Project Engage

As the nation seeks to diversify the STEM workforce, looking toward the rural areas of the United States affords an opportunity to increase the flow of students into the STEM pipeline. However, rural students face many roadblocks on the way to STEM careers including poor educational attainment, lack of STEM experiences, few STEM role models, inadequate technology preparation, and low motivation to pursue STEM. This chapter explores those barriers and proposes Project Engage as an avenue for breaking down the barriers. The chapter identifies and explains the major components of Project Engage: strategic mentoring, STEM engagement activities, and guided career exploration. These combined components create a comprehensive framework for addressing the barriers imposed by the nature of growing up “rural.” Statistical data is presented that reveals an increase in recruitment of STEM majors as well as positive results of retention.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is challenged to produce enough graduates to maintain nationwide STEM workforce needs. This chapter discloses the importance of STEM education for developing a more scientifically literate citizenry prepared to face the challenges of an increasingly technological society and meet U.S. workforce demands. An examination of the state of STEM education reveals its current inability to produce enough qualified graduates to meet current and future needs. The researchers propose looking towards rural areas to supply the STEM pipeline running from college to STEM career. In order to capitalize on the rural school population, programs are needed to address the barriers between the rural student and college. This chapter outlines and expounds these barriers as well as introduces Project Engage as one such program determined to prepare rural students from the Alabama Black Belt region, particularly rural minority students, for STEM futures.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-90
Author(s):  
Lee Edmondson Grimes ◽  
Meagan Arrastia Arrastía-Chisholm ◽  
Serey B. Bright

Many factors contribute to the educational challenges students face in rural areas, including a lack of funding compared to urban and suburban schools and a lack of role models pursuing postsecondary education. School counselors in all settings are trained to provide education to students about the postsecondary options in demand. College and career counseling with students and families in rural areas requires unique understanding of the rural characteristics that shape community life and family dynamics. National attention on rural education has highlighted a particular need for advising into STEM career fields. Using a phenomenological approach, the researchers examine the beliefs and experiences of eight school counselors working in rural schools regarding their lived experiences of advising students in their rural areas about careers in STEM. Three themes about STEM-focused career development emerged from the interviews with the school counselors, a lack of opportunities and resources, challenging local influences, and ideas for much needed place-based innovations. Implications are discussed for several key players with the ability to improve and increase STEM advising for rural students. Examples include the following: for practicing school counselors, intentional career counseling efforts that include rural families; for counselor educators, the addition of rural field placements and assignments focused on rural student career needs; and for rural communities, combining the school counselor’s efforts with local business and industry to highlight and increase STEM career awareness for students and their families.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-51
Author(s):  
Pulane Lefoka ◽  
Tebello Tlali

This paper reports on the findings of a study carried out at the National University of Lesotho (NUL). The paper explored the influence of ‘rurality’ on students who originate from the rural areas of Lesotho and analysed their transition at the NUL. The spatial geographic theory and narrative inquiry were adopted, and qualitative focus groups were utilised to collect data. The students were given an opportunity to conceptualise ‘rurality’ and narrate their stories about growing up and earlier schooling, as well as their learning experiences at the NUL. The findings revealed that rural students’ educational trajectories are indeed filled with numerous challenges, mainly due to deprivation and limited exposure to technology in their earlier lives. The main recommendation made by the paper is that the concerned stakeholders ought to be mindful of the needs of all prospective higher education students, including those from rural backgrounds, and intervene accordingly.  


1998 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole L. Seyfrit ◽  
Lawrence C. Hamilton ◽  
Cynthia M. Duncan ◽  
Jody Grimes

The villages of rural Alaska comprise one of the most exceptional, yet least visible, sociocultural environments in the United States They are geographically remote, and set off from the mainstream also by their unique Eskimo, Indian or Aleut cultures. At the same time many economic, legal and cultural connections pull these villages toward the dominant U.S. society, impelling continual and rapid social change. Our research focuses on adolescents growing up in this culturally complex and changing environment. We employ survey data from adolescents in 19 rural schools to explore relationships between ethnic identity and students' expectations about moving away or attending college. Many students describe their ethnic identity as mixed, both Native and non-Native. On some key variables, the responses of mixed-identity students fall between those of Natives and non-Natives, supporting a theoretical conception of ethnicity as a matter of degree rather than category. Migration and college expectations vary with ethnic identity, but the college expectations/identity relationship fades when we adjust for other variables. Ethnicity affects expectations for the most part indirectly, through “cultural tool kit” variables including family role models and support. Gender differences in expectations, on the other hand, remain substantial even after adjusting for other variables.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 73-78
Author(s):  
David W. Rule ◽  
Lisa N. Kelchner

Telepractice technology allows greater access to speech-language pathology services around the world. These technologies extend beyond evaluation and treatment and are shown to be used effectively in clinical supervision including graduate students and clinical fellows. In fact, a clinical fellow from the United States completed the entire supervised clinical fellowship (CF) year internationally at a rural East African hospital, meeting all requirements for state and national certification by employing telesupervision technology. Thus, telesupervision has the potential to be successfully implemented to address a range of needs including supervisory shortages, health disparities worldwide, and access to services in rural areas where speech-language pathology services are not readily available. The telesupervision experience, potential advantages, implications, and possible limitations are discussed. A brief guide for clinical fellows pursuing telesupervision is also provided.


1963 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 399-413
Author(s):  
Mohammad Irshad Khan

The main purpose of this paper is to present estimates of income elasticities for various commodity groups in East Pakistan. To date no such studies have been conducted in that province; and estimates made in other areas of the subcontinent have only limited applicability. Analysis of consumption patterns is essential for development planning because priorities and investment targets have to be based on demand forecasts for different commodities. Forecasting demand requires, among other variables, reliable estimates of income elasticities. In addition, knowledge about elasticities can be useful in deciding taxation policies and other controls over consumption. Further, in countries like Pakistan where large quantities of surplus foods are imported under the United States PL 480 programme, knowledge of income elasticities and regional patterns of consumption is important to permit effective utilization of these imports for economic development.


2019 ◽  
pp. 98-100
Author(s):  
Д. М. Кудайбердиева

Аннотация. В данной статье рассматривается проблема восприятия городской среды студентами из города и сельской местности. Обозначены определения терминов «среда», «пространственная среда», «городская среда». Проведено экспериментальное сравнительное исследование особенностей восприятия города Бишкек городскими и сельскими студентами в количестве 50 человек. Статья содержит результаты проведенного анализа исследования. Выявлены различия и сходства в восприятии города Бишкек у студентов двух групп. В контексте восприятия города изучена неудовлетворенность прошлым и настоящим временем, трудности языкового барьера у студентов из сельской местности. Также было выявлено, что актуальной для студентов обеих групп является потребность в социальных контактах, общении, включенности в социум. Полученные результаты будут иметь пользу в проведении воспитательной работы со студентами из сельской местности, в оказании поддержки им в период адаптации с учетом особенностей восприятия города студентами. Ключевые слова. среда, городская среда, восприятие пространства, городские студенты, сельские студенты, восприятие города Бишкек, неудовлетворенность прошлым и настоящим, языковой барьер, учеба в городе, сходства и различия в восприятии города. Аннотация. Бул макалада шаардык жана айылдан келген студенттердин шаардык чөйрөнү кабыл алуу көйгөйү каралган. «Чөйрө», «мейкиндик чөйрө», «шаардык чөйрө» терминдеринин түшүнүктөрү келтирилген. 50 адамдан турган шаардык жана айылдык студенттердин Бишкек шаарын кабыл алуу өзгөчөлүктөрүнө эксперименталдык салыштырма изилдөө жүргүзүлгөн. Макалада изилдөөнүн анализ жыйынтыктары камтылган. Эки студенттик топторунун Бишкек шаарын кабыл алуусунун айырмачылыктары жана окшоштуктары белгиленген. Шаарды кабыл алуу контекстинде өткөн жана учур чактарга канагаттанбоо, тил барьеринин кыйынчылыктары изилденди. Ошондой эле студенттердин эки тобуна актуалдуу болуп социалдык катнаштарга, баарлашууга, коомго кошулуу муктаждыгы белгиленүүдө. Алынган жыйынтыктар студенттердин шаарды кабыл алуу өзгөчөлүктөрүнө эске алып, айылдан келген студенттерге адаптация убагында колдоо көрсөтүү максатында тарбиялык иштерди жүргүзүүдө жардам берет. Түйүндүү сөздөр. Чөйрө, шаардык чөйрө, мейкиндикти кабыл алуу, шаардык студенттер, айылдык студенттер, Бишкек шаарын кабыл алуу, өткөн жана учур чакка канагаттанбоо, тил барьери, шаарда окуу, шаарды кабыл алуусунун айырмачылыктары жана окшоштуктары. Annotation. This article addresses the problem of perception of the urban environment by students from the city and countryside. The definitions of the terms “environment”, “spatial environment”, and “urban environment” are indicated. An experimental comparative study of the characteristics of the perception of the city of Bishkek by urban and rural students in the amount of 50 people was conducted. The article contains the results of the analysis of the study. The differences and similarities in the perception of the city of Bishkek among students of the two groups are revealed. In the context of the perception of the city, dissatisfaction with the past and the present has been studied, and the difficulties of the language barrier among students from rural areas. It was also revealed that the need for social contacts, communication, inclusion in society is relevant for students of both groups. The results will have the benefit of conducting educational work with students from rural areas, in providing support to them during the adaptation period, taking into account the peculiarities of the perception of the city by students. Кeywords. Environment, urban environment, space perception, urban students, rural students, perception of the city of Bishkek, dissatisfaction with the past and the present, language barrier, studying in the city, similarities and differences in the perception of the city.


Author(s):  
Geoffrey Jones

The chapter examines green business during the 1960s and 1970, decades of new environmental awareness. In organic food natural beauty, a number of commercially viable green businesses and brands began to be built, and distribution channels created. There was significant innovation in wind and solar energy in the wake of the first oil crises although they remained marginal in the energy industry. Green entrepreneurs still faced huge obstacles finding both capital and consumers. In the case of the capital-intensive solar energy business, the main solution was to sell start-ups to cash-rich oil companies. Green businesses clustered in hubs of environmental and social activism, such as Berkeley and Boulder in the United States, Allgäu in Germany, and rural areas of Denmark. These clusters enabled small firms to build skills and competences which could eventually be used to expand into more mainstream locations.


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