Rural science teacher preparation: A re-examination of an important component of the educational system

Finson, Kevin D.; Beaver, John B.

doi:10.1007/bf02614714

Cited by 2 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…The demographic flip that informed interest in rural communities in the early 1980s had, by the end of the decade, been exposed as the demographic anomaly that it was. However, continuing into the 1990s and early 2000s, the problems articulated in many of the previous decades regarding rural teacher training, recruitment, and retention continued to attract scholarly attention: low salaries (Finson & Beaver, 1990; Jacobson, 1990; L. C. Miller, 2012), a lack of strong school leadership (Goodpaster, Adedokun, & Weaver, 2012; Haar, 2007), a lack of privacy (Maranto & Shuls, 2012), and the wide range of responsibilities required of a rural teacher outside of instruction (Berry & Gravelle, 2013; Finson & Beaver, 1990; LaChance, Benton, & Klein, 2007), as well as the need to serve as both a subject generalist and a specialist simultaneously.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, continuing into the 1990s and early 2000s, the problems articulated in many of the previous decades regarding rural teacher training, recruitment, and retention continued to attract scholarly attention: low salaries (Finson & Beaver, 1990; Jacobson, 1990; L. C. Miller, 2012), a lack of strong school leadership (Goodpaster, Adedokun, & Weaver, 2012; Haar, 2007), a lack of privacy (Maranto & Shuls, 2012), and the wide range of responsibilities required of a rural teacher outside of instruction (Berry & Gravelle, 2013; Finson & Beaver, 1990; LaChance, Benton, & Klein, 2007), as well as the need to serve as both a subject generalist and a specialist simultaneously. New factors affecting recruitment and retention were also identified, such as competition between new and veteran teachers (Huysman, 2008) and the rise of the use of distance learning technologies and school-university partnerships to combat teachers’ feelings of professional isolation (Cegelka & Alvarado, 2000; Fry & Bryant, 2006; Gal, 1993; Love, Emerson, Shaw, & Leigh, 1996; Murry & Herrera, 1998).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Much of the research looking specifically at the relationship between university training and preparation for rural schools advocates for the inclusion of some rural-specific component of the curriculum, though one study did find little difference in satisfaction with their training program between teachers with rural and urban placements (Horn, Davis, & Hilt, 1985). Rural science teachers, in particular, were argued to be particularly poorly served by this inattention to rural circumstance, as training for science in most training programs is so highly specialized to the discipline (Finson & Beaver, 1990).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Constructing and Reconstructing the “Rural School Problem”

Biddle

Azano

2016

Review of Research in Education

110

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This chapter examines 100 years of rural education research in the context of the demographic, migratory, economic, and social changes that have affected rural America in the past century. The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature on rural teacher recruitment, retention, and training as a case study to examine the constancy and change in the construction of the “rural school problem,” a concept drawn from early work by urban education reformers. They found that attention to rurality as a factor affecting education boomed in the first half of the 20th century thanks to a commitment to achieving a kind of modernity, an emphasis that waned in the second half of that century when modernity was believed to have been more or less achieved. Neoliberal economic policies and the precariousness of rural economies revived interest in the resilience and adaptability of rural America in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, however, leading to a renaissance in rural education research but one largely restricted to a few subfield journals. The authors discuss the implications of these trends for the future of rural education research, including the use of place as a lens for considering education.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Constructing and Reconstructing the “Rural School Problem”

Biddle

Azano

2016

Review of Research in Education

110

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“…For instance, teachers in rural schools are often placed in multigrade, multisubject, one-room situations (Forbes, 1985). Most secondary education programs continue to prepare teachers for single-subject, single-grade-level classrooms (Finson & Beaver, 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

et al. 1994

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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. 0

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Rural science teacher preparation: A re-examination of an important component of the educational system

Cited by 2 publications

References 1 publication

Constructing and Reconstructing the “Rural School Problem”

Constructing and Reconstructing the “Rural School Problem”

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

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