Strength in Numbers

The Promise of Community-Based Participatory Research in Rural Education

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3776/tpre.2022.v12n1p105-115

Keywords:

trauma, community-based participatory research, rural, adolescent, yoga, rural communities

Abstract

Montana is a state that is ravaged by a suicide epidemic and mental health crisis, particularly among its youth. In an area in which harsh climates, geographic challenges, and distance to rural healthcare providers are significant barriers to mental healthcare accessibility, educators are faced with the acute social and emotional challenges of their students on a daily basis. This article documents the process and promise of utilizing novel and innovative community-based participatory research to support rural schools. By integrating a trauma-informed intervention in the school setting, while mobilizing local community resources, this interdisciplinary approach shows the ability to address the needs of adolescents while supporting rural educators.

Author Biographies

Lauren Davis, Montana State University

Lauren Davis, EdD, is currently an assistant professor of Curriculum and Instruction for Montana State University and was formerly the Education Department Chair and Director for the Neff Center for Teacher Education at Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia. Prior to her work in higher education, she was a middle school teacher and building level administrator in North Carolina. She earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education and her master's degree in middle grades education at Appalachian State University) and her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at East Tennessee State University. Her research interests revolve around middle level and high school students and how trauma and poverty impact student achievement, especially in rural contexts.

Rebecca Buchanan, Emory & Henry College

Rebecca Buchanan, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Emory and Henry College in Emory, Virginia. She also serves as the education division chair and director for the Neff Center for Teacher Education. She earned her master of science degree in sport management and her PhD in education from the University of Tennessee. Her research interests include the link between cognition and physical activity as well as trauma-invested practices and resilience in education. She has traveled throughout the United States and several countries, including Russia, Argentina, Scotland, Canada, Japan, and Greece, for both athletic and academic endeavors.

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Published

2022-06-21

How to Cite

Davis, L., & Buchanan, R. . (2022). Strength in Numbers: The Promise of Community-Based Participatory Research in Rural Education. Theory & Practice in Rural Education, 12(1), 105–115. https://doi.org/10.3776/tpre.2022.v12n1p105-115

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2022): Theory & Practice in Rural Education

Section

Practice Forum

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Copyright (c) 2022 Lauren Davis, Rebecca Buchanan

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