It has been a while since I last recorded the number on our hit counter, so as of 9:30pm on the last day of February it sits at 1788.

A few quick statistics for February now, there were 357 unique visitors to this site, 300 were first time users to the Rural Ed SIG and 57 were repeat customers. This is an average of 13 a day.

We continue to have an international readership, with visitors from the United States, Nigeria, Spain, Canada, Ukraine, Israel, India, the Russian Federation, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Germany, and Malaysia.

Until next month...

Tags: blog, blogging, blogs, AERA, rural, education

A message from Barbara L. McCombs (barbara.mccombs@du.edu) to the AERA Division C Announce listserve (aera_division_c-announce@listserv.aera.net).

Dear Colleagues,

Please log into http://www.aera.net and go to the Division C site to see our latest Newsletter. It contains important information regarding the upcoming AERA Annual Meeting and elections. Looking forward to seeing everyone in San Francisco!

Best, Barbara (Division C VP)

Barbara L. McCombs, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist and Director
Human Motivation, Learning, and Development Center
University of Denver Research Institute
2050 E. Iliff Avenue, BE-224
Denver, CO 80208
303-871-4245 (office)
303-871-2716 (fax)

Tags: AERA 2006, AERA, rural, education

From the AJC "Get Schooled" blog.

Big School/Small School
Families with school-age children have discovered South Fulton, according to this story by Mary MacDonald. The growth is expected to push enrollment at many elementary schools over 1,000.

Is that a bad thing? Let’s face it, schools often get crowded because they have good reputations. They have involved parents. They have parents with college degrees and financial resources. They become the place to be. Enrollment rises. This isn’t always the case, but it’s the case for a lot of metro Atlanta’s biggest schools...

Another one from Mr. Rural ED - Michael Arnold.

A Progressive View of Rural Education

NRCRES Website
The other day I was wondering whether the National Research Center on Rural Education Support (NRCRES) had gotten a website yet. Son of a gun, they do! It's a pretty good-looking site. The site contains information about the center's work and articles for downloading from what appears to be work done under previous contracts.

One downside to the site is that it doesn't quite have a national feel to it. A major concern has been that the center would focus a disproportionate amount of attention on rural education issues in the southeast since it located at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill...

Tags: AERA, small schools, rural, education

A message from Gene V Glass (glass@ASU.EDU) to the EDREV@ASU.EDU listserve.

Reseñas Educativas/Education Review es una publicaciónacadémica con formato electrónico de reseñas de librossobre educación. Reseñas Educativas/Education Review,se creo en 1998 y desde entonces ha publicado casi1,500 reseñas. Todas las reseñas pueden ser consultadasgratuitamente em la siguiente dirección



Reseñas Educativas/Education Review publica reseñas enespañol, portugués e inglés. El siguiente libro acabade ser reseñado:

C & E - Cultura y Educación (2004). Revista de teoría, investigación y práctica. Arte y Educación/Art and Education.Vol. 16 (1-2), 1-240. Marzo-Junio, 2004. Universidad de Salamanca/Fundación Infancia y Aprendizaje.

Obiols Suari, Núria (2004) Mirando cuentos: Lo visible e invisible en las ilustraciones de la literatura infantil. Barcelona: Editorial Laertes--Psicopedagogía.

Reseñado por David Burin y Gabriela Burin.

C & E - Cultura y Educación (2004). Revista de teoría, investigación y práctica. Arte y Educación/Art and Education.Vol. 16 (1-2), 1-240. Marzo-Junio, 2004. Universidad de Salamanca/Fundación Infancia y Aprendizaje. Reseñado por Liliana Bergesio.

Obiols Suari, Núria (2004) Mirando cuentos: Lo visible e invisible en las ilustraciones de la literatura infantil. Barcelona: Editorial Laertes--Psicopedagogía.

Reseñado por David Burin y Gabriela Burin.

The Google news alert for rural education.

Disadvantaged and rural schools ‘neglected'
The Herald Eastern Cape - Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa

The improvement of rural and farm schools should be prioritised by the education department, teacher unions said yesterday. Some children are walking 20km to get to schools, while others have to bring their own water. SA Democratic Teachers’ Union provincial secretary Mxolisi Dimaza said disadvantaged and rural schools were being neglected. Union of SA Professional Educators national spokesman Mlungisi Rwentela commended the department for its efforts in improving rural education, but “their efforts are not good enough”.

Bush's Forest Proposal Worries Rural Schools
Civilrights.org - Washington, DC, USA

The plan, which requires congressional approval, has drawn criticism from several governors of Western states, where most of the parcels identified by the U.S. Forest Service are located. Environmental groups also oppose the sales. And organizations concerned with rural education are raising questions. "The problem with selling the land is, though it's a very, very small portion of the total amount of land, that creates one-time money," said Bob Mooneyham, the executive director of the National Rural Education Association in Norman, Okla. "Then, after that's expended, what assurance have we that the pot will be replenished?"

Irish aid for rural
Calcutta Telegraph - Calcutta, India

Funds from the Irish government are proving to be the backbone of an initiative by Young Men’s Welfare Society (YMWS) to improve the quality of life in the rural areas of South 24-Parganas. The Irish government has donated Euro 28,000 to the NGO to pursue projects in the district. Kieran Dowling, Irish ambassador to India, was given a tour of the initiatives last week and was encouraged by what he saw. “It’s interesting to see the progress being made. A couple of generations ago, the rural parts of Ireland were in exactly the same condition that the rural regions of India are in now,” he commented.

Political Notes
Lincoln City News Guard - Lincoln City, OR, USA

A standing-room-only crowd jammed Lil' Sambo's Restaurant to hear Taft High School students quiz Ron Saxton, one of three Republican candidates for governor, at lunch on Feb. 14. According to Kevin Pfannes, chairman of the Lincoln County Republicans, "We were amazed by the turnout. We wanted to bring our monthly meeting from Newport to the north county and the public responded. With so much hate and negativity in politics these days, this was a positive opportunity for local residents and our students to sit down with a candidate for Governor and intelligently discuss issues important to Oregonians."

Official: China to try to rein in controversial farmland seizures? ...
China Post - Taipei, Taiwan

China will try to rein in seizures of farmland for development _ a key source of rural unrest _ as it carries out a new plan to improve life in the poor countryside by spending more on schools and farm subsidies, an official said Wednesday. Communist leaders are trying to defuse growing anger over rural poverty and increasingly violent protests over the seizure of land for factories and other projects. "In the process of socialist development, we should requisition as little land as possible," said Chen Xiwen, an official of the Communist Party's "leading group" for financial affairs. He said land seizures were to blame for "instability in the countryside." . [See all stories on this topic]

Tags: AERA, rural, education

A message from Alecia Jackson (jacksonay@APPSTATE.EDU).

Dear Scholars:

I am drafting a proposal for a special edition of the journal THEORY INTO PRACTICE with the theme of "Rural Education and Small Schools: Identity, Place, and Community." The manuscripts in this themed issue will explore how places with rural/small schools -- with a recent history of rather closed identities -- experience cultural hybridity in the wake of capitalism, globalization, changing demographics and economics, NCLB, violence, war, etc. The manuscripts will provide a range of perspectives on the theme and may focus broadly on the schooling of students in these schools but also may address socio-cultural issues in regards to the theme. The resulting compilation will reveal the multiple, competing discourses that vie for the identity of a place -- and therefore its institutions -- and that offer problems and possibilities for the future of the people within the educational system.

THEORY INTO PRACTICE is a peer-reviewed journal housed at The Ohio State University and published by Lawrence Erlbaum. To find out more about TIP, see the website:

1. Proposed title of article
2. 150-word abstract that describes the manuscript's focus AND its relevance to the theme
3. Author's names and institutional affiliation

DEADLINE for proposal submissions is MARCH 15, 2006.

********************************
Alecia Jackson, PhD
Assistant Professor
College of Education
Appalachian State University
Box 32047
Boone, NC 28608
828.262.6037 (office)
828.262.2868 (fax)
jacksonay@appstate.edu

Tags: AERA, rural, education

From Stephen's Web ~ by Stephen Downes ~ Edu_RSS Most Recent - RSS old...

Helping Young People to Learn at Their Own Pace in a Rural Area with Moodle

The DfES in the UK has published a short but sweet case study of the use of moodle in distance education in a rural area. All students completed the course ahead of schedule. The progress of the whole group was three weeks quicker than normal, with one student completing the Process Plant Operations course six weeks ahead of schedule. However, trials would need to be conducted with a larger group to determine whether outcomes could be systematically reproduced. Students' IT skills improved through Moodle, the Pathfinder Co-ordinator referring to participants as 'great thieves of information', skilled at finding up-to-date, relevant information to inform their learning. This approach improved the ability of learners to work independently and direct their own learning. These skills gave learners the confidence to benefit from Individual Learning Plan (ILP) approaches rather than traditional Information, Advice and Guidance system. The Cumbria and East Manchester Pathfinders have shared http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?feed=795, February 15, 2006.

When Small Schools Close

Small School Movement, take heed: Whether you're becoming familiar with the debate forming in Denver these days over the news of Manual High School's closing by DPS , you're undoubtedly beginning to hear more and more about the benefits-vs-cost of the small schools movement nationwide. Concepts aside, this is real stuff! Real kids. Real money. Real politics. Where it goes or what impact it has on the larger picture, nobody knows, but the game is live and in 3-D! ***** From the Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet (from the above link):"The situation at Manual is critical. The school has lost 50 percent of its enrollment in the last four years . . . At a certain point, we knew we were going to reach a number of students in the school which would not allow us to sustain an academic program that would provide kids with the essential classes they need to earn a high school diploma . . . There will now be substantial time for us to work with the c think:lab, February 20, 2006.

From Mr. Rural ED.

Update on Colorado HR 1150
By Michael Arnold

Last week the Colorado House Committee on Education voted down HR 1150, a bill to establish statewide standards for when public schools in Colorado could start and end the school year. The bill would have required all of Colorado’s public schools to start school the Tuesday after Labor Day and end no sooner than the Friday before Memorial Day. To gain some insight into the bill, it's instructive to look at who testified in the hearing on both sides of the debate. See the previous post "Today's Nominees for Worst People in the World" for more information on the bill.

The first person to testify was one of the bill's sponsors, Representative Lynn Hefley (R). Among her comments were that having different dates set by local school districts hurts businesses and families. She also noted the impact of the current school district schedules on attendance at the Colorado State Fair—keep that point in mind.

Also testifying in support of the bill were Jerry McLain, representing the American Camp Association; Bill Darrough, representing Camp Timberline, Inc.; Kitty Clemens, representing herself; Craig Reed, representing the Broadmoor Hotel; Ilene Kamsler, representing Colorado Hotel and Lodging; and Christie O'Donnell, representing the Colorado Restaurant Association. Providing the best insight into the catalyst for the bill may have been Jim Snook, representing the Colorado State Fair as a State Fair Commissioner. Mr. Snook testified on the impact of school calendar on participation and attendance at the Colorado State Fair. Now we're getting to the real issue.

Testifying against the bill were Paula Stephenson, representing the Rural Schools Caucus; Phil Fox, representing the Colorado Association of School Executives; Jane Paxtun, representing herself as a member of board of education of Boulder Valley Schools; and Jane Urschel, representing the Colorado Association of School Boards.

To review, those in favor of the bill represented interests in the tourist industry and those who testified against it represented education organizations. Now lets not forget that tourism is very important to Colorado and to the state's children, youth and families. Until I took my first teaching job I lived in tourist areas my entire life and appreciate the importance of the industry to rural communities. But local communities are in a better position to make a determination about when their schools start and end.

A special thanks to Paula Stevens, Executive Director of the Rural Caucus, for keeping an eye on things at the state legislature and for helping defeat this terrible bill.

Tags: AERA, small schools, rural, education

A message from Barbara L. McCombs (barbara.mccombs@du.edu) to the aera_division_c-announce@listserv.aera.net.

ANNOUNCING AN EXTENSION IN THE DEADLINE for the 2006 Jan Hawkins Award

MARCH 2, 2006 WILL BE THE FINAL DEADLINE

The Jan Hawkins Award of Division C of the American Educational Research Association is given for Early Career Contributions to Humanistic Research and Scholarship in Learning Technologies. The award carries a stipend of $500 and the opportunity to present a talk at the award session at AERA in the following year.

Nominations are open for the 2006 Jan Hawkins Award. This award recognizes an individual or small collaborative team that is engaged in research that combines in some way practice and advocacy. While research must play a central, informative role in the work of the nominee, the nominated individual or group may include practitioners, directors of innovative educational programs or individuals in informal or non-traditional educational environments who are blending research, practice, and advocacy.

The award is intended to recognize a body of work that:

• explores and demonstrates powerful new ways to think about technologies in contexts of learning and education, and uses innovative research techniques to understand the impact of those technologies.
• places young people and/or practicing educators at the center of the problem-solving process by making their meaning-making process, their needs and constraints, and their priorities central to the project of making technology useful to teaching and learning.
• strikes an effective balance between innovation ---inventing new approaches to K-12 learning with technologies -- and understanding -- examining existing educational environments and changes that occur when technologies are introduced or used in novel ways.
• uses technology to bring about broad improvements in educational systems with a focus on issues of diversity, equity, and learning for all.
• is an early-career contribution with the above orientations (the award will emphasize recognition for those individuals who are at the pre-tenure stage in academic careers, or pre-tenure-level equivalents in non-university contexts).

Dr. Jan Hawkins (1952-1999) was a developmental psychologist with a cognitive, cultural, and social-interactionist orientation, and was well known for her respectful, humanistic conceptions of appropriate roles for using technology in K-12 learning environments. Her work illustrates the balance that can be achieved in recognizing the innovative, emergent properties of new technologies while simultaneously respecting the individuals and conditions of the learning environments in which these new technologies are being used. She also was concerned with how complex social systems interact with emerging technologies to provide or prevent access to information for various groups of people based on gender, race, and cultural and ethnic background. Her work helped researchers, practitioners, and policy makes alike to think critically about technologies and learning, encouraging them not to seek out technology as a panacea or avoid it as a deterministic influence. She was also exemplary in her nurturing of young research scholars in learning technologies, and has been a model for them through her research and leadership.

Any member of Division C may make a nomination, including self-nominations. The recipient(s) of the award need not belong to Division C.

The nomination process includes the following information:

1. LETTER: A nomination letter introducing the nominee or small team, detailing how this nominee’s work relates to the themes identified above (including how the work combines research and advocacy).
2. VITA: The vita of the nominee (for individual nominations) or a description of the team, its history, and a vita for team members (for small group nominations).
3. REPRESENTATIVE WORK: One to three examples of work (research papers, publications, or other forms of professional work) that demonstrate the key contributions of the nominee's recent research. For a small group, the examples of representative work should consist of collaborative work authored by the team.

Please assemble and submit these materials in one of the following ways (electronic nominations preferred):

1. A web or CD portfolio (please send 4 copies) with links to the nominating letter, vita, and work. (The reviewers will use links to web sites as illustrations and will not extensively explore websites unless there are clear indications of how the site relates to the program of research of the nominee.)
2. Attached electronic materials in commonly shared formats (MS-WORD, PDF, JPG, GIF, etc) sent though email.
3. Print materials sent by postal mail (please send 4 copies).

The submission deadline is MARCH 2, 2006. Please send all electronic nominations (including self-nominations) to Rand Spiro and Brian K. Smith with “Jan Hawkins Award” in the subject header. Please send CD's or print materials to Rand Spiro, 511 Erickson Hall, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI 48824.

---
Barbara L. McCombs, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist and Director
Human Motivation, Learning, and Development Center
University of Denver Research Institute
2050 E. Iliff Avenue, Boettcher East - Room 224
Denver, CO 80208
(303) 871-4245 Office
(303) 871-2716 Fax

Tags: AERA, rural, education

A message from Gene V Glass (glass@ASU.EDU) to the EDREV@ASU.EDU listserve.

Education Review is an open access electronic journal publishing reviews of books in education. The Education Review has published 1,500 reviews since its inception in 1998. All reviews are freely accessible on the internet at

Bosch, Eulàlia. (2003). ¿Quién educa a quién? Educación y vida cotidiana. Barcelona: Ediciones Laertes.
Reseñado por Verónica Larrain, Universidad de Barcelona, España.

Esta reseña puede ser consultada en Reseñas Recientes en la homepage de la revista:

Bosch, Eulàlia. (2003). ¿Quién educa a quién? Educación y vida cotidiana. Barcelona: Ediciones Laertes.
eseñado por Verónica Larrain, Universidad de Barcelona, España.

This review can be accessed as the first item under Recent Reviews on the journal homepage.

The Google news alert for rural education for this week.

Starbucks donates $1.5mln to boost rural education in China
Xinhua - China

U.S. coffee giant Starbucks has pledged to work with Chinese organizations to provide 40 million yuan (5 million U.S. dollars) to give poor Chinese students from rural areas better access to education. Starbucks and the Soong Ching-ling Foundation (SCLF), a social welfare organization set up in 1982 named after the late Chinese leader Soong Ching-ling, on Tuesday signed an agreement to launch the China Education Project in Beijing. Starbucks donated 12 million yuan (1.5 million U.S. dollars) tokick-start the project at the signing ceremony. [See all stories on this topic]

Rural education requires funding rethink
China Daily - China

The current financing system underpinning rural education cannot pay for a free nine-year compulsory education. The system must be reformed to ensure adequate funding for the economically underdeveloped countryside. Since the mid-80s, China has gradually established an educational funding system based on local resources, including both fiscal and non-fiscal funding. County-level fiscal funding has been the backbone of rural educational financing. In 2001, the State Council decided to reiterate the role of local governments in supporting compulsory education.

Rural education requires funding rethink
Xinhua - China

The current financing system underpinning rural education cannot pay for a free nine-year compulsory education. The system must be reformed to ensure adequate funding for the economically underdeveloped countryside. Since the mid-80s, China has gradually established an educational funding system based on local resources, including both fiscal and non-fiscal funding. County-level fiscal funding has been the backbone of rural educational financing. In 2001, the State Council decided to reiterate the role of local governments in supporting compulsory education.

Rural school teachers to enjoy better conditions
China Daily - China

The central government has mapped out a national development blueprint for rural compulsory education to provide better conditions for teachers and to tackle staff shortages. At present, a large number of rural teachers are working in vast rural areas in non-State official establishments. The teachers, called daike or temporary teachers, could be employed in more official capacities in the years to come under the blueprint.

Mary C. Gereau, specialist in education
The Free Lance-Star - Fredericksburg, VA, USA

Mary Condon Gereau, 89, of Colonial Beach, a "go to" person in education legislation at the state and federal level for nearly four decades, died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2006, at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg. "Go see Mary" was what many in the national education community heard when working on a piece of legislation on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. [See all stories on this topic]

Rural career adds up to best option
Warrnambool Standard - Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia

The lure of the big-city accounting firms didn't distract the career aspirations of Sinclair Wilson's newest recruits. Remaining in their home base of Warrnambool and working for the south-west's biggest accounting firm was a primary focus for the Deakin University Warrnambool campus graduates. Mark Robson, 25, Tammie Wensley, 37 and Laurisa Walther, 26, are among the latest batch of graduates to be recruited under an innovative training program. [See all stories on this topic]

ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA TO PARLIAMENT
Deccan Herald - Bangalore, India

My greetings to you all. It is with a sense of optimism that we look forward to the New Year. A nation of a billion people rising to its potential is an exciting feeling. The feeling is palpable. It is not merely the statistics of economic growth or the enthusiasm that the world outside has shown for the Indian opportunity that makes these times so exciting. It is the fact that as a nation we have collectively decided to sink the differences of the past; that we have restored to our polity a sense of healing; that we have restored to our society a sense of inclusiveness; and that we have given our economy a sense of purpose.

Rural Education Reform Requires Funding Rethink
Black Enterprise - New York, NY, USA

The current financing system underpinning rural education cannot pay for a free nine-year compulsory education. The system must be reformed to ensure adequate funding for the economically underdeveloped countryside. Since the mid-80s, China has gradually established an educational funding system based on local resources, including both fiscal and non-fiscal funding. County-level fiscal funding has been the backbone of rural educational financing. In 2001, the State Council decided to reiterate the role of local governments in supporting compulsory education. This allows both the public and local governments to develop compulsory education.

Tags: AERA, rural, education

A message from Gene V Glass (glass@ASU.EDU) to the EDREV@ASU.EDU listserve.

The following titles are in need of brief reviews for the Brief Reviews section of Education Review:


If you wish to review one or more of these books, please rank the books from most preferred to least
preferred and email your request to

Roland Person, Editorial Assistant
Education Review
rperson@lib.siu.edu

Allen, Janet & Landaker, Christine (2005) Reading History: A Practical Guide to Improving Literacy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Allen, Jennifer (2006) Becoming a Literacy Leader: Supporting Learning and Change. Portland ME: Stenhouse.

Blank, Marion. (2006) The Reading Remedy: Six Essential Skills That Will Turn Your Child into a Reader. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Boudett, Kathryn Parker, City, Elizabeth A. & Murnane, Richard J. (2005) Data Wise: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

Boyton, Alice & Blevins, Wiley (2005) Nonfiction Passages With Graphic Organizers for Independent Practice. Grades 2-4. New York: Scholastic.

Chandler-Olcott, Kelly & Hinchman, Kathleen A. (2005) Tutoring Adolescent Literacy Learners: A Guide for Volunteers. New York: Guilford.

Cook-Sather, Alison (2006) Education is Translation: A Metaphor for Change in Learning and Teaching. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Cooper, J. David; Chard, David J. & Kiger Nancy D. (2006) The Struggling Reader: Interventions that Work. New York: Scholastic.

Dellinger, John. The Substitute Teaching Survival Guide: Emergency Lesson Plans and Essential Advice. Grades K-5. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Diller, Debbie (2005) Practice with Purpose: Literacy Work Stations for Grades 3-6. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Dodge, Judith (2005) Differentition in Action: A Complete Resource With Research-Supported Strategies to Help You Plan and Organize Differentiated Instruction and Achieve Success With All Learners. Grades 4 and up. New York: Scholastic.

Duncan, Marilyn (2004) The Kindergarten Book: A Guide to Literacy Instruction. New York, Richard C. Owen.

Feldman, Jay; Lopez, M Lisette & Simon, Katherine G. (2005) Choosing Small: The Essential Guide to Successful High School Conversion. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Franco, Betsy (2005) Conversations with a Poet: Inviting Poetry into K-12 Classrooms. Katonah, NY: Richard C. Owen.

Gaskins, Irene West (2005) Success with Struggling Readers: The Benchmark School Approach. New York: Guilford.

Gersmehl, Phil (2005) Teaching Geography. New York: Guilford.

Goldberg, Mark F. (2006) Insider’s Guide to School Leadership: Getting Things Done Without Loosing Your Mind. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Hahn, Liong-Shin. (2005) New Mexico Mathematics Contest Problem Book. Albuuerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press.

Hargis, Charles. H. (2005) Curriculum Based Assessment: A Primer. Third Edition. Springfield, IL: C.C. Thomas.

Hillman, Carol B. (2006) Mentoring Early Childhood Educators: A Handbook for Supervisors, Administrators & Teachers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Holloway, Joyce Humphrey (2005) HELP Links Education Resource Directory: Curriculum Links for PreK-12. Cleveland Heights, OH: Creative Business Designs.

LeBeau, Patrick Russell (2005) Rethinking Michigan Indian History. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press. (curriculum guide)

Lenburg, Jeff (2005) Facts on File Guide to Research.

Levinson, Edward M. (2004 rec’d Dec. 2005) Tranition from School to Pos-School Life for Individuals with Disabilities. Springfield, IL: C.C. Thomas.

MacKinnon, Fiona J.D. and Associates. (2004 rec’d Dec 2005) Rentz’s Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education. Third Edition. Springfield, IL: C. C. Thomas.

McGee, Lea M. & Morrow, Lesley Mandel (2005) Teaching Literacy in Kindergarten. New York: Guilford.

McKee, Judy & Ogle, Donna (2005) Integrating Instruction: Literacy and Science. New York: Guilford.

Mercer, Joyce Ann (2005) Welcoming Children: A Practical Theology of Childhood. St.Louis, MO: Chalice Press.

Miller, Sherman N. (2005) Teaching College Algebra: Reversing the Effects of Social Promotion. Lanham, MD. Rowman and Littlefield Education.

Mondragon, John B. & Stapleton, Ernest S. (2005) Public Education in New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press.

Morris, Darrell (2005) The Howard Street Tutoring Manual: Teaching At-Risk Readers in the Primary Grades. Second Edition. New York: Guilford.

Muldaur, Sheila (2004) Genre Assessments of Poetry and Plays. Proficient Reader Record Series. Katonah, NY: Richard C. Owen Publishers.

Ong, Lance O. (2004 rec’d Dec 2005) From F to Phi Beta Kappa: Supercharge Your Study Skills. San Francisco: Chromisphere Press.

Overmeyer, Mark. (2005) When Writing Workshop Isn’t Working: Answers to Ten Tough Questions Grades 2-5. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Paratore, Jeanne R. & McCormack, Rachel L. (2005) Teaching Literacy in Second Grade. New York: Guilford.

Payne, Carleen daCruz (2005). Shared Reading for Today’s Classroom: Lessons and Strategies for Explicit Instruction in Comprehension, Fluency, word Study, and Genre. Grades K-2. New York: Scholastic.

Raider-Roth, Miriam B. (2005) Trusting What You Know: The High Stakes of Classroom Relationships. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Roberts, Jane (2005) 25 Prewriting Graphic Organizers & Planning Sheets. Grades 3-5. New York: Scholastic.

Roth, Bob (2005) The 4 Realities of Success: During and After College. Bloomington, IN: Author House.

Schaefer, Lola M. & Hurni-Dove, Kathleen (2005) Teaching the Craft of Writing, Grades 2-4. Five volume set, volume titles: Organization, Elaboration, Ideas, Leads & Endings, and Voice. New York: Scholastic.

Sigmon, Cheryl M. & Ford, Sylvia M. (2005) Just-Right Writing Mini-Lessons: Grades 2-3. New York: Scholastic.

Siljander, Raymond P.; Reina, Jacqueline & Siljander, Roger A. (2005) Literacy Tutoring Handbook: A Guide to Teaching Children and Adults to Read and Write. Springfield, ILL: C.C. Thomas.

Sirota, Audrey J. (2005) The Heart of Teaching: Creating High-Impact Lessons for the Adolescent Learner. Grades 7-12. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Sloan, Megan S. (2005). Trait-Based Mini-Lessons for Teaching Writing in Grades 2-4. New York: Scholastic.

Smith, Michael W. & Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. (2006) Going With the Flow: How to Engage Boys (and Girls) in Their Literacy Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Snow, Catherine E.; Griffin, Peg, & Burns, M. Susan, editors. (2005) Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading: Preparing Teachers for a Changing World. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Spillane, James P. Distributed Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Stead, Tony. (2006) Reality Checks: Teaching Reading Comprehension with Nonfiction K-5. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Story, Ruth Townsend & Greenwood, Cathleen F. (2006) Grammar Lessons You’ll Love to Teach: Highly Motivating Lessons -- With Pizzazz -- That Help Kids Become More Effective Readers, Writers, and Thinkers. Grades 6 and up. New York: Scholastic.

Sullivan, Jane & Madden, Midge (2005) Teaching the Elements of Powerful Writing: Using Great Fiction and Nonfiction Models. Grades 3-5. New York: Scholastic.

Thompson, Frances McBroom. (2005) Math Essentials: High School Level: Lessons and Activities for Test Preparation. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Wagstaff, Janiel (2005) 20 Tricky Writing Problems – Solved: Surefire Strategies, Mini-Lessons, and Routines that Help You Tackle the Most Common Problems in Writing Classrooms. Grades 2-6. . New York: Scholastic

Wilson, Lorraine (2006) Writing to Live: How to Teach Writing for Today’s World. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Wood, Karen & Maryann Mraz. (2005) Teaching Literacy in Sixth Grade. New York: Guilford.

Tags: Education Review, AERA, rural, education

A message from AERA Executive Director, Felice J. Levine (aera-response@eloop.goldlasso.com).

Dear AERA members:

I am pleased to inform you that the 2006 Annual Meeting Program is now available online at the 2006 Annual Meeting main page on the AERA website: http://www.aera.net/annualmeeting/?id=282.

The Program is available in two formats:

Online Searchable Program: The Program is searchable by participants’ name and affiliation as well as title of sessions or individual presentations.

Annual Meeting Program in PDF format: Files from the final printed program are organized in logical segments to facilitate ease of downloading.

This year’s Annual Meeting features approximately 2,400 sessions and 8,400 participants. Key speakers to be featured include Donna Shalala, Linda Darling-Hammond, Gwendolyn Baker, Christopher Edley, Jr., and Mayor Jerry Brown to name a few. As of today, approximately 8,000 registrants have already pre-registered for the meeting and we are expecting record attendance at the 2006 Annual Meeting in San Francisco. If you have not already registered for the Annual Meeting and made lodging arrangements, please do so immediately as some hotels are reaching capacity quickly. In addition, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the 30 Professional Development courses as well as 10 different tours that are being featured in conjunction with the Annual Meeting. You can register online and sign up for courses and tours from the 2006 Annual Meeting page: http://www.aera.net/annualmeeting/?id=282.

I look forward to seeing you in San Francisco.

Sincerely,
Felice J. Levine
Executive Director
American Educational Research Association
1230 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 223-9485, ext. 122
Fax: (202) 775-1824
E-mail: flevine@aera.net

Tags: AERA 2006, AERA, rural, education

This comes from Program Chair David Callejo (David.Callejo@mail.wvu.edu).

Please be advised that these are preliminary.

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Sponsor - SIG-Rural Education

Schedule Information:
Fri, Apr 7 - 6:15pm - 8:15pm Building/Room: Moscone Center South / Mezzanine Level East, Room 220

Title Displayed in Event Calendar: Rural Education SIG Business Meeting: Rural Schools and Assessment

Session Participants:

Chair: Dennis M. Mulcahy (Memorial University of Newfoundland)

Naturally Small: One-Room Schoolhouses and Rural Communities
*Stephen A. Swidler (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

Abstract: As part of the business meeting, Stephen Swidler will discuss pedagogy and assessment through the eyes of one-room schoolhouses. We hope to raise awareness and create a plan of action to protect successful rural schools.

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Sponsor - SIG-Rural Education

Schedule Information:
Sat, Apr 8 - 9:05am - 9:45am Building/Room: Moscone Center West / 3rd Floor, Room 3009

Title Displayed in Event Calendar: Rountable 24

Session Participants:

Gender, Family Help, and Homework Management Reported by Rural Middle-School Students
*Jianzhong Xu (Mississippi State University), Lyn Corno (Teachers College, Columbia University)

Patterns of Adjustment During the Transition From Middle to High School in Rural African-American Youth
*Dylan Robertson (Center for Developmental Science), Tom Farmer (The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill), Matthew J. Irvin (The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill), Jana Thompson (Center for Developmental Science)

Spatial and Sociodemographic Patterns of Student Mobility
*Kai A. Schafft (The Pennsylvania State University)

Student-Led Rural Community Dialogues: Discovering and Reinventing Students' Place
*Matthew C. Calvert (University of Wisconsin-Extension), Cynthia Taines (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

The Mystery of Size: School-District Size, Curriculum Offerings, and Student Achievement in Rural Pennsylvania
*Yi Gong (Keene State College), Wenfan Yan (Indiana University of Pennsylvania)

Full Circle: A Case Study of the Consolidation, Closing, Restoration, and Reopening of Barnardsville Elementary School
*Gail D. Buckner (Western Carolina University), Mary Jean R. Herzog (Western Carolina University)

An Inquiry Into Achievement Differences: Traditional and Virtual High-School Courses
*Dennis M. Mulcahy (Memorial University of Newfoundland), Michael Kristopher Barbour (The University of Georgia)

Chair: David M. Callejo-Perez (West Virginia University)
Discussant: Kossar R. Kalie (West Virginia University)

Abstract: These papers center on the role of identity formation in students' ways of life and interpretation of their learning world.

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Sponsor - SIG-Rural Education

Schedule Information:
Sun, Apr 9 - 10:35am - 12:05pm Building/Room: Moscone Center West / 2nd Floor, Room 2022

Title Displayed in Event Calendar: Immersion Experience and Cultural Identity: Urban Students and Teachers Learning in Rural Alaska Native Communities

Session Participants:

G Williamson McDiarmid (University of Washington)
Alexandra R. Hill (University of Alaska-Anchorage)
Letitia C. Fickel (University of Alaska-Anchorage)
Rosyland Frazier (University of Alaska-Anchorage)
John Pingayaq (Kashunamiut School District)
Donald Shackleford (University of Alaska-Anchorage)
Paul Ongtooguk (University of Alaska-Anchorage)

Abstract:
Running through the work of a number of multicultural theorists (Banks, Gay, Garmon, Grant, Ladson-Billings, Neito, etc.) is the critical importance of teachers' understanding themselves as products of particular cultures. Yet, little evidence exists that students or teachers develop such critical understandings (McDiarmid, 1990). Too often, multicultural courses/workshops provide information but leave self-understanding untouched. This symposium will present outcome data from three related programs that, over the past 6 years, have immersed urban Alaska students and teachers in the rural Alaska Native communities. Data will be presented to show that program participants learn not only about Alaska Native culture but about their own cultural experiences and lenses. The data will include a professionally produced DVD (15 min) documenting teachers' experiences.

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Sponsor - SIG-Rural Education

Schedule Information:
Mon, Apr 10 - 8:15am - 10:15am Building/Room: Moscone Center South / Mezzanine Level East, Room 222

Title Displayed in Event Calendar: Research on Rural Education: Multiple Perspectives in the United States and Abroad Session

Participants:

Analysis of Distance Education Use in Rural Schools
*Wallace Hannum (The University of North Carolina), Tom Farmer (The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill), William R. Veal (College of Charleston), Jim Barber (The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill), Jonathan Banks (The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill), Michelle Sylva (The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill)

Mix and Match or Mismatch: High-Ability Students and Rural Schools in an Australian Context
*Margaret M. Plunkett (Monash University-Gippsland), Monique Y. Osborn (Monash University)

School of the Air in Australia: From Radio to Satellite
*Stephen J. Crump (University of Sydney)

School Size and the "Power Rating" of Poverty: Substantive Finding or Statistical Artifact?
*Theodore Coladarci (The University of Maine)

The Influence of Rurality on Teachers' Perceptions of Their Status in English Elementary Schools
*Linda M. Hargreaves (University of Cambridge), Anthony Pell (Leicester University)

Discussant: Aimee A. Howley (Ohio University)
Chair: Edmund T. Hamann (University of Nebraska)

Abstract: This session combines papers dealing with research on rural education in the US and abroad; creating possibilities for comparative studies in education.

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Sponsor - SIG-Rural Education

Schedule Information:
Mon, Apr 10 - 4:05pm - 6:05pm Building/Room: Moscone Center South / Mezzanine Level East, Room 224

Title Displayed in Event Calendar: Rural Education: Rethinking the Possibilities

Session Participants:

What Can I Learn From Rural Black Family Pedagogy?
*Sherick A. Hughes (The University of Toledo)

Saving the Children of the Poor in Rural Schools
*Aimee A. Howley (Ohio University), Caitlin Howley (AEL, Inc.), Craig B. Howley (Ohio University)

The Development of Secondary-School/Community Partnerships for a College-Going Culture in Diverse, Rural Schools: What Matters
*Betty Alford (Stephen F. Austin State University), Peggy B. Gill (The University of Texas at Tyler)

What Makes Effective Rural School Teachers?
*Andrea M. Lachance (The State University of New York-Cortland)

Teacher Resources in High-Need Rural Schools in Texas
*Debra H. Jones (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory), Celeste Alexander (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory), Michael Vaden-Kiernan (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory)

Chair: Shana Pate (North Texas State University)
Discussant: Sharon L. Spall (Western Kentucky University)

Abstract: This paper session seeks to expand research about rural education by examining issues and problems (diversity and gender identity) not usually associated with rural communities.

__________________________________
David M. Callejo Pérez
West Virginia University
Dept. of Educational Theory & Practice
B153 Prete Bldg.
Morgantown, WV 26506
(304)293-4203
david.callejo@mail.wvu.edu

Tags: AERA 2006, AERA, rural, education

This one comes to us from Stephen's Web ~ by Stephen Downes ~ Edu_RSS Most Recent - RSS old

Shouts about Small Schools From Across the Land from think:lab

Almost daily I am pleasantly surprised to find something in my in-box from the Small Schools Yahoo listserve, something that comes out of the offices of the Small Schools Workshop in Chicago (in a fine building that is very familiar to fans of NYC's famed Flat Iron Building) and the team Dr. Mike Klonsky has put together. While there is NO doubt of his leanings when it comes to advocating for smaller learning communities and serving urban communities/kids, I'm also impressed that he often sends out links to articles that are not always in pure support of the small school movement. [Read more]

And this one is from our very own Mr. Rural ED.

Today's Nominees for Worst People In the World
By Michael Arnold

With apologizes to Keith Olbermann and the staff at Countdown, today’s nominees for Worst People in the World are Colorado State Representative Lynn Hefley (R) and State Senator Peter Groff (D). The two legislators have sponsored a bill that requires all of Colorado’s public schools to start the Tuesday after Labor Day and end no sooner than the Friday before Memorial Day.

What great educational purpose does this legislation serve? Hefley and Groff claim that the primary purpose of the bill is to reduce significant burdens on families. Parents who move into a district may not realize that schools in their new district starts earlier than their previous school and, as a result, their children may miss a week or two of school. Establishing a standard beginning date would ease the burden of finding out when school starts and would increase flexibility in planning family activities.

Those reasons would seem to affect a relatively small number of children, so why would the legislature take up a bill that will dictate the start and end times for all of Colorado’s public schools? The tourism industry needs child labor. According to House Bill 06-1150, “an early-August or mid-August start date for the school year places a significant burden on employers in retail, the food industry, and especially the tourism industry who are forced to work short-handed during what is for many businesses one of the busiest times of the year.”

Evidently local communities are unable to determine what dates work best for them in establishing the starting and ending dates of the school year. Luckily the Colorado Legislature has the time to help them out.

Representative Lynn Hefley and Peter Groff, sponsors of the bill to standardize school calendars to help Colorado’s tourism industry. Today’s, with apologizes to Keith Olbermann and the staff at Countdown, Worst People in the World.

Tags: AERA, small schools, rural, education

Another one from from Gene V Glass (glass@ASU.EDU) to the EDREV@ASU.EDU listserve.

Education Review is an open access electronic journal publishing reviews of books in education. The Education Review has published 1,500 reviews since its inception in 1998. All reviews are freely accessible on the internet at

Kliebard, Herbert M. (2004). The Struggle for the American Curriculum, 1893–1958 (3rd ed.).
New York: Routledge Falmer. Reviewed by J. P. Patterson, University of Iowa.

This review can be accessed under Recent Reviews on the journal homepage http://edrev.asu.edu.
___________________________________________________
Gene V Glass, Editor
glass@asu.edu

Kate Corby, Brief Reviews Editor
http://edrev.asu.edu/brief/

Gustavo Fischman, Editor for Spanish & Portuguese
http://edrev.asu.edu/indexs.html

Tags: Education Review, AERA, rural, education

Another message from Gene V Glass (glass@ASU.EDU) to the EDREV@ASU.EDU listserve.

Estimados Colegas

Education Review/Reseñas Educativas/Resenhas Educativases una publicación académica gratuita de reseñas delibros en el área deeducación. Education Review/ReseñasEducativas comenzó a ser publicada en 1998 y desdeentonces ha publicado más de 1,500 reseñas, en Inglés,Español y Portugués. Para acceder a las reseñaspublicadas por Education Review/Reseñas Educativas/Resenhas Educativas puede visitar nuestro website:



Si usted está interesado/a en reseñar algunode estos libros, favor de enviar un mensajecon su nombre, dirección postal, y una brevedescripción de sus áreas de especialización eintereses académicos a:

Dr. Gustavo E. Fischman
Editor Español y Portugués
Education Review/Reseñas Educativas
fischman@asu.edu

Los siguientes libros están disponibles para ser reseñados:



S1. Alonso Tapia, Jesús (2005). Motivar en la escuela,motivar en la familia: Claves para el aprendizaje.Madrid: Morata. 252 pp. ISBN 84-7112-506-4

S2. Arnaiz Sánchez, Pilar (2005). Atención a ladiversidad: Programación curricular. San José, CostaRica: EUNED. 154 pp. ISBN 9968-31-394-7

S3. Clemente Linuesa, María (2004). Lectura y culturaescrita. Madrid: Morata. 128 pp. ISBN 84-7112-499-8

S4. CTERA, CNTE, Colegio de Profesores de Chile, AFUTU-FENAPES, y LPP (2005). Las reformas educativas en lospaíses del cono sur: Un balance crítico. Buenos Aires:Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales. 464 pp.ISBN 987-1183-18-6

S5. De Vedia, Mariano (2005). La educación aún espera: A20 años del Congreso Pedagógico. Buenos Aires: Eudeba.240 pp. ISBN 950-23-1360-7

S6. Frigerio, G. e. a. (2003). Educación y alteridad.Buenos Aires, Argentina: Ediciones NovedadesEducativas

S7. Frigerio, G., & Diker, G. (Ed.). (2004). Una ética enel trabajo con niños y adolescentes: la habilitaciónde la oportunidad. Buenos Aires, Argentina: EdicionesNovedades Educativas.

S8. Gimeno Sacristán, José (2005). La educación que aún esposible: Ensayos acerca de la cultura para laeducación. Madrid: Morata. 184 pp. ISBN 84-7112-500-5

S9. Karmiloff, Kyra, y Karmiloff-Smith, Annette (2005).Hacia el lenguaje: Del feto al adolescente (P.Manzano, Trad.). Madrid: Morata. 368 pp. ISBN 84-7112-483-1

S10. Naya Garmendia, Luis Ma. (Coord.) (2005). La educacióny los derechos humanos. Donostia: EREIN. 174 pp. ISBN84-9746-249-1

S11. Ochoa Macías, R. (2000). El college board: efectossociales y académicos de los criterios de selección dealumnos en una universidad pública. Guadalajara,Jalisco, México: Universidad de Guadalajara.

S12. Sánchez Cano, Manuel, y Bonals, Joan (Coords.) (2005).La evaluación psicopedagógica. Barcelona: GRAÓ. 456pp. ISBN 84-7827-366-2

S13. Tromellini, Pina (2005). Un legado para la vida¿Todavía se pueden transmitir valores a los hijos? (M.J. Fenero, Trad.). Barcelona: GRAÓ. 136 pp. ISBN 84-7827-362-X


P1. Baptista, Isabel (2005). Dar rosto ao futuro: Aeducação como compromisso ético. Porto: Profedições.160 pp. ISBN 972-8562-15-2

P2. Bernardino, J., & Galdino, D. (Ed.). (2004). Levando araça a sério: ação afirmativa e universidade. Rio deJaneiro: DP&A editora.

P3. Bezerra, Wagner (2006). Acorrentados: A fábula da TV.Rio de Janeiro: Letra Legal. 52 pp. ISBN 85-98424-20-X

P4. Fazzi, Rita de Cássia (2004). O drama racial decrianças brasileiras: Socialização entre pares epreconceito. Belo Horizonte: Autêntica. 228 pp. ISBN85-7526-138-X

P5. Ferreira, Serafim. A arca de Gutenberg: Ensaiosbreves. Porto: Profedições, Ltda. / Jornal a Página,2005

P6. Garcia, Regina Leite E Serralheiro, José Paulo.(Orgs.) Afinal onde está a escola? Porto: Profedições,Ltda. / Jornal a Página, 2005.

P7. Gomes, Nilma Lino, e Martins, Aracy Alves (Orgs.)(2004). Afirmando direitos: Acesso e permanência dejovens negros na universidade. Belo Horizonte:Autêntica. 296 pp. ISBN 85-7526-139-8

P8. Gusmão, Neusa Maria Mendes de (2005). Os filos daÁfrica em Portugal: Antropologia, multiculturalidade eeducação. Belo Horizonte: Autêntica. 320 pp. ISBN 85-7526-169-X

P9. Magalhães, Fernando. Museus, patrimônio eidentidade:Ritualidade, educação, conservação,pesquisa, exposição. Porto: Profedições, Ltda./Jornal a Página, 2005.

P10. Medeiros, C. A. (2004). Na lei e na raça: legislação erelações raciais, Brasil - Estados Unidos. Rio deJaneiro: DP&A editora.

P11. Medeiros, D. (2005). A escola, os livros e osafetos:apontamentos da vida de um estudante. Rio deJaneiro: Profedições, Ltda.

P12. Miranda, C., Lopes de Aguiar, F., & Di Pierro, M. C.(2004). Bibliografia básica sobre relações raciais eeducação. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: DP&A editora.

P13. Oliveira, Walter (2004). Educação social de rua: asbases políticas e pedagógicas para uma educaçãopopular. Porto Alegre: Artmed Editora S.A.

P14. Sader, Emir. (Ed.). (2004). Governo Lula: decifrando oenigma. São Paulo: Editora Viramundo.

P15. Sarmento, Jacinto Manuel e Oliveira, Joaquim Marquesde. A escola é o melhor do povo: Relatório de revisãoinstitucional do projeto das escolas rurais. Porto:Profedições, Ltda. / Jornal a Página, 2005

P16. Souza, Florentina de Silva (2005) Afro-descendência emCadernos Negros e Jornal do MNU. Belo Horizonte:Autêntica. 272 pp. ISBN 85-7526-168-1
___________________________________________________
-Dr. Gustavo E. Fischman
Editor Español y Portugués
Education Review/Reseñas Educativas/Resenhas Educativas
fischman@asu.edu

Tags: Education Review, AERA, rural, education

From the Google news alert for rural education.

Rural schools are feeling the pinch
Enid News & Eagle - Enid, OK, USA

A report released by the state Legislature shows larger school districts in Oklahoma have a greater financial need than smaller districts.A portion of the study was released to the News & Eagle by the state Legislative Services Bureau, contrary to a claim made by Oklahoma Education Association in a publication lawmakers would not provide the information to the public. A copy of the entire costing-out study was being processed for release to the News & Eagle by the bureau Wednesday, said Dale Wythe, a bureau spokesman. The report has yet to be received via mail, but Wythe provided a faxed copy of the document’s executive summary.

Much to fear in Bush's budget
BurlingtonFreePress.com - Burlington, VT, USA

Vermont stands to lose money on everything from affordable housing to programs for dairy farmers if President Bush's budget proposal is approved by Congress. The president released his plan Monday, revealing plans to cut services for health care, education, economic development, homeland security and more. If approved by Congress, some of those programs might be eliminated without adequate funding. Others would be passed on to Vermont taxpayers to fill the gap.

Many metro schools pack them in
OregonLive.com - Portland, OR, USA

Forty-one students cram into Tom Ustach's U.S. government class at Benson High School in Portland, lined two and three deep in seats around the edge of the room. Classes of 38, 40, even 45 students are not uncommon at Benson, which had the third-biggest average class size among Oregon middle and high schools last year. "There are many ways to organize a large class," Ustach says. "The problem is in giving meaningful feedback to 170 total students. Extra help for each student is hard. Often it just goes to students who know how to advocate for themselves."

Education, a key issue among the poor
News Today - India

Political parties have been giving scant respect for education for a long time now, and this has shattered the public education system of the state?, said V Vasantha Devi, former Vice-chancellor of the Manorama Sundaranadar University and a member of Alliance for Education, while addressing a press meet yesterday, the eve of submitting an education manifesto to various political parties keeping in view of the coming state assembly elections. The manifesto, according to the organisers, contains measures for stemming the rot in the current public school system. Issues on education are very dear to the poorer section of the society. Political parties ignoring these issues is doing so at their peril? she said. Vasantha Devi criticised the quality of school education in the rural areas saying that in many of the rural schools there are just two teachers per five classes which is grossly inadequate and posing a challenge to primary school education.

£16 million funding for major research developments in Wales
eGov monitor - London, UK

Jane Davidson, Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning yesterday announced support of some £16 million to build on research excellence in the Welsh higher education sector. In accordance with the principles set out in Reaching Higher, the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and the University of Wales, Bangor have come together to collaborate across a number of research disciplines where they currently demonstrate excellence and have natural synergies. The Research and Enterprise Partnership funded at a level of £10.95 million will create four joint research centres – a Centre for Catchment to Coast Research, a Centre for Integrated Rural Environment Research, Centre for Advanced Functional Materials and Devices Research and an Institute for Mediaeval and early Modern Studies. These areas will make a significant contribution to the Welsh economy. [See all stories on this topic]

The Electricity Control Board Assist Rural Schools
NBC - Windhoek, Namibia

The Electricity Control Board has donated four-thousand Namibia dollars to the Muhopi Primary school, about 30 kilometers east of Rundu in the Kavango region. The donation forms part of the ECB`s social responsibility programme and is to be used to the benefit of the school`s development projects. At the occasion, the ECB`s Human Resources Manager, Kenneth Gaoseb said his company was committed towards educating the country`s youth and to the development of new skills within the education sector.

Committee flunks plan for schools
Montgomery Advertiser - Montgomery, AL, USA

A House committee Wednesday gutted Gov. Bob Riley's $233 million tax cut and derailed his plan to spend hundreds of millions on school improvements. A spokesman for the governor derisively referred to the $6 billion budget that passed the House Education Finance and Appropriations Committee as "the No Special Interest Gets Left Behind Act." With Riley losing this battle, the powerful Alabama Education Association won, with association Executive Secretary Paul Hubbert praising the committee's budget. [See all stories on this topic]

Residents: Don't cut school programs
Peoria Journal Star - Peoria, IL, USA

At a public forum Wednesday night to discuss the future of Bureau Valley School District 340, many residents asked the School Board not to cut programs. "If we cut programs, we're cutting opportunities," said Bureau Valley South Junior High Principal Susan Zbrozek. "Keep the programs we already have for kids." The board faces four options for reducing an estimated $330,000 deficit for the 2006-2007 school year. The six-school district, serving about 1,250 students within 340 square miles, has lost $1.6 million over the past five years and is operating with a deficit of about $390,000 for this school year.

Tags: AERA, rural, education

A message from Lisa G. Baker (lbaker@wilburton.k12.ok.us) to the Advanced Placement Small Schools listserve (ap-small-schools@lyris.collegeboard.com) entitled "Upside and downside."

The February 2006 NEAToday features an article titled "Is Smaller Better?" It discusses the current trend for larger schools to break themselves into smaller "schools." One section of the article really grabbed my attention because it echoes what we as small school educators have known for years and discussed here at times. It was a box that featured the upside and downside for teachers in small schools. I thought I would share the list.

Upside:

• Closer relationships--motivates students and improves teaching
• Better discipline
• Innovation
• Greater opportunities--to connect with parents
• Students form closer relationships--a stronger peer network

Downside:

• Teachers wear many hats
• Less variety of courses--such as AP, electives, and sports
• Self-segregation--applies to large schools dividing up
• Higher cost

Just some food for thought. Have a good week!

Lisa G. Baker
Small Schools Moderator

ap-small-schools is an Electronic Discussion Group (EDG) of The College Board, 45 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10023-6992

Tags: AERA, rural, education

From Online Learning Update:

Online learners Students, teachers take advantage of more flexible options - MELISSA GARZANELLI, The Times
By Ray

Rick Tunget wants to earn a degree, but getting to class is tough when he needs to provide for his family. "I'm a union carpenter but I might not be able to do this until the day I die," said the 41-year-old rural Marseilles man. Tunget began working toward a degree in environmental studies with the hopes of eventually working with municipal development -- a career he plans to pursue later in life. While he was able to take the time off work to begin college classes at Illinois Valley Community College last semester, he will start working the planned shutdowns at regional nuclear plants later this month in order to earn a living."I can't make it to class on time," he said of his upcoming schedule. Instead of putting his degree on the back burner, Tunget decided to try an online course this semester at IVCC.

And this one from Stephen's Web ~ by Stephen Downes ~ Edu_RSS Most Recent - RSS old:

"Small Schools Movement Meets Ownership Society" in KAPPAN

The “ownership society,” in matters of public policy, is a narrowly reimagined and redefined public space, cannibalizing everything from health care to retirement benefits, criminal justice, waste management, elections, public safety, and water rights. Any area that has traditionally been part of the common good and publicly administered is now up for grabs, and public schools are no exception.-- Klonsky & Ayers in Feb. Kappan The February issue of the education journal Phi Delta Kappan has several articles which sharpen the debate around Chicago's Renaissance 2010 initiative. Regular readers of this blog know that I have been sharply critical of this initiative in the past months. Newcomers can check out any of a list of my postings from the list on the right, including: "Renaissance 2010: A Beggar's Banquet." In the current issue of the Kappan, Bill Ayers and I offer an in-depth critique called, "Chicago's Renaissance 2010: The Small Schools Mike Klonsky's Small Talk, February 7, 2006.

Technology brings special class to small school - KANIQUA S. DANIEL, The Oakland Press

Since advanced placement calculus isn't offered at his school, Chris Kennedy - a senior at Williams Bay High School in Wisconsin - is taking the course with students at Andover High School in Bloomfield Hills. Through a pilot program titled Distance Learn Educational Technology, January 7, 2006.

Tags: AERA, blog, blogging, blogs, rural, education

A message from "AERA President, Gloria Ladson-Billings" (aera-response@eloop.goldlasso.com).

February 5, 2006

Dear Colleagues:

Over the past week, I have received a flurry of emails regarding the current ballot issues for the upcoming AERA Bylaws change. The most surprising aspect of the emails I received is how much incorrect information they contain. So, in the spirit of being succinct, let me clarify the items that are before you as a voting member of AERA:

• Simplifying our membership categories (and extending the franchise to graduate students who make up almost 25 percent of our membership).
• Clarifying our committee structure (making the language comport with what we actually do) and explicitly establishing a new category of Bylaws committees for three important committees—the SIG Executive Committee, the Nominations Committee, and the Graduate Student Council.
• Clarifying the rules by which Special Interest Groups (SIG) are created and dissolved (Council stayed at the low number of 30 which makes it easier to create a SIG rather than raise it to 50 as recommended). We also felt it best to keep the Bylaws less directive so that SIGs and Council could have greater flexibility without requiring voting by the entire membership on issues relevant to SIG members. (We don’t need to be micro-managing SIGs.)
• General modernization and housekeeping (as the Bylaws now stand, we cannot do electronic balloting or have committees act by conference call and the Bylaws have amendments that needed to be aligned with the main text).

The Bylaws committee worked for more than a year to create a streamlined, workable document for Council to provide to the voting membership. The committee consulted frequently with the AERA attorney, Michael Trister, to make sure that recommended changes were abiding by the letter and spirit of the Association (and were in compliance with the incorporation laws of Washington, DC which govern our activities as a non-profit organization).

There is NOTHING in the Bylaw changes regarding session allocation for the Annual Meeting, and I believe some members have conflated two separate activities—cleaning up our Bylaws and the report of the SIG Task Force. Also, I am somewhat dismayed at what seems to be campaigning on behalf of one position or the other. AERA has maintained a tradition of not campaigning for officers, and I would hope that we go into the referenda with the same stance, i.e., allowing a group of exceptionally intelligent people to take the time to read for themselves the explanations included with the ballot and make up their own minds.

I hope this message is helpful as you exercise your right and responsibility to vote.

Gloria Ladson-Billings, President
American Educational Research Association

Tags: AERA, rural, education

Once again from Gene V Glass (glass@ASU.EDU) to EDREV@ASU.EDU

Education Review is an open access electronic journal publishing reviews of books in education. The Education Review has published 1,500 reviews since its inception in 1998. All reviews are freely accessible on the internet at


The Education Review publishes reviews in Spanish and Portuguese as well as in English. The following
books have just been reviewed:

Gasman, Marybeth & Sedgwick, Katherine V. (Eds.) (2005). Uplifting a People: African American Philanthropy and Education. N.Y.: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc. Reviewed by Jon N. Hale, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Bouchard, Margaret T. (2005). Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners. New York: Scholastic. Reviewed by Reviewed by Cynthia Crosser, University of Maine.

Burke, Jim (2005). Accessing School: Teaching Struggling Readers to Achieve Academic and Personal Success. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Reviewed by Katie Wester Neal, Sterling, Virginia.

Capellini, Mary T. (2005). Balancing Reading and Language Learning: A Resource for Teaching English Language Learners, K-5. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers. Reviewed by by Cynthia Crosser, University of Maine.

Carden, Kathleen A. & Godley-Sugrue, Mary (2005). Grade 1 Writing Curriculum: Week-by-Week Lessons. New York: Scholastic. Reviewed by Nobuko Fujita, OISE/University of Toronto.

Cunningham, Patricia M. (2005). Phonics They Use: Words for Reading and Writing. Fourth edition. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. Reviewed by John Sundahl, Portland State University.

McTighe, Jay & Wiggins, Grant (2005). Understanding by Design. Second Edition. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Reviewed by Jennifer Reed, University of Nebraska.

Muldaur, Sheila (2004). Genre Assessments for Fables, Fairy Tales, and Fantasies. with Reading Passages for Genre Assessments for Fables, Fairy Tales, and Fantasies. The Proficient Reader Record series. Katonah, NY: Richard C. Owen. Reviewed by Gladys Sterenberg, University of Lethbridge.

Parini, Jay (2005). The Art of Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Reviewed by Shellie Hipsky, Robert Morris University.

Pellegrini, Anthony D. (2005). Recess: Its Role in Education and Development. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Reviewed by Eric Jabal, OISE/University of Toronto.

Shaw, Darla (2005). Retelling Strategies to Improve Comprehension: Effective Hands-On Strategies for Fiction and Nonfiction That Help Students Remember and Understand What They Read. New York: Scholastic. Reviewed by Dr. Sandy Thomas, Center Point School, Birmingham, Alabama.

Snow, Catherine; Griffin, Peg & Burns, M. Susan (Editors). (2005). Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading: Preparing Teachers for a Changing World. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Reviewed by Robert F. Walch, Monterey, California.

Spandel, Vicki (2005). The 9 Rights of Every Writer: A Guide for Teachers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Reviewed by Christopher Palmi, National-Louis University.

Wassermann, Selma (2004). This Teaching Life: How I Taught Myself to Teach. New York: Teachers College Press. Reviewed by Matthew Magnuson, Miami University.

Khong, Lana Yiu Lan. (2004). Family Matters: The Role of Parents in Singapore Education. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Academic. Reviewed by David Pang, Auckland, New Zealand.

This review can be accessed under Recent Reviews on the journal homepage http://edrev.asu.edu.

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Gene V Glass, Editor
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Kate Corby, Brief Reviews Editor
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