This paper suggests that the fundamental characteristics of a sustainable community are economic security, ecological integrity, quality of life, and empowerment and responsibility. It also asserts that nurturing these characteristics within a rural school can forge stronger links to community, strengthen the local economic base, encourage…

This article introduces and discusses the nature and development of Estonian system of general education in the period of last thirty years. The main focus is paid on the changes resulting from the collapse of the Soviet Union and the period of integration leading up to EU entry. Also changes in other spheres of education and social life are…

This paper was commissioned by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to review the linkages and synergies between EDUCAIDS, the UNAIDS Global Initiative on Education and HIV & AIDS, and other initiatives in the field of HIV and AIDS. This paper documents the similarities and differences between EDUCAIDS and…

Drawing on research evidence, this book addresses the question of how primary and secondary urban schools can be improved in a more inclusive way. The authors argue that urban schools and their communities have within them expertise that tends to be overlooked, and latent creativity that should be mobilised to move thinking and progress forward.…

Today's rural leaders are becoming increasingly attuned to the fact that high achieving schools and related human capital investment strategies are key ingredients in the promotion of sustainable development at the local level. Serious challenges often await rural areas that seek to pursue such efforts. As a case in point, if rural schools are…

This report offers numerous cross-sectoral explorations in the context of health and human resources analyses in Africa. Intended as a resource document for funding agencies, program managers, and policy makers in Africa, the study aims to spark interest in using basic education to foster behavior conducive to broad-based, sustainable economic…

This statistical handbook is a user-friendly, up-to-date resource, and provides a thorough examination of the causes, effects, and ramifications of poverty throughout the developing world. The handbook contains more than 400 tables, graphs, and charts. In addition, it includes two special sections which contain information not consistently…

There are clear signs that community learning is the way to a more sustainable future for Australian communities, especially rural ones. There are also indications that policymakers now recognize that the people who live in communities should play an important role in determining the future of their own communities. Policy must use the best…

This document contains two volumes of papers presented at the first annual meeting of the International Organization of Science and Technology Education Symposium. Each volume of papers is divided into two sections. Section 1 of the first volume focuses on relevant teaching, incorporating curriculum, teaching approaches, and assessment aspects.…

The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and private foundations, and invests in research and education to help rural communities meet the challenges of today's global society through a multidisciplinary network of university research and extension faculty, policy makers, and rural…

Many communities are trying to build sustainable societies, melding the wisdom of nature with culture, by undertaking various projects and initiatives. Although many projects may contribute to community sustainability, it is difficult to know which are most urgent or will be most effective. The purpose of this document is to introduce the concept…

This guide is part of a campaign to encourage individuals to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle. All available information, tools, and resources are provided to help individuals, neighborhoods, and communities live in a cleaner, healthier environment. Resources from both local and national levels include titles of organizations, brief…

Discusses the role of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in the field of education. Evaluates the report from the Secretary General entitled "Promoting Education, Public Awareness, and Training." Outlines proposals for the development of an Education 21 program and for designation of the educational…

Participation, empowerment, and sustainability are basic tenets of community development work of the Inter-American Foundation, but these are difficult to measure. The Grassroots Development Framework breaks these concepts into concrete, measurable components to evaluate sustainability over time and short-term cost/efficiency results of community…

Social work is inadequately focused on an individual deficit view of social problems. Consideration of global social problems such as environmental degradation and poverty requires fundamental shifts in thinking about economics and our cultural history. Possibilities for social work intervention, based on transformational thinking about the…