This paper provides an introduction to this symposium issue on participatory action research in geographic teaching, learning and research. It introduces the themes of the symposium and contributions from the participating authors, and also offers additional discussion of the attendant benefits and challenges of using participatory action research…

The authors describe a graduate capstone accounting class as a basis for building communication skills desired by both accounting practitioners and accounting faculty. An academic service-learning (ASL) component is included. Adopted as a required class for a master of science degree in accounting at two universities, this course supports…

Collaboration is critical in an effective social studies program, especially given the fact that the social studies curriculum includes teaching students interpersonal and other social skills. In this article, the author discusses how the curriculum can facilitate or hinder collaboration. The curriculum hinders collaboration if its design is not…

Service-learning (SL) integrates academic learning with relevant community service in an educational setting. Many fields of study, including kinesiology, have incorporated SL into their course curriculums. Research indicates that SL has many benefits to students, including exposure to a different learning approach, opportunities to apply…

This article examines the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, an IRS-sponsored initiative designed to help those who cannot afford professional tax assistance, people with disabilities, people uncomfortable speaking and understanding English, the elderly, and others with special needs. The author discusses its implementation at a small…

The idea of creating a national university is not new. More than two centuries ago, George Washington, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson advocated for a national university. Today--energized by concerns about the performance of civil servants and the need to recruit a new generation of talent into key federal, state, and municipal positions--a…

In recent years, college health and physical educators have examined multiple teaching strategies that enhance students' ability to learn state-required and nationally-required health and physical education standards and outcomes. Identifying such methods and implementing them into courses can be overwhelming and confusing to the college educator.…

The purpose of this project is to incorporate a community service component into a Biology course at Northern State University (NSU) in Aberdeen, SD. Students in an upper-level botany course (Plant Structure and Function) provide landscaping services to homeowners who have purchased homes through Habitat for Humanity. Homeowner satisfaction with…

The broad enthusiasm for service-learning on U.S. campuses and in education abroad is an extremely welcome development. However, the status of service-learning is problematic institutionally and academically. It is frequently not located in mainstream academic departments or is seen as an incidental activity nor does it, for the most part, achieve…

A telephone interview of 821 residents of a Midwestern state found endorsement for higher education's role in career preparation, future leaders, and citizens. In addition, almost 80 percent of these residents supported community service as part of the curriculum (i.e., service learning). This suggests that higher education can improve the…

This article describes a service-learning case study and program description involving the development and the delivery of services in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program for secondary students. Following an overview of the philosophy of constructivist theory applied to the concept of the dissemination of information concerning adolescent…

Spiritual intelligence--using a multisensory approach to access one's inner knowledge to solve global problems--can be an integrating theme to engage gifted students in building global awareness in the classroom. This article introduces individuals providing training in higher consciousness and presents examples of strategies to further develop…

Forum Syd (Forum Syd Balkans Programme [FSBP]--Organizations Co-operating for Global Justice) is an umbrella organization for 200 member organizations in Sweden. It has worked in the Balkans for more than a decade. FSBP believes that community based youth work is a valuable tool for building and sustaining peaceful communities and its mission is…

Many educators consider the final year of high school to be a "vast wasteland," an epidemic of disengagement. Although high schools across the country have struggled with senioritis, their approaches to the problem have largely fallen into one of three types of responses: vertical acceleration; remediation; and structured containment.…

(Purpose) This is a report about the Urban and Rural Healthcare Academy Pilot Program (HAP) that launched at Southern Vermont College (SVC) and Wheelock College (WC) in summer 2010. HAP enabled 18 vulnerable high school students to learn about how to progress to college, how to transition when they arrive on a college campus, and how to prepare…