This proposal is part of an Educational Doctorate (EdD) that explores the roll of the small rural school in its community in Scotland. Corbett (2015) states that rural schools are embedded in communities and often at the heart of rural communities. The particular focus of the study is to better understand the impact of national education policy on small rural schools ensuring equity of learning and teaching across Scotland. Barret et al (2015) suggests that rural schools remain under-examined relative to their suburban and urban counterparts, and this is relevant when looking at the national drive for equity, excellence and raising attainment.

The research has incorporated ethnography, trough portraiture and will showcase how these methods have captured a wealth of knowledge and experience of the context to provide equity of learning and teaching. The “portrait” created will demonstrate the innovative ways that equity is embedded within these rural schools and captures the unique and valuable contributions to education.

The study will focus on data from the fieldwork carried out in a small rural school. Field notes were often moments in time captured to reflect a particular portrait or memo of the moment or day that included reflection on each of the core elements of portraiture (context, voice, and relationship) Miles and Huberman (1994). Portraits were created by teachers and researcher. This brings a shared understanding of equity and inclusion.

Portraiture methodology was used to interpret data and present portraits to “capture the richness, complexity and dimensionality of the human experience in the social and cultural context,” of the rural school (Lawrence-Lightfoot and Hoffman Davis 1997 p 3)

The outcome of the research work will provide a wider understanding of rural context and implications for policy and future training for teachers through the lens of equity and equitable teahcing practices.

The 2023 World Economic Forum estimates that closing the gender gap in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) fields could add $28 trillion to the global GDP by 2025 and studies show that women with STEM-related careers tend to have higher incomes and greater economic stability, thereby reducing their vulnerability to poverty. By empowering young girls in rural communities with STEM education and skills, they contribute to social protection and inclusion by providing them with opportunities for personal and professional development, thereby mitigating the risk of exclusion and vulnerability.

The Sapphires Development Initiative, Nigeria implemented STEMXX Nigeria and STEM4Girls projects to address this. The project aimed to transform 150 rural adolescent girls into strong STEM advocates. Hence, this study seeks to understand the short-term effects of STEM projects on beneficiaries’ agency and leadership potential.

To answer its research inquiry, a pre-and post-interventional study was conducted to explore the short-term effects of these school-based interventions on beneficiaries’ agency and leadership potential. Data was collected through a mixed method to assess the project's impact on the participants' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and aspirations regarding STEM education and careers.

The study findings indicate a significant improvement in participants' knowledge of STEM concepts, increased confidence in their abilities to lead and pursue STEM careers, and a greater awareness of gender stereotypes. They also expressed heightened aspirations to contribute to STEM-related fields and address societal challenges such as climate change and sustainable development. The success of these school-based interventions in rural regions demonstrates the effectiveness of equipping girls with STEM knowledge and fostering leadership skills, thereby promoting inclusion.

This article aims to investigate the pivotal roles that teachers play within the context of cultivating school culture. It constructs a foundational model for the role positioning and practice of teachers' involvement in school culture construction, offering a practical guide for front-line teachers engaged in school improvement initiatives driven by cultural development.

This article synthesizes existing theories, outlining the observable dimensions of school culture and the basics of Role Theory. Employing a qualitative approach, it studies a new group school in a Chinese rural area through interviews, artifact analysis, and semi-participant observation, focusing on primary and middle school teachers. The research identifies stages in the development of teacher roles, explores changes in role practice, and concludes with refined role positioning and practical insights for the construction of school culture.

The research findings reveal a spectrum of roles in the cultivation of school culture. These roles manifest as "practitioners and innovators" of school culture, "organizers and facilitators" of classroom culture, "boundless learners and miners" of knowledge, "reflectors and maintainers" throughout the process, "interlocutors and sharers" of experiences, and practical-oriented "communicators and collaborators". These roles exhibit traits of multiplicity, contextual transcendence, and growth through practice, underscoring the intricate and dynamic nature of teachers' roles in the development of school culture.

This paper examines teachers' roles in school culture construction, summarizing their role patterns from educational practices as a reference to address issues of inexperience and capability among teachers. It seeks to align teachers with societal expectations in modern education and bridge the gap between quality education and high-quality teacher shortage in rural areas. Furthermore, the research presents an ideal role model for teacher to redefine their rights, obligations, responsibilities, and expectations in the new educational ecosystem featuring as sustainable school improvement and high-quality education.