Effective rural education depends on active community involvement. This ethnographic case study examines three models of community organization as an explanation of how community action occurs. The three models are: (1) individuals interacting in formal and informal groups; (2) networks of "weak ties" effective for diffusing information and…

This student workbook is for 12- to 14-year-olds participating in the Pennsylvania 4-H "Opening the Doors of Your Community" project which is designed to involve youth in improving the quality of community life, learning about the role and functions of local government, understanding public issues, becoming involved in the process of…

In order to acquaint students with other environments and to develop an awareness of their own community, the study of a small community in Canada was undertaken by this project development team. The Alpha students studied Chilliwack the first year (ED 066 352) and this second report covers their study of Powell River. The aim of the developers is…

The study was designed to collect and analyze data for a needs assessment of the Uptown Community of Chicago. Baseline data about the people residing and/or living in Uptown, their needs, fears, hopes, and expectations, and information regarding the causes and remedies of Uptown problems are given. Participants included persons from virtually…

Participant observation and intensive interviews of fifty people from a rural midwestern community provided information on the importance of women in women's organizations and in behind-the-scenes arenas of local politics and economics. Bringing women into community studies expands the concept of community into private, familial arenas where…

The urbanization and industrialization of a society based on commercial competitiveness has resulted in the marginalization of rural communities and the disempowerment of rural people. An alternative view of the future is needed, and rural schools have a part to play in creating it. Four sets of forces are driving society toward a different…

Designed to assist leaders in their roles as catalysts, advisors, and resource persons for the Pennsylvania Youth in Action 4-H Community Development program, the guide provides complementary educational, craft, and recreation suggestions to enhance student workbooks for three community development activity units. The first section focuses on the…

A study of the process of a 1977-1983 oil and gas boom in Caldwell, Texas, disproved the assumption that local social effects of rapid energy development are severe and negative. Using interviews, surveys, observation, local newspapers, and other writings as data sources, researchers determined that during the boom, Caldwell's population grew…

The document contains the texts of nine papers presented at the first conference of the New Zealand Association for Community Education. "Community as a Basis for Education" focuses on ways of utilizing community resources for education and offering learning programs based on the needs of community members. "Community Education and…

The evaluation of three Ford Foundation supported Community Development Corporation (CDC) programs with performance relative to output targets (milestones) that are both identifiable and quantifiable are presented in this paper. The milestone targets, developed in 1973 for the following year, are targets over which the CDC would legitimately be…

A do-it-yourself workbook, this guide is designed to help small, rural communities estimate the impact of new industry on the local economy. Included in this workbook are: (1) an introductory section presenting impact analysis rationale, workbook directions, an exemplary analysis, and explanations re: computer analysis; (2) a list of the 45…

Discusses how libraries contribute to a community's quality of life. Topics include economic impacts; equal access to information resources; children's introductions to libraries; the future role of libraries; the impact of physical development on the sense of community; life skills, including accountability and responsibility; and career paths…

Examining the meaning of lifelong learning within the context of "community" (defined in terms of interests and locality), the author explores many learning resources and opportunities and identifies related research questions. The content of this study is presented in three sections. The first section on the community as a setting for…

This study investigates how 40 working-class women participate as volunteers in the service, political, and social action arenas of their community--Carondelet, on the South Side of St. Louis. The purpose is to show that working-class women who live in transitional areas are capable of politically addressing the urban problems intruding into their…

Case studies of five rural Nebraska communities identified why some rural communities have survived economic trends stemming from the worst agricultural economic crisis since the Great Depression, while others seem to have surrendered. Background information on each community was gathered from available state, federal, and private information…