quality education programs, and staffing to handle the…

  10. "We Are Never Invited": School Children Using Collage to Envision Care and Support in Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khanare, Fumane P.; de Lange, Naydene

    2017-01-01

    The voices of school children who are orphaned and vulnerable are more often than not missing from conversations about their care and support at school. In a rural ecology this is even more so the case. This article draws on a study with school children in rural KwaZulu-Natal and explores their constructions of care and support in the age of HIV…

  11. The One Laptop School: Equipping Rural Elementary Schools in South India through Public Private Partnerships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byker, Erik Jon

    2015-01-01

    This article reports on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) program in South India that provided information and communication technology (ICT) to rural elementary schools. The article examined the current status of rural, government-run elementary schools in India by reviewing reports like the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) in India.…

  12. Teacher Salaries and the Shortage of High-Quality Teachers in China's Rural Primary and Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xuehui, An

    2018-01-01

    Teacher salary level and structure are not only important factors affecting the supply of primary and secondary school teachers, but they are also crucial to attracting, training, and retaining high-quality teachers, thereby impacting the overall quality of education and teaching in schools. The reform of China's basic education management system…

  13. Secondary School Languages: Spanish.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    British Columbia Dept. of Education, Victoria.

    This curriculum guide outlines three programs for secondary school Spanish instruction, each program covering grades 9, 10, and 11 in British Columbian schools. Each outline specifies basic texts, supplementary readings, and teaching aids. In addition, a very basic outline of a beginner's Spanish 11 is offered, and a Spanish 12 literature course…

  14. Pedagogical Sustainability of a Rural School and Its Relationship with Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinash, Shelley; Hoffman, Michelle

    2009-01-01

    This article presents and analyses a single pedagogic case of a small, rural primary state school in Queensland, Australia. The researchers spent one day per week for nineteen weeks serving the role of visiting teachers to the school. The goal of the research was to inquire into the pedagogical sustainability of this rural school and its…

  15. 44 CFR 7.8 - Elementary and secondary schools.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... schools. 7.8 Section 7.8 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY...) Nondiscrimination in FEMA-Assisted Programs-General § 7.8 Elementary and secondary schools. The requirements of section 7 with respect to any elementary or secondary school or school system shall be deemed to be...

  16. Vaccination perceptions of school employees in a rural school district.

    PubMed

    Macintosh, Janelle; Luthy, Karlen E; Beckstrand, Renea L; Eden, Lacey M; Orton, Jennifer

    2014-08-20

    There continues to be a need for increases in adult vaccination rates, especially among those working in environments which may easily become communicable disease outbreak centers, such as school employees in the school environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate why rural Utah school employees were non-compliant with the influenza and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines, as well as to identify their views on mandatory vaccination policies. A questionnaire was distributed to all school employees in a rural Utah school district. Data analysis included frequencies and measures of central tendency and dispersion for quantitative items and theme identification for qualitative items. Only 51% of school employees were adequately vaccinated for influenza. Reasons for noncompliance with the influenza vaccine included inconvenience, lack of perceived need, and questionable vaccine efficacy. There were 39.3% school employees who had not received an MMR during adulthood, which was commonly attributed to lack of knowledge regarding the need for this vaccine. Almost half (45.7%) of school employees believed a mandatory vaccination policy should be instituted, although 24.2% of school employees were opposed to mandatory adult vaccination policies. Reasons for opposing vaccination mandates included violation of personal choice, lack of perceived vaccination safety and efficacy, lack of perceived need for adult vaccines, and vaccine cost. Suboptimal vaccination rates of school employees may negatively affect the health and well-being of individuals in the school environment. School employees report a variety of beliefs regarding the influenza and MMR vaccines. While over half of school employees support mandatory vaccination policies for adults working in the school environment, those opposing such a policy report concerns regarding violation of personal choice. Public health officials and school administrators should coordinate efforts to increase vaccination

  17. Physical Education in the Rural Elementary School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeWall, Barbara; Degler, Judith

    1985-01-01

    By using special teachable moments, small segments of lessons, or short periods of time during the school day, classroom teachers can integrate cooperative games, rhythmical activities, fundamentals of movement, outdoor recreation, and leisure concepts into the rural elementary school curriculum. Prime considerations should include fun, action,…

  18. Rural Schools Prototype Analysis. Volume II: Methodology. An Example Process of Identifying Determinants, Selecting Options, & Developing Schematic Designs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Construction Systems Management, Inc., Anchorage, AK.

    Volume II of a 3-volume report demonstrates the use of Design Determinants and Options (presented in Volume I) in the planning and design of small rural Alaskan secondary schools. Section I, a checklist for gathering site-specific information to be used as a data base for facility design, is organized in the same format as Volume I, which can be…

  19. Design Considerations for Construction of Rural Primary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siddiqui, Kalim A.; And Others

    Widely differing local conditions, increased community participation in education, more lifelong education, and decentralization of schools are factors which should affect the architecture of rural primary schools in Pakistan. Also significant are the results of a 1977 survey which indicate that building quality is unrelated to school attendance…

  20. School Quality Signals and Attendance in Rural Guatemala

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Jeffery H.

    2011-01-01

    This study analyzes school dropout in rural Guatemala using event history data and unusually detailed data on schools and teachers. Significant results for language of instruction, teacher education and fighting between students demonstrate the importance of accounting for school context influences on an outcome that has, historically, been…

  1. Reenergizing Small Communities: A Vital Role for Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wright, Kathleen Anne

    2007-01-01

    New ways of participating in rural communities and in community development have evolved as the structure of rural communities has changed. In some communities, the impetus to redefine and reenergize is strong while, in others, ways to move forward have yet to be identified (Pomeroy 1997). Rural schools serve a vital role in recreating communities…

  2. Association between self-efficacy, career interest and rural career intent in Australian medical students with rural clinical school experience.

    PubMed

    Isaac, Vivian; Walters, Lucie; McLachlan, Craig S

    2015-12-15

    To investigate medical student's self-efficacy at the time of finishing their rural clinical school (RCS) placement and factors associated with self-efficacy. Secondary aims are to explore whether interest levels or self-efficacy are associated with rural or remote career intentions. A cross-sectional study of medical students who had completed their RCS term in 17 Australian universities. Data were derived from the 2013 Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators (FRAME) evaluation survey. Questionnaire responses were analysed from 653 medical students from regional Australia. All 732 students who completed their RCS term in 2013 were invited to participate. Rural self-efficacy: Six questions to measure self-efficacy beliefs in rural medical practice, based on the sources of self-efficacy described by Bandura. Rural career intention: Students were asked to identify their preferred location for future practice. The options were, Capital or Major City; Inner regional city or large town; Smaller town and very remote area. Questionnaire responses were analysed from 653 medical students from regional Australia (response rate 89.2%). 83.8% of all students recalled an increase in their interest levels for rural medicine as a result of their RCS experience. Actual career intention to work in a regional area or rural area was 60.2%. Bivariate analyses showed female gender (p=0.003), rural background (p<0.001), an RCS preference for clinical training (p<0.001) and general practice intentions (p=0.004) were factors associated with higher levels of self-efficacy. Logistic regression analyses showed that self-efficacy was independently associated with increased interest in rural medicine (OR 1.4 (95% CI 1.3 to 1.5)) and rural career intent (OR 1.2 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.3)). (Model included gender, rural background, preference for RCS, generalist intent, rural practice interest and self-efficacy). Self-efficacy is associated with increased interest levels for rural medicine and

  3. Self-esteem, perceived self-efficacy, consumption of tobacco and alcohol in secondary students from urban and rural areas of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México.

    PubMed

    Martínez Maldonado, Raúl; Pedrão, Luiz Jorge; Alonso Castillo, María Magdalena; López García, Karla Selene; Oliva Rodríguez, Nora Nely

    2008-01-01

    This study aimed to know the differences, if any, in the consumption of tobacco and alcohol among adolescents from urban and rural areas, and if self-esteem and self-efficacy are related to the consumption in these two groups of adolescents from secondary schools in urban and rural areas of Nuevo León México, from January to June in 2006. The study was based on the theoretical concepts of self-esteem, perceived self-efficacy and consumption of alcohol and tobacco. The design was descriptive and correlational with a sample of 359 students. A substantial difference was found in the consumption of tobacco among secondary students from urban and rural areas (U= 7513.50, p = .03). The average consumption in urban area was higher (average chi = .35) than in the rural area (average chi = .14). A negative and significant relation was found between the quantity of drinks consumed on a typical day and self-esteem (r s = - .23, p <.001), as well as for the quantity of cigarettes consumed on a typical day (r s = - .20, p <.001).

  4. Prevalence, Gender and Level of Schooling Differences in Secondary School Students Level of Shyness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Onukwufor, Jonathan N.; Iruloh, Betty-Ruth Ngozi

    2017-01-01

    This study was conducted to ascertain the prevalence, gender and level of schooling differences in secondary school students' level of shyness in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Population of the study comprised all the senior secondary school class two (SSS II) and all the Junior Secondary school class two (JSS II) students in the…

  5. Corporal Punishment and Student Outcomes in Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Han, Seunghee

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the effects of corporal punishment on student outcomes in rural schools by analyzing 1,067 samples from the School Survey on Crime and Safety 2007-2008. Results of descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analyses indicated that schools with corporal punishment may decrease students' violent behaviors and…

  6. 38 CFR 21.5136 - Benefit payments-secondary school program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...-secondary school program. 21.5136 Section 21.5136 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF...—secondary school program. (a) Restrictions on payments. (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs may authorize... secondary school diploma or an equivalency certificate without charge to entitlement. Payments may be made...

  7. 38 CFR 21.5136 - Benefit payments-secondary school program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...-secondary school program. 21.5136 Section 21.5136 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF...—secondary school program. (a) Restrictions on payments. (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs may authorize... secondary school diploma or an equivalency certificate without charge to entitlement. Payments may be made...

  8. Building the New Northern Ontario Rural Medical School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rourke, James T. B.

    2002-01-01

    Opening in 2004, the new Northern Ontario Rural Medical School will address the rural doctor shortage in Canada. Supported by Laurentian University and Lakehead University, learning sites will be in hospitals, community clinics, and physicians' offices throughout northern Ontario. The curriculum will be patient-centered and clinical problem-based…

  9. Perceptions of the Importance and Utilization of Clinical Supervision among Certified Rural School Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duncan, Kelly; Brown-Rice, Kathleen; Bardhoshi, Gerta

    2014-01-01

    This study explored rural school counselors' perceptions of clinical supervision. School counselors working in rural communities commonly encounter issues that challenge their ability to provide competent counseling services to the students they serve. School counselors serving in these areas are often the only rural mental health provider in…

  10. The Impact of Employment on Rural High School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Price, John K.; Phelps, Margaret S.

    A survey of 229 students in grades 10-12 at a rural consolidated high school in Tennessee sought to determine employment patterns among rural students and the impact of that employment on students' academic and personal lives. Findings indicate that employment of rural youth was an accepted part of the teen culture; student employment increased at…

  11. Cross-sectional study on the relationship between life events and mental health of secondary school students in Shanghai, China.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Linlin; Fan, Juan; Du, Yasong

    2012-06-01

    The relationship of demographic factors and negative life events to the mental health of mainland Chinese school students has not been fully explored. Assess the prevalence of different types of life stressors among secondary school students and identify the demographic characteristics and types of life events that are most closely associated with perceived psychological difficulties in these students. This cross-sectional study administered two self-completion questionnaires to a stratified random cluster sample of 1818 students from four secondary schools in two districts of Shanghai: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and an abbreviated version of the Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC) that assesses 11 negative life events. Academic stress (74%), criticism from others (66%), family conflict (29%) and peer bullying & discrimination or interpersonal conflict (26%) were the most frequently reported negative life events, but their prevalence varied significantly by gender, type of school and urban versus rural residence. Similarly the level of reported psychological stress associated with life events, the total perceived psychological difficulty, and the level of pro-social behavior in the students varied significantly between different groups of students. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified the following independent predictors of high perceived psychological difficulty in the prior 6 months (in order of importance): high total stress score from negative life events in the prior year, experiencing peer bullying & discrimination or interpersonal conflict, not experiencing the death of a family member, male gender, attending a school in a rural district, and not suffering from a major disease or physical impairment. The independent predictors of a high level of pro-social behavior were high total stress score from negative life events, attending an urban school, female gender, attending a regular-tier school (vs. a high

  12. Aspirations, Expectations, and Influences on the Post-Secondary Plans of Rural Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corra, Jennifer Lynn

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the influences that high school seniors considered when making their plans for after graduation. Bourdieu's theory of habitus and Coleman's social capital theory inform the conceptual framework. Qualitative interviews were conducted with students and school counselors from four rural Kentucky school districts. Family, peers and…

  13. Venezuela--The Teaching of Reading in Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramirez, Rhoda L.

    Direct interviews with 17 teachers and observation in 31 rural and urban Venezuelan classrooms (pre-school through grade 6 in nine schools) across 3 states revealed serious reading difficulties among Venezuelan students. Small rooms and multi-grade class situations were common and school supplies and equipment were scarce. Even more scarce were…

  14. Secondary School Administrators' Attitudes toward Confidentiality in School Counseling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Connell, William P.

    2012-01-01

    The school counseling literature emphasizes the importance of confidentiality in the counseling relationship. In some circumstances, school policy may require disclosure of content discussed in counseling unrelated to threat of harm to self or others. This pilot study investigated secondary school principals' attitudes toward the practice of…

  15. Creating Caring and Ethical Communities in Rural, Small Schools. Rural, Small Schools Network Information Exchange: Number 18, Spring 1995.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement of the Northeast & Islands, Andover, MA.

    This packet includes reprints of articles concerning the development of a caring and ethical rural school community. The four sections of the packet overview theories and rationale for developing a caring classroom, successful programs in ethical schools and classrooms, leadership and decision making for building a caring and ethical school…

  16. Transnational Secondary Schooling and Im/mobile International Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rahimi, Mark; Halse, Christine; Blackmore, Jill

    2017-01-01

    Schools and school education systems within nations are vying to increase international student enrolments in secondary schools. This analysis of the change over a decade in the enrolment of international secondary students in Victoria, Australia, indicates how the processes of internationalisation and commercialisation of education have affected…

  17. School food policies and practices: a state-wide survey of secondary school principals.

    PubMed

    French, Simone A; Story, Mary; Fulkerson, Jayne A

    2002-12-01

    To describe food-related policies and practices in secondary schools in Minnesota. Mailed anonymous survey including questions about the secondary school food environment and food-related practices and policies. Members of a statewide professional organization for secondary school principals (n = 610; response rate: 463/610 = 75%). Of the 463 surveys returned, 336 met the eligibility criteria (current position was either principal or assistant principal and school included at least one of the grades of 9 through 12). Descriptive statistics examined the prevalence of specific policies and practices. Chi2 analysis examined associations between policies and practices and school variables. Among principals, 65% believed it was important to have a nutrition policy for the high school; however, only 32% reported a policy at their school. Principals reported positive attitudes about providing a healthful school food environment, but 98% of the schools had soft drink vending machines and 77% had contracts with soft drink companies. Food sold at school fundraisers was most often candy, fruit, and cookies. Dietetics professionals who work in secondary school settings should collaborate with other key school staff members and parents to develop and implement a comprehensive school nutrition policy. Such a policy could foster a school food environment that is supportive of healthful food choices among youth.

  18. Examining the relationship between school district size and science achievement in Texas including rural school administrator perceptions of challenges and solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mann, Matthew James

    Rural and small schools have almost one-third of all public school enrollment in America, yet typically have the fewest financial and research based resources. Educational models have been developed with either the urban or suburban school in mind, and the rural school is often left with no other alternative except this paradigm. Rural based educational resources are rare and the ability to access these resources for rural school districts almost non-existent. Federal and state based education agencies provide some rural educational based programs, but have had virtually no success in answering rural school issues. With federal and state interest in science initiatives, the challenge that rural schools face weigh in. To align with that focus, this study examined Texas middle school student achievement in science and its relationship with school district enrollment size. This study involved a sequential transformative mixed methodology with the quantitative phase driving the second qualitative portion. The quantitative research was a non-experimental causal-comparative study conducted to determine whether there is a significant difference between student achievement on the 2010 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills 8 th grade science results and school district enrollment size. The school districts were distributed into four categories by size including: a) small districts (32-550); b) medium districts (551-1500); c) large districts (1501-6000); and d) mega-sized districts (6001-202,773). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to compare the district averages from the 2010 TAKS 8th grade science assessment results and the four district enrollment groups. The second phase of the study was qualitative utilizing constructivism and critical theory to identify the issues facing rural and small school administrators concerning science based curriculum and development. These themes and issues were sought through a case study method and through use of semi

  19. Seeing Strengths in a Rural School: Educators' Conceptions of Individual and Environmental Resilience Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMahon, Brenda

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative study of educators' understandings of resilience contributes to ongoing rural school research that examines educators' beliefs about, and attitudes toward, rural students whom are at-risk and factors that impact rural school success. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers and administrators in one rural Florida…

  20. A Secondary Guy: Physically Disabled Teenagers in Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doubt, Lorna; McColl, Mary Ann

    2003-01-01

    A phenomenological study of seven teenagers with physical disabilities attending a regular secondary school focused on social integration and the factors influencing it. Results showed extrinsic and intrinsic factors that facilitate or limit integration. Occupational therapists can ensure that schools are inclusive and that clients are capable of…

  1. Motivation, Stress and Learning Support Assistants: An Examination of Staff Perceptions at a Rural Secondary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammett, Neil; Burton, Neil

    2005-01-01

    The context of this study is an "improving" 11?18 secondary school in a small English market town, where the role of Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) is being developed as prime supporters of the renewed emphasis on improving teaching and learning processes. National initiatives, including the teachers workload agreement and national…

  2. Small Rural Schools in Ireland: Problems and Possibilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sugrue, Ciaran

    This paper provides an overview of practices in small rural elementary schools in Ireland and recent trends related to school size. There are 3,200 "ordinary" elementary schools in the Republic of Ireland serving children aged 4-12 in eight levels: two preschool levels and grades 1-6. System-wide policies with implications for small…

  3. Providing Books to Rural Schools through Mobile Libraries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobs, Lynette; Stals, Ernst L. P.; Leroy, Lieve

    2016-01-01

    International literacy tests, such as PIRLS show that South African primary school learners compare negatively with their peers in other parts of the world. Added to this, learners in rural schools in the country perform significantly worse than their peers who attend schools in urban areas, with the former learners also having other challenges,…

  4. Bounded Aspirations: Rural, African American High School Students and College Access

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Means, Darris R.; Clayton, Ashley B.; Conzelmann, Johnathan G.; Baynes, Patti; Umbach, Paul D.

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative case study explores the career and educational aspirations, college choice process, and college barriers and opportunities of 26 rural, African American high school students. Data included interviews with 26 students and 11 school staff members. Findings suggest that the students' rural context shapes aspirations. In addition,…

  5. The Retention of Hispanic/Latino Teachers in Southeastern Rural Elementary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodriguez, Oscar

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study reviewed reasons so few Hispanic/Latino teachers remain employed with rural county public elementary schools. The study evaluated issues that present high retention and attrition concerns for Hispanic/Latino teachers in rural schools. In addition, the dissertation offered suggestions on ways to increase the representation of…

  6. Promoting Science in Secondary School Education.

    PubMed

    Chiovitti, Anthony; Duncan, Jacinta C; Jabbar, Abdul

    2017-06-01

    Engaging secondary school students with science education is crucial for a society that demands a high level of scientific literacy in order to deal with the economic and social challenges of the 21st century. Here we present how parasitology could be used to engage and promote science in secondary school students under the auspice of a 'Specialist Centre' model for science education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Mathematical Modeling in the Secondary School Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swetz, Frank, Ed.; Hartzler, J. S., Ed.

    Over the past 10 years, national conferences and committees investigating the state of American mathematics education have advocated an increased emphasis on problem solving and mathematical modeling situations in the secondary school curriculum. However, little effort has been made to prepare secondary school teachers to use mathematical modeling…

  8. Revisiting Primary School Dropout in Rural Cambodia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    No, Fata; Sam, Chanphirun; Hirakawa, Yukiko

    2012-01-01

    Previous studies on school dropout in Cambodia often used data from subjects after they already dropped out or statistics from education-related institutions. Using data from children in two rural provinces before they dropped out, this study examines four main factors in order to identify their influence on primary school dropout in Cambodia.…

  9. The Unique School Environment of Rural Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dodendorf, Diane M.

    Recorded observations, camera work, conversations with 19 children in grades K-4 in a Nebraska 2-room school house, and interviews with the teacher were techniques used to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the small rural school environment and its impact on children. Five attributes were found to be significant and unique small school…

  10. Cooperative Learning in Science: Intervention in the Secondary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Topping, K. J.; Thurston, A.; Tolmie, A.; Christie, D.; Murray, P.; Karagiannidou, E.

    2011-01-01

    The use of cooperative learning in secondary school is reported--an area of considerable concern given attempts to make secondary schools more interactive and gain higher recruitment to university science courses. In this study the intervention group was 259 pupils aged 12-14 years in nine secondary schools, taught by 12 self-selected teachers.…

  11. Study Habits and Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Mathematic: A Case Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Uyo Local Education Council

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sakirudeen, Abisola Oladeni; Sanni, Kudirat Bimbo

    2017-01-01

    The study examined study habits and academic performance of secondary school students in Mathematics. A case study of selected secondary schools in Uyo Local Education Council. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between study habits and academic performance of secondary school students in Mathematics. To carry out…

  12. On the Allocation of Resources for Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haelermans, Carla; De Witte, Kristof; Blank, Jos L. T.

    2012-01-01

    This paper studies the optimal allocation of resources--in terms of school management, teachers, supporting employees and materials--in secondary schools. We use a flexible budget constrained output distance function model to estimate both technical and allocative efficiency scores for 448 Dutch secondary schools between 2002 and 2007. The results…

  13. Parental Perceptions of the Rural School's Role in Addressing Childhood Obesity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stalter, Ann M.; Kaylor, Marybeth; Steinke, Jessica D.; Barker, Rosanta M.

    2011-01-01

    This study employed cross-sectional, descriptive design with convenience sampling to explore rural parent perceptions of child obesity, use of Body Mass Index (BMI) in schools, preferences for receipt of BMI information and, the rural school's role in obesity prevention/treatment. The survey "Parental Perceptions of BMI and Obesity in the…

  14. Instructional Leadership Challenges and Practices of Novice Principals in Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wiezorek, Douglas; Manard, Carolyn

    2018-01-01

    We report on a phenomenological study of the leadership experiences of six novice, rural public school principals in a midwestern U.S. state. We situated our analysis within existing research on leadership for learning, particularly how novice principals interpreted instructional leadership challenges in the context of rural school leadership. Our…

  15. Maryetta School: The Center of a Rural Community.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fuentes, Nancy

    1995-01-01

    This theme issue describes Maryetta School, a rural pre-K-8 school in Stilwell, Oklahoma, with an enrollment of approximately 500 students, mostly American Indians of Cherokee descent. Although the area has a high poverty rate and virtually all the students are judged to be at risk, the school has an impressive array of programs and facilities and…

  16. Secondary Infections with Ebola Virus in Rural Communities, Liberia and Guinea, 2014-2015.

    PubMed

    Lindblade, Kim A; Nyenswah, Tolbert; Keita, Sakoba; Diallo, Boubakar; Kateh, Francis; Amoah, Aurora; Nagbe, Thomas K; Raghunathan, Pratima; Neatherlin, John C; Kinzer, Mike; Pillai, Satish K; Attfield, Kathleen R; Hajjeh, Rana; Dweh, Emmanuel; Painter, John; Barradas, Danielle T; Williams, Seymour G; Blackley, David J; Kirking, Hannah L; Patel, Monita R; Dea, Monica; Massoudi, Mehran S; Barskey, Albert E; Zarecki, Shauna L Mettee; Fomba, Moses; Grube, Steven; Belcher, Lisa; Broyles, Laura N; Maxwell, T Nikki; Hagan, Jose E; Yeoman, Kristin; Westercamp, Matthew; Mott, Joshua; Mahoney, Frank; Slutsker, Laurence; DeCock, Kevin M; Marston, Barbara; Dahl, Benjamin

    2016-09-01

    Persons who died of Ebola virus disease at home in rural communities in Liberia and Guinea resulted in more secondary infections than persons admitted to Ebola treatment units. Intensified monitoring of contacts of persons who died of this disease in the community is an evidence-based approach to reduce virus transmission in rural communities.

  17. The Development of a Secondary School Health Assessment Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sriring, Srinual; Erawan, Prawit; Sriwarom, Monoon

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this research was to: 1) involved a survey of information relating to secondary school health, 2) involved the construction of a model of health assessment and a handbook for using the model in secondary school, 3) develop an assessment model for secondary school. The research included 3 phases. (1) involved a survey of…

  18. Science Guide for Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Georgia State Dept. of Education, Atlanta. Office of Instructional Services.

    This six-chapter guide is designed to help Georgia teachers adopt or adapt various options into the local school's science curriculum. Major areas addressed in the chapters are: (1) secondary school curriculum development (focusing on performance objectives, sequencing the curriculum, evaluation, and scientific literacy); (2) teaching methods…

  19. Religious Identity Choices in English Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moulin, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    This paper explores religious adolescents' reported experiences of secondary schools. Fifty-four qualitative interviews were conducted in places of worship in three cities in England with Christians (n = 46), Jews (n = 38) and Muslims (n = 15). Secondary schools of a religious and non-religious character were reported as not providing a suitable…

  20. 22 CFR 62.25 - Secondary school students.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... same native languages in a single home. (2) Prior to the student's departure from his or her home... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Secondary school students. 62.25 Section 62.25... Program Provisions § 62.25 Secondary school students. (a) Purpose. This section governs Department of...

  1. 22 CFR 62.25 - Secondary school students.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... same native languages in a single home. (2) Prior to the student's departure from his or her home... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Secondary school students. 62.25 Section 62.25... Program Provisions § 62.25 Secondary school students. (a) Purpose. This section governs Department of...

  2. 22 CFR 62.25 - Secondary school students.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... same native languages in a single home. (2) Prior to the student's departure from his or her home... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Secondary school students. 62.25 Section 62.25... Program Provisions § 62.25 Secondary school students. (a) Purpose. This section governs Department of...

  3. 22 CFR 62.25 - Secondary school students.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... same native languages in a single home. (2) Prior to the student's departure from his or her home... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Secondary school students. 62.25 Section 62.25... Program Provisions § 62.25 Secondary school students. (a) Purpose. This section governs Department of...

  4. From Closed to Open Classes--Repositioning Schools to Sustain Rural Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevens, Ken

    2010-01-01

    Schools have always been central to rural communities, but today they are critical to the sustainability of social and economic life for people who live beyond major centres of population. The development of virtual structures and processes that enhance classes in and between rural schools has provided extended educational and, indirectly,…

  5. A Survey of Rural Primary School Music Education in Northeastern China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun, Zuodong; Leung, Bo Wah

    2014-01-01

    China has been instituting national basic education curriculum reforms since 2001. This study provides an updated understanding of present-day, rural primary school music education in Northeastern China's Tonghua region. A total of 126 rural primary music teachers and 674 students from 28 primary schools in the region were surveyed using a…

  6. Association of being bullied in school with suicide ideation and planning among rural middle school adolescents.

    PubMed

    Bhatta, Madhav P; Shakya, Sunita; Jefferis, Eric

    2014-11-01

    This study examined the association of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation (ever thinking about killing oneself) and ever seriously making a plan to kill oneself (suicide planning) among rural middle school adolescents. Using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey instrument, 2 cross-sectional surveys were conducted among middle school adolescents (N = 1082) in a rural Appalachian county in Ohio in 2009 and 2012. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the relationship of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation and planning. Overall, a total of 468 participants (43.1%) reported ever being bullied in school, and 22.3% and 13.2% of the adolescents surveyed reported suicide ideation and planning, respectively. In the multivariable analyses, ever being bullied in school was significantly associated with both suicide ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7-3.5) and planning (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.6-3.8). The results show a strong association between being bullied in school and suicide ideation and planning among rural middle school adolescents. Prevention of bullying in school as early as in middle school should be a strategy for reducing suicide ideation and planning among adolescents. © 2014, American School Health Association.

  7. Poverty-related factors associated with obesity prevention policies in Utah secondary schools.

    PubMed

    Nanney, Marilyn S; Bohner, Claudia; Friedrichs, Michael

    2008-07-01

    To address the childhood obesity epidemic, numerous national agencies have outlined specific school policy recommendations for nutrition and physical activity. The extent to which current policies differ by socioeconomic status and geographic location is yet to be determined. This cross-sectional study examined select school nutrition and physical activity policies by markers for poverty among 209 middle and high schools in Utah (82% response rate). The results show that students' opportunities to establish healthful dietary and physical activity patterns differed by economic circumstances and geographic location. Schools with the highest percentage of free and reduced-price lunch enrollment and schools in rural areas were both less likely to offer a variety of healthful foods outside of the school meal program (ie, competitive foods and drinks) and intramural activities or physical activity clubs. Schools with highest free and reduced-price lunch enrollment were more likely to allow the purchase of unhealthful snacks during lunchtimes than schools with low enrollment (28.4% vs 7.6%, P=0.01). Schools in rural communities were less likely to promote walking and bicycling to school compared with other locations (47.4% rural vs 67.1% urban and 63.6% suburban, P=0.06). Current school policies related to nutrition and physical activity may not be conducive to reducing the childhood overweight problem among children attending schools in areas with increased risk factors due to poverty or rural location in Utah.

  8. Secondary Schools: A Reference Handbook. Contemporary Education Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Villaverde, Leila E.

    This book attempts to serve as a compendium and a chronology of secondary education in the United States, taking a broad rather than a narrow approach and touching on a great many topics and issues. Chapters 1 and 2 present a history of secondary schools and a discussion of adolescence. Chapter 3 discusses curriculum in secondary schools,…

  9. Senior Secondary School Children's Understanding of Plant Nutrition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mosothwane, Modise

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess children's understanding of plant nutrition. The research was done on a sample of secondary school pupils in the age range of 16 to 19 years in two senior secondary schools in Botswana. The sample contained 137 senior secondary pupils all in their final year of study. These children were above average…

  10. Active transportation environments surrounding Canadian schools.

    PubMed

    O'Loghlen, Sean; Pickett, J William; Janssen, Ian

    2011-01-01

    Walking or cycling to school represents an opportunity for children to engage in physical activity. The study objectives were to: 1) describe active transportation policies, programs, and built environments of Canadian schools and their surrounding neighbourhoods, and 2) document variations based on urban-rural location and school type (primary vs. secondary vs. mixed primary/secondary schools). 397 schools from across Canada were studied. A school administrator completed a questionnaire and responses were used to assess schools' policies and programs related to active transportation and the safety and aesthetics of their respective neighbourhoods. Built environment features in a 1 km-radius circular buffer around each school were measured using geographic information systems. Greater than 70% of schools had passive policies (e.g., skateboards permitted on school grounds) and facilities (e.g., bicycle racks in secure area to avoid theft) to encourage bicycle and small-wheeled vehicle use. Less than 40% of schools had active programs designed to encourage active transportation, such as organized 'walk to school' days. Garbage in the streets, crime and substance abuse were barriers in most school neighbourhoods. Approximately 42% of schools were located on high-speed roads not amenable to active transportation and 14% did not have a sidewalk leading to the school. Secondary schools had less favourable active transportation policies/programs and neighbourhood safety/aesthetics compared to primary schools. Rural schools had less favourable built environments than urban schools. Canadian children, particularly those from rural areas, face a number of impediments to active transportation as a method of travelling to school.

  11. Regional universities and rural clinical schools contribute to rural medical workforce, a cohort study of 2002 to 2013 graduates.

    PubMed

    Shires, Lizzi; Allen, Penny; Cheek, Colleen; Deb, Wilson

    2015-01-01

    Rural clinical schools and regionally based medical schools have a major role in expanding the rural medical workforce. The aim of this cohort study was to compare location of practice of graduates from the University of Tasmania School of Medicine's clinical schools based in the larger cities of Hobart and Launceston (UTAS SoM), with those graduates who spent at least 1 year at the University of Tasmania School of Medicine's Rural Clinical School based in the smaller regional city of Burnie (UTAS RCS) in Australia. Specifically, the aim was to quantify the proportion who worked in an Australian regional or remote location, or in the regional cities and smaller towns within Tasmania. The 2014 locations of practice of all graduates from the UTAS SoM and UTAS RCS between 2002 and 2013 were determined using the postcode listed in the Australian Health Practitioners Authority database. These postcodes were mapped against the Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Standard Geographic Classification - Remoteness Areas (ASGC-RA) and the 2011 Census population data for Tasmania to define Modified Monash Model classifications. The study tracked 974 UTAS SoM graduates; 202 (21%) spent at least 1 year at the Rural Clinical School (UTAS RCS graduates). Students who had spent a year at the UTAS RCS were five times more likely to be working in RA3 to RA5 than those who hadn't spent a clinical year there (28% vs 7%, χ2(1)=59.5, p<0.0001) (odds ratio (OR) 4.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.2-7.6). Using the Modified Monash Model, it was found that UTAS RCS graduates were nine times more likely (OR 9.0, 95%CI 4.7-17.2) to be working in the regional cities and smaller towns of Tasmania. This study adds to the growing evidence that training medical students in rural areas delivers graduates that work rurally. The additional year spent in a rural area, even when their medical school is in a regional city, significantly affects their workplace choices over the first 3 years post-graduation.

  12. Sex Education in Rural Schools in the United States: Impact of Rural Educators' Community Identities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blinn-Pike, Lynn

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The overall purpose of this exploratory research was to better understand rural educators' feelings about school-based sex education in order to foster better communication and collaboration between prevention researchers and rural teachers and administrators. In order to accomplish this purpose, the research question asked "How does…

  13. Projecting Enrollment in Rural Schools: A Study of Three Vermont School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grip, Richard S.

    2004-01-01

    Large numbers of rural districts have experienced sharp declines in enrollment, unlike their suburban counterparts. Accurate enrollment projections are required, whether a district needs to build new schools or consolidate existing ones. For school districts having more than 600 students, a quantitative method such as the Cohort-Survival Ratio…

  14. Access and Support: Coordinating Leadership Development for Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Renihan, Patrick; Hosking, Neville

    1996-01-01

    Reviews contextual forces that influence rural school administrators, such as depopulation, mandated educational reforms, new technologies, at-risk students, and lack of equal opportunity. Describes support systems needed for rural principals, and outlines an interagency approach to delivery of locally relevant site-based leadership development…

  15. Portugal's Secondary School Modernisation Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heitor, Teresa V.; Freire da Silva, Jose M. R.

    2009-01-01

    The aim of the Secondary School Modernisation Programme, being implemented in Portugal by "Parque Escolar, EPE", is based on the pursuit of quality and makes Portuguese education a potential international benchmark. This paper discusses the strategies adopted to reorganise school spaces. It describes the conceptual model and highlights…

  16. Best Practices in School to Careers: The Rural Challenge.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Employer Leadership Council, Washington, DC.

    This document highlights the practices of companies in rural areas that have successfully connected workplace experiences to classroom learning through school-to-careers partnerships. First, the following fundamental components of school-to-careers are explained: school-based learning; work-based learning; and connecting activities. The next…

  17. Recruiting and Retaining Rural School Administrators. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howley, Aimee; Pendarvis, Edwina

    School districts nationwide, but especially rural districts, are finding it hard to recruit and retain administrators. In the past 25 years, administrators have had to address increasing demands for special programs, collaborative decision making, and accountability. In addition, potential for conflict with school boards and various constituencies…

  18. Driving change in rural workforce planning: the medical schools outcomes database.

    PubMed

    Gerber, Jonathan P; Landau, Louis I

    2010-01-01

    The Medical Schools Outcomes Database (MSOD) is an ongoing longitudinal tracking project ofmedical students from all medical schools in Australia and New Zealand. It was established in 2005 to track the career trajectories of medical students and will directly help develop models of workforce flow, particularly with respect to rural and remote shortages. This paper briefly outlines the MSOD project and reports on key methodological factors in tracking medical students. Finally, the potential impact of the MSOD on understanding changes in rural practice intentions is illustrated using data from the 2005 pilot cohort (n = 112). Rural placements were associated with a shift towards rural practice intentions, while those who intended to practice rurally at both the start and end of medical school tended to be older and interested in a generalist career. Continuing work will track these and future students as they progress through the workforce, as well as exploring issues such as the career trajectories of international fee-paying students, workforce succession planning, and the evaluation of medical education initiatives.

  19. Secondary School Students' Predictors of Science Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tosun, Cemal; Genç, Murat

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that affect the secondary school students' attitudes in science. This study was conducted using survey method. The sample of the study was 503 students from four different secondary schools in Bartin and Düzce. Data were obtained using the Survey of Factors Affecting Students' Science Attitudes…

  20. 75 FR 1611 - Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information; Elementary and Secondary School...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-12

    ... Secondary School Counseling Programs; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010...: The purpose of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling program is to support efforts by local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish or expand elementary school and secondary school counseling programs...

  1. Stability and Change in Rural Youths' Educational Outcomes through the Middle and High School Years

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Witherspoon, Dawn; Ennett, Susan

    2011-01-01

    There is a dearth of literature that examines rural youths' school transition and adaptation over the middle and high school years. Given rural education challenges, this study examines rural youths' developmental trajectories of self-reported grades and affective and behavioral educational outcomes (i.e., school belonging, value of education,…

  2. The Rural-Urban Divide, Intergroup Relations, and Social Identity Formation of Rural Migrant Children in a Chinese Urban School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Donghui

    2018-01-01

    Through ethnographic fieldwork conducted at a Beijing public school, this study aims to investigate how rural migrant children in China negotiate and construct their identity vis-à-vis the school's local children. Building on social identity theory, this study reveals that rural migrant children develop a strong non-local group identity as a…

  3. Job Satisfaction among Secondary-School-Heads: A Gender Based-Comparative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suleman, Qaiser; Hussain, Ishtiaq

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine and compare the job satisfaction of male and female secondary-school heads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. All the male and female secondary-school heads working in pubic secondary schools of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa constituted the population of the study. A total sample of 402 secondary-school heads was…

  4. Research on the Teaching Quality of Compulsory Education in China's West Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Jiayi; Li, Ying

    2009-01-01

    The paper has compared the quality of compulsory education of rural schools in West China with the counties, cities, and provincial capitals, and find out that there is a big gap between the quality of West rural and urban compulsory education, the quality of some grades of the rural primary schools has not achieved the basic requirement of the…

  5. Human Capital Problems in Zimbabwean Rural Schools: A Case Study of Mazowe District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zvavahera, Promise

    2014-01-01

    This study focused on the management of human capital in Zimbabwean rural schools. It was observed that teachers in rural schools preferred urban postings which turned out to have better facilities and incentives. Rural to urban migration of teachers is a cause for concern in Mazowe District. This study was motivated by the high teacher-turnover…

  6. Disadvantaged Rural Students: Five Models of School-University Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Peter; And Others

    This paper describes five models of school-university collaboration designed to maximize academic achievement opportunities for disadvantaged rural students. Project SHAPE (School and Homes As Partners in Education) at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh is an extended school day program established in partnership with…

  7. Stress and the Administrator of Rural Schools Being Rebuilt

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wright, Robert J.; Lesisko, Lee J.

    2010-01-01

    School construction or renovation projects can have a profound affect on students, faculty and administration. The negative impact on the ongoing educational programs is a stressor for many administrators. The possibility that rural school administrators would experience more stress producing problems than would suburban and urban school leaders…

  8. Pediculosis capitis and relevant factors in secondary school students of Hamadan, west of Iran.

    PubMed

    Omidi, Afsar; Khodaveisi, Masoud; Moghimbeigi, Abas; Mohammadi, Nahid; Amini, Roya

    2013-09-17

    Pediculosis capitis is a problem in children and has worldwide distribution. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of pediculosis degree and its relevant factors in the secondary schools in Hamadan west of Iran. The study was carried out in two phases. A cross-sectional procedure was used to determine the prevalence of pediculosis, and the case study was done to identify the relevant factors to the infestation. Totally, 10841 secondary students were chosen and classified in accordance with the clustering sample. The prevalence of pediculosis was 1.05%. It was 1.27% among the urban student; whereas 0.05% among the rural students. About 2.3% belonged to female students, and 0.11% was pertained to the male students. The greatest amount of infestation prevalence was reported from the schools of urban areas particularly in the public schools of suburbia. Furthermore, the prevalence of infestation was more where some individuals had pediculosis previous history and suffered from head inching. It turned out to be a significant relationship between pediculosis, head itching (P<0.001) and previous history of pediculosis (P<0.001). The prevalence of pediculosis in Hamadan is low, but is more in the areas which are deprived of the access to health facilities. Therefore, there is a need for educational campaigns about danger of infection and regular mass screening at school.

  9. Case Study of Leadership Practices and School-Community Interrelationships in High-Performing, High-Poverty, Rural California High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Masumoto, Marcia; Brown-Welty, Sharon

    2009-01-01

    Many rural California high schools are impacted by the disadvantages of poverty, non-English speaking students, limited resources, changing demographics, and challenges of the rural context. Focusing on contemporary leadership theories and school-community interrelationships, this qualitative study examines the practices of educational leaders in…

  10. Evaluation of the Rural South Australian Tri-Division Adolescent Health Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Naccarella, Lucio

    2003-01-01

    An Australian project aimed to strengthen relationships of general practitioners (GPs) with rural adolescents and school personnel through GP school visits, educational seminars on health topics for students, and student visits to GP clinics. Surveys of 5 project personnel, 6 GPs, 3 school counselors, and 30 secondary school students found…

  11. Superintendent Leadership in Small, Rural Minnesota Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plath, Timothy M.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the research was to investigate the leadership skills of rural Minnesota superintendents alongside the academic achievement of the school district. Through the correlates of school leadership espoused by Waters and Marzano, this research analyzed the leadership characteristics of the superintendents in those districts and the level…

  12. Personnel Recruitment/Selection/Induction in Small/Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neely, Steve

    This paper provides tips and resources for the recruitment, selection, and induction of teachers and other school personnel. These materials were developed with rural and small schools in mind; some resources focus on Kansas. Means of recruitment are discussed, including internal search, referrals, college and university placement services,…

  13. School Quality and Learning Gains in Rural Guatemala

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Jeffery H.

    2009-01-01

    I use unusually detailed data on schools, teachers and classrooms to explain student achievement growth in rural Guatemala. Several variables that have received little attention in previous studies--including the number of school days, teacher content knowledge and pedagogical methods--are robust predictors of achievement. A series of…

  14. Family effects on the rurality of GP's work location: a longitudinal panel study.

    PubMed

    McGrail, Matthew R; Russell, Deborah J; O'Sullivan, Belinda G

    2017-10-19

    Reduced opportunities for children's schooling and spouse's/partner's employment are identified internationally as key barriers to general practitioners (GPs) working rurally. This paper aims to measure longitudinal associations between the rurality of GP work location and having (i) school-aged children and (ii) a spouse/partner in the workforce. Participants included 4377 GPs responding to at least two consecutive annual surveys of the Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) national longitudinal study between 2008 and 2014. The main outcome, GP work location, was categorised by remoteness and population size. Five sequential binary school-age groupings were defined according to whether a GP had no children, only preschool children (aged 0-4 years), at least one primary-school child (aged 5-11 years), at least one child in secondary school (aged 12-18 years), and all children older than secondary school (aged ≥ 19). Partner in the workforce was defined by whether a GP had a partner who was either currently working or looking for work, or not. Separate generalised estimating equation models, which aggregated consecutive annual observations per GP, tested associations between work location and (i) educational stages and (ii) partner employment, after adjusting for key covariates. Male GPs with children in secondary school were significantly less likely to work rurally (inclusive of > 50 000 regional centres through to the smallest rural towns of < 5000) compared to male GPs with children in primary school. In contrast, female GPs' locations were not significantly associated with the educational stage of their children. Having a partner in the workforce was not associated with work location for male GPs, whereas female GPs with a partner in the workforce were significantly less likely to work in smaller rural/remote communities (< 15 000 population). This is the first systematic, national-level longitudinal study showing that GP

  15. Mission Impossible? What States with Large Percentages of Rural Schools Tell Us about Federal School Improvement Grants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Caitlin; McMurrer, Jennifer

    2015-01-01

    This article summarizes findings and lessons learned about implementing school improvement grant (SIG) initiatives in rural areas of the United States. The study examines state-level survey data based on the proportion of rural schools receiving SIG funds in the fall of 2010 in each state. In addition, the authors summarize related findings from…

  16. Instructional Leadership Behaviors of School Administrators on the Implementation of Secondary School Curricula

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zorlu, Hizir; Arseven, Ayla

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine instructional leadership behaviors of secondary school administrators based on the perceptions of administrators and teachers. The study was carried out with 309 teachers and 68 school administrators working in 25 secondary schools in Turkey. The study was carried out with the descriptive survey research. The…

  17. Rural origin plus a rural clinical school placement is a significant predictor of medical students' intentions to practice rurally: a multi-university study.

    PubMed

    Walker, Judith H; Dewitt, Dawn E; Pallant, Julie F; Cunningham, Christine E

    2012-01-01

    Health workforce shortages are a major problem in rural areas. Australian medical schools have implemented a number of rural education and training interventions aimed at increasing medical graduates' willingness to work in rural areas. These initiatives include recruiting students from rural backgrounds, delivering training in rural areas, and providing all students with some rural exposure during their medical training. However there is little evidence regarding the impact of rural exposure versus rural origin on workforce outcomes. The aim of this study is to identify and assess factors affecting preference for future rural practice among medical students participating in the Australian Rural Clinical Schools (RCS) Program. Questionnaires were distributed to 166 medical students who had completed their RCS term in 2006; 125 (75%) responded. Medical students were asked about their preferred location and specialty for future practice, their beliefs about rural work and life, and the impact of the RCS experience on their future rural training and practice preferences. Almost half the students (47%; n=58) self-reported a 'rural background'. Significantly, students from rural backgrounds were 10 times more likely to prefer to work in rural areas when compared with other students (p<0.001). For those preferring general practice, 80% (n=24) wished to do so rurally. Eighty-five per cent (n=105) of students agreed that their RCS experience increased their interest in rural training and practice with 62% (n=75) of students indicating a preference for rural internship/basic training after their RCS experience. A substantial percentage (86%; n=108) agreed they would consider rural practice after their RCS experience. This baseline study provides significant evidence to support rural medical recruitment and retention through education and training, with important insights into the factors affecting preference for future rural practice. By far the most significant predictor

  18. Rural Transient Children and School Achievement: An Australian Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Birch, Ian; Lally, Mike

    1994-01-01

    Among 336 students aged 4-8 in 4 rural Australian schools, transient students scored marginally lower on ability tests than their residentially stable peers. However, teachers gave more weight to family background and support, as opposed to disruption of schooling, as influencing children's adjustment to change and school achievement. (LP)

  19. Opportunities and Challenges for Mixed Day Secondary School Headteachers in Promoting Girl-Child Education in Kenya: A Case Study of Kisumu Municipality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dawo, Jane-Irene A.; Simatwa, Enose M. W.

    2010-01-01

    Despite Kenya Government's commitment to enhancement of girl-child education, their participation rate at secondary school level is still notably low. Many studies on the girl-child education have concentrated in the rural populations with the assumption that the situation in the urban setting is nearly ideal. This was not the case as was…

  20. Financing Facilities in Rural School Districts: Variations among the States and the Case of Arkansas.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Mary F.

    This chapter examines the main challenges that rural school districts face in school facilities funding and illustrates these problems with a case study of Arkansas. Most rural school districts serve only a small number of students, which tends to limit the funds available for construction or renovation. In addition, rural districts are likely to…

  1. The Development Effectiveness Management Model for Sub-District Secondary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butsankom, Akachai; Sirishuthi, Chaiyuth; Lammana, Preeda

    2016-01-01

    The purposes of this research were to study the factors of effectiveness management model for subdistrict secondary school, to investigate current situations and desirable situations of effectiveness management model for sub-district secondary school, to develop the effectiveness management model for sub-district secondary school and to study the…

  2. Differences in Physical Activity Levels between Urban and Rural School Children in Cyprus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loucaides, Constantinos A.; Chedzoy, Sue M.; Bennett, Neville

    2004-01-01

    This study attempted to examine differences in physical activity levels between urban and rural primary school children. The sample consisted of 256 Greek-Cypriot children and their parents from two schools representing urban areas and three schools representing rural areas. Children's activity levels were assessed for 4 weekdays in the winter and…

  3. Relationship among School Size, School Culture and Students' Achievement at Secondary Level in Pakistan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahmad Salfi, Naseer; Saeed, Muhammad

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: This paper seeks to determine the relationship among school size, school culture and students' achievement at secondary level in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: The study was descriptive (survey type). It was conducted on a sample of 90 secondary school head teachers and 540 primary, elementary and high school teachers working in…

  4. Prevalence of bullying in secondary schools in Port Harcourt.

    PubMed

    Alex-Hart, Balafama Abinye; Okagua, Joyce; Opara, Peace Ibo

    2015-11-01

    School bullying is a global problem involving a high proportion of students worldwide. However, its prevalence and types in secondary schools in Port Harcourt is not yet known. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and types of bullying in secondary schools in Port Harcourt. A total of 1160 students from six secondary schools in Port Harcourt comprised the sample. This was a cross-sectional school-based study conducted in Port Harcourt in March 2014. Two mixed schools, two all-boys schools, and two all-girls schools were selected using purposive sampling technique. Stratified random sampling technique, by class strata (senior secondary 1, 2 and 3) was used to select 1160 students from the six schools. A 22-item self-administered questionnaire adapted from a previous study was modified and used in this study. The questions covered the prevalence, type of bullying, and socio-demographic data. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 (IBM SPSS Incorporated, Chicago, IL, USA). About 82.2% reported being victims of bullying, whereas 64.9% reported being bullies. About 9.7% and 11.8% were neither bullies nor bullied, respectively. Bullying was significantly higher in the all-boys (90.8%) and all-girls (82.9%) schools than in the mixed schools (73.5%), p=0.000. More males were victims (53.4%) and bullies (53.3%) but more females (55.4%) were bully-victims. The most common (57.5%) type of bullying was physical bullying. The rate of bullying was found to be very high in secondary schools in Port Harcourt.

  5. The Availability and Utilization of School Library Resources in Some Selected Secondary Schools (High School) in Rivers State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owate, C. N.; Iroha, Okpa

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates the availability and utilization of school library resources by Secondary School (High School) Students. Eight Selected Secondary Schools in Rivers State, Nigeria were chosen based on their performance in external examinations and geographic locations. In carrying out the research, questionnaires were administered to both…

  6. Cross-sectional study on the relationship between life events and mental health of secondary school students in Shanghai, China

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Linlin; Fan, Juan; Du, Yasong

    2012-01-01

    Background The relationship of demographic factors and negative life events to the mental health of mainland Chinese school students has not been fully explored. Aim Assess the prevalence of different types of life stressors among secondary school students and identify the demographic characteristics and types of life events that are most closely associated with perceived psychological difficulties in these students. Methods This cross-sectional study administered two self-completion questionnaires to a stratified random cluster sample of 1818 students from four secondary schools in two districts of Shanghai: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and an abbreviated version of the Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC) that assesses 11 negative life events. Results Academic stress (74%), criticism from others (66%), family conflict (29%) and peer bullying & discrimination or interpersonal conflict (26%) were the most frequently reported negative life events, but their prevalence varied significantly by gender, type of school and urban versus rural residence. Similarly the level of reported psychological stress associated with life events, the total perceived psychological difficulty, and the level of pro-social behavior in the students varied significantly between different groups of students. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified the following independent predictors of high perceived psychological difficulty in the prior 6 months (in order of importance): high total stress score from negative life events in the prior year, experiencing peer bullying & discrimination or interpersonal conflict, not experiencing the death of a family member, male gender, attending a school in a rural district, and not suffering from a major disease or physical impairment. The independent predictors of a high level of pro-social behavior were high total stress score from negative life events, attending an urban school, female gender, attending a

  7. ICT in Secondary School Administration in Rural Southern Kenya: An Educator's Eye on Its Importance and Use

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Makewa, Lazarus; Meremo, Jackson; Role, Elizabeth; Role, Jesse

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated whether there was a significant difference between teachers' and administrators' perceptions on the importance of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in secondary school administration and evaluated the extent to which it was used by administrators. In this study, administrators are those involved in the day…

  8. Educational Sorting and Residential Aspirations among Rural High School Students: What Are the Contributions of Schools and Educators to Rural Brain Drain?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petrin, Robert A.; Schafft, Kai A.; Meece, Judith L.

    2014-01-01

    An extended body of research has documented the outmigration of the "best and brightest" youth from rural areas. Some of this scholarship has suggested that rural schools and educators may be complicit in this process as they devote extra attention and resources to the highest achieving students--those most likely to leave their rural…

  9. Instructional Technology for Rural Schools: Access and Acquisition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sundeen, Todd H.; Sundeen, Darrelanne M.

    2013-01-01

    Integrating instructional technology into all classrooms has the potential to transform modern education and student learning. However, access to technology is not equally available to all districts or schools. Decreased funding and budgetary restraints have had a direct impact on technology acquisition in many rural school districts. One of the…

  10. Secondary School Burnout Scale (SSBS)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aypay, Ayse

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to develop "Secondary School Burnout Scale." Study group included 728 students out of 14 schools in four cities in Turkey. Both Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were conducted on the data. A seven-factor solution emerged. The seven factors explained 61% of the total variance. The…

  11. Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities in Washington State's Rural School Districts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palma, Gloria M.

    This study investigated the nature and extent of physical education programs for individuals with disabilities in Washington State's small rural public school districts. Questionnaires were sent to 185 superintendents of small rural school districts in the state. Of the 128 responses, 70.3% enrolled individuals with disabilities. Fifty-eight…

  12. Concussion Law Compliance: The Allocation of Time, Resources, and Money in a Rural Western State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Faure, Caroline; Moffit, Dani M.; Schiess, Kurt

    2015-01-01

    Secondary schools across the United States that sponsor extracurricular athletic programs are challenged to comply with recent laws that require concussion education and appropriate concussion management. This study examined one rural state's efforts by illustrating both the successes and challenges that secondary schools faced. The findings…

  13. Linking School-to-Work Transition and Rural Development Strategies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harmon, Hobart L.

    The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 established a national framework to guide the development of statewide school-to-work (STW) opportunities systems in each state. Governors apply to the National School-to-Work Office for 5-year federal implementation grants. Early research on implementation of STW in rural areas suggests that…

  14. The Rural Education Dichotomy: Disadvantaged Systems and School Strengths.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dunn, Randy J.

    The educational advantages conferred by rurality and smallness have their greatest impact at the school and classroom level, but this same rurality creates district or system-level problems that have often been solved by consolidation. Consolidation efforts have been waning because they are politically unpopular, good economic times allow states…

  15. Renewable Energy for Rural Schools

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jimenez, A.C.; Lawand, T.

    2000-11-28

    This publication addresses the need for energy in schools, primarily those schools that are not connected to the electric grid. This guide will apply mostly to primary and secondary schools located in non-electrified areas. In areas where grid power is expensive and unreliable, this guide can be used to examine other energy options to conventional power. The authors' goal is to help the reader to accurately assess a school's energy needs, evaluate appropriate and cost-effective technologies to meet those needs, and to implement an effective infrastructure to install and maintain the hardware.

  16. Rural-Urban Comparison of Female Educational Aspirations in South-Western Nigeria.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akande, Bolanle E.

    1987-01-01

    Examines the issue of equality of opportunity and social mobility in terms of differences between urban and rural young people in South-Western Nigeria, focusing particularly on those handicaps associated with female disadvantage. Reports results of interviews with 359 rural and urban female secondary school students. (JHZ)

  17. Solving the "Rural School Problem": New State Aid, Standards, and Supervision of Local Schools, 1900-1933

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steffes, Tracy L.

    2008-01-01

    In 1918, Minnesota county superintendent Julius Arp argued that the greatest educational problem facing the American people was the Rural School Problem, saying: "There is no defect more glaring today than the inequality that exists between the educational facilities of the urban and rural communities. Rural education in the United States has…

  18. The Relationship between the Emotional Intelligence of Secondary Public School Principals and School Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashworth, Stephanie R.

    2013-01-01

    The study examined the relationship between secondary public school principals' emotional intelligence and school performance. The correlational study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods model. The non-probability sample consisted of 105 secondary public school principals in Texas. The emotional intelligence characteristics of the…

  19. Identifying the Comparative Academic Performance of Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bendikson, Linda; Hattie, John; Robinson, Viviane

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: One of the features of the New Zealand secondary schools system is that achievement closely reflects the taught curriculum. The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) directly assesses student achievement on the secondary school curriculum through a combination of criterion-based internal and external assessments. The…

  20. Art Education and Rural Schools: Reflections from the Field. Country Teacher.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thurber, Frances E.

    1997-01-01

    An art education teacher-educator discusses the strengths and potential of rural education, arising from the sense of community found in small rural schools. Gives six suggestions to art teacher-educators concerning integrating art with other curricula, utilizing technology in art education, ensuring that rural students are afforded equal…

  1. Food Insecurity and Its Association With School Absenteeism Among Rural School Adolescents in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Tamiru, Dessalegn; Melaku, Yabsira; Belachew, Tefera

    2017-03-01

    Studies showed that poor health and nutrition among school adolescents are major barriers to educational access and achievements in low-income countries. This school-based study was aimed to assess the association of school absenteeism and food insecurity among rural school adolescents from grades 5 to 8 in Jimma zone, Ethiopia. Regression analyses were used to see the strength of association between dependent and independent variables using odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictor of school absenteeism. Validated tools are used to collect household food insecurity data. Results showed that school absenteeism is significantly high among adolescents from food insecure households when compared to adolescents from food secure households ( P <.001). School absenteeism was negatively associated with male sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = -0.91, 95% CI -1.85 to -0.03), household food security (adjusted odds ratio = -1.85, 95% CI -3.11 to -0.59), being an elder sibling (AOR = -0.37, 95% CI, -0.62 to -0.12), and mother involvement in decision making (AOR = -0.68, 95% CI, -1.33 to -0.03) while male-headed household was positively associated (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI, 1.37 to 4.56). Generally, this study showed that household food insecurity has significant contribution to school absenteeism among rural adolescents. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve household income earning capacity to reduce the prevalence of school absenteeism among rural school adolescents.

  2. Applying a Knowledge Management Taxonomy to Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thambi, Melinda; O'Toole, Paddy

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to examine the relevance of a corporate-based taxonomy of knowledge management to secondary schooling. Do the principles of knowledge management from the corporate world translate to the world of education; specifically, secondary schooling? This article examines categories of knowledge management articulated in…

  3. Increasing the medical school applicant pool: a key to training more rural physicians.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Danielle M; Whitler, Elmer T; Johnson, Andrew O; Elam, Carol L; Wilson, Emery A; Asher, Linda M

    2009-09-01

    Workforce studies show shortages of physicians in many areas of the United States. These shortages are especially severe in states such as Kentucky with many rural counties and are predicted to worsen in the future unless there are changes throughout our educational system to build aspirations and prepare students for medical school education. To examine rural-urban differences and community characteristics of applicants and matriculants to Kentucky's two allopathic medical schools and influences on the educational aspirations of young students who wish to become physicians. The number of Kentucky applicants and matriculants to allopathic medical schools was obtained from the Association of American Medical College's data warehouse for the period from 2002-2006. A continuous, multidimensional measure was used to classify counties by degree of rurality. Socio-demographic variables were selected for the counties of residence for applicants and matriculants. Model variables were tested in a least squares multiple regression model for their ability to explain patterns among Kentucky's 120 counties in the number of both resident applicants and matriculants to medical school. Data from a survey of middle school participants in summer health camps were analyzed to help identify important influences on young students aspiring to a career as a health professional, especially becoming a physician, and how these might be supported to increase the supply of rural medical school applicants. The low number of rural applicants to medical school was highly correlated with the relative rurality of their county of residence, a low physician-to-population ratio and a low number of total primary care physicians. The percentage of county residents having a bachelor's degree level of education or higher had a positive impact on the application rate. Respondents became interested in health careers at age 15 or younger, and parents and grandparents, teachers, and close associates

  4. Rural Action Strengthens Ties between School and Community during Appalachian Ohio's Long Fight for Equitable School Funding. Rural Trust Featured Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Null, Elisabeth Higgins

    Because school systems throughout America depend on local property taxes for much of their revenue, districts with poor property valuations, especially rural districts, are facing fiscal crises. In response to a lawsuit filed in 1991, the Ohio Supreme Court twice decided that the state's heavy reliance on local property taxes for school funding…

  5. Secondary Infections with Ebola Virus in Rural Communities, Liberia and Guinea, 2014–2015

    PubMed Central

    Nyenswah, Tolbert; Keita, Sakoba; Diallo, Boubakar; Kateh, Francis; Amoah, Aurora; Nagbe, Thomas K.; Raghunathan, Pratima; Neatherlin, John C.; Kinzer, Mike; Pillai, Satish K.; Attfield, Kathleen R.; Hajjeh, Rana; Dweh, Emmanuel; Painter, John; Barradas, Danielle T.; Williams, Seymour G.; Blackley, David J.; Kirking, Hannah L.; Patel, Monita R.; Dea, Monica; Massoudi, Mehran S.; Barskey, Albert E.; Zarecki, Shauna L. Mettee; Fomba, Moses; Grube, Steven; Belcher, Lisa; Broyles, Laura N.; Maxwell, T. Nikki; Hagan, Jose E.; Yeoman, Kristin; Westercamp, Matthew; Mott, Joshua; Mahoney, Frank; Slutsker, Laurence; DeCock, Kevin M.; Marston, Barbara; Dahl, Benjamin

    2016-01-01

    Persons who died of Ebola virus disease at home in rural communities in Liberia and Guinea resulted in more secondary infections than persons admitted to Ebola treatment units. Intensified monitoring of contacts of persons who died of this disease in the community is an evidence-based approach to reduce virus transmission in rural communities. PMID:27268508

  6. Assessing the Value of Rural California High School Career Technical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morehead, Coleen Louise

    2015-01-01

    While empirical studies on rural education have defined many of the socioeconomic factors associated with rural students nationally, there is a lack of definitive and comprehensive research defining the benefit or value of career technical education for rural California high school students. Consequently, this lack of research may in turn…

  7. Rural Schools on the Prairie Turn to Land for Learning and Inspiration. Rural Trust Featured Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Null, Elizabeth Higgins

    America's prairie land is under economic and ecological stress. Acting on the belief that rural schools can help revitalize their communities when schools' activities are related to the places where they are located, schools in Arizona, Kansas, and Nebraska are integrating prairie studies across the K-12 curricula. With the help of area…

  8. How Rural School Superintendents in Illinois Impact Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    VonSchnase, Kyle T.

    2010-01-01

    Since the passage of The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, a superintendent's role has been redefined and more focus has been placed on student achievement. Research demonstrates that rural public schools are faced with an educational crisis. Rural districts are faced with an epidemic of declining enrollments/budgets, increased drop-out rates, low…

  9. Patterns of sexual behaviour among secondary school students in Swaziland, southern Africa.

    PubMed

    Buseh, Aaron G

    2004-07-01

    Among the many sub-Saharan African countries hardest hit by HIV/AIDS is the Kingdom of Swaziland. In an effort to reduce the spread of HIV, young people are an important group to reach with prevention messages. However, before developing such programmes, it is essential to understand young people's sexual risk behaviours. Students (n=941) from four coeducational secondary schools in Swaziland participated in a cross-sectional survey of sexual behaviours. Results indicate that considerable proportions of young people in this study were sexually experienced, irrespective of gender. Findings also suggest unacceptable high levels of sexual coercion, irrespective of age or gender. While boys may be less likely than girls to experience sexual coercion, being a male in this setting was not a protective factor. No significant differences were found on these variables in relation to location of the schools (rural vs. urban). Implications for developing and implementing HIV prevention programmes are suggested.

  10. Athletic Training Services in Public Secondary Schools: A Benchmark Study

    PubMed Central

    Pryor, Riana R.; Casa, Douglas J.; Vandermark, Lesley W.; Stearns, Rebecca L.; Attanasio, Sarah M.; Fontaine, Garrett J.; Wafer, Alex M.

    2015-01-01

    Context: Authors of the most recent study of athletic training (AT) services have suggested that only 42% of secondary schools have access to athletic trainers. However, this study was limited by a small sample size and was conducted more than 10 years ago. Objective: To determine current AT services in public secondary schools. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Public secondary schools in the United States. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 8509 (57%) of 14 951 secondary schools from all 50 states and Washington, DC, responded to the survey. Main Outcome Measure(s): Data on AT services were collected for individual states, National Athletic Trainers' Association districts, and the nation. Results: Of the 8509 schools that responded, 70% (n = 5930) had AT services, including full-time (n = 3145, 37%), part-time (n = 2619, 31%), and per diem (n = 199, 2%) AT services, and 27% (n = 2299) had AT services from a hospital or physical therapy clinic. A total of 4075 of 8509 schools (48%) provided coverage at all sports practices. Eighty-six percent (2 394 284/2 787 595) of athletes had access to AT services. Conclusions: Since the last national survey, access to AT services increased such that 70% of respondent public secondary schools provided athletic trainers at sports games or practices. Approximately one-third of all public secondary schools had full-time athletic trainers. This number must increase further to provide appropriate medical coverage at athletic practices and games for secondary school athletes. PMID:25689559

  11. Status of Higher Secondary School Libraries in Thiruvallur District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seenivasan, M.; Kumar, N. Ashok

    2014-01-01

    Libraries are the main sources of knowledge. They play a major role in fostering reading habit among school children. Hence, it is deemed interactive to study the status of higher secondary school libraries in Thiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu. For the Analysis 50 Higher Secondary Schools were selected randomly comprising of Government Higher…

  12. The Performance of Portuguese Secondary Schools: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarrico, Claudia S.; Rosa, Maria J.; Coelho, Ines P.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure and compare the performance of Portuguese secondary schools. Design/methodology/approach: Some data on the schools were collected via an electronic questionnaire sent to 103 secondary schools of the centre region of Portugal; other needed data were available through the Centre Regional Education…

  13. SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM IMPROVEMENT STUDY. FINAL REPORT.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    FEHR, HOWARD F.

    THIS SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM IMPROVEMENT STUDY GROUP (SSMCIS), COMPOSED OF BOTH AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN EDUCATORS, WAS GUIDED BY TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES--(1) TO CONSTRUCT AND EVALUATE A UNIFIED SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS PROGRAM FOR GRADES 7-12 THAT WOULD TAKE THE CAPABLE STUDENT WELL INTO CURRENT COLLEGE MATHEMATICS, AND (2) DETERMINE…

  14. Secondary School Biology Teachers' Perceptions of Scientific Creativity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ndeke, Grace C. W.; Okere, Mark I. O.; Keraro, Fred N.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate secondary school biology teachers' perceptions of scientific creativity. Cross-sectional survey research design was employed. The population of the study comprised all biology teachers in public secondary schools in Kericho and Kajiado counties in Kenya. A sample of 205 biology teachers' was selected…

  15. Supporting Struggling Readers in Secondary School Science Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roberts, Kelly D.; Takahashi, Kiriko; Park, Hye-Jin; Stodden, Robert A.

    2012-01-01

    Many secondary school students struggle to read complex expository text such as science textbooks. This article provides step-by-step guidance on how to foster expository reading for struggling readers in secondary school science classes. Two strategies are introduced: Text-to-Speech (TTS) Software as a reading compensatory strategy and the…

  16. Decentralization and Educational Performance: Evidence from the PROHECO Community School Program in Rural Honduras

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Di Gropello, Emanuela; Marshall, Jeffery H.

    2011-01-01

    We analyze the effectiveness of the Programa Hondureno de Educacion Comunitaria (PROHECO) community school program in rural Honduras. The data include standardized tests and extensive information on school, teacher, classroom and community features for 120 rural schools drawn from 15 states. Using academic achievement decompositions we find that…

  17. Comparative study of nutritional status of urban and rural Nigerian school children.

    PubMed

    Oninla, S O; Owa, J A; Onayade, A A; Taiwo, O

    2007-02-01

    Nutritional assessment in the community is essential for accurate planning and implementation of intervention programmes to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with under-nutrition. The study was, therefore, carried out to determine and compare the nutritional status of children attending urban and rural public primary schools in Ife Central Local Government Area (ICLGA) of Nigeria. The schools were stratified into urban and rural, and studied schools were selected by balloting. Information obtained on each pupil was entered into a pre-designed proforma. The weight and height were recorded for each pupil, and converted to nutritional indices (weight for age, weight for height, height for age). A total of 749 pupils (366 and 383 children from the rural and urban communities, respectively) were studied. The overall prevalent rates of underweight, wasting and stunting were 61.2, 16.8 and 27.6%, respectively. In the rural area these were 70.5, 17.8 and 35.8%, while in the urban they were 52.2, 15.9 and 19.8%, respectively. The mean nutritional indices (Weight for Age, Weight for Height and Height for Age) were found to be significantly lower among the rural pupils than urban pupils (P < 0.001 in each case). The present study shows that malnutrition (underweight, wasting and stunting) constituted major health problems among school children in Nigeria. This is particularly so in the rural areas. Therefore, prevention of malnutrition should be given a high priority in the implementation of the ongoing primary health care programmes with particular attention paid to the rural population.

  18. Prevalence and correlates of hunger among primary and secondary school children in Malawi: results from the 2009 Global School-based Health Survey.

    PubMed

    Mwambene, J B; Muula, A S; Leo, J C

    2013-06-01

    Education is important in improving economies and creating literate, self-reliant and healthy societies. However, hunger is a barrier to basic education in Malawi. Hunger is also associated with a number of health risk behaviours, such as bullying, suicide ideation and unhygienic behaviours that may jeopardize the future of children. There are, however, limited data on the prevalence and associated factors of hunger among school children in Malawi. The study used data from the Malawi Global School-Based Health Survey conducted in 2009 to estimate the prevalence of self-reported hunger within the last 30 days among primary and secondary school age group. It also assessed the association between self-reported hunger and some selected list of independent variables using frequency distribution, chi-squared test and logistic regression. A total of 2359 students were available for analysis. The overall self-reported prevalence of hunger within the last 30 days was 12.5% (18.9% (172) in the rural and 8.3% (115) in urban areas; and 11.9%(123) for male and 12.5(148) for female children). In the final analysis, geographical location, eating fruits, having been bullied, suicide ideation, and washing hands with soap were significantly associated with hunger. Hunger in both primary and secondary school children in Malawi is a major social problem. The design of school feeding programmes aimed to reduce hunger should incorporate the factors identified as associated with hunger.

  19. Cooperative Learning in Rural and Small Schools. Rural/Small Schools Network Information Exchange: Number 10, Spring 1991.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement of the Northeast & Islands, Andover, MA.

    This packet includes reprints of journal articles and other resources pertaining to cooperative learning strategies in small, rural schools. The four sections of the packet cover introduction to cooperative learning, examples of how team strategies and cooperative learning can be used, issues such as program evaluation and public relations, and…

  20. Exploring How the School Context Mediates Intern Learning in Underserved Rural Border Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ajayi, Lasisi

    2013-01-01

    This research used poststructural theories to examine a crucial issue of teacher-learning in rural border schools that are under pressure from high-stakes school accountability, fewer resources, and significant numbers of English language learners (ELLs). The methodology was based on a multiple case study of four intern teachers who participated…

  1. Secondhand Smoke Exposure in a Rural High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Kiyoung; Hahn, Ellen J.; Riker, Carol A.; Hoehne, Amber; White, Ashleigh; Greenwell, Devin; Thompson, Dyshel

    2007-01-01

    Although federal law requires all public schools to be smoke free, lack of compliance with the smoke-free policy is commonly reported. The aims of this study were to describe the indoor fine-particle (PM[subscript 2.5]) air pollution in a rural high school and surrounding public venues. This cross-sectional, nonexperimental study was conducted in…

  2. Educational Impact of a School Breakfast Programme in Rural Peru

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cueto, Santiago; Chinen, Marjorie

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, we present data from an evaluation of the educational impact of a school breakfast program implemented in rural schools in Peru. The results showed positive effects on school attendance and dropout rates, and a differential effect of the breakfast program on multiple-grade and full-grade schools. Particularly in multiple-grade…

  3. Toward an Alternative Research Paradigm for Small/Rural Schools: Beyond an Approximated Reality.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dobson, Russell L; Dobson, Judith E.

    1990-01-01

    Presents arguments, based on Thomas Kuhn's work, that most research on rural and small schools proceeds from previous scientific achievements, and that researchers' (outsiders') preconceived and approximated reality forces the nature of rural and small schools into an inflexible box. Contains 40 references. (Author/SV)

  4. Parents' Views on Mixed and Single-Sex Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    West, Anne; Hunter, Jay

    1993-01-01

    Reports on two studies of British parental attitudes toward coeducational and single-sex secondary schools. Finds few differences between the parents of primary school girls and boys who will attend secondary schools in the future. Also finds a large majority of boys' parents believe that social advantages accrue for boys educated with girls. (CFR)

  5. Bright Lights: Stories of Success and Excellence from BC Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    British Columbia Dept. of Education, Victoria.

    This document highlights the exciting and creative learning opportunities offered in 16 British Columbia secondary schools. Schools and activities are: Johnston Heights Secondary School (Surrey)--parent-led staff development and multicultural activities to improve intercultural understanding; Centennial Secondary (Coquitlam)--salmon, ecology, and…

  6. Interdisciplinary Collaboration Supporting Social-Emotional Learning in Rural School Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meyers, Adena B.; Tobin, Renée M.; Huber, Brenda J.; Conway, Dawn E.; Shelvin, Kristal H.

    2015-01-01

    In this article we illustrate the roles of school psychologists, administrators, social workers, teachers, and parents in school reform by describing the adoption, initial implementation, and formative evaluation of an evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) program within several rural Midwestern school districts in a geographically…

  7. What They Think, What They Know, What They Do: Rural Secondary Teachers' Motivational Beliefs and Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardré, Patricia L.; Hennessey, Maeghan N.

    2013-01-01

    This research examined how rural high school teachers' beliefs and perceptions of themselves, their students and the challenge of motivation influence their strategic classroom and interpersonal motivating practice. Participants were 13 teachers in three rural, public high schools in two US states. Teachers' beliefs about motivation…

  8. Assessing Mental Health Needs of Rural Schools in South Texas: Counselors' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bain, Steve F.; Rueda, Breeze; Mata-Villarreal, Jennifer; Mundy, Marie-Anne

    2011-01-01

    Texas continues to fall short of the necessary mental health resources for those communities and populations in rural counties. The purpose of this article was to review the mental health resource needs of rural schools in South Texas. The study focused primarily on the perspectives of the school counselors in the identified districts. Funded by a…

  9. Financial Literacy of Secondary Students, and Its Place within Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neill, Alex; Berg, Melanie; Stevens, Liesje

    2014-01-01

    This report investigates the behaviour, attitudes and experiences of New Zealand secondary students with money and financial products. It also looks at financial literacy programmes in New Zealand secondary schools and explores barriers to the implementation of financial literacy teaching. The research was commissioned by the Commission for…

  10. Transformational Leadership and the Leadership Performance of Oregon Secondary School Principals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Breaker, Jason Lee

    2009-01-01

    A study of 118 secondary school principals in Oregon was conducted to examine the relationship of transformational leadership to secondary school principals' leadership performance. This study measured the transformational leadership of secondary school principals in Oregon using the "Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (5X-Short)"…

  11. Development of Program to Enhance Strategic Leadership of Secondary School Administrators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chatchawaphun, Pimpisa; Julsuwan, Suwat; Srisa-ard, Boonchom

    2016-01-01

    This research aimed to 1) study principles, attributes and skills needed for secondary school administrators, 2) investigate current situations, desirable conditions and needs for strategic secondary school administrators, 3) develop a strategic secondary school administrator enhancement program, and 4) explore the efficiency level of the…

  12. The Dissonance between Schooling and Learning: Evidence from Rural Bangladesh

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asadullah, M. Niaz; Chaudhury, Nazmul

    2015-01-01

    Using a basic mathematics competence test based on the primary school curricular standard, we examine the extent to which years spent in school actually increases numeracy achievement in rural Bangladesh. Our sample includes 10-18-year-old children currently enrolled in school as well as those out of school. About half of the children failed to…

  13. Waist Circumference and Objectively Measured Sedentary Behavior in Rural School Adolescents.

    PubMed

    Machado-Rodrigues, Aristides M; Coelho E Silva, Manuel J; Ribeiro, Luís P; Fernandes, Romulo; Mota, Jorge; Malina, Robert M

    2016-01-01

    Research on relationships between lifestyle behaviors and adiposity in school youth is potentially important for identifying subgroups at risk. This study evaluates the associations between waist circumference (WC) and objective measures of sedentary behavior (SB) in a sample of rural school adolescents. The sample included 254 students (114 boys, 140 girls), 13-16 years of age, from rural regions of the Portuguese midlands. Height, weight, and WC were measured. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was assessed with the 20-m shuttle-run test. An uniaxial GT1M accelerometer was used to obtain 5 consecutive days of physically activity (PA) and SB. Multiple linear regression was used to test associations between WC and SB, adjusted for several potential confounders (age, sex, PA, CRF, parental education). SB was not significantly associated with the WC, neither in the unadjusted model nor after adjustment for all potential confounders. In the final model, the unique significant predictor of the WC was cardiorespiratory fitness (β = -0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.02 to -0.62). WC was not independently associated with SB time in rural school adolescents. Future research is claimed among rural adolescents in different geographic contexts to try to clarify recent findings of less studied communities. © 2015, American School Health Association.

  14. Young Adult Literature in the Malaysian Secondary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Govindarajoo, Mallika V.; Mukundan, Jayakaran

    2013-01-01

    This article presents the results of a study on the experience of the Malaysian secondary school student with Young Adult Literature in the English language classroom. The study aimed to determine the extent to which the Malaysian secondary school student identified with the young adult protagonists and issues in the novels which have been…

  15. Rural Schools: Off the Beaten Path

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gordon, Dan

    2011-01-01

    This article is the second of a two-part series on how schools in different types of communities meet the challenge of implementing technology. The emergence of technology as a critical component of education has presented rural districts with an invaluable tool for overcoming the problems created by sparse and remote populations. But rural…

  16. Sustainable Leadership in Small Rural Schools: Selected Australian Vignettes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clarke, Simon; Stevens, Elizabeth

    2009-01-01

    According to Hargreaves and Fink (The seven principles of sustainable leadership, 2003; Sustainable leadership, 2006), sustainable leadership matters, spreads and lasts, and is fundamental to enduring and widespread school improvement. This observation is especially germane to the context of leading small primary schools in rural locations, where…

  17. Public Purpose and the Preparation of Teachers for Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Theobald, Paul; Howley, Craig

    The challenge of "ruralizing" teacher preparation programs is to teach teachers to think with sufficient critical intent to violate professional norms that have been unhealthy for rural schools and communities. Universities are institutions with cosmopolitan rather than local purposes. Over the centuries, the mission of higher education…

  18. Systematic Research and Evaluation in a Rural Pennsylvania School District.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leopold, Greg; And Others

    This report summarizes the evaluation of a rural school district in Pennsylvania and offers recommendations reflecting the district's goals for school improvement and construction. Specifically, the objectives of the study were to identify curricular needs of the district and individual schools; review and assess district facilities with respect…

  19. The Effect of School Culture on the Management of Professional Development in Secondary Schools in Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rauf, Parwazalam Abdul; Ali, Syed Kamaruzaman Syed; Aluwi, Aliza; Noor, Nor Afizah Mohd

    2014-01-01

    This study explores the influence of school culture on the management of professional development in secondary schools in Malaysia. It illustrates how school culture influences the school professional development management. The instrument used in this study is a self-administered questionnaire involving 515 secondary school teachers. The results…

  20. Post-Secondary Distance Education in a Contemporary Colonial Context: Experiences of Students in a Rural First Nation in Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simon, Jesse; Burton, Kevin; Lockhart, Emily; O'Donnell, Susan

    2014-01-01

    Post-secondary distance education gives students and their families living in remote and rural regions the option to stay in their communities while they study instead of moving closer to the universities in cities. Post-secondary distance education is an option in many rural and remote First Nation (Indigenous) communities in Canada; however…

  1. A Focused Look at Rural Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2014-4013

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenberg, Linda; Christianson, Megan Davis; Angus, Megan Hague; Rosenthal, Emily

    2014-01-01

    The Study of School Turnaround is a set of case studies of the school improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 schools receiving federal funds through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program over a three-year period (school years 2010-11 to 2012-13). This evaluation brief focuses on the nine SIG schools that were in rural areas and how…

  2. Impact of School Staff Health on Work Productivity in Secondary Schools in Massachusetts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alker, Heather J.; Wang, Monica L.; Pbert, Lori; Thorsen, Nancy; Lemon, Stephenie C.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Healthy, productive employees are an integral part of school health programs. There have been few assessments of work productivity among secondary school staff. This study describes the frequency of 3 common health risk factors--obesity, depressive symptoms, and smoking--and their impact on work productivity in secondary school…

  3. The Boundaries around Schools and the Living Radius and Mobility of the Schools' Constituents: The Case of a Rural School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xizhen, Zhuang

    2007-01-01

    This article presents a preliminary analysis of a rural junior high school. This school is situated in S town, J county, Shandong province, and, in keeping with the procedure followed for naming the majority of schools in China by location of school + type of school, this school is called S Junior High. J county is one of Shandong's poor counties,…

  4. The Influence of Personal Characteristics on Secondary School Teachers' Beliefs about School Guidance and Counselling Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aluede, Oyaziwo; Egbochuku, ELizabeth

    2007-01-01

    This paper investigated how personal characteristics of secondary school teachers influence their beliefs about their school guidance and counselling programs. Two hundred and sixteen senior secondary school teachers responded to the "Teachers Beliefs about School Guidance and Counselling Programs Inventory (TBSG &CI)". When…

  5. Year One: An Evaluation of School-Based Development Corporations in Five Rural Arkansas Towns.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arkansas Community Education Development Association, Little Rock.

    Rural school districts in five Arkansas towns set up school-based development corporations (SBDCs) to provide vocational and career training relevant to the needs of rural high school students and the community and to improve the economic and social welfare of the community as a whole. Each SBDC owned and operated businesses using student labor…

  6. Divide County High School Receives National Recognition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stammen, Ronald

    1985-01-01

    Describes highlights of educational programs at Divide County High School (Crosby, North Dakota), which was one of the few rural schools cited by President Reagan in 1984 for excellence in education under the Secondary School Recognition Program. (BRR)

  7. Bridging, Linking, Networking the Gap: Uses of Instructional Technology in Small Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hobbs, Daryl

    Attention is being directed to telecommunications and computer technologies as a possible way of delivering education to small rural schools in a cost-effective way. Characteristics of new technology and environmental changes having particular relevance for rural schools include the abilities to transcend space, network, redefine learning as…

  8. Community Participation in Rural Ecuador's School Feeding Programme: A Health Promoting School Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torres, Irene; Simovska, Venka

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the debate concerning community participation in school-based health education and health promotion, with regard to food and nutrition. Design/methodology/approach: Based on empirical data generated over the course of one year of fieldwork in three rural communities and schools in Ecuador, the…

  9. Teachers As Researchers: Improving Practice in Rural and Small Schools. Rural, Small Schools Network Information Exchange: Number 11, Fall 1991.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement of the Northeast & Islands, Andover, MA.

    This packet includes reprints of journal articles and other information exploring reflective practice and action research among rural educators. The four sections of the packet cover concepts of reflective practice and action research; examples of reflective practice at both the elementary and secondary levels; issues such as encouraging…

  10. Rural School as a Resource for the Intellectual and Labour Potential Formation of the Rural Society

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nasibullov, Ramis R.; Korshunova, Olga V.; Arshabekov, Nurgali R.

    2016-01-01

    The relevance of the research problem is reasoned by the need to create conceptual grounds of life organization variants in the rural school as a resource of intellectual and labor potential formation of rural society taking into account the socio-economic realities of Russia's development in the beginning of the twenty-first century, as well as…

  11. Leadership Strategies for Maintaining Success in a Rural School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freeman, Greta G.; Randolph, Ivan

    2013-01-01

    Success in a PK-12 educational environment begins at the top with school leadership. Due to economic problems, poverty and added responsibilities, leaders in rural communities throughout the United States face sensitive and distinctive challenges. Based on research and years of administrative experience as school and school system leaders, the…

  12. The Career Development Needs of Rural Elementary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wood, Chris; Kaszubowski, Yvonne

    2008-01-01

    This exploratory study investigated the career development needs of 150 fourth-grade students from 2 rural school districts in the Midwestern United States. The Childhood Career Development Scale (CCDS) was administered in 6 classrooms at 2 elementary schools to assess Donald Super's 9 dimensions (information, curiosity, exploration, interests,…

  13. Children exposure to indoor ultrafine particles in urban and rural school environments.

    PubMed

    Cavaleiro Rufo, João; Madureira, Joana; Paciência, Inês; Slezakova, Klara; Pereira, Maria do Carmo; Aguiar, Lívia; Teixeira, João Paulo; Moreira, André; Oliveira Fernandes, Eduardo

    2016-07-01

    Extended exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) may lead to consequences in children due to their increased susceptibility when compared to older individuals. Since children spend in average 8 h/day in primary schools, assessing the number concentrations of UFPs in these institutions is important in order to evaluate the health risk for children in primary schools caused by indoor air pollution. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess and determine the sources of indoor UFP number concentrations in urban and rural Portuguese primary schools. Indoor and outdoor ultrafine particle (UFP) number concentrations were measured in six urban schools (US) and two rural schools (RS) located in the north of Portugal, during the heating season. The mean number concentrations of indoor UFPs were significantly higher in urban schools than in rural ones (10.4 × 10(3) and 5.7 × 10(3) pt/cm(3), respectively). Higher UFP levels were associated with higher squared meters per student, floor levels closer to the ground, chalk boards, furniture or floor covering materials made of wood and windows with double-glazing. Indoor number concentrations of ultrafine-particles were inversely correlated with indoor CO2 levels. In the present work, indoor and outdoor concentrations of UFPs in public primary schools located in urban and rural areas were assessed, and the main sources were identified for each environment. The results not only showed that UFP pollution is present in augmented concentrations in US when compared to RS but also revealed some classroom/school characteristics that influence the concentrations of UFPs in primary schools.

  14. Secondary School Fee Inflation: An Analysis of Private High Schools in Victoria, Australia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lye, Jenny; Hirschberg, Joe

    2017-01-01

    The recent growth in privately administered secondary education in many developed countries has been a widely observed phenomenon. The Australian private secondary school sector has grown faster than those in any other "OECD" nation, even though the average tuition fees charged by these schools have increased at double the nation's…

  15. Altering the School Breakfast Environment Reduces Barriers to School Breakfast Participation among Diverse Rural Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hearst, Mary O.; Shanafelt, Amy; Wang, Qi; Leduc, Robert; Nanney, Marilyn S.

    2018-01-01

    Background: The purpose is to determine if altering school breakfast policies and the school breakfast environment will positively impact adolescent beliefs of the barriers and benefits of eating breakfast. Methods: There were 904 adolescents from 16 rural high schools, Minnesota, in the BreakFAST Study who reported eating breakfast fewer than 4…

  16. 76 FR 54196 - Public Meeting, Cherokee National Forest Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committee

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-31

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Public Meeting, Cherokee National Forest Secure Rural.... Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory... Schools Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) proposes projects and funding to the Secretary of Agriculture...

  17. Learning in Place: A Special Report to the Rural School and Community Trust.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rural School and Community Trust, Washington, DC.

    The Rural School and Community Trust has made place central to its educational and community-building work. Because the understanding of a place is fundamental to building sustainable communities, Rural Trust schools and communities are committed to providing their children and young people with opportunities to explore, analyze, and contribute to…

  18. Violent, Delinquent, and Aggressive Behaviors of Rural High School Athletes and Non-Athletes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rhea, Deborah J.; Lantz, Christopher D.

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between sports participation and self-reported violent, delinquent, and aggressive behaviors in rural high school populations. Three-hundred and thirty-eight athletes and non-athletes from four rural high schools completed the YRBSS and the Conflict Behavior Scale (CBS). The results…

  19. Student Academic Achievement in Rural vs. Non-Rural High Schools in Wisconsin

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Droessler Mersch, Rebecca L.

    2012-01-01

    This study analyzed how Wisconsin rural public high schools' academic achievement compared to their city, suburb and town peers while controlling for ten factors. The Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination (WKCE) measured academic achievement for tenth graders including reading, language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The ten…

  20. Secondary Schools in Canada: The National Report of the Exemplary Schools Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaskell, Jane

    The Exemplary Schools Project was a national cooperative project that identified successful Canadian secondary schools and analyzed their practices to suggest policy implications. Five issues were examined: the meaning and recognition of success; interactions between the school and its context; the influence of school structures, processes, and…

  1. A Mixed-Methods Study of the Transformation Model for Rapid Improvement of Low Achieving Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atkinson Duina, Angela

    2013-01-01

    New regulations attached to ARRA funding of federal School Improvement Fund grants aimed at producing rapid turnaround of low performing schools were highly criticized as unsuitable for rural schools. This mixed-methods study looked at the implementation of the School Improvement Fund Transformation Model in two rural Maine high schools during the…

  2. Secondary School Transition: Planning for Success.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hemphill, Rae

    Parents of adolescents with attention deficit disorders are offered suggestions for easing the transition of their teen from elementary to secondary school. Careful scheduling of classes with the guidance counselor to "fit" the individual teen's needs is urged. The importance of ongoing communication with the school concerning class progress,…

  3. Interest in rural clinical school is not enough: Participation is necessary to predict an ultimate rural practice location.

    PubMed

    Playford, Denese; Puddey, Ian B

    2017-08-01

    Rural exposure during medical school is associated with increased rural work after graduation. How much of the increase in rural workforce by these graduates is due to pre-existing interest and plans to work rurally and how much is related to the extended clinical placement is not known. This cohort study compared the employment location of medical graduates who professed no rural interest as undergraduates (negative control), with those who applied but did not participate in Rural Clinical School of Western Australia (RCSWA) (positive control), and those who applied and participated in RCSWA (participants). All 1026 University of Western Australia students who had an opportunity to apply for a year-long rotation in RCSWA from 2004 to 2010, and who had subsequently graduated by the end of 2011, were included. Graduates' principal workplace location (AHPRA, Feb 2014). The three groups differed significantly in their graduate work locations (χ 2 = 39.2, P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, only being of older age at graduation (OR 2.28 (95% CI 1.40, 3.72), P = 0.001), being from a rural background (OR 2.99 (95% CI 1.85, 4.85), P < 0.001), being a recipient of a Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship (OR 3.36 (95% CI 1.68, 6.73, P = 0.001) and actually participating in the RCSWA remained significantly related to rural work (OR 3.10 (95% CI 1.95, 4.93), P < 0.001). After accounting for other factors relating to rural work, RCSWA graduates were three times more likely to work rurally than either control group. These data suggest that RCSWA has a significant independent effect on rural workforce. © 2016 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

  4. Rural Alaskan High School Boys' and Girls' Attitudes toward Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chu, Lily; Culbertson, Jeanne

    Questionnaires were administered to 73 sophomore and senior high school students in 3 isolated rural Alaska towns (Adak, Unalaska, and Dillingham) to study the effects of socio-economic factors on rural Alaskan youth's educational aspirations and expectations. Because of a military-supported economy, Adak was a typical middle class American…

  5. Associations between school-level environment and science classroom environment in secondary schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dorman, Jeffrey P.; Fraser, Barry J.; McRobbie, Campbell J.

    1995-09-01

    This article describes a study of links between school environment and science classroom environment. Instruments to assess seven dimensions of school environment (viz., Empowerment, Student Support, Affiliation, Professional Interest, Mission Consensus, Resource Adequacy and Work Pressure) and seven dimensions of classroom environment (viz., Student Affiliation, Interactions, Cooperation, Task Orientation, Order & Organisation, Individualisati n and Teacher Control) in secondary school science classrooms were developed and validated. The study involved a sample of 1,318 students in 64 year 9 and year 12 science classes and 128 teachers of science in Australian secondary schools. Using the class mean as the unit of analysis for student data, associations between school and classroom environment were investigated using simple, multiple and canonical correlational analyses. In general, results indicated weak relationships between school and classroom environments and they reinforced the view that characteristics of the school environment are not transmitted automatically into science classrooms.

  6. The Workloads of Secondary School Teachers. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, R. J.; Neill, S. R. St. J.

    This study investigated the amount of time secondary school teachers spent working and the types of work activities, based on records and survey forms from 348 teachers in secondary schools in England and Wales. Findings include: (1) the weekly mean time spent on work was 54.4 hours; (2) teachers spent an average of 16.9 hours teaching, 12.9 hours…

  7. Potential Synergy: Rural School Districts and International Student Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casto, Hope G.; Steinhauer, Alexandra; Pollock, Pamela M.

    2012-01-01

    Many rural school districts face declining enrollments. A few districts have taken the unusual path of recruiting international students in order to boost their enrollments. This study examines a community using this strategy and the resulting financial, academic, and social situations for the school, community, and students, both local and…

  8. Influence of perceptions and stereotypes of the nursing role on career choice in secondary students: A regional perspective.

    PubMed

    Raymond, Anita; James, Ainsley; Jacob, Elisabeth; Lyons, Judith

    2018-03-01

    This study examined the influence that perceptions and stereotypes of the nursing role had on future career choice of rural secondary students. The study was undertaken to identify a method of attracting final year secondary school students to an undergraduate nursing degree at a rural University. A mixed method study using a pre-post-interventional design. The rural campus of an Australian university. 71 secondary students attending a secondary school career development program at a rural Australian university. Semi structured questionnaires were used for data collection. The surveys were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis of open-ended survey questions. The research supports the importance of being aware of young people's impressions about nurses and nursing as a career, to ensure the successful implementation of targeted recruitment. Targeted recruitment strategies can increase students' awareness of the wide variety of pathways within nursing, rather than leaving awareness to what family, friends or career advisers tell them, or how nurses are portrayed on television, movies and the media. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Developing Quality Strategic Plan in Secondary Schools for Successful School Improvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chukwumah, Fides Okwukweka

    2015-01-01

    The study examined the extent to which development of quality strategic plans for Anambra State secondary schools' improvement had been done by schools. The research design used was a descriptive survey. Respondents comprised 217 principals. There was no sampling since all the principals were used. Data were collected using "Schools'…

  10. Information Needs Assessment for K-12 School Nurses in Rural Eastern Washington State.

    PubMed

    Vela, Kathryn

    2017-01-01

    School nurses are an often-overlooked population of health care professionals who have great importance in rural communities where access to health care is limited. In order to better serve school nurses in rural eastern Washington, an assessment was conducted to determine their information needs, behaviors, and perceptions. Results indicated this population of school nurses searches for multiple types of health information on a daily basis and navigates obstacles to information access using a variety of resources. While largely confident in their searching ability, they are open to learning more about how to find reliable health information to support their daily responsibilities. These results will guide the development of a workshop for school nurses about using reliable health information resources to improve health care in their rural communities.

  11. Cyclone-Resistant Rural Primary School Construction - A Design Guide. Educational Building Report 7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sinnamon, Ian T.; Loo, G. A. van't

    One of a series of documents on design of disaster-resistant buildings, this publication treats construction of rural primary schools to resist destruction by wind and water from cyclones. Also appropriate for other buildings, material is aimed at rural primary schools because they are less likely to be professionally designed or supervised; the…

  12. Rural Community College Student Perceptions of Barriers to College Enrollment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Shanda; Miller, Michael T.; Morris, Adam A.

    2016-01-01

    Rural community college students face unique difficulties in higher education for many reasons, including the resources they typically have access to, their collective histories, and in many cases, the preparation they received in high school. These challenges might be low-performing secondary schools, a lack of tradition and precedence in…

  13. Exploring Whole School versus Subject Department Improvement in Hong Kong Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ko, James; Hallinger, Philip; Walker, Allan

    2015-01-01

    Research on school improvement tends to assume that school improvement is a school-wide process. Nonetheless, some researchers have also proposed that secondary schools are comprised of subcultures centered on subject area departments. It has further been suggested that variations in the sociocultural organization of subject departments could…

  14. Cross-Disciplinary, Whole School Education Reform in Secondary Schools: Three Critical Components

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borda, Emily; Warren, Shannon; Coskie, Tracy L.; Larson, Bruce E.; Hanley, Dan; Cohen, Jessica

    2018-01-01

    The Whole School Success Partnership (TWSSP) worked to develop practices and cultures that emphasized student success in five middle and high schools. Because this project took place in secondary schools where teachers have disciplinary specializations, the whole school approach came with unique opportunities and challenges. Here we describe how…

  15. The Placement of Secondary School Students with Statements of Special Educational Needs in the More Diversified System of English Secondary Schooling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norwich, Brahm; Black, Alison

    2015-01-01

    This article examines the pattern of placement of students with significant special educational needs at Statement and School Action Plus levels in English secondary schools, comparing sponsored and converter academies, maintained schools and the newly created free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges for 2013 and 2014. The…

  16. Urban-Rural Differences in School Nurses' Asthma Training Needs and Access to Asthma Resources.

    PubMed

    Carpenter, Delesha M; Estrada, Robin Dawson; Roberts, Courtney A; Elio, Alice; Prendergast, Melissa; Durbin, Kathy; Jones, Graceann Clyburn; North, Steve

    Few studies have examined school nurses preferences' for asthma training. Our purpose was to: 1) assess school nurses' perceived asthma training needs, 2) describe nurses' access to asthma educational resources, and 3) identify urban-rural differences in training needs and access to resources in southern states. A convenience sample of school nurses (n=162) from seven counties (two urban and five rural) in North Carolina and South Carolina completed an online, anonymous survey. Chi-square tests were used to examine urban-rural differences. Although most nurses (64%) had received asthma training within the last five years, urban nurses were more likely to have had asthma training than rural nurses (χ 2 =10.84, p=0.001). A majority of nurses (87%) indicated they would like to receive additional asthma training. Approximately half (45%) of nurses reported access to age-appropriate asthma education materials, but only 16% reported that their schools implemented asthma education programs. Urban nurses were more likely than rural nurses to have access to asthma education programs (χ 2 =4.10, p=0.04) and age-appropriate asthma education materials (χ 2 =8.86, p=0.003). Few schools are implementing asthma education programs. Rural nurses may be disadvantaged in terms of receiving asthma training and having access to asthma education programs and materials. Schools are an ideal setting for delivering age-appropriate asthma education. By providing school nurses with access to age-appropriate asthma education resources and additional asthma training, we can help them overcome several of the barriers that impede their ability to deliver asthma care to their students. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Professional Staffing Levels and Fourth-Grade Student Research in Rural Schools with High-Poverty Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krueger, Karla Steege; Donham, Jean

    2013-01-01

    Rural schools in high-poverty areas are often understaffed. This descriptive phenomenological study examined fourth-grade state research projects in high-poverty rural Iowa schools to reveal the influence of school librarians' staffing levels on student learning of research skills. To determine evidence of students' critical literacy, ethical use…

  18. The Importance of Sustainability for Rural Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawrence, Barbara Kent

    This paper suggests that the fundamental characteristics of a sustainable community are economic security, ecological integrity, quality of life, and empowerment and responsibility. It also asserts that nurturing these characteristics within a rural school can forge stronger links to community, strengthen the local economic base, encourage…

  19. Parents' Attitudes to the Closure of Small Rural Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Archbold, A.; Nisbet, J.

    1977-01-01

    Attitudes of 134 parents of children from 10 rural schools threatened with closure, and 56 parents of children from seven schools recently closed, were assessed by interview. Most parents opposed closure, and most gave educational reasons for their attitudes. (Author)

  20. Bold Ideas for Secondary School Reform

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Santa Ana, Thelma Melendez

    2011-01-01

    Every day, principals across the country are taking courageous action to reform struggling schools and make a difference in students' lives. As the assistant secretary of education for elementary and secondary education, the author has been fortunate to meet with school and district leaders and see some of those transformations firsthand. The…

  1. Synopses for Modern Secondary School Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France). Directorate for Scientific Affairs.

    The 1959 Royaumont seminar "New Thinking in School Mathematics," having agreed on the need for modernization, recommended that a second group of experts work out detailed synopses of the entire subject matter of secondary school mathematics. This book is the report of the second seminar and contains the Dubrovnik Program which stimulated…

  2. Teachers' Attitudes towards Adolescent Sexuality and Life Skills Education in Rural South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Kelley Alison; Harrison, Abigail

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the attitudes of 43 teachers and school administrators towards sex education, young people's sexuality and their communities in 19 secondary schools in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and how these attitudes affect school-based HIV prevention and sex education. In interviews, teachers expressed judgemental attitudes…

  3. Educational Quality Differences in a Middle-Income Country: The Urban-Rural Gap in Malaysian Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Othman, Mariam; Muijs, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    Shortcomings of educational quality in rural schools remain a key focus in the literature related to developing countries. This paper studies whether rural primary schools in Malaysia, an upper middle-income developing country, are still experiencing lower levels of educational resources, school climate, school leadership, and parental involvement…

  4. Advocacy and Ideology: Confrontation in a Rural School District.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKerrow, Kelly

    This paper presents a critical qualitative account and analysis of resistance and contestation over the decision-making process in a special education program. The parties involved were four parent advocates, who formed an advocacy organization, and the school administration in a rural school district in the Midwest. A subtle but powerful bias…

  5. Cyberbullying in a Rural Intermediate School: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bauman, Sheri

    2010-01-01

    Students (N = 221) in an intermediate school (grades 5-8) in a rural area of the Southwestern United States completed a survey regarding their familiarity with technology and their experiences with cyberbullying during the school year. Initial evidence of survey reliability is presented. In the sample, 1.5% of participants were classified as…

  6. Pupil Home Background Characteristics and Academic Performance in Senior Secondary Schools: A Case Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Kitwe District, Zambia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kakumbi, Zonic; Samuel, Elizabeth B.; Mulendema, Peter J.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to investigate pupil background characteristics and academic performance in senior secondary schools in Kitwe district with a view of recommending on how to improve pupils' performance. The study was conducted in Kitwe district because in the past years pupils' performance in senior secondary schools has been…

  7. Meaningful Work and Secondary School Teachers' Intention to Leave

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Janik, M.; Rothmann, S.

    2015-01-01

    The study investigates the relations between secondary school teachers' work-role fit, job enrichment, supervisor relationships, co-worker relationships, psychological meaningfulness of work and intention to leave. A cross-sectional survey was used. The participants were 502 secondary school teachers in Namibia. The following measuring instruments…

  8. Preferential Policies and Secondary School Attainment in Peninsular Malaysia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pong, Suet-ling

    1993-01-01

    Examines the effects of Malaysia's preferential educational policies regarding secondary school attainment for the nation's three ethnic groups. Investigates trends in gender and socioeconomic differences within each ethnic group. Finds that, over time, Malays were increasingly more likely to attain secondary school than were non-Malays. (CFR)

  9. On Singapore Prospective Secondary School Teachers' Mathematical Content Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toh, Tin Lam

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports the performance of one entire cohort of Singapore prospective secondary school mathematics teachers in a mathematics proficiency test. The prospective teachers were admitted to the teacher education program specializing in teaching secondary school mathematics. The strengths of the prospective teachers' content knowledge, their…

  10. Implementation of School Self-Evaluation in Secondary Schools: Teachers' Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wong, Wai Lun

    2010-01-01

    The study investigates how teacher administrators and teachers in Hong Kong secondary schools experienced the implementation process of School Self-Evaluation (SSE), perceived the effects of SSE and described the implementation approach of SSE from the perspectives of policy implementation within the policy studies in education. Given that this…

  11. A study of school mathematics curriculum enacted by competent teachers in Singapore secondary schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaur, Berinderjeet; Tay, Eng Guan; Toh, Tin Lam; Leong, Yew Hoong; Lee, Ngan Hoe

    2018-03-01

    A study of school mathematics curriculum enacted by competent teachers in Singapore secondary schools is a programmatic research project at the National Institute of Education (NIE) funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore through the Office of Education Research (OER) at NIE. The main goal of the project is to collect a set of data that would be used by two studies to research the enacted secondary school mathematics curriculum. The project aims to examine how competent experienced secondary school teachers implement the designated curriculum prescribed by the MOE in the 2013 revision of curriculum. It does this firstly by examining the video recordings of the classroom instruction and interactions between secondary school mathematics teachers and their students, as it is these interactions that fundamentally determine the nature of the actual mathematics learning and teaching that take place in the classroom. It also examines content through the instructional materials used—their preparation, use in classroom and as homework. The project comprises a video segment and a survey segment. Approximately 630 secondary mathematics teachers and 600 students are participating in the project. The data collection for the video segment of the project is guided by the renowned complementary accounts methodology while the survey segment adopts a self-report questionnaire approach. The findings of the project will serve several purposes. They will provide timely feedback to mathematics specialists in the MOE, inform pre-service and professional development programmes for mathematics teachers at the NIE and contribute towards articulation of "Mathematics pedagogy in Singapore secondary schools" that is evidence based.

  12. First Year Adjustment in the Secondary School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loosemore, Jean Ann

    1978-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between adjustment to secondary school and 17 cognitive and noncognitive variables, including intelligence (verbal and nonverbal reasoning), academic achievement, extraversion-introversion, stable/unstable, social adjustment, endeavor, age, sex, and school form. (CP)

  13. Conceptualising Diversity in a Rural School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tuters, Stephanie

    2015-01-01

    This article describes a qualitative study which investigated how teachers made meaning of and responded to diversity in their rural school. While there is a large amount of information regarding how diversity plays out in urban settings and how teachers respond to it [e.g. Dei, G. J. S., I. M. James, L. L. Karumanchery, S. James-Wilson, and J.…

  14. Sick and still at school: an empirical study of sickness presence among students in Norwegian secondary school

    PubMed Central

    Johansen, Vegard

    2015-01-01

    Objectives This paper investigates sickness presence (SP) among students. The research questions asked are: What is the distribution of SP among students in Norwegian secondary school? What characterises students with high SP in Norwegian secondary schools? Design A cross-sectional survey conducted in 10th grade in lower secondary school (LSS) and level 2 in upper secondary school (USS). The study was conducted using multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis. Participants The survey was administered to 66 schools, and 2 or 3 classes participated at each school. The response rate was 84% in LSS (n=1880) and 81% in USS (n=1160). Primary and secondary outcome measures The paper provides information about the distribution of SP in secondary schools. The paper also examines which factors influence high SP. Results 75% of students in LSS and 80% of students in USS reported SP in the previous school year. 24% of students in LSS and 33% of students in USS reported high SP (4 episodes or more). Students with high absence from school were more likely to report high SP (ORLSS=1.7, ORUSS=2.0) than those with low/no absence. Girls were more likely to report high SP (ORLSS=1.5, ORUSS=1.5) than boys. In LSS, students with high school motivation reported high SP more often than students with low/medium motivation. In USS, students in vocational studies programmes reported high SP more often than students in general/academic studies programmes. Conclusions Some SP during a school year may be more common than no SP. Gender, absence, motivation and education programme were important factors for high SP in secondary school. PMID:26373401

  15. Gendered Perceptions of Schooling: Classroom Dynamics and Inequalities within Four Caribbean Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Younger, Mike; Cobbett, Mary

    2014-01-01

    This paper sets out to interrogate the reality of secondary schooling in one part of the Caribbean, through a case study exploration of the "gender regimes" of four secondary schools in the small Eastern Caribbean nation state of Antigua and Barbuda. In Antigua, as in the Caribbean region more broadly, the focus of attention has been on…

  16. Estimating the Efficiency of Michigan's Rural and Urban Public School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maranowski, Rita

    2012-01-01

    This study examined student achievement in Michigan public school districts to determine if rural school districts are demonstrating greater financial efficiency by producing higher levels of student achievement than school districts in other geographic locations with similar socioeconomics. Three models were developed using multiple regression…

  17. Becoming pregnant during secondary school: findings from concurrent mixed methods research in Anambra State, Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Onyeka, Ifeoma N; Miettola, Juhani; Ilika, Amobi L; Vaskilampi, Tuula

    2012-03-01

    Pregnancies among teenagers and problems associated with premarital births have raised concerns in many countries. It is important to explore unintended pregnancy from the viewpoints of local stakeholders such as students, schools/teachers, and community members. This study assessed reported cases of unintended pregnancy among students and perceptions of these pregnancies by members of the community. This study took place in a rural community in Anambra state, southeastern Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey of 1,234 students and 46 teachers in five secondary schools was carried out using self-administered questionnaires. In addition, focus group discussions (FGD) involving 10 parents and in-depth interview (IDI) with a student who became pregnant were conducted. Reports of pregnancy were more common during second and third years of junior secondary school than other school years or level. According to teachers, ignorance was the main reason given by students who became pregnant. Students who became pregnant were reported to have performed poorly academically and lived with both parents, who were either subsistence farmers or petty traders. In the IDI, the ex-student opined that pregnant students faced shame, marital limitations and lack of respect from community members. Participants in the FGD suggested that teenagers should be provided with sex education in schools and in churches; parents should communicate with teenagers about sexual matters and make adequate financial provision; and the male partners should be held more accountable for the pregnancies. Poor sexual knowledge and poor socioeconomic conditions play important roles in teenage pregnancy. Male participation may enhance effectiveness of prevention programmes.

  18. Aspects of Decision-making in Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chater, Robin

    1985-01-01

    Interviews in seven English secondary schools revealed levels of teacher involvement in decisionmaking in the areas of finance and resources that ranged from schools where heads kept information confidential to one where a committee used a formula. (MLF)

  19. Impact of school staff health on work productivity in secondary schools in Massachusetts.

    PubMed

    Alker, Heather J; Wang, Monica L; Pbert, Lori; Thorsen, Nancy; Lemon, Stephenie C

    2015-06-01

    Healthy, productive employees are an integral part of school health programs. There have been few assessments of work productivity among secondary school staff. This study describes the frequency of 3 common health risk factors--obesity, depressive symptoms, and smoking--and their impact on work productivity in secondary school employees. Employees of secondary schools in Massachusetts (N = 630) participated in a longitudinal weight gain prevention intervention study. Assessment completed at baseline, 1-year and 2-year follow-up included survey assessments of health risk factors as well as measurements for height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). The survey also included a depression inventory and Work Limitations Questionnaire. Data analysis included multivariate mixed effect models to identify productivity differences in relation to BMI, depressive symptoms, and smoking in this population stratified by position type (teacher and other school staff). The sample included 361 teachers and 269 other school staff. Obesity, depressive symptoms, and smoking were significantly associated with work productivity, including workdays missed because of health concerns (absenteeism) and decreases in on-the-job productivity because of health concerns (presenteeism). Three common health conditions, namely obesity, depressive symptoms, and smoking, adversely affect the productivity of high school employees. © 2015, American School Health Association.

  20. The Great Plains Rural Principal: Characteristics and Leadership Style.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chance, Edward W.

    This study of rural schools in the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas focused on self-reported characteristics of secondary school principals as well as their leadership style. A total of 592 surveys were mailed to the identified population, of whom 462 returned completed forms. It was found that the Great Plains rural…

  1. Prevalence of Substance Use in a Rural Teenage Population.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silverman, Wade H.

    1991-01-01

    Surveyed all secondary school students (n=1,175) in rural county school system to assess prevalence rates of substance use for teenagers and their parents. Age, sex, and race were related to frequency and type of substance abuse. Lifestyle variables such as music preferences, sexual activity, and choice of friends also related to substance use.…

  2. Otitis media in indonesian urban and rural school children.

    PubMed

    Anggraeni, Ratna; Hartanto, Widya W; Djelantik, Bulantrisna; Ghanie, Abla; Utama, Denny S; Setiawan, Eka P; Lukman, Erica; Hardiningsih, Chintriany; Asmuni, Suprihati; Budiarti, Rery; Rahardjo, Sutji Pratiwi; Djamin, Riskiana; Mulyani, Tri; Mutyara, Kuswandewi; Carosone-Link, Phyllis; Kartasasmita, Cissy B; Simões, Eric A F

    2014-10-01

    Although the epidemiology of otitis media is well-known in industrialized countries, the extent of otitis media in developing Asian countries, especially in south East Asia is not well studied. To define the burden of otitis media and its sequelae in children 6-15 years of age, we enrolled elementary and junior high school children in 6 areas in rural and urban Indonesia. Randomly selected schools and classrooms were selected. All children were administered a questionnaire and had ear examinations, pneumatic otoscopy and screening audiometry. Children with any abnormality on examination or with a relevant history underwent diagnostic audiometry and tympanometry, if indicated. Of the 7005 children studied, 116 had chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), 30 had acute otitis media and 26 had otitis media with effusion. 2.7% of rural children had CSOM compared with 0.7% of urban children (P < 0.0001). The rates per 1000 of CSOM in rural Bali and Bandung were significantly higher (75 and 25, respectively) than in the rest of Indonesia (P < 0.05). In rural Bali, the rate per 1000 children of inactive CSOM was 63 in 6- to 9-year-old children, compared with 37 in children aged 13-15 years. Concomitantly, the rates of tympanosclerosis were 7 and 26/1000, respectively, in these age groups. In Indonesia, the prevalence of CSOM is relatively high with most disease occurring in rural areas. The high rates in rural Bali with early progression to tympanosclerosis suggest a significant burden of potentially vaccine preventable illness.

  3. The deployment and training of teachers for remote rural schools in less-developed countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ankrah-Dove, Linda

    1982-03-01

    In less-developed countries schools in remote rural areas are likely to be poor in quality. One important aspect of this in certain contexts is the comparatively low quality of teachers and the high rate of teacher turnover in rural schools in these areas. It is likely that contributory factors are the ways in which posting and transfer procedures operate, inadequate preparation and support for teachers, and their own characteristics, values and interests. For purposes of analysis, two models are suggested which illuminate the policy assumptions behind different strategies used to try to remedy the situation. The rural deficit model tends to encourage the use of compulsory posting and incentives while the rural challenge model searches for better ways of preparing teachers for service in remote rural schools. From analysis of the literature, the author suggests that there are four inter-related features of contemporary teacher-education programmes which have potential and should be developed if good teachers are to be attracted to and retained in remote rural schools. These are field-based preparation, teamwork in training, community support of training and the recruitment and preparation of local teachers. A few examples of schemes employing these principles are described briefly.

  4. Rural school nurse perception of book studies as an effective method for professional development.

    PubMed

    Gray, Lorali

    2014-05-01

    School nurses who serve public school districts in rural Northwest Washington face barriers in accessing Continuing Education (CE) for professional development as they often practice in remote, isolated school communities. Acknowledging these barriers, the author discusses the inclusion of book studies within an existing training structure as an innovative method of providing professional development. By utilizing training that is already attended by rural school nurses, CE can be enhanced without incurring additional travel, cost, or training time. The school nurse's perception of the effectiveness of book studies as a CE method was examined per a descriptive, qualitative program evaluation. Over a period of 5 years, evaluation and feedback data from 12 rural school nurses were compiled from nine individual school nurse book study evaluations and one general satisfaction survey. Findings indicated overall school nurse satisfaction and belief that school nurse book studies are an effective and beneficial method for the delivery of professional development--a method that promotes collaborative learning and collegiality, informs practice, and provides insight into the broader health and social issues impacting today's students.

  5. The Orthographic Norm in Secondary School Students' Written Assignments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ðordev, Ivana

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents the results of research conducted with the primary objective to determine in which areas secondary school students usually make orthographic mistakes when writing (official) written assignments. Starting from the hypothesis that the punctuation writing of whole and split words are areas in which secondary school students…

  6. Level of Depression in Intellectually Gifted Secondary School Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shahzad, Salman; Begume, Nasreen

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the present research was to investigate the difference in depression between intellectually gifted and non-gifted secondary school children. After a detailed review of literature the following hypothesis was formulated; there would be a significant difference between intellectually gifted and non-gifted secondary school children on…

  7. Emotional and Behavioral Disability Practices in Rural Schools for Students in PK-3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrus, Sara R.

    2017-01-01

    This study explored the practices rural schools in Wisconsin have in place to meet the needs of students at grades PK-3 with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities (EBD). The research question was as follows: What practices do rural elementary schools use as they strive to meet the Individual Education Plan (IEP) Objectives of PK-3 grade students…

  8. A sense of place: rural training at a regional medical school campus.

    PubMed

    Crump, William J; Barnett, Darel; Fricker, Steve

    2004-01-01

    Traditionally, rural students experience urban disruption during the many years of education and training in urban environments before choosing a practice site. Regional rural campuses that allow students to live and work in small towns during the last 2 years of medical school are one strategy to address this issue. To report the results of the first 10 years of a rural campus in western Kentucky, including response to difficulties filling openings for third- and fourth-year medical students at the campus. A survey was sent to all 76 students who had shown interest in the rural campus, asking them to prioritize the important issues in their campus choice. Students not choosing the rural campus placed a higher priority on large-city amenities, better opportunities for their spouse, and proximity to family in eastern and central Kentucky. Students who chose the rural campus placed a higher priority on one-on-one clinical training and interest in small town life. For the rural clinical campus to reach its potential, more rural students from the western part of the state must be admitted to medical school and then choose this campus. Strategies to reinforce the sense of place among rural students focus on experiential programs in rural areas. Initial results suggest that medical educators should consider geography more carefully when designing approaches to address physician maldistribution.

  9. Continuous Quality Improvement: A Roadmap for Rural School Improvement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilmer, Lloyd C.

    A case study documented a continuous quality improvement approach to school improvement in a rural Nebraska high school over a 2-year period. Data gathered from surveys, portfolios, pilot results, and test scores indicated that the changes during the 2-year period were not dramatic, but significant and consistent with the Total Quality literature.…

  10. Preliminary Impacts of North Carolina's Rural Innovative Schools Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Naumenko, Oksana; Henson, Robert; Hutchins, Bryan

    2016-01-01

    Funded by an Investing in Innovation (i3) Validation grant, the Rural Innovative Schools (RIS) Project is the first widespread effort to scale up the early college model by implementing it in comprehensive high schools. This paper will present preliminary findings from the evaluation of this project. The impact study uses a quasi-experimental…

  11. The Relationship between Stress and Bullying among Secondary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Chi-hung; To, Hing-kwan

    2009-01-01

    Background: In Hong Kong, secondary school students face high levels of stress due to the examination oriented curricula. According to Sun (2006), some secondary school students cannot bear the pressure when facing the examinations, and some of them may exhibit destructive behaviors such as suicide and bullying. Therefore, cases of school bullying…

  12. Cooperative learning in science: intervention in the secondary school

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Topping, K. J.; Thurston, A.; Tolmie, A.; Christie, D.; Murray, P.; Karagiannidou, E.

    2011-04-01

    The use of cooperative learning in secondary school is reported - an area of considerable concern given attempts to make secondary schools more interactive and gain higher recruitment to university science courses. In this study the intervention group was 259 pupils aged 12-14 years in nine secondary schools, taught by 12 self-selected teachers. Comparison pupils came from both intervention and comparison schools (n = 385). Intervention teachers attended three continuing professional development days, in which they received information, engaged with resource packs and involved themselves in cooperative learning. Measures included both general and specific tests of science, attitudes to science, sociometry, self-esteem, attitudes to cooperative learning and transferable skills (all for pupils) and observation of implementation fidelity. There were increases during cooperative learning in pupil formulation of propositions, explanations and disagreements. Intervened pupils gained in attainment, but comparison pupils gained even more. Pupils who had experienced cooperative learning in primary school had higher pre-test scores in secondary education irrespective of being in the intervention or comparison group. On sociometry, comparison pupils showed greater affiliation to science work groups for work, but intervention pupils greater affiliation to these groups at break and out of school. Other measures were not significant. The results are discussed in relation to practice and policy implications.

  13. Rural-Urban Gaps in Academic Achievement, Schooling Conditions, Student, and Teachers' Characteristics in Pakistan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tayyaba, Saadia

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: Recent educational research has demonstrated rural-urban gaps in achievement and schooling conditions. Evidence from developing countries is still sparse. This study seeks to report rural-urban disparities in achievement, student, teacher, and school characteristics based on a nationally representative sample of grade four students from…

  14. Association of Being Bullied in School with Suicide Ideation and Planning among Rural Middle School Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhatta, Madhav P.; Shakya, Sunita; Jefferis, Eric

    2014-01-01

    Background: This study examined the association of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation (ever thinking about killing oneself) and ever seriously making a plan to kill oneself (suicide planning) among rural middle school adolescents. Methods: Using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Middle School Youth Risk Behavior…

  15. Handling the Transfer to Secondary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bull, Elaine

    2008-01-01

    The transfer to secondary education can be an anxious time and planning ahead can help. This article offers practical advice about what to consider, when to start planning and discusses many of the issues involved in the transition to later schooling. Written from the perspective of the English school system, many of the issues and principles are…

  16. Changing Our Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haque, Bali

    2014-01-01

    This is a powerful critique of two decades of educational reform in New Zealand, from an educator who was deeply involved. It is also a provocative call for action. Bali Haque has been both a secondary school principal required to implement reform and a senior public servant in the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) tasked with pushing…

  17. Relationship between school dropout and teen pregnancy among rural South African young women

    PubMed Central

    Rosenberg, Molly; Pettifor, Audrey; Miller, William C; Thirumurthy, Harsha; Emch, Michael; Afolabi, Sulaimon A; Kahn, Kathleen; Collinson, Mark; Tollman, Stephen

    2015-01-01

    BackgroundSexual activity may be less likely to occur during periods of school enrolment because of the structured and supervised environment provided, the education obtained and the safer peer networks encountered while enrolled. We examined whether school enrolment was associated with teen pregnancy in South Africa. MethodsUsing longitudinal demographic surveillance data from the rural Agincourt sub-district, we reconstructed the school enrolment status from 2000 through 2011 for 15 457 young women aged 12–18 years and linked them to the estimated conception date for each pregnancy during this time. We examined the effect of time-varying school enrolment on teen pregnancy using a Cox proportional hazard model, adjusting for: age; calendar year; household socioeconomic status; household size; and gender, educational attainment and employment of household head. A secondary analysis compared the incidence of pregnancy among school enrolees by calendar time: school term vs school holiday. ResultsSchool enrolment was associated with lower teen pregnancy rates [adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.57 (0.50, 0.65)].This association was robust to potential misclassification of school enrolment. For those enrolled in school, pregnancy occurred less commonly during school term than during school holidays [incidence rate ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.90 (0.78, 1.04)]. ConclusionsYoung women who drop out of school may be at higher risk for teen pregnancy and could likely benefit from receipt of accessible and high quality sexual health services. Preventive interventions designed to keep young women in school or addressing the underlying causes of dropout may also help reduce the incidence of teen pregnancy. PMID:25716986

  18. Relationship between school dropout and teen pregnancy among rural South African young women.

    PubMed

    Rosenberg, Molly; Pettifor, Audrey; Miller, William C; Thirumurthy, Harsha; Emch, Michael; Afolabi, Sulaimon A; Kahn, Kathleen; Collinson, Mark; Tollman, Stephen

    2015-06-01

    Sexual activity may be less likely to occur during periods of school enrolment because of the structured and supervised environment provided, the education obtained and the safer peer networks encountered while enrolled. We examined whether school enrolment was associated with teen pregnancy in South Africa. Using longitudinal demographic surveillance data from the rural Agincourt sub-district, we reconstructed the school enrolment status from 2000 through 2011 for 15 457 young women aged 12-18 years and linked them to the estimated conception date for each pregnancy during this time. We examined the effect of time-varying school enrolment on teen pregnancy using a Cox proportional hazard model, adjusting for: age; calendar year; household socioeconomic status; household size; and gender, educational attainment and employment of household head. A secondary analysis compared the incidence of pregnancy among school enrolees by calendar time: school term vs school holiday. School enrolment was associated with lower teen pregnancy rates [adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.57 (0.50, 0.65)].This association was robust to potential misclassification of school enrolment. For those enrolled in school, pregnancy occurred less commonly during school term than during school holidays [incidence rate ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.90 (0.78, 1.04)]. Young women who drop out of school may be at higher risk for teen pregnancy and could likely benefit from receipt of accessible and high quality sexual health services. Preventive interventions designed to keep young women in school or addressing the underlying causes of dropout may also help reduce the incidence of teen pregnancy. © The Author 2015; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

  19. A Survey of Theatre in American Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillespie, Patti; And Others

    In a survey of the status of theatre in high schools throughout the United States, questionnaires were sent to a random sample of high schools stratified by state and by school size. Analysis of the responses obtained from 606 schools (20.2% return) indicated that most secondary-school drama programs operate on the cocurricular level and emphasize…

  20. Attitude toward Democracy in Pakistan: Secondary School Teachers' Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarwar, Muhammad; Yousuf, Muhammad Imran; Hussain, Shafqat

    2010-01-01

    The study aimed at exploring the public sector secondary school teachers' perceptions for development of democratic values and strategies to improve the democratic system and attitudes toward democracy. Sixty secondary school teachers were selected as a sample. The qualitative data in the form of interview responses were collected to explore…