The purpose of this paper is to address how universities contribute through a helix model of partnership to regional development in a peripheral but functionally connected area which finds itself outside major conurbations. In doing so, it shows how local universities may collaborate with each other and with other institutional actors, including…

Collaboration with the educational systems is needed to leverage the community to address the problem of declining interest in science education among young people, yet building effective university-community partnerships is a highly complex process. This research investigated partnership building in a regional science initiative designed to…

This study sought to explore different understandings of participation in daily activity services among people with intellectual disabilities. Using a pedagogical sociocultural perspective, the research focused on individuals' perspectives and understandings as well as their account of social interaction, working and learning. In all, 17 people…

In 2017, 53,716 refugees entered the United States; the state of Michigan ranks sixth in refugee resettlement numbers. Each year, nearly 600 new refugees settle in Newtown, Michigan, which is now home to more than 20,000 newcomers who represent diverse language and ethnic groups. In this ethnographic case study, the authors investigated the ways…

The human dimensions of ecological restoration have been considered with increasing focus over the past several decades. The Earth Partnership program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has presented an evolving model of restoration as education since 1991, with growing awareness of the need for multicultural approaches to learning about and…

This briefing paper aims to inform European Institutions as well as national policy and decision makers on the issue of integrated and holistic approach to lifelong learning. It also provides the context at a high level and share a few recommendations on ways to establish lifelong learning systems at local, regional and national level. It helps…

The first wave of Tennessee Promise students arrived in Fall 2015, when 13,287 Promise students enrolled at community colleges. By Fall 2017, after five semesters of eligibility, 21.5% of these students had graduated, compared to 13.8% of students from the pre-Promise 2014 cohort. The second cohort of Tennessee Promise students enrolled at…

This research focused on using the theoretic construct of a community of practice composed of university, school, and community representatives to frame a teacher preparation program aimed at narrowing the opportunity gap. Practices that emerged from the interactions among members of the COP are revealed.

Background: To prepare students to become productive 21st century citizens, universities have to be more engaged with society. Shifting towards community service learning (CSL) enables students to participate in, and reflect on, services that both benefit the public and also contribute to their own learning. There has been considerable research…

As community-based research (CBR) is gaining recognition as a high impact practice at colleges and universities across the country, it is increasingly important to develop a repertoire of best practices. This article describes a CBR project to estimate the incomes required for various families in a local community to satisfy their basic needs…

In this article we discuss a collaborative research project meant to ground community members' voices in curriculum design. We argue that performing collaborative research with students and parents can better inform curriculum design decisions, particularly for communities whose identities, knowledge(s), and ways of being have been historically…

When middle school teachers and leaders commit themselves to being responsive to the personal concerns of adolescents and the social concerns of their community, it results in opportunities to build capacity in students to be agents of change. This article captures the story of one school's process in designing and implementing a yearlong…

Grassroots organizations have a critical role in supporting learning within many urban communities (Sobeck, Agius, & Mayers, 2007). Unfortunately, many informal organizations are short-lived as funding disappears and volunteer participation wanes. The Unspun Heroes, an informal fibre arts group committed to learning and developing skills…

Refugee and migrant communities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Australia experience dependency, stigma, isolation, mental health issues, family issues and other problems associated with alcohol and other drugs. Yet, refugee and migrant communities also face major linguistic, cultural and technological barriers to health…

In March, the world changed. COVID-19 hit the nation, impacting the health, economic security, and way of life of many Americans. Education also was severely disrupted. College students across the country went home and transitioned to remote learning. Meanwhile, institutions of higher education went through their own period of adjustment,…