This report examines the feasibility of a Rural Learning Network (RLN) using technology to connect rural California schools to educational resources at the University of California at Davis (UCD). Teachers from five rural schools agreed to participate in the pilot project for 2 years, during which time they would participate in on-line…

A survey of 85 rural and metro academics at two Australian universities found that rural faculty experienced more autonomy, cross-disciplinary stimulation, and connection to community. Rural disadvantages included professional isolation, fewer opportunities for research and advancement, and metropolitan management structures. Most of those with…

Objective: Among psychiatric educators of medical students and residents are those who are referred to as volunteer faculty. Their unpaid status, limited time to devote to teaching, and isolation from most of the core faculty present us with the challenge of better integrating them with the team of educators. The author describes a faculty…

High attrition rates among new teachers are of concern to teacher educators. Support mechanisms may help teachers feel less isolated in their new profession. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) technologies can connect novice teachers in ways that are both time and place independent. Most research on asynchronous online discussions has focused…

An Australian study explored the implications of being a rural academic; distinguishing features of rural academics' work; perceptions of rural academics held by themselves and others; and contributions rural academics make to their institutions, disciplines, and communities. Interviews were conducted with 24 faculty members from 2 Australian…

Texas Tech University offers online courses in special education for graduate credit or inservice education. This approach addresses the problems of time, distance, resources, and expertise experienced by rural educators. Unenrolled practitioners not interested in returning to school can access chat rooms and threaded discussions to get support…

In 1998, the proportion of full-time faculty at U.S. community colleges was reported to be 36%, versus 64% part time. Adjunct faculty are attractive to community colleges primarily because they provide low-cost labor. The conditions under which many community college adjunct faculty work can contribute to their marginalization as a kind of…

Examines 21 female administrators' accounts of their experience in a rural Nova Scotia school district. Presents preliminary findings of these women's own responses, resistances, and initiatives while attempting to legitimize and implement their preferred leadership styles, which stressed relationships, instructional leadership, communication, and…

Two portfolio projects were initiated at Montana State University to address the need for increasing teacher development opportunities in rural areas. Projects involved the use of portfolios to document and reflect on the teaching experiences of preservice special educators and general educators working towards special education certification.…

Following the 1998 Green Paper on teachers' work, the UK government introduced Threshold Assessment of teachers in England and Wales in 2000. Teachers who met the Threshold standards were rewarded with a pay rise and access to an upper pay spine. At the time ministers gave assurances that equal opportunities would be taken very seriously in the…

This chapter explores factors of concern for, and overall experiences of, African American female faculty and administrators, including salary issues, affirmative action, racism, sexism, homophobia, campus climate, isolation, tenure and promotion processes, and salary. The data reported here were gathered during a study of African American women…

Using the Professional Development School (PDS) model of teacher preparation, a Midwestern university created the potential for teacher candidates to become immersed into the environment of an elementary school. The question this study explored was, "Does increased immersion at a PDS site impact preparation of teacher candidates?" Themes emerged…

Because of the difficulty of finding time for professional and personal development, many family child care (FCC) providers are isolated in their work environment. This practicum study developed a provider-initiated support network to reduce this isolation. The local FCC association provided advertising about the formation of the network. A group…

Principals can easily validate the tension of opposites thinking. Their work is filled with paradoxical dilemmas and days in which the questions are complex and void of definitive answers. In an attempt to balance the often antithetical needs and expectations of the students, the faculty members, the community, and the district office, the…

The Hofstra University New Teachers' Network offers a multifaceted approach to university-based support for new teachers that also enhances the experience of students in its preservice teacher education program. This model is rooted in relationships that develop during preservice teacher education programs and has been successful at recruiting and…