An Examination of the Community Action Poverty Simulation in Rural Education

Autor/inn/en	Miller, Jan; Vick, Courtney
Titel	An Examination of the Community Action Poverty Simulation in Rural Education
Quelle	In: Alabama Journal of Educational Leadership, 9 (2022), S.133-141 (9 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2473-8115
Schlagwörter	Community Action; Poverty; Simulation; Rural Education; Preservice Teachers; Student Attitudes; Teacher Attitudes; Program Effectiveness; Faculty Development; Alabama + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Armut; Simulation program; Simulationsprogramm; Ländliche Erwachsenenbildung; Schülerverhalten; Lehrerverhalten
Abstract	The purpose of this study was to determine if participation in the Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) had an impact on rural educator candidates' and practicing rural educators' attitudes toward poverty (ATP). The group of rural educator candidates are students pursuing an undergraduate degree in education at a small, rural university in Alabama. Practicing educators who participated in the research were from a rural school in west Alabama. The CAPS is a one-hour simulation made up of four 15-minute weeks. Each 15-minute time segment simulates one week in poverty. In each week, participants have various tasks to complete in the allotted time. Participants in the simulation take on the roles of individuals living in poverty. Data was examined from two different simulation groups, rural educator candidates and practicing rural educators. All participants completed a demographic information sheet and the Pretest before participation in the CAPS. Following the simulation, all participants are involved in the debrief session. This session, led by the facilitator, allows participants to discuss the range of feelings they experienced during the simulation. After the debrief portion of the simulation, participants completed the Posttest. Statistical analysis using SPSS was conducted. Data were analyzed using a paired samples t-test. The results indicated an increased (more positive) ATP score (M[subscript 1] = 3.65, M[subscript 2] = 3.68) for rural educator candidates, but there was not a statistically significant difference (p=0.578). However, the data for practicing rural educators indicated an increase in the ATP score (M[subscript 1] = 3.51, M[subscript 2] = 3.68) and a statistically significant difference (p=0.000). Based on the data analysis, it was concluded that participation in the CAPS has a greater impact on practicing educators versus undergraduate education majors. Rural school leaders grapple with ways to ensure students living in poverty have the same learning opportunities as other students to thrive academically. Often school accountability is focused on high-stakes testing results. Across the nation, there is an increase of children from homes of poverty, who have unique educational needs. Rural schools are faced with barriers such as funding, isolation, and community support. School leaders must ensure faculty and staff have a clear understanding of poverty and how poverty can affect a student's educational journey; hence, the need to provide poverty simulation training. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Alabama Association of Professors of Educational Administration. P.O. Box 8368, Dothan, AL 36304. Tel: 334-983-6556 ext. 1-350; Fax: 334-556-1053; Web site: https://sites.google.com/site/aapelorg/home
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01