In 1990 a study was conducted whose purpose was to establish empirically the degree to which governance of each state community college system was centralized or decentralized. This data would provide information on which to base decisions for changing governance structures. The 1990 study was replicated in 1997. A 100% response rate was obtained…

Describes a long-term, Arizona field project that allows students to collect and analyze regional economic data and to apply theoretical techniques and applications. Discusses the history and evolution of the project that generally involves a series of economic base surveys and reports on small rural communities. (MJP)

Reviews one of the little-known failures of the New Deal social programs. The Subsistence Homestead Division and the Resettlement Administration attempted to resettle urban slum dwellers in autonomous garden cities and submarginal farmers in new farm villages. Discusses the reasons these communal efforts failed and provides suggested teaching…

Examines six elementary social studies textbook series for the absence or presence of multicultural perspectives. Identifies Houghton Mifflin and Macmillan as opposite ends of the spectrum. Houghton Mifflin displayed a global-humanistic perspective while Macmillan favored a nationalistic, exclusionary approach. Includes examples from both. (MJP)

Explores the relationship between educational theory and practice by describing the following three categories in an expanded view of scholarly activity in education: (1) studying school improvement programs; (2) creating new ways of taking action on new knowledge; and (3) building new collaborative structures between schools and universities.…

Community Commons (CC) is a collaborative partnership among Brevard Community College (BCC) (Florida) and over 40 social service organizations and agencies in Florida dedicated to providing education, job training, social services, recreation, and a drug free environment to communities of low income families. The project specifically seeks to…

This report explores issues related to expanding the roles of schools and youth in rural community development. It is suggested that rural schools, when working in partnership with local leaders and residents, can have a positive impact on community viability. The report is based on a project involving a partnership between a local school system…

This report provides Canadian Aboriginal communities with information and resources for carrying out participatory action research and applying the results to community development. Presented in English and French, the report is based on a literature review and a 2-day focus group involving 14 community development experts, Aboriginal community…

This paper describes how four institutions of higher education, local businesses, and community leaders cooperated to work for change in University Heights (Newark, New Jersey). Initial sections describe the community and the economic and social changes it has seen in recent decades. These sections also review how the four institutions established…

Of the total number of illiterate people in the world, half are in India. National programs for adult education in India are the Community Development Program, Farmers Functional Literacy Project, and National Adult Education Program, participants in which include voluntary agencies, state resource centers, and district resource units. When the…

The California Main Street Program (MSP) provides technical assistance to rural communities facing rapid growth and downtown decay, serving as a vehicle for local stimulation and revitalization of downtown area businesses. This five-part handbook presents strategies for creating partnerships between California's MSPs and the state's community…

Saltville, Virginia, is a former company town whose main employer, a soda ash plant, shut down on July 1, 1971. The closure of the chemical plant displaced 700 workers, and created a crisis that threatened not only the existence of the town, but of the entire region. In response, Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC), in cooperation with the…

An exploratory study designed to analyze the evolution of neighborhood movements in Rio de Janeiro City (Brazil) focuses on actions related to the struggle for public schools. The effort seeks to determine the degree of political autonomy of the neighborhood associations and the nature of the educational demands and their relationship with the…

The topics and issues brought forth in this report are the result of a 3-month training course on early childhood education that included lectures, discussions, and field visits. Nineteen participants representing 11 countries lived together for 3 months during 1982, exchanging views and ideas. A list of program participants, staff, and sponsors…

The grassroots Rural Communities Educational Cooperative (RCEC) made higher education accessible/affordable to adults in rural Appalachian communities, designed courses for competency-based rural education, and received high ratings from students and faculty. The Mountain Women's Exchange--a network of seven community organizations run by…