University-community partnerships can play an important role in curriculum development, but little has been written about the role of community agencies in designing curricula. This article describes the role of field education in an innovative university-community partnership aimed at transforming an MSW curriculum to integrate a trauma-informed…

The 2008 presidential election catapulted "community organizers" into the media fray and raised awareness about community organizing. At the University of San Diego (USD), a course teaching consensus organizing techniques to address community issues was instituted in 2004. The course incorporates traditional undergraduate students and…

Complementary education programs have emerged as a useful tool for addressing the educational needs of marginalized communities in the developing world. The literature attributes the success of these complementary education programs to innovative school organization, curriculum development, and community participation. This article is based on a…

This report focuses on the planning stages and first and second years of operation of the Community Education Planning Project (CEPP) of the Ocean View, Merced Heights, Ingleside (OMI) Community Association. Curricular and program changes in the planning period in the seven elementary schools of the area envisaged the development of these schools…

This book provides descriptions of youth involvement projects that have made significant contributions to young people, their schools, and their communities. Each description is intended to provide information for starting and operating similar youth projects. They explain how a particular project began, mention the important problems encountered,…

Given the aging of the population, the need for an increased number of persons trained and educated in gerontology is evident. To date, gerontology curricula have been based upon institutional requirements and interests, such as the guidelines provided by the Foundations Project (1980). To expand these guidelines, the needs and interests of the…

An ESEA Title III project, the Outdoor Laboratory and Community Nature Center was conceived, planned and implemented within a three year period (1974-77). During the first year, which was primarily a planning year, specialists in various areas related to environmental studies were consulted. The project director traveled considerably to observe…

Learning outside the school has implications for students and teachers as they reach beyond the limited sphere of the classroom. Students should see connections between academic subjects and work, develop insights into the community, develop independence, work with adults other than their teachers and parents, view possible career areas, function…

Part of an effort to increase the capacity of local citizens to address critical issues facing their communities, this paper reports on a project to develop and test a replicable process for organizing community forums at community colleges. Following introductory remarks, the first section discusses the role of the community college in community…

Purpose: To provide an example of how colleges can partner with local EcoVillages to further sustainability curriculum on campus and the educational mission of the EcoVillages, and to strengthen ties with the community. Design/methodology/approach: Describes four structured courses developed for the Environmental Studies Program, including…

This guide provides Maryland teachers with information regarding how to evaluate and improve service-learning. Seven suggested practices for school-based service learning were derived from interviews with 80 Maryland teachers actively engaging their students in service learning. These seven best practices, which might provide a framework for…

This report summarizes a comparative study of 15 government-designated community schools (DCSs) and 17 nondesignated schools (NDSs) in Alberta (Canada). To assist decision-makers and to identify for the public the accomplishments of the community school program, the researcher provides baseline data on 10 variables derived from the Alberta…

A Colorado school district has evolved a plan for continuous updating of curriculum that is broad in scope, involves the external environment, and integrates the efforts of citizens and educators. The first step of the external audit process involves the development of goals and an overview of a state-of-the-art program by the program manager and…

The report is the result of action taken by members of Peoria's business, labor, governmental, and educational communities, to install a total career education program. An individualized approach to curriculum development utilized three basic techniques: (1) the person-centered interview, (2) the organizing-center approach to planning, and (3) the…

The contents of this compendium of reports on projects attempting to promote increased citizen participation in urban education are organized in three sections. Section 1, Citizen Participation, includes the following reports: "Ways of Establishing and Funding Community Learning Centers," settings strategically located within the…