One of the priority areas for study in the University-Urban Inteface Program at the University of Pittsburgh is community goals as they relate to metropolitan governance. This report includes some of the findings of the Pittsburgh Goals Study organized from data gathered through a questionnaire sent to key Pittsburgh community leaders. These…

Describes nine of Colorado's smallest rural elementary school communities. Shows how they fall into six community types (agricultural, rural industrial, stable recreational, ranching/railroad, rural commuter, loosely structured/isolated). Notes the interdependence of rural schools and their communities. Explains how the idea of school as community…

The decision to conduct a "Needs Assessment of the Haitian-American Community in Hillsborough County" was made to provide a quasi-scientific or a research foundation to our future intervention in this community. More specifically, the needs assessment aimed to: (1) Identify the priorities in the needs of the Haitian-American community,…

Communities with a flexible, open leadership structure may weather energy booms better than communities with old-guard leadership cliques, according to a study of community governance in two small Texas towns. Although similar in location, ethnic composition, population, access to transportation, economic base, and importance in the county,…

This paper describes the systematic approach utilized in the development of a survey instrument for use in a community assessment survey. The purpose behind the development of the survey instrument was to enable the Office of Research and Development at Central Florida Community College (CFCC) to determine by means of telephone interviews the…

Research on schoolboard and city council elections over a 60-year period in Santa Barbara, California, indicates that the community made roughly simultaneous changes in policy direction in both political areas. The study examines the effects of common ideologies or values on electoral issues and candidates as well as the role of elections as…

This booklet presents a guide for primary students studying a community. Students are to become aware of the many aspects of their community which make it unique. A variety of educational experiences are included with ideas for group lessons, group projects, individual projects, learning centers, and worksheets. All activities are open-ended so…

Appropriate for high school students, a research project to ascertain community needs and problems is outlined. Suggestions for research include areas of economic structure, government, education, and housing. Students are introduced to methods of data gathering (observation, questioning, and use of existing data) and to sources of data such as…

This study was initiated by Florissant Valley Community College and conducted by Systems Development Corporation to determine the priority of educational/information needs of three target groups: women, blacks, and older Americans. Among the aims of the project was the identification of existing constraints on community access to sources of…

Compares traits and attitudes of two Illinois farming communities with populations characterized as "German yeoman" and "Yankee entrepreneur." Discusses how community characteristics shape responses to social and economic changes and affect the course of economic development. (SV)

People continue to define themselves, their lifestyles, and their beliefs through their neighborhoods--their turf. In studying the history of New York City neighborhoods, it is important to consider the developmental trends and constraints (geography, economic structure, transportation, and technological advances) that contributed to the growth of…

In 1960, the Child Welfare League of America began the Day Care Project to survey research to clarify and revise day care services. A three stage program assessed attitudes and practices in seven communities. Stage I tapped community opinions (namely, working mothers) on child welfare issues. Stage II utilized field techniques to survey…

The proposal to do this project was the result of a two-day workshop which was attended by leaders of the Pennysbury, Pennsylvania school district and of the community who explored ways to better utilize the resources of school and community, identify needs and emerging problems, and foster the concept of home, school, and community. Phase I of…

In order to identify and obtain an assessment of public attitudes about "quality of life" conditions and issues in Tuscarawas County, 25 students enrolled on the Tuscarawas Campus of Kent State University were specially trained to conduct interviews with a random sample of 307 Tuscarawas County residents and 50 specially selected…

To assess the needs of residents in proximity to the Downtown Center of Bakersfield College (California), a stratified random sampling of addresses was chosen and adults at each address were interviewed. A total of 422 interviews were conducted by sociology students from the college and by paid student interviewers. Thirty-five percent of the…