California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) is continuing its three-year grant, "Collaborative Capacity Building on Biodegradable Soil Sensors for Sustainable Agriculture," initiated in 2023. The project integrates research, education, and outreach/extension to advance the development and deployment of biodegradable sensors for…

An extensive faculty partnership at the University of Connecticut (UConn) that reaches across college and departmental lines is engaged in a project that seeks to enhance, expand, institutionalize, and study a new model for community engagement. The model, called the Environment Corps (E-Corps), combines the familiar elements of classroom…

Many public issues are becoming more complex, interconnected, and cannot be resolved by one individual or entity. Research shows an informed decision is not enough. Addressing these issues requires authentic civic engagement (deliberative dialogue) with the public to reach resourceFULL™ decisions--a decision based on diverse sources of information…

As community gardens expand across the U.S., Extension professionals can support them not only in horticultural education but also in planning and organization. Knowledge of community garden management is helpful in this regard. Existing research focuses on outcomes and criteria for successful gardens, but is less clear about how community gardens…

The University of Missouri Extension needed to develop an annual program review process that collaboratively engaged county-level stakeholders. The results from the first 2 years highlight the results, challenges, and implications of the design process. The annual review process needs to be adaptive, responsive, and reflective from year to year…

This is the final report of the Seattle Community Learning Center. The objectives of the project were to extend education and social outreach to members of the community not presently served in adult basic education, occupational skills, childcare, health assistance, family counseling, recreation, and social service referral. The project involved…

University managers of academic outreach need outstanding skills in communication, persuasion, and negotiation to win and maintain active faculty/administrator support for outreach activities. Failure to generate such support will make it impossible for outreach managers to deliver on the promise of the outreach concept. (Editor/LBH)

The College of New Rochelle's School of New Resources is described including: adult participation in decision making (selection and development of courses, faculty recruitment, and courses and programs evaluation), and descriptions of extension centers and campuses (AFSCME-AFL/CIO, Co-op City, South Bronx, New York Theological Seminary, and…

This project was conducted as an experiment in the implementation of the guidelines set up by the agents' manual of the Texas study, SKILLS (Seniors and Kids Involved in Learning Life's Skills). Objectives of the intergenerational program included the following: (1) to further the work started by the SKILLS study, (2) to offer a variety of…

Communities Alive For Living and Learning (Project CALL), designed at Kishwaukee College to help three local, rural communities develop educational, recreational, and cultural programs, is described in this report. The first sections of the report consider the need for and purposes of the project. The Project Coordinator's report presents an…

Selected concepts and theoretical orientations were identified and applied to the Guelph Rural Development Outreach Project, formed in 1976 to give leadership in the evolvement of a more comprehensive and integrated approach to rural development in Ontario. Huron County (a traditional rural agricultural area), Halton Region (an area characterized…

A national evaluation study was conducted to ascertain the effects of the large quantity of manpower devoted to community organization and leadership development work by state cooperative extension services. Data were sought on evaluation questions which addressed objectives and policies related to community organizational and leadership…

Describes adult educational program by University College Galway in rural West Ireland, following significant out-migration of young people. Aim is to encourage development initiatives, community participation, and self help. Program includes lectures, seminars, and class projects. Program's successes noted. (Author/TES)