Five new realities affect community problem solving: (1) fewer public dollars; (2) increased local/regional responsibility; (3) renewed focus on local government integrity; (4) wider distribution of community power; and (5) increasingly diverse population. Communities that prosper practice collaborative problem solving and consensus-based decision…

Suggests that environmental problems cannot be solved by science alone, because political, social and economic agencies are all involved. The need for broader perspectives and for forums involving government, industry, and the generalpublic is stressed. The role of one electrical company in the environmental education program is presented. (LC)

Adults should be involved in the community problem-solving process which is educational and therefore involves the adult educator as a process expert. Author then considers the extent of the educator's involvement. (MF)

Challenges the assumption that elected school boards are more responsive to local community needs than are appointed school boards. (Author/DN)

The activities in this manual explore some of the issues of the 1960s and 1970s that reflected changes in U.S. patterns of thought: minorities sought their share of the American pie; young people challenged established authority; massive protests erupted against the Vietnam War; political corruption was found in high office and a marked change…

Third-party intervention is increasingly recognized as an effective means of settling social, institutional, community, and interpersonal disputes. Traditionally, mediation efforts have been directed toward conflicts involving labor/management relations. Since the 1960s, however, mediation efforts have also been applied to situations involving…

A guide for community leaders, extension staff, and community or rural development practitioners outlines the evolution of a regional training model for community-based problem solving in rural areas experiencing economic decline. The paper discusses the model's underlying concepts and implementation process and includes descriptions of four…

The goal of this civic education program, written for six through ninth grade students in the form of an instructional guide/student workbook, is to help students develop citizenship skills important for intelligent and effective participation in a self-governing society. Specific educational objectives include helping students learn: (1) how to…