I present a case study of the influence of rurality and a sense of place on leaders' beliefs about purposes of local schooling and their concomitant theories of action in one rural school district. Interview data show that despite their portrayal of life in the valley as a privilege, most leaders viewed their place as presenting more problems than…

This Primer is intended to help individual citizens and community leaders and organizers (1) better understand the complex nature of decision making in democracy and (2) identify strategies for having a larger voice and impact. This publication is predicated and draws upon the author's 40 years of extensive and hands-on experiences in varied…

Conducting market research for out-of-school-time planning can replace assumptions with facts, give kids and parents a voice to express their needs and preferences, and help build stakeholder buy-in and support. This practical guide shows community leaders, policymakers and out-of-school-time practitioners how to use market research to make more…

The use of local languages in formal education is a widely debated educational strategy in sub-Saharan Africa. National-level policies abound which permit mother-tongue instruction in primary grades, and yet successful implementation of those policies is not merely so common. The reasons for this are varied, but one powerful reason has to do with…

In June 1992 a meeting which was targeted at neighborhood, community, state, and national leaders working to bring education and human services together for children, youth, and families was held. The majority of the time participants engaged in dialogue with colleagues with the opportunity to think about leadership skills, analyze how leaders can…

Noting that college students in the 1990s are once again becoming interested in religious/spiritual phenomena, this analysis of religious humanism as persuasive discourse first touches upon the event-filled 1960s and 70s, which saw social unrest and turbulent change, much of it emanating from university students. As background, the analysis points…

According to a survey of over 1,200 public- and private-sector leaders, many new factors are reshaping present and future world leaders. Leaders are developed, not born, through experience and present situation characteristics. The test of leadership occurs during changing situations when risks must be taken. Leadership is an ongoing process of…

This program guide on welfare reform raises basic questions about different beliefs that influence public policy about welfare and what the welfare system ought to achieve. Four policy approaches are offered as a framework for discussion: (1) cut welfare for the able; (2) use welfare as a tool to require recipients to become more responsible; (3)…

This four-part document provides an overview of the knowledge, perspectives, and skills of administration. The chapters are extracted mostly from issues of "Educational Administration Quarterly." Part 1, "The Society in Which Leaders Lead," contains five chapters: (1) "Do Political Ideologies Influence Education in the United States?" (Ralph B.…

This teachers' booklet focuses primarily on eight short lessons about cultural, historical, or annual events related to October. Information is provided on the following: the month of October; Fire Prevention Day; Columbus Day; United Nations Day; the birthdays of Presidents James E. Carter, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Theodore Roosevelt; and…

A new county extension agent, having community development responsibilities, will be concerned with identifying projects, organizing for action, identifying key people for the projects, and identifying the resources needed to undertake new initiatives. Three methods of community action planning are discussed step by step. The social action process…

The report examines characteristics of crew workers (farmworkers who work for contractors) and noncrew workers in 1981 and reviews Federal legislation designed to protect crew workers and to control farm labor contractors. During 1981 approximately 250,000 crew workers comprised 10% of hired farmworkers. Crew workers were 53% White, 28% Hispanic,…

This digest offers camp leaders, outdoor experiential educators, school and college faculty, or youth agency staff who are interested in nurturing youth leaders a framework for designing youth leadership programs which employ an outdoor setting as a "leadership classroom." Basic categories for leadership theory are defined: trait theory,…

This publication tells the stories of contemporary Alaskan women who have contributed to the state's economic, social, and political development, and who may serve as role models for younger women in need of inspiration. It also attempts to illustrate the relationship between personal empowerment and societal change. The book contains 12 lengthy…