Service learning and community engagement (SLCE) have become near ubiquitous across United States (U.S.) higher education. While much research has demonstrated positive student learning outcomes of SLCE, there has been unequal consideration towards understanding the experiences of communities involved. Because community voices and perspectives…

This evaluative case study focused on how organizational changes--specifically a new directional system--affected staff culture in a rural Midwestern school district. This work was theoretically grounded in Owens and Valesky's school climate model. Through observations, interviews, and a review of documents, I determined that the new directional…

The quality of the relationship between a university and its host community both reflects and helps determine the effectiveness of the work they jointly pursue. Through the single issue of partnering to reduce college student alcohol misuse, we examined the quality of town-gown relations using a well-established typology grounded in the marriage…

Megan Bang (Ojibwe and Italian descent) is a Professor of the Learning Sciences and Psychology at Northwestern University and is currently serving as the Senior Vice President at the Spencer Foundation. Dr. Bang's research focuses on the complexities of navigating multiple meaning systems in creating and implementing more effective and just…

Students in Appalachia have a heritage of problem-solving. We explore how computational thinking (CT) relates to and complements this heritage by analyzing 34 local ingenuity stories, and perspectives from 35 community members about the relevance of CT. We found the two problem-solving approaches are meaningfully different, but can be used in…

Treatment-seeking behavior (TSB) in relation to dengue infection is a critical aspect of public health, and understanding the factors that influence it is crucial for effective disease management. This research delves into key determinants of dengue TSB by examining the perceptions and behaviors of individuals in Costa Rica, in relation to the…

Rural communities face incredible challenges and emerging opportunities. Land-grant universities are well-positioned to assist by developing new approaches to inspire university students to become civically engaged, rural community members. With this aim, the Rural Scholars program at Oklahoma State University was developed as an opportunity for…

Objective: Access to naloxone is a priority for reducing opioid overdose deaths. Although participants who receive naloxone training are able to successfully administer it, the impact of training on community member knowledge and attitudes has not been explored. Participants: A total of 105 participants 18 years and older at a medium-sized…

The problem addressed by this qualitative case study is the lack of effective training for paraprofessionals to deliver systematic prompting to students with moderate-to-severe disabilities in the community setting. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of paraprofessionals, families, and community-based…

The design of a school's physical space can improve student climate, influencing not only teachers' work, but also students' learning experiences. This evaluative case study of a rural U.S. school district's reform efforts was theoretically grounded in a four-dimensional school climate model. The author conducted an inductive thematic analysis of…

This study investigated the causes of Ethiopian teachers' professional misconduct in secondary schools. The researchers employed a descriptive survey design with quantitative and qualitative approaches and collected the data from 404 teachers, ten principals, and five district education office experts via questionnaires and interviews. The…

Education leaders play a fundamental role in shaping curricular expectations and students' access to books, write education professors Daniel Liou and Kelly Deits Cutler. But it's not easy to know how to respond when leaders are under intense political pressure to pull a book (or topic) from the proverbial shelves. Liou and Deits Cutler share five…

The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how work experiences in rural Hawai'ian communities can be sustained and improved for youth with disabilities. Employing a basic qualitative research design, this study captured the perspectives of rural community members who provided work experiences for youth with disabilities. Data…

University-led service-learning projects are commonly perceived as being mutually beneficial for students, faculty, and communities. Most studies primarily focus on benefits to students. Our study explores the value of a university-led service-learning engagement project from a community's perspective. To assess perceptions of a student planning…

In this qualitative study, we focused on a two-way model of engagement, utilizing observational and individual interview data to examine community members' perceptions of their participation in a statewide initiative to increase leadership capacity at the community level. We review barriers to engagement recognized in the literature. Our study…