More than forty percent of all American schools are in rural areas, and thirty percent of all students attend rural schools. The National Research Center on Rural Education Support (NRCRES) is actively investigating solutions to improve the quality of rural education. Dr. Judith Meece, professor of educational psychology at UNC Chapel Hill School of Education, leads one of the four major studies being conducted by the NRCRES. Dr. Meece?s study, The Rural High School Aspirations Study (RHSA), is generating new information about: 1) rural high school students? educational, vocational, and residential plans and aspirations for the future; 2) students? preparatory activities and planning for postsecondary education, work, and adult life; and 3) the impact of school experiences, geographic location, economic status, cultural or ethnic origins, family background, peer relations, and community characteristics on rural students? aspirations and preparatory activities.
The Research
Beginning in 2006, the RHSA study randomly selected 73 small town and rural schools from more than 100,000 schools across the country. Particular attention was given to schools that qualified for federal funding directed at small and low-income schools under the U.S. Department of Education?s Rural Education Achievement Program. The schools in the sample ranged from having an enrollment of 12 students to approximately 1,700 students. The study used a survey to gather information from a total of 8,754 students. In addition, surveys and interviews were used to gather information from 792 parents, 667 teachers, and 69 administrators.
Key findings
The RHSA study generated a great wealth of new findings. What follows is an overview of the key findings of the study. These finding will be explored and discussed further in future posts.
College and career aspirations
A majority of the participating students indicated that they intend to obtain a postsecondary degree. Approximately thirteen percent of the students intend to complete a two-year degree, thirty-six percent of the students plan to complete college, and thirty-five percent plan to obtain an advanced degree.
Students participating in the study were asked if they plan to have a career by age 30, and, if so, what job or occupation would they most like to have. A total of ninety percent of the participating students indicated that they do plan on having a career by age 30. Twenty-four percent indicated that they would like to have a career in the field of healthcare, twelve percent in art/entertainment/sports/media, eight percent in science and engineering, seven percent in education, seven percent in skilled labor, six percent in services, six percent in technical, and four percent in protective services. Only thirty-nine percent of the students aspired to the appropriate level of education needed to meet their vocational aspirations: forty-six percent aspired to more education than was necessary for their preferred vocation.
Preparatory activities
The results of this study indicate that rural students consult many sources in preparing for postsecondary education and/or occupations. The students reported that their parents and school counselors were the most helpful sources of information; however, most of the career counseling was done by teachers in the classroom. Many students reported that they had not participated in school-to-work transition programs such as job shadowing, mentoring, and/or internships. The availability of college preparatory programs is directly related to the size of the school: the larger the school, the more programs they are able to offer. Additionally, smaller and more remote schools are less likely to offer advanced placement (AP) courses.
Impact factors
From the data collected, the following impact factors were determined to play a role in rural students? education aspirations and involvement in preparatory activities.
Education aspirations
- Girls were more likely than boys to aspire to postsecondary education.
- Students who had a positive perception of the local economy and planned to remain in their home community were less likely to aspire to postsecondary education.
- Students who had experienced greater family hardship and had greater levels of respect and identification with their parents were less likely to aspire to postsecondary education.
- Students who reported greater parental expectations for college were more likely to aspire to postsecondary education.
- Students who lived in more remote rural areas were less likely to aspire to postsecondary education.
- Students who were enrolled in college preparatory programs, took part in postsecondary preparation activities, and had higher levels of achievement, academic self-concept, and school valuing were more likely to aspire to postsecondary education.
Preparation activities
- Girls reported greater involvement in consulting with school and family sources about their futures.
- White students reported greater involvement in consulting with school and family sources about their futures.
- Upper grade students were more likely to take part in college and career counseling activities at school.
- Students who had more positive schooling experiences were more likely to take part in college and career counseling activities at school.
- Boys were more likely to be involved in school-to-work transition programs.
- Upper grade students were more likely to be involved in school-to-work transition programs.
- African American students were more likely to be involved in school-to-work transition programs.
- Hispanic/Latino students were more likely to be involved in school-to-work transition programs.
So what?
With more rural students than ever before aspiring to postsecondary education, it is imperative that we better understand the aspirations of these students, the preparation activities available to these students, and the potential barriers these students face. Dr. Meece?s study is a great advance to the field of education in that it clearly maps out these important factors. From this data, we can begin to map out ways to improve rural education for students across the country.
Tips from Dr. Meece
- Know that teachers play a very significant role in shaping youth aspirations.
- Today?s school counselor must devote a great deal of time to testing administration and working with at risk youth. This leaves little time to work with students who are forming their educational and career goals. This study showed that teachers play a very significant role in shaping their students? aspirations. It is important to consider what you are doing on a daily basis in your classroom that may be shaping your students? aspirations.
- Help your students make informed, realistic goals.
- Many students reported that they plan to attend a community college and then transfer to a four-year institution. It is important that we talk with our students about the advantages and disadvantages off the many different paths of postsecondary education. It is important that we equip our students with information they need to make informed decisions and be successful in their postsecondary and/or vocational ventures.
- Counter the idea that students need to leave the community.
- Most rural youth plan to remain in a rural community through their adult life. The nature of employment in rural communities is changing. It is important to connect students emerging business owners and individuals in the healthcare field in the local community. Instead of encouraging students to leave rural communities, we should be thinking about how to support these students in coming back to the community with what they have learned in their postsecondary education.
- Schools need to know what is happening with their students after they graduate.
- Schools need to look closely at the pathways their students take after graduation and how successful their students are. Keeping track of our students will help us to better understand how to prepare our students, as well as realize how successful we have been in preparing our students to succeed.
Researcher bio
Dr. Judith Meece is a nationally recognized scholar in the field of achievement motivation and has provided professional development for teachers to enhance student academic engagement and motivation in schools across the country. Her research focuses on the role of classroom and school environments in the development of adolescent?s academic motivation and future aspirations, and she is especially interested in the influence of school transitions on achievement motivation, learning, and school adjustment.
A full biography can be found on the School of Education website.
More information about the RHSA study can be found on the The National Research Center on Rural Education Support website.
ghost hunters lightsquared david lee honduras prison fire do not call list sports illustrated westminster dog show 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.