Purdue Center for Rural Research, Education, and Outreach

The rural center plans to focus on four major strands:

1. Continuing professional development
   Providing research-based PD to rural P-12 teachers as one of the outputs of the center will ensure that rural teachers have access to the latest methods and best practices in teaching and learning.
2. Research
   Focusing on developing rural community-based learning experiences to better understand authentic collaboration will strengthen pre-service teachers’ knowledge of community.
3. Teaching (Preparation, Recruitment, and Retention)
   By intentionally increasing placements in neighboring rural areas, the center will position the COE and its partners to extend innovative and rigorous practices to surrounding Indiana rural communities.
4. Outreach
   Indiana ranks among the top ten states with the largest population of students enrolled in rural school districts. For many rural communities, schools are the central organizing structure for providing awareness and delivery of social services.