The five states of the Southwest--Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas--represent great diversity in economies, politics, educational settings, and resources. Despite this diversity, research indicates that rural small schools are concerned about the same issues as education as a whole. The purpose of this report is to present the…

The paper summarizes recruitment and retention approaches designed to assist rural school administrators in securing/holding well-prepared/qualified teachers and presents findings from a 1985 study that examined teachers' perceptions of professional preparation. Outlined recruitment approaches include paying candidate's interview and moving…

Representing the mobile facilities pattern of inter-district cooperation, the Northwest Multi-District case is one of four studies addressing access of rural students to vocational education through inter-school district cooperation. The report identifies essential features of this form of cooperation, details factors facilitating/impeding the…

In an effort to gather information on the status of special education programs in rural areas, visits were made to 33 school districts in 14 states representing 4 different administrative organizations (intermediate school districts, cooperatives, county systems, single districts) and 5 geographical regions. School populations ranged from 850 to…

A 20-item questionnaire determined and compared attitudes of 996 public school teachers and administrators in 83 rural Tennessee counties concerning curriculum development, course content, school environment, individualized instruction, philosophical parameters, student evaluation, and extracurricular activities. Both teachers and administrators…

The positivist paradigm has dominated the shape and direction of research in education. Traditionally the scientific method is adhered to, variables are strictly controlled, statistics are compiled, and conclusions are reached. In the post-positivist paradigm, studies conducted using naturalistic inquiry take place in the natural setting and do…

This paper summarizes arguments surrounding the closing of Hisel School in Jackson County, Kentucky, in an effort to analyze the debate on rural education in Appalachia and how it relates to school-community relationships. Events surrounding closure of the school are summarized, including a two-year period in which a school community volunteer…

Twenty-eight rural elementary teachers showed positive changes in attitude toward perceived competencies in teaching physical sciences and students showed statistically significant cognitive gains as a result of teacher participation in a 4-month project. Teachers attended four workshops, hosted three on-site visits by university science…

A study of high school dropouts and programs in Appalachian regions of 13 states also sought exemplary programs and methods of replication. The high school dropout rate was found to be 5.8% higher than the national average of 23.9%. Within the region, rates were 19.1% in the northern, 38% in the central, and 30% in the southern region. Differences…

Rural Alabama high school freshmen and sophomores collected and analyzed data about community drinking water supplies in a social science research project designed to acquaint them with health care issues in their communities. Students interviewed government and business leaders, health care professionals, and residents in three rural counties. In…

Data and information for a study of living away from home (LAFH) facilities for isolated students in Queensland were obtained from surveys of boarding schools and student hostels; a number of boarding schools and student hostels were visited and discussions were also held with isolated parents and student borders. While structural demographic…

This book describes the chain stretching from President Nixon's announcement of the Experimental Schools Program in 1969 to the midpoint of its implementation in the Butte-Angels Camp School District (pseudonym for a small mountainous district 400 miles from Denver) in 1976. The story is told in some detail to illustrate the complexities of the…

Data from the National Longitudinal Study of High School Seniors (1972) were utilized to examine the effects of school personnel on educational and occupational decisions of farm-reared students. Information was gathered on 10 "significant others" grouped into 5 types: (1) ego--influence of self; (2) family--parents and relatives; (3)…

To investigate whether low school attendance rates in Guatemala (about 35% of primary school aged children do not attend) are due primarily to the need for children in low income families to contribute to family income or child care and other housekeeping tasks, time use data were collected in 4 rural villages from mothers of 369 children, aged…

Originally presented at a forum on participatory research, these theoretical papers and case studies represent an effort to place the overall work of participatory research within the larger theoretical context of research methods, education, and structural change. In the first paper Orlando Fals Borda explores the relationship between science and…