Evolving over time, Extension has expanded its programming to meet diverse needs across the nation. In Georgia, UGA Extension operates in all 159 counties, where agents and specialists collaborate to address community needs. Extension plays a unique role in building relationships, conducting needs assessments, and contributing to the development…

To date, limited research has been done into the perceptions of campus leaders regarding the leadership initiatives in implementing technology in rural Texas high schools. Texas ranks number one in the United States for the total number of rural schools, and those schools are scattered across 20 geographical regions. Out of the 20 educational…

Rural, Southern Indiana schools continue to experience staffing shortages affected by the decreasing enrollment trend of students to teacher preparatory programs and increase in teacher attrition, and mobility. The problem is increased teacher attrition, turnover, and mobility within rural schools in Southern Indiana, and is essential because…

Teacher retention continues to be an issue in rural school districts nationwide. The problem is teachers are leaving the profession within the first 5 years. While there is evidence to show a correlation between mentorships and teacher retention, there is a gap in the literature on effective teacher mentorship program experiences and rural teacher…

This qualitative study sought to further understand the experiences of rural community college students of low socioeconomic status as they navigate higher education and a differing class culture. By exploring their lived intra- and interpersonal experiences, this study also sought to better understand how these students integrate and apply new…

With growth in STEM postsecondary programs and careers positioned as a national priority, ensuring that K-12 science classrooms are staffed with highly qualified teachers is an important step towards building student interest in STEM and preparing students for STEM careers. However, previous studies of out-of-field teaching have indicated that…

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine if differences exist in academic achievement based on student SES as measured by grade point average (GPA), credit hours earned, and completion of the academic year for rural community college students enrolled during the 2018-19 academic year. The study used existing data from a…

This qualitative study explores the strategies employed by selected principals in rural Alaska who have demonstrated success in retaining teachers above the state's retention rate. Guided by the research question, "What do selected principals do that supports or contributes to successful teacher retention in their rural-remote areas?"…

This qualitative case study examines the perceptions of rural school leaders regarding their decision-making and utility of school improvement plans in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were used to document the perceptions of four school principals and two district administrators in Celebration School District (a…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe Title I rural K-12 school counselors' lived experiences with compassion fatigue in Oklahoma. The research questions were: How do Title I school counselors in rural Oklahoma describe their experiences with compassion fatigue? How do participants describe the factors that…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive design study was to describe rural teachers' use of technology and their perceptions of the usefulness and ease of use of technology in the classroom. The phenomenon explored was teachers' use, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of classroom technology. To address this problem, the researcher…

This dissertation sought to interrogate the ways in which White, rural students from West Virginia conceptualized diversity before, during, and since their transition to a large PWI in their home state. Using Critical Whiteness Studies and intersectionality as driving theory, student participants and I engaged in deconstruction of privilege…

The current literature documents the historical peripheralization of rural communities and the deficit narratives often imposed upon their schools, students and families. Research further suggests this history of peripheralization is often internalized by those identifying with these communities and that this internalization of deficit…

Tanzania, similar to other nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, has been experiencing a severe teacher shortage. The problem that was addressed is that factors influencing rural primary school teachers' decision to continue teaching in Northeast Tanzania are unknown. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to investigate teachers'…

The purpose of this study was to explore the personal narratives of five recent African American high school graduates, from several rural educational backgrounds, to understand the impact of ruralness on the construction of their mathematics learning process and mathematics identity. Narrative interviewing was used to gain valuable data which was…