Due to imbalanced social and economic development, education in poverty-stricken rural areas in China is lagging behind that of urban areas. The current study explores the role of the nonprofit organizations (NPOs) involved in rural compulsory education promotion. Results show that the NPOs are providing a variety of programs to promote rural…

Many rural communities across America face several obstacles in the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) initiatives and struggle with the best approaches for leveraging these elements into an economic development strategy. These obstacles include: lack of quality local ICTs infrastructure, funding, inability to…

Discusses how rural groups might approach corporations to forge partnerships for a variety of educational and community programs and activities. Makes specific suggestions for selecting corporations, writing the first requests for information, evaluating responses, and following up leads. Includes a section on the workings of Apple Computer's…

A summary of educational planning methodologies tested in Argentina, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia, the document offers opinions and proposals about integrated rural development. Integrated rural development is seen as a social, economic, political, and cultural process in rural areas, designed to improve living conditions. Chapters…

This paper analyses whether the Australian Landcare movement complies with notions of "post-productivist rural governance." The paper argues that Landcare has been a vast improvement on previous approaches to the management of the countryside in Australia, and that it has managed to mobilise a large cross-section of stakeholders.…

"Where the money is and what you'll need to do to get it," form the central theme of this citizen's guide to rural development. Designed to assist a community leader interested in implementing a development project, the guide concentrates on the sources which most frequently fund rural community development projects, i.e., the grant and…

Integrated basic education is directed toward all segments of the population, fits in with the activities of the local community, and emanates from the people themselves. The objectives and implementation of integrated basic education in rural areas are discussed. (RM)

To identify general principles of implementing a system of evaluation, the experience of Malawi in building a national system for agriculture is described. Applying principles of both centralization and decentralization and principles of trial and error has helped translate theories of evaluation into practice in Malawi. (SLD)

Describes rural implementation of the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities program, which combines flexible long-term financing with strategic planning and performance benchmarking to empower impoverished communities to address structural problems comprehensively. Impressive 3-year results include job creation; improved community services;…

Rural economic development presents a paradox of growth in population and jobs without corresponding improvement in local economic well-being. Four forces may impede nonmetropolitan development efforts. Growth of multiestablishment corporations makes traditional regional economic development models unrealistic. Rural industrialization is socially,…

Experts in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) from 11 countries participated in a UNESCO International Workshop. The countries were: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Poland, Republic of Korea, and South Africa. Workshop participants identified a range of issues relating to improving the…

This handbook provides instructions to help communities form county rural development (CRD) committees. Guidelines are applicable to committee work in general and to community involvement in identifying and discussing local problems, determining community needs, setting goals, identifying available resources, securing adequate leadership, and…

Brokering Rural AGE was a 17-month collaborative project for the development of gerontological curricula, involving four university-based gerontology centers and 17 community colleges in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Its purpose was to enhance the gerontological curricula of community colleges serving rural areas by means of a model…

Helping low-income families in rural areas find gainful employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency is an ongoing policy concern. The Rural Welfare-to-Work Strategies demonstration is using rigorous experimental designs to build knowledge about how to help low-income families in rural areas strive toward sustained employment and…

This manual is designed for use by Peace Corps volunteers and agricultural extension personnel working in animal traction development programs. While some of the information contained in the manual is specific to the extension of animal-powered agriculture in Africa, the principles covered are generally applicable wherever the method is being used…