Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard in research but may not fully explain or predict outcome variations in community-based interventions. Demonstrating efficacy of externally driven programs in well-controlled environments may not translate to community-based implementation where resources and priorities vary. A bottom-up evaluation…

A program to develop culturally appropriate child and family service standards in First Nations communities was evaluated. Process and outcome benefits were achieved through multiple focus group interviews and using a feedback and data consultation stage to involve community residents. (SLD)

The Central Visayas Regional Project (CVRP) 1 aims to use community based participation to address environmental dilemmas, particularly watershed management, which are exacerbated by harmful local production practices. The CVRP employs many characteristics of Farming Systems Research and Extension (FSR&E) which provides technical training in…

Beginning in fall 1982 the Aurora West Public Schools (Illinois) conducted a multi-year study to identify the nature of their instructional programs and to establish a set of position statements that would serve as guides for program review and change. A significant element of the process was the involvement of the entire staff in development of…

The eight chapters of this theme issue report on studies from 12 countries that focus on the movement toward boundary crossing in education to involve families and communities in education. International studies further the understanding of the effects interventions have in promoting partnerships in education. (SLD)

A formative evaluation was conducted of two elementary schools that have been engaged in the School/Community-Based Management (SCBM) process in Hawaii. The evaluation process was aligned with the SCBM philosophy, which promotes shared decision making, shared responsibility, and collaboration. Stakeholders contributed to the evaluation, which…

As part of an evaluation of educational projects funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) during the 1990s, case studies were conducted at eight sites in four Appalachian states. The sites reflected a range of project types, including school programs, adult literacy, distance education, and dropout prevention. Site visits allowed for a…

The 3-year Citizen Leadership Program was designed to develop citizen-directed planning in Wisconsin. The first year focused on citizen involvement in land use planning; the second year, on community goal setting; and the third year, on community development projects. A representative group of 30 citizens participated in the program's workshops…

A collection of papers, from the Centre for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Asia (CENDHRRA) Evaluation Seminar (1980) in Bandungan, Central Java, provides guidelines for evaluation of rural development projects of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The first part of the report contains a summary of group discussions on different…

Intended for community development professionals and volunteers who work with preliterate communities, this illustrated handbook accompanies a library of visual aids that allow rural people to formulate their own projects. (The curriculum, called Pictorial Apprenticeship, transfers the process of project design into visual forms that literate and…

This manual contains materials for a 2-week workshop to train extension staff and community leaders working at the village level in the Solomon Islands. The aim of the course is to improve participants' skills so they are better able to help communities and community groups design and manage community projects. An introduction addresses the team…

This report describes implementation of a districtwide planning model in the Mesa, Arizona, Public Schools. Figures illustrate planning processes throughout the report. Intended as an implementive framework, the planning system's purposes are to assist decision making about resource allocation, program direction, progress measurement, and district…