In a year-long study of classroom reform toward more constructivist teaching and learning practices, 125 rural seventh graders engaged in design-based inquiry and learned research and communication skills by designing hypermedia materials to teach peers. Data from one participating teacher illustrate the evolution of new instructional practices…

Analyzes how Western educational models upset the balance between school and life achieved by precolonial Tanganyikan indigenous education. Examines Tanzanian policies, such as Education for Self-Reliance, intended to make elementary education relevant to rural needs by fostering self-employment. Includes statistics on enrollment, educational…

A panel study of early childhood special educators in rural Florida identified problems in serving the needs of disabled children ages three to five related to rural ecology, family conditions, staff training, and educational programs and funding. Includes suggested modifications to current service programs that would improve service delivery to…

Adequate yearly progress (AYP) on No Child Left Behind criteria was examined for a randomly selected sample of districts that qualify for the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP). The sample involved 10% of districts that were eligible for the Small Rural Schools Achievement (SRSA) program and 10% that were eligible for the Rural and…

This book describes the experiences of 26 retired rural school teachers from western Wisconsin. The book was inspired by the community solidarity of the Cloverdale Community Club (Wisconsin) in maintaining the old Cloverdale School building. Cloverdale School was a typical one-room rural school, built in 1857 and closed by the consolidation…

This qualitative and quantitative study focused on two groups of preschoolers (ages 4-6) enrolled in rural special education classes. The study specifically examined children's planful behaviors and the relationship of planfulness to learning as exhibited through play. Also examined were children's planning levels when planning was explicitly…

A review of partial results of a survey of 265 rural schools in the North Central Association's 9 westernmost states revealed interesting trends in the characteristics of rural school personnel. Among the 192 teachers, 43 principals, and 46 school board members responding to the survey, women held fewer leadership positions than men, who held 91%…

As a result of trends toward increasing instead of decreasing population growth in rural areas (as confirmed by the 1980 Census of Population), a sample of 2,752 rural residents from 967 households in 9 West Virginia counties were surveyed in 1981 to gain information that might be useful in public policy, education, and related programs. The…

A questionnaire was developed in order to discover the aspects of P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975) that prove both most and least problematic for rural special education cooperatives. A cooperative was defined as any interdistrict administrative arrangement that provides specific services to member school…

The circumstances preceding and following the 1984 merger of two small school districts in North Central New York State contained cooperation, controversy, and disharmony. The school districts had enough similarities--in their rural, agricultural base, in the pride and loyalty with which many residents viewed their schools, in the central role…

The 5-year Experimental Schools (ES) project in the South Umpqua, Oregon, school district was observed from a "participant observer" point of view. The South Umpqua district served four rural communities in which residents were adaptable to economic change, accepting of newcomers, and very involved in their communities as decision makers…

A project was undertaken by a consortium to produce a publication that would provide (1) a mechanism and guidelines for establishing cooperative relationships between secondary and postsecondary schools and business, industry, and labor in the rural community; (2) a large number of examples of cooperative agreements; and (3) appendixes which will…

Career education needs improvement at all educational levels in Mississippi according to summarized results of a 1976 survey of students and faculty in public schools and in schools for the blind, deaf, and crippled students. Among sixth grade students, 64% feel their parents can best advise them regarding a career, while 49% of twelfth grade…

A study of three rural high schools in northern Tasmania (Australia) examined why vocational education and training (VET) programs had been established and what made them work. Three principals, four VET coordinators, and nine students were interviewed and two student focus groups were conducted. Results indicate that VET programs were established…

This research report is a result of a desire to raise the capability of developing arts organizations, to stimulate artistic activity and awareness and to broaden public access to the arts and artists in rural areas defined as underserved communities. This document presents findings from the study which used Focus Groups as a framework for…