Rural communities with populations of under 15,000 are the least resilient to negative economic shocks, but local initiatives can reduce the negative impact of rapid economic change. Data from a study of three rural Australian communities and one "community-of-common-purpose" were used to develop a model of how the informal learning…

A case study in a rural Australian township attempted to determine indicators verifying the existence of social capital. Social capital is provisionally defined as the networks, norms, and trust that constitute the capacity of individuals, workplaces, groups, organizations, and communities to strive for sustainable futures in a changing…

A case study exploring the relationship between local leadership and the school-community partnership was conducted in a small, isolated Australian mining town. Data were generated from written materials such as the local newspaper and interviews with 8 school staff members and 11 community members involved with the schools or representing…

Analysis of communicative interactions of community residents using interviews, diaries, and tape recordings revealed how learning may occur incidentally in social organizations, chance meetings, and other community interactions. Such community learning serves to transmit skills, knowledge, and values. Community groups provide pathways to skilled…

The 10 portraits, or case studies, in this book are intended to show how locally-owned adult education turns everyday learning into social and economic well-being. Taken alone, each portrait tries to give a particular insight into the daily transformation of adults and their local communities. Together, the group portrait shows how strongly adult…

A case study of a rural community in Western Australia examined factors responsible for the progress made in breaking down barriers between youth and adults and building community cohesiveness. Community documents and interviews with school personnel, students, and community members revealed that the high school worked with the community to build…

A case study in a rural Australian township sought to determine the nature of the interactive productivity between the local networks in a community. Participants were chosen based on recommendations of community members concerning to whom they turn for help, advice, or information. Community interactivity was recorded using interviews,…

A qualitative research approach was used to examine how one vocational education and training (VET) school in rural Australia contributed to its community and the complex role of leadership in the process. The study focused on the VET in Schools program in Cooktown in Far North Queensland. The following data collection activities were conducted:…

The socioeconomic contributions of adult learning to community were examined from a social capital perspective. The concepts of human capital and social capital were differentiated, and the relationship between learning, human capital, and social capital was explored. The relevance of social capital in describing the wider benefits of adult…

A study examined the question of how one Australian non-metropolitan community consolidates and develops sustainable economic and social activity through the learning of community members. The research used a focused interview process with open-ended questions with these 2 major sub-groups in the community and explored their interrelatedness: 2…

A project has been designed to identify how a non-metropolitan community consolidates and develops sustainable social and economic activity. For many authors, the political position reiterating vocational education and training (VET) as the pivotal contributor to building national economic sustainability is framed in terms of human capital…

The learning needs of older adults living in rural Tasmania, Australia, and the potential of online technologies to foster local literacy and community well-being were examined. The study used a qualitative inquiry strategy that included visits to three sites to investigate the literacy and numeracy implications of senior citizens' use of online…