Impact of context-tailored rural teaching placements on preservice teachers’ commitment to teach in a rural area
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17622776 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Steve Murphy (La Trobe University, corresponding author), Steven A Murphy (0000-0002-6036-7600), Lindy P Baxter (0000-0002-3889-4789, La Trobe University), Kylie Murphy (0000-0002-2813-3687, La Trobe University), Daniela Acquaro (0000-0002-9892-0256, The University of Melbourne) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-20 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Australian Educational Researcher (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0311-6999 • E-ISSN: 2210-5328 |
| Publisher | Springer Nature (PUBLISHER • SG) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s13384-026-00954-5 |
| OpenAlex | W7130641504 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 36 |
A common strategy for jurisdictions confronting teacher shortages in rural schools is to support programs that encourage preservice teachers to undertake placements in rural areas. This strategy assumes that exposure to rural schools will increase the likelihood that participants will take up teaching positions in rural areas. There is, however, limited evidence of the impact of these programs. This paper reports on mixed-methods research into a placement program that connects preservice teachers to both rural government schools and the local community. The program had a statistically significant positive impact on preservice teachers’ commitment to teach in a rural setting. Uniquely, this study showed the impact of a rural placement program on preservice teachers with varying levels of initial commitment to work in a rural area. While those with low initial commitment were, on average, most positively impacted by the experience, responses of all participants were highly individual. Qualitative data provides insight into these individual responses
Economic shortage · Qualitative property · Qualitative research · Rural area · Rural management · Diverse Educational Innovations Studies · Indigenous and Place-Based Education · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
Analyzing and Interpreting Data From Likert-Type Scales
Mixed methods research designs in counseling psychology.
Reframing the policy discourse
Developing quality community connections through a regional preservice teacher placement program
Australian preservice teachers’ reflections on how a group placement model influenced their professional learning
Engaging rurality in Australian education research
Beyond the city limits
‘I do plan to do that in the future, just not the near future’
Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Rural Schools
Rural cultural wealth
There are many communities here
Place matters
Ethnoracial Diversity across the Rural-Urban Continuum
Using Mixed-Methods Sequential Explanatory Design
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |