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Category: Rural Education & Communities

Study explores effects of intergenerational family dynamics on child well-being

Weiman Xu, MAP Academy graduate research assistant, is exploring the association between intergenerational coparenting and child social-emotional development. Lean more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

Family dynamics among caregivers tend to be complicated. They can become even more complex when grandparents take on coparenting roles.

Weiman Xu, graduate research assistant at the Nebraska Academy for Methodology, Analytics and Psychometrics (MAP Academy) and a doctoral student in the Global Family Health and Well-being program within the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies, is exploring the association between intergenerational coparenting and children’s social-emotional development. Full Article

Research aims to reduce rural child obesity with responsive feeding practices

Dipti Dev, associate professor of child, youth and family studies and Nebraska Extension specialist, is spearheading a five-year project to help rural child care programs foster healthy eating habits among young children. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

In early childhood, healthy eating habits lay the foundation for lifelong wellness, helping prevent many chronic health issues.

Promoting these habits is particularly important for children in rural communities, where resources are sometimes limited. Research shows that rural children are 26% more likely to experience obesity than their urban peers. Full Article

Cross-campus collaboration helps sharpen focus on teacher shortages, job satisfaction

Aprille Phillips, associate professor of educational administration at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, is exploring teacher job satisfaction and retention in rural Nebraska in a project funded by the Nebraska Department of Education. (Photo courtesy of Ana Salazar, UNK videographer and multimedia specialist).

Last fall, more than 900 teacher positions in Nebraska were either vacant or filled by underqualified personnel, according to the Nebraska Department of Education.

With so many vacancies, school districts are forced to compete for candidates from a relatively small pool — something that can have long-term negative effects on rural Nebraska communities. Full Article

MAP Academy helps researchers see big picture of rural adolescent nutrition insecurity

Extension educator Natalie Sehi is leading a team of researchers focused on adolescent nutrition insecurity.

Making sure rural youth have enough to eat is important for both their health and education. Attending school with an empty stomach affects a student’s ability to focus and learn, making proper nutrition essential for academic success.

Nebraska Extension educators Beth Nacke and Natalie Sehi are leading research focused on adolescent nutrition insecurity. They recently worked with the MAP Academy to create a database to analyze the nutritional and economic impact of Nebraska Extension’s statewide Monthly Meal Kit program. Full Article

Project examines ways to foster future leaders in rural communities

Lindsay Hastings, Clifton Professor in Mentoring Research at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is leading a project to build a leadership development system to sustain rural communities for the future.

As the makeup of American communities changes in coming years to grapple with impending transfers of wealth and leadership, sustainability of rural communities is a priority.

Lindsay Hastings, Clifton Professor in Mentoring Research at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has recently worked with her team — Justine Bircher, Mary Emery and Jordan Rasmussen — on a project to build leadership development systems to sustain rural communities for the future. Full Article

Grand Challenges Catalyst project aims to strengthen early childhood workforce — and positive results for children

Project team members include, front row from left: Natalie Koziol, Jenna Finch, Lisa Knoche, Jennifer Leeper Miller and Holly Hatton-Bowers. Back row, from left: Julia Torquati, Carrie Clark, Sue Sheridan, Changmin Yan, HyeonJin Yoon and Soo-Young Hong. Learn more about the project in the CYFS Research Network.

Nearly 28 million children in the U.S. experience childhood adversity — neglect, parental substance abuse, mental illness, racism and bias.

Such hardships cause significant stress to children at crucial stages in their development, putting them at risk for academic difficulties and health and behavioral issues — all of which have consequences into adulthood. Full Article

Study finds variety, cost effectiveness can become barriers to children’s vegetable consumption

Saima Hasnin, assistant professor, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois — and a University of Nebraska–Lincoln graduate — explored family child care home providers’ preparation and serving of vegetables to better understand their influence on children’s dietary habits. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

Getting children to eat their vegetables is a common, longstanding challenge for parents and child care providers alike.

While some kids simply dislike the taste of veggies, a recent study sheds light on some other obstacles that prevent children from reaching their recommended daily nutritional needs. Full Article

Nebraska researchers extend TAPP intervention to rural Appalachia

From left, HyeonJin Yoon, CYFS research assistant professor; Sue Sheridan, CYFS director; and Amanda Witte, CYFS research assistant professor, collaborate virtually with East Tennessee State University partners Kim Hale, associate professor of educational foundations and special education, left, and Pam Mims, professor of special education and associate dean of research and grants. Learn more about the project in the CYFS Research Network.

Students who struggle with social and behavior issues are at high risk of developing long-term problems, both at school and in life.

When those students live in rural parts of the country, with limited access to behavioral health services, those challenges can significantly increase. Full Article