Traditionally, absenteeism has been understood as a problem that requires individualised punitive measures. However, more recent studies have highlighted the importance and coherence of tackling it through community-based approaches in which the entire educational ecosystem is involved and participates. This article describes the methodological…

This paper introduces the Heritage-based Education 5.0 model as a transformative approach to decolonize higher education in Zimbabwe and other postcolonial contexts. Departing from the traditional Education 3.0 banking model, which imposes Western-centric knowledge on passive students, this model recognizes and values students' cultural heritage…

Social innovation education (SIE) is a student-led collaborative process of creating unique solutions to challenges within the community. Through an analysis of pre- and post-surveys completed by 94 post-primary school students in Ireland, the current study looked at how prior wellbeing (measured using the EPOCH model) influenced change in…

Aboriginal people in Alice Springs mapped the safe places in their Town Camps. This participatory research led to the implementation of safety features. Safety mapping was developed in response to deficit-based research which pathologized Aboriginal people in Alice Springs. Safety mapping was conducted with Aboriginal people in Town Camps to…

Focusing on an instrumental case study of urban agriculture on a wetland in Zimbabwe, this study explores how focus group discussion can be augmented with design thinking method to enhance public engagement. Design thinking, by virtue of being oriented toward solving complex problems was implemented prior to focus group discussion as a means of…

This paper presents the formulated 'play-to-engage' model for indigenous community engagement that incorporates factors in cultural protocols and game design thinking. The hybrid model of the participatory co-creation model was formulated in the study that had been rolled out in two rural primary schools in West Borneo. These schools are located…

This essay uses the experience of one community engagement program at the American University of Beirut (AUB), a prominent private university in Lebanon, to reflect on the value and challenges of civic engagement in a non-Western context. It describes the Lebanese sectarian political system, provides an overview of the AUB Neighborhood Initiative,…

February is a natural time to teach students that love involves more than hearts and candy--it also means giving of oneself. According to Terri Kennamer, a third-grade teacher at West Elementary School in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, it is the responsibility of educators to help students recognize that they are citizens of the world. Children have…

With contributions from leading experts across disciplinary fields, this book explores best practices from the field's most notable researchers, as well as important historically based and politically focused challenges to a field whose impact has reached an important crossroads. The comprehensive and powerfully critical analysis considers the…

The present project analysed the use of participatory models during the process of application of a prevention program with preschool-aged children in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Relevant phases in achieving community collaboration are delineated and challenges are discussed. Results indicate that participatory models provided an effective means of…

It is widely acknowledged that sustainable development is a long-term goal, which both individuals and institutions (and countries!) need to pursue. This important theme is characterized by an intrinsic complexity, since it encompasses ecological or environmental considerations on the one hand, and economic matters, social influences and political…

Introduction: Knowledge translation implies the exchange and synthesis of knowledge between researchers and research users, employing a high level of communication and participation, not only to share the knowledge found through research, but also to implement subsequent strategies. Prince Edward Island, a rural province in Canada, provided the…

This document consists of two guides that were developed to assist small rural communities in northern Alberta (Canada) in conducting surveys. A community survey can be used to develop long- and short-range plans, define and solve problems, establish priorities, confirm public opinion, develop community support and stimulate action, and reveal new…

This 57-minute videotape covers the "Florida Educators Using Information Technology" session of the "Eco-Informa '96" conference. Two speakers presented examples of environmental educators using information technology. The first speaker, Brenda Maxwell, is the Director and Developer of the Florida Science Institute based at…