Describes how a small rural town in Washington complied with state legislation mandating community planning to address population growth and environmental degradation. The city planner, with the help of graduate students, involved citizens in deciding land use issues by holding open forums, developing a focus group, educating high school students…

Discusses the characteristics, origins, and evolution of Latin American "popular education," a nonformal approach that incorporates consciousness raising and activist organization in the education of economically and politically subjugated adults. Describes community participatory-investigation activities as the typical first step beyond…

School districts must address health and academic challenges homeless children bring to school by forming community-based task forces, helping homeless shelters address families' needs, increasing staff awareness, and developing strategies to encourage homeless children's academic success. The paper notes opportunities for staff involvement and…

As part of Alberta's provincial initiative, Brooks School District used administrator, teacher, and student input to develop quality indicators of responsible student behaviors and values that contribute to academic success. Baseline data were collected on homework completion, vandalism, disciplinary actions, and academic achievement. Community…

Students discover science resources in their neighborhood that help them see the relevance and long-term applications of concepts learned in the classroom. Students explore people, objects, and geographic resources beginning in the school and extending out into the community. (MDH)

Touts the advantages of experiential learning through educational games, or simulations, as provided by outdoor-learning centers. The organization of outdoor learning is discussed along with ways for integrating community groups into the activities. Included are five examples, a bibliography, and contact information for two centers that support…

Social capital and generalized trust are declining. Civic "watering-holes" like bowling leagues, fraternal organizations, choral societies, and "do-gooder" groups are drying up. Schools must spur greater parental involvement, make schools smaller, stress community service, teach civics, fund extracurricular activities, and…

The Shriver Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, is designed to create and manage new educational settings that enable the university, students, and community to pursue common goals. The Center and two programs (a partnership with community middle schools, and a program enabling former Peace Corps workers to address the…

Schools must stick to core issues--those concerned with teaching and learning and provision of material resources to maximize intellectual and personal growth. They must develop a fluid change model and a vision promoting abolition of violence, humanitarian standards, and global justice. Schools should also adopt a developmental learning cycle.…

Holistic educational research looks beyond test scores as a measure of student development and considers broader perspectives, such as quality of life and community interactions. Approaches to making research more understandable, accessible, and practical at a grassroots level include qualitative research, informal research, participatory research…

A lead shot environmental education program using hands-on activities and public information displays was directed toward adult Cree of Mushkegowuk Territory, Ontario (Canada). Of 47 participants at the beginning of the study, 7 thought lead shot was detrimental to animals, the environment, and people. After program implementation, all…

Teachers at a rural Appalachian elementary school made the curriculum more responsive to students by incorporating storytelling, theater, and music. Students interviewed community members, told their stories in school and community, created and performed plays based on them, and provided workshops for classmates. Teacher perspectives, supporting…

Vancouver (Washington) is rebuilding its entire educational infrastructure. Community involvement in the planning process for each school has created a sense of ownership, created spaces that implement good educational ideas and accommodate community activities, and given each school its own "signature." An emphasis on efficiency has…

Focuses on using the community as an environment in which to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in a socially responsive way. The article points out that many ESL classes exist for social reasons and that these reasons need to be foregrounded for effective language instruction to proceed. The article also discusses the role played by course…

Each year, millions of Canadian taxpayers' dollars are spent on repairing or replacing school property because of student vandalism. The literature reveals that there is no single factor that fully explains the causes of student vandalism. Includes strategies for combatting school vandalism that focus on the school environment, the school system,…