ERIC Number: EJ1440657
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0273-446X
EISSN: N/A
Rural Teacher Preparation in the State of Alabama
Avington Medeiros; Eva Kane
Rural Educator, v45 n3 Article 5 p57-67 2024
Rural teacher recruitment and retention is a matter of interest for the state of Alabama as policymakers look to understand teacher shortages in rural schools across the state. How teachers are prepared to teach in rural schools is an essential part of rural teacher recruitment and retention. Preservice teachers need exposure to rural contexts as a part of their teacher preparation programs. This study examined how teacher preparation programs in Alabama are integrating rural-specific components. Among the 25 teacher preparation programs in Alabama, nearly 25% reported integrating three or more rural-specific components into their teacher preparation programs. Some teacher preparation programs also reported creating new initiatives or altering the program based on the needs of schools in their geographic area, but over two-thirds of teacher preparation programs in Alabama did not report the creation or adaptation of programs to fulfill the needs of the area. Those programs that did integrate rural-specific components reported the integration of multiple-subject certification, access for rural residents, recruitment of rural residents, rural field experiences, and rural issue-focused coursework.
Descriptors: Rural Areas, Teacher Education Programs, Course Content, Regional Characteristics, Curriculum Development, Student Needs, Preservice Teachers, Teacher Recruitment, Teacher Persistence, Preservice Teacher Education, Access to Education, Teacher Placement
National Rural Education Association. e-mail: theruraleducator@gmail.com; Web site: https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/ruraleducator/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Alabama
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A