Lessons in community building and cultural understanding are important aspects of a 21st-century education. Through such lessons, students gain the keys to societal understanding as they gain knowledge about their cultural and historical contexts, and use that understanding as a setting for exploration of deeper values, emotional experiences, and…

Most towns were crucial to the initial colonization and economic development of the Great Plains. Many were, directly or indirectly, creatures of railroad corporate planning, owing their location as well as their physical layout to the townsite companies controlled by railroad officials. This article examines how these facts shaped the fundamental…

The Spotlight on Hulme Project in Manchester, England, is a group of local people aiming to preserve local history and monitor future community development. It illustrates the benefits of adult learning through collaboration and the need to maintain democracy and self-determination in adult and community education. (SK)

Discusses pros and cons of "personal anthropology" as a teaching tool for university students, particularly in a small town. Reviews the social history of "city forming" and "city maintaining" processes in Oswego, NY, and illustrates how beginning undergraduates can study these processes. (CJM)

The recurrence of stories throughout California communities using narrative art to strengthen themselves led to an inquiry that is described in this report. The research question was: how can different ways of discovering and presenting local stories in public contribute to the strengthening of community? The inquiry had six components: (1) a…

Addressing the "death of hope" in rural Nebraska during the 1980s farm crisis, the "School at the Center" project engages rural schools and communities in active learning projects: housing or historic-building repair, environmental repair, microenterprise development, exploration of local cultural heritage, and technology…

Probes the implications of German reunification for Berlin as a cultural and intellectual center, highlighting how reintegration might affect universities, libraries, museums, and academies. Stresses the nature of the challenge Berlin faces in overcoming some of the darkness in its past and realizing the full possession of its intellectual…

Every year, K-12 students throughout the U.S. learn about their local community's historical roots and development, economy, weather, climate, and geology. With the increasing prevalence of inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning in history and science, new possibilities arise for authentic, situated learning activities. One such…

Describes a Michigan social studies curriculum enrichment project that combines historical analysis with documentary photographs of urban residents. The project utilizes photographs, public history, and oral histories to introduce middle school students to the concept of community. Includes photographs of urban activities and discussion questions.…