Engineers provide essential services to society, solving pressing challenges through technological inventiveness. Students new to engineering often cite the lure of creative problem solving as attracting them to the discipline. However, traditional engineering curricula typically focus on a narrow application of fundamentals for solving…

This paper explores how rural communities with limited financial resources and technical expertise can have a useful Web page along with the ability for community and business leaders to maintain this presence. The tools to be employed are not new to the Web, but they may be considered "cutting edge" when it comes to a rural community's…

Review of environmental issues in India concludes that educational institutions can contribute to sustainable development by promoting understanding of the ecosystem; assessing a community's natural wealth; developing strategies; and promoting participation in environmental preservation projects. (SK)

The author describes the 1987 exchange program "Women and Appropriate Technology." The program concentrated on appropriate technology in relation to rural women. She also describes a pilot appropriate technology project carried out in Kenya that involved the construction of three community buildings (a laundry and two bathrooms). (CH)

In 1998 a Burlington, Vermont partnership of a branch of city government and several educational and environmental organizations received a "metro-grant" to develop a project for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under its Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) Program. One goal was to…

Firms in the private sector utilize the resources of educational institutions to keep abreast of new technologies and to update employee training in those technologies, allowing them to remain competitive. Projects in Tennessee, New York and Ohio are examined, and methods of transferring appropriate technology to different communities are…

The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development helps a number of stakeholders meet their mission and objectives. Stakeholders include those who directly fund the organization, as well as the moral community of the people and places of the North Central region. It is at the nexus of federal, state and local demands and opportunities. The…

Indigenous knowledge is a critical factor for sustainable development. Empowerment of local communities is a prerequisite for the integration of indigenous knowledge in the development process. The integration of appropriate indigenous knowledge systems into development programs has already contributed to efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainable…

This paper summarizes principles of the Technology Access for Arkansans project initiated in 1989 to: (a) identify needs and quality of technology provisions in Arkansas; (b) disseminate information about appropriate technology and funding; (c) educate Arkansans about technology and advocacy; (d) develop a coordinated state plan for technology;…

The Arkansas Technology Information System (ARTIS) was developed to fill a significant void in existing systems of technical support to Arkansans with disabilities by creating and maintaining a consumer-responsive statewide system of data storage and retrieval regarding assistive technology and services. ARTIS goals also include establishment of a…

Based on experience in the field, this training program was developed to help Peace Corps trainers teach appropriate community technology to Peace Corps volunteers and community workers. The 8-week, 104-session training program is organized in six phases that cover the following topics: introduction to training; earthen construction and…

The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a…