As one of the super-aged countries, Japan is facing serious social and economic implications of the rapidly increasing elderly population while the working population is decreasing. This has created tremendous burden not only on the Government of Japan but also on the local administrative units like Kobe City to provide adequate health and social…

Publically engaged scholarship demands new ways of working within and outside of the academy. Systems within the university reward faculty for individual achievements. This approach militates against working on collaborative projects because of the difficulty of explaining and quantifying one's contribution. The culture of academia further…

This essay presents perspectives on the range of potential reciprocity in literacy research and service learning, focusing attention on opportunities for individualized and institutional reciprocation, as observed by Takayoshi and Powell (2003). Researchers and students involved in community-based research or service programs have several…

Service learning promotes social-emotional and academic development through active engagement in community activities. It empowers students to think beyond themselves and to develop a commitment to serve others. In so doing, service learning builds connections with school and community that are critically important in urban settings. This paper…

Character includes the emotional, intellectual and moral qualities of a person or group as the demonstration of these qualities in prosocial behavior. Character education is an inclusive term encompassing all aspects of how schools, related social institutions and parents can support the positive character development of children and adults.…

Profiles three programs that incorporate service learning into efforts to reduce violence. Extrapolates a set of criteria for developing similar programs. These include meaningful activities, skill-based instruction, recognition of student effort and clear expectations for non-violent behavior. Includes a brief list of teaching resources. (MJP)