A sampling of definitions indicates a certain amount of ambiguity and confusion about development and how it differs from other concepts such as growth and change. Any attempt to clarify this concept should begin initially with identification of the essential meaning of the term and then consideration of its characteristics and how it differs from…

Presents several definitions of community services. Argues that community colleges will offer different community services depending upon their missions, and that community services should be designed to meet individual, institutional, and community needs. Proposes an adaptive community services model designed to respond to community needs, while…

A paper examining recent changes in the social and economic development of rural America--with comments by a different author--and a paper discussing rural policy comprise this workshop collection. Placing the changes of the 1970s in a broader historical perspective and developing a general framework within which to consider the influence of…

This document, which is based on information gathered during a 1998 study of how study circle programs contribute to community problem solving, presents best practices for producing community-wide study circles. The best practices are illustrated through stories that are grouped into five sections on the following themes: (1) creating a…