In this review the author explores whether school management councils (SMCs) reproduce prevailing norms of social participation or serve as a lever for change by challenging these norms and creating opportunities for subdominant groups to participate, thus enabling parents to take part in decision-making. The analysis highlights examples from…

Prompted by increasing U.S. longevity and aging demographics, this phenomenological study explored what it is like for 13 women, 75-91, to thrive in elder adulthood. Through multiple interviews, projective inventories, and focus groups, 6 group patterns emerged: (a) vital involvement and service, (b) desire to learn, (c) appreciation of basic life…

A model of language and speciality-area content teaching and learning in Japan is built on a concern to develop dialogically engaged language communal communication (DELCC) in class to be extended outside in the wider society. This model is applicable to other university contexts insofar as the FAO language is conceptualised and practised for life…

This site visit report describes the development and activities of the New Hampshire Family Support Network for families of people with developmental disabilities, and is based on a review of documents, interviews with key people, and participant observation. It begins with a brief history of family activism in New Hampshire, noting the early high…

Designed to extend Law Day's impact, this program gives lawyers, judges, and other community leaders the opportunity to teach important lessons about the United States Constitution and the federal government. It is intended to stimulate opportunities for students to reflect on the country's constitutional heritage and gain appreciation for the…

The National Household Education Survey (NHES) is a data collection system of the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) that is designed to address a wide range of education-related issues through telephone surveys. It provides descriptive data on the educational activities of the U.S. population and offers a variety of educational…

Based on the idea that community colleges have a critical role in enhancing civic literacy through community-based programming and service learning, this volume provides descriptions of theoretical frameworks and practical models for incorporating community renewal into the college mission. The following articles are provided: (1) "Service…

This collection of essays by various authors discusses the dilemmas that face those who would educate tomorrow's valuable citizens and describes the day-to-day commitment needed to maintain a community. The book gives guidelines for action through examples of current programs that provide a forum for civic discussion and public consensus on the…

The theme of this journal concerns democracy and citizenship education at universities. An editorial, "The Postmodern Blues" (Bernard Murchland), examines the negative citizen attitudes during the election campaign of Bill Clinton. The five civic education roundtable articles represent two position papers and three responses. The first position…

School districts often find themselves in a double bind when dealing with the public: they seek public input, but also are vulnerable to manipulation by organized interest groups that are not representative of the entire community. The dilemma is how to procure the overall community's public judgment of a topic and allow widespread participation.…

This book defends the democratic ideal of education and elaborates its implications for educational practices in the United States today. The volume contends democracy is not merely a political process of rule by majorities or pluralities, but it is also a political ideal of a society whose adult members are, and continue to be, equipped by their…

CIVITAS is a curriculum framework that sets forth a set of national goals to be achieved in a civic education curriculum, primarily for K-12 public and private schools. It is a framework that proposes to specify the knowledge and skills needed by citizens to perform their roles in U.S. democracy. There are two major sections in the framework. It…

At Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC), citizens advisory committees (CACs) were instrumental in the initiation of the first programs and services at the college and have continued to suggest needed additions, deletions, and modifications of offerings as the college has grown. This handbook outlines basic guidelines and procedures for…

Lobbying is defined as the function of citizens to express their views and to gain the support of legislators for proposed laws. This guide, for Massachusetts students, is designed to take students step by step through the lobbying process and to suggest strategies and resources to use in their own lobbying efforts. The guide contains the…

These lesson plans are designed to help fifth- through eighth-grade students learn about recycling, and to help them understand that recycling is one important environmental action citizens can take. The lesson plans are composed of objectives, homework assignments, main activities, and enrichment activities. (DB)