This study aims to investigate the effect of age and urban and rural living environments on children's actual and perceived motor competence. To that end, 320 female students aged 8-12 years were selected through random cluster sampling. The perceived motor competence of the participants was assessed using Marsh's Physical Self-Description…

This paper gathers and analyzes self-reported user behavior data for public computers installed in varied neighborhoods in India to explore the relationship between environmental factors such as urbanicity and reported usage behaviors. There is evidence of large differences in usage behavior between urban and non-urban sites. Children at urban…

Place and community are terms used with ever more frequency in discussions, reports, and research related to education, yet there is little agreement related to what these terms mean. This article examines the concepts of place and community in an attempt to bring more clarity to the role they may play in educational theory and, ultimately,…

Explores ideas about the causes and consequences of urban and rural air pollution of secondary school students aged 11-16 years (n=786) using a questionnaire. Students thought the air in towns and cities was more polluted than the air in the countryside. (Author/SAH)

Challenges representations of rural communities as inclusive, closer to nature, and therefore ideal places for youth to grow up and of urban areas as alienating and distanced from nature. Presents findings from rural and urban case studies focusing on young people's experiences of public space. Examines how youth describe the sites where they…

Presents a factor analysis of the psychological constructs of "ruralness" and "urbanness" of place and person using university student survey. Found that population and physical environment account for perceived ruralness of place, but did not identify factors that account for ruralness of person. Includes three tables and references. (Author/TES)

Clarifies the term "Appalachia" by discussing the economic and geographic points of reference related to the term, along with the difference between rural and urban Appalachia, and considers the culture of Appalachia. Focuses on teaching about Appalachia with picture storybooks. Includes an annotated bibliography. (CMK)

The cultural environment as a major factor influencing reading achievement in primary schools is discussed. It is proposed that money be spent by Nigeria to improve the social and cultural environment of young beginning readers in rural areas to equalize their learning situations. The questionnaire is appended. (MLW)

In a colonia in the border town of Nogales (Sonora, Mexico), a geographer gave cameras to children and asked them to tell about where they live. Reflects on the impact of globalization on these children and their environment, their experience of environmental education, and their attitudes toward the polluted environment of their neighborhood and…

The effects on students' vocational aspirations because of the ecological differences that exist between urban and rural areas in developing countries are discussed. The results of a study of secondary students showed rural students were inferior in their levels of vocational aspiration, found job information more difficult to get, etc.…

Describes two creative drama programs designed to improve peer-relations skills of early adolescents in classrooms. Discusses the utility of creative drama programs in relation to improved peer relations, staff training, and practical program evaluation. School social workers might find that this approach can be an effective modality for…

Discusses the development and implementation of a student exchange program involving third graders in suburban Chicago and rural Illinois. The suburban students spent four days on farms in a rural area in April, and the rural students spent four days in Chicago in May. Outlines steps needed to ensure a successful exchange experience. (MDM)

Describes a study in Nigeria comparing achievement in biology with a student's preference for cooperative or competitive learning situations. Proposes that rural children prefer cooperative learning strategies while urban children prefer competitive ones. Presents data proposing that learning preference (cooperative vs competitive) directly…

Examines, within the Geography Curriculum, the emphasis on rural settings in studying developing countries, and argues that such emphasis is conducive to racism. The authors argue that this emphasis is inappropriate when the largest cities are now present in these countries while Europe's cities are shrinking. A list of educational resources that…

Presents a summary of "An Examination of Picture Story Books that Teach Children about Appalachia (Part 1)." Offers an annotated bibliography of 10 picture story books about Appalachia. Each bibliographic entry includes a summary, a listing of Appalachian names and vocabulary words, the target reading audience, and National Council for…