Preservice Teachers’ Rural Engagement Through Video Production: Digital Rural Community Walks
Abstract: Rural communities around the United States are facing a critical shortage of teachers due largely to challenges with recruitment and retainment. One model for responding to this growing crisis it to consider how place-conscious teacher education can build preservice teachers’ interest in and commitment to teaching in rural spaces. More specifically, teacher educators can provide preservice teachers opportunities for embedded rural field experiences where they can explore the assets of a community and challenge their preconceptions and misconceptions about a career as an educator in a rural community. This process of mapping a community’s asses has preservice teachers complete a “Rural Community Walk” (RCW) in which they identify, document, and reflect upon their experiences exploring rurality and teaching. This study examines the influence of completing the RCW in collaboration with K-12 students and producing a video-based RCW that encourages reflection of preexisting ideas and assumptions about teaching in rural communities.
Presider: Kareen Salazar, Iowa State University