Reading, Writing, and Technology: Preliminary Results from a Bilingual Reading and Computer Literacy Program in Lincoln, Neb.

Presentation made at Latinos in the Heartland (8th : 2010 : St. Louis, Mo.) and published in the annual conference proceedings.Latino students' academic performance has long been a concern for schools across the nation. In 2008, the Latino high school graduation rate in Lincoln, Neb., was 55.7 percent compared with an Anglo graduation rate of 81.7 percent (Lincoln Public Schools 2008). Spanish-speaking Latino students in particular are prone to dropping out, experiencing little-to-no academic achievement and scoring significantly lower on standardized test scores in all subjects than their English speaking counterparts (Lopez, et al, 2007). Although there exists numerous remedial programs that seek to address this alarming trend among students in high school, educational research indicates that the most effective strategies for addressing poor high school performance and high school incompletion begin in the preschool and elementary school years (Balfanz, et al, 2007; Lehr, et al, 2004). Some common antecedents to poor academic performance in high school and high school incompletion can be traced back to elementary school and include: limited family resources, inadequate early literacy experiences and inconsistent elementary and middle-school attendance (Lopez, et al, 2007). Interestingly, early literacy experiences appear to affect all of the other content areas in school, including math and science (Shaw, et al, 2001; Lopez, et al, 2007). Recent educational research with low-income, ethnic minority, at-risk students indicates that parental involvement in elementary school and supportive parent and child relationships in middle and high school are strong predictors of unexpected graduation of at-risk students from high school (Englund, et al, 2008). In light of this research, El Centro de las Américas, a nonprofit community center serving the needs of Latinos in Lincoln, has piloted a family literacy program that integrates reading and computer literacy. In this age of digitalized education, parents who have no understanding of basic computer skills are at a significant disadvantage when trying to encourage academic involvement and achievement in their children (Duran, et al, 2001). This is due partly to their children's extensive exposure to, and use of, technology in school. By integrating bilingual reading activities with computer instruction, the program enhances literacy levels in Spanish-speaking immigrant families and success among Latino students. El Centro's literacy program centers not only on the student but also on the entire family. In an attempt to encourage parent participation in the student's education, the program seeks to fuse the cultural importance of family in the Latino community with an increased emphasis on academic achievement. El Centro's program uses a combination of informal discussion groups with the parents, a bilingual reading liaison and instruction in basic computer skills in the school's computer lab. The reading discussion groups serve to infuse the parents with the concept that their children's education is a family activity that necessitates participation from all, while the computer instruction provides them with an essential tool for enhancing academic success. Students participate in bilingual reading clubs with a bilingual reading specialist to work on oral and written fluency. They also receive a new book to read at home each week. Preliminary results indicate increased literacy behaviors at home and at school

Diamonds in the Rough: A Case Study of Team Development Across Disciplines, Distances, and Institutions

The ethnographic case study reported here analyzed the experiences of a team of faculty from different universities in a technology-intensive project. Team development mirrored Tuckman\u27s model of small group development. Contrary to previous research, the leader did not have higher status than members, and approached the role with empathy rather than aggression. Motivation levels, timeline pressures, inadequate evaluation and rewards, leadership style, need for cohesion and interaction, and importance of trust are reported

Stress, Status, and Sociability: Exploring Residential Satisfaction in the Rural Midwest following Rapid Immigration

This investigation examined predictors of residential satisfaction among newly arrived residents (NAR) and long-term residents (LTR) of a rural community following a rapid influx of immigrants into the community. The physical environment, social/cultural aspects of life, and resources and public services were hypothesized to affect perceptions of residential satisfaction. Both LTR and NAR were pleased with environmental attributes, sociocultural attributes, and public services. An inverse relationship was revealed between stress and residential satisfaction. The primary sources of stress for LTR related to economics and social status issues, whereas the primary sources of stress among NAR involved issues concerning family and friends

Stress, Status, and Sociability: Exploring Residential Satisfaction in the Rural Midwest following Rapid Immigration

This investigation examined predictors of residential satisfaction among newly arrived residents (NAR) and long-term residents (LTR) of a rural community following a rapid influx of immigrants into the community. The physical environment, social/cultural aspects of life, and resources and public services were hypothesized to affect perceptions of residential satisfaction. Both LTR and NAR were pleased with environmental attributes, sociocultural attributes, and public services. An inverse relationship was revealed between stress and residential satisfaction. The primary sources of stress for LTR related to economics and social status issues, whereas the primary sources of stress among NAR involved issues concerning family and friends

Social Exchange Orientation and Conflict Communication in Romantic Relationships

Prior research has not conclusively established how individuals\u27 social exchange orientation (EO) affects their communication in, and satisfaction with, romantic elationships. Surveying 466 individuals in romantic relationships, we found that concern about being underbenefitted was more strongly correlated with conflict behaviors than concern about overbenefittedness, and that conflict communication influenced the relationship between exchange orientation and relationship satisfaction. We discuss the need for further research to discover how EO may influence communication patterns as relationships develop

What Courses Do I Need to Teach in Order to Address Food Insecurity in Sub Saharan Africa? A Delphi Study

Sub Saharan Africa is a region that has been struggling with food insecurity for decades. Though the percentage of undernourished people in the region has decreased over the last 25 years, the actual number of undernourished people increased by more than forty million. Combatting food insecurity in the region requires an arsenal of skills, knowledge, and abilities across a broad range of disciplines. One way to target food insecurity is through education and capacity building. The purpose of this study was to identify the courses and topics that should be included in a food security (FS) graduate certificate focused on Sub Saharan Africa. Identification of the topics and courses came from faculty and professionals working in the FS field in Sub Saharan Africa. A three-round Delphi technique was conducted to accomplish the purpose of the study with a total of 63 experts. Of the original 101 topics that the expert panel proposed in Round One, 80 reached the level of agreement. Researchers grouped the topics into 28 courses. The final result of the study was 24 courses that reached the level of agreement for determining the main topics and courses that should be included in a graduate certificate focused on FS for Sub Saharan Africa

Individual Depictions, Causes, and Consequences: Effects of Media Frames on Perceptions Toward the Rural Opioid Epidemic

Rural America faces challenges unique from other parts of the United States with vulnerabilities leaving its potential resilience at risk. In particular, issues associated with public health leave many in rural communities in lack of needed care and resources to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The rural opioid epidemic has added greater challenges to an already fragile rural health system. The mass media has for many decades served as a vessel for health promotion and health campaigns have been successful at changing levels of knowledge. Given that acceptance or action on an issue can be a result of how the message is framed, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of media frames on attitudes toward the rural opioid epidemic. A framing treatment featuring a story of person in recovery significantly affected perceptions of stigma beliefs. However, while previous studies found describing certain causes associated with addiction to be effective in changing stigma perceptions, that was not the case in this study which suggested not all causal frames are created equally. Additionally, while participants expressed a variety of blame perceptions for the rural opioid epidemic, there were no significant differences based upon the frame that was presented. Finally, policy support was not influenced by participant community types, but there were significant differences in support based upon political party affiliation indicating the rural opioid epidemic represents another example of a social issue with political influence

Reporting a Rural Reality: A Case Study of an Agricultural Newspaper’s Series on the Rural Opioid Epidemic

Opioid drug abuse has created an epidemic recognized as a public health emergency in 2017, and the detrimental impacts of this epidemic have reached into rural America. When it comes to presenting information via the mass media, communications professionals serve as gatekeepers for what information is passed on to media consumers. Additionally, news organizations place certain degrees of importance upon issues through the amount of coverage dedicated to an issue. In late 2016, when the Farm and Dairy newspaper editorial staff decided to dedicate a vast amount of time and resources to covering Ohio and Pennsylvania’s rural opioid epidemic, a variety of questions and concerns followed. This complicated topic was largely unfamiliar and untraditional to agricultural communications. Concerns about how to research the topic, work with sources, and manage responses from stakeholders emerged at the onset, but motivations to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and instill hope in the midst of a rural opioid epidemic brought the series to fruition. This case study details the actions taken by those involved in the series and stakeholder reactions to a unique journalistic investigation from a rural newspaper. Discussion of recommendations for future research and curricular impacts are provided

Low Resources in a High Stakes Game: Identifying Viable Rural Community Partners

Extension resources are shrinking, yet community leadership needs are great, and, the consequences of neglecting them are dire. It is difficult to respond to all the requests that are made of Extension faculty and even more difficult to decide which of the communities will benefit the most from programming. This article illuminates these issues by examining contributions from related research. First, a link is forged between community capital theory and community survival indicators. Next, 111 signs are provided that identify community viability. Finally, a guide is proposed for use in Extension to help determine where to concentrate scant resources

Training, Trust, and Technology: A Mixed-Methods Study of Latin American Extension Workers’ Experiences During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected people\u27s lives around the world, including agricultural extension workers. To date, few studies have been conducted to understand the adaptation of extension services in Latin American countries during the pandemic. This mixed-methods study explored Latin-American extension professionals’ preparation to implement knowledge-sharing activities and sought to understand extension professionals\u27 responsiveness to COVID-19. The results revealed significant differences in extension responsiveness, between field extension workers and in-office extension workers. Delving into this difference revealed that field extension professionals perceived lower responsiveness because they were not able to continue their pre-pandemic, face-to-face activities in the field with farmers; on the other hand, office extension workers were able to complete and respond to their annual program objectives by increasing institutional partnerships by virtual means. Resilience was found in the two phases of this study. Extension professionals were viewed by farmers as a reliable resource for addressing COVID-19 challenges. Extension professionals began using new communications technologies to train farmers, even though they were not trained in these technologies themselves. It will be important to begin formally incorporating the use of new technology, and alternative communication strategies with communities during crises, as part of preparation for field technicians