Rural education: learning to be rural teachers

Abstract

PurposeThis paper draws on research which began in 2006 with students in a graduate course on rural education. Its purpose was to find out what graduate students saw as current issues of rural education, how that compared to the literature, and what they thought supporting agencies such as government and universities needed to be doing to advance rural education. This paper focuses on presenting the findings and initiating a dialogue that leads to further conceptual understanding of ruralness.Design/methodology/approachThe inquiry design and implementation is grounded in theories of constructivism and personal practical knowledge.FindingsSome of the more common issues for participants in the study such as, curriculum delivery; bussing; teacher training; insecurity in teacher allocations; and threats of consolidation, are synonymous with the literature. The data also points to the need for research in rural schools and rural communities which is set within a rural‐based theoretical framework.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is conducted within the context of one Canadian province using participants from one specific setting. Therefore, the findings represent a localized instance of both curriculum research and literature review.Practical implicationsThe study may serve to illuminate issues which can be expanded and become more global in its practicality.Originality/valueThe paper provides an example of curriculum research that is founded on the work and learning experiences of students and their instructor. This knowledge can play a significant role in determining future curriculum design; curriculum implementation; teacher training, recruitment, and retention while enhancing community development in rural areas.

‘In the too hard basket': issues faced by 20 rural Australian teachers when students with disabilities are included in their secondary classes

“…Environmental factors also affect teaching (Barter 2008). A teacher's background and the place in which a school is situated play a considerable role when working with students (Tangen and Bland 2012).…”

Pwysigrwydd y cyd‐destun: ymreolaeth a diwygio’r cwricwlwm mewn ysgolion gwledig

“…Er hynny, mae astudiaethau eraill yn awgrymu bod gwahanol ffactorau, rhai proffesiynol a phersonol, yn cyfrannu at sefydlogrwydd staffio dros amser, er enghraifft, ymreolaeth athrawon neu athrawon sy’n byw yn y gymuned, yn enwedig mewn mannau dymunol fel parc cenedlaethol (Barley a Beesley, 2007). Mae tystiolaeth bod athrawon yn debygol o aros yn yr ardal lle cawsant eu swydd addysgu gyntaf (Barter, 2008; Fowles et al , 2014) felly, o safbwynt yr ysgol, mae ansawdd y penodiadau cyntaf yn bwysig, fel y mae ansawdd y dysgu proffesiynol ar ôl hynny. Mae arolygon o ddysgu proffesiynol mewn systemau uchel eu perfformiad yn rhoi pwys ar y lle sydd gan ddysgu cydweithredol ac ymreolaeth ysgol yn y diwylliant cyffredinol ac yn effeithlonrwydd athrawon (Butler et al , 2015; Black et al , 2016; Fullan a Hargreaves, 2016; Hargreaves a O’Connor, 2017).…”

Learning in rural schools

“…While all schools require support, time and resources to teach towards new standards and implement curricular guidelines, rural districts were found to have limited access to specialised expertise, such as curriculum specialists and instructional coaches. Attending workshops was reportedly often more difficult given long driving distances, and the necessity of staying overnight and finding substitute teachers (Timar and Carter, 2017 [125]; Barrett-Tatum and M. Smith, 2017 [126]).…”