"Institutional context" has come to play an important role in the explanation of differences in "effectiveness" between schools. But what is meant by such a concept differs from system to system. In this study we typify education systems based on indicators of institutional contexts such as: the financial base of public-private…

Many adults have a desire to give back to the communities that have supported and nurtured them, and they find their own ways to do so. Community based learning is but one mechanism for making connections that enable one to satisfy the aspiration to address the many problems of concern. It is a methodology that can be employed in the classroom,…

Service learning, a form of experiential learning, is not a new idea. Students learn through participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences that meet real community needs are are coordinated in collaboration with schools/faculty and community organizations. the service experiences are integrated into the students' academic curriculum,…

Teaching cases are a valuable tool in preparing teachers and school administrators to engage effectively with families. Because the case method presents a story in practice, it offers students an active learning opportunity. Teaching cases involve real world situations and consider the perspectives of various stakeholders, including teachers,…

The purpose of this study was to describe a collaborative partnership model known as the Global Educational Ecosystem, which involves three K-12 schools in Northern California, community organizations (representing science, technology, health, and arts), and Xilinx, Inc. from the perspectives of the leaders of the involved partner organizations in…

Each edition of the IDRA Newsletter strives to provide many different perspectives on the issues in education topics discussed and to define its significance in the state and national dialogue. This issue focuses on Change Strategies and includes: (1) YA! Es Tiempo--The Courage to Connect (Maria "Cuca" Robledo Montecel); (2) Making…

This qualitative study used focus groups to identify the knowledge about the "Arts du Cirque" Program implemented in a primary school and to explore perceptions of its impacts. Data are based on the discourse of school staff members, parents and other members of the community of an elementary school. The impacts on students are…

This study examined the effects on academic achievement of offering students enrollment in the Promise Academy charter middle school. The school is sponsored by the Harlem Children's Zone[R], which combines reform-minded charter schools with a web of community services designed to provide a positive and supportive social environment outside of…

This collection of essays from the "Harvard Educational Review" offers historic examples of humanizing educational spaces, practices, and movements that embody a spirit of hope and change. From Dayton, Ohio, to Barcelona, Spain, this collection of essays from the "Harvard Educational Review" carries readers to places where…

It was the kind of crisis most universities dread. In November 2006, a group of minority student leaders at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) threatened to sue the university if administrators did not heed demands that included providing more funding for multicultural student groups. This article discusses how this threat…

The conceptual model presented, The Perceptual Model of School-Community Consolidations, attempts to explain the nature and extent of philosophical agreement and harmony that exists between the school and its referent groups. (Author)

This course, "Words on the Wadsworth," was the Humanities Honors course for the spring of 2009 at Hillyer College, the two year Associates degree program at the University of Hartford. Combining the content of a chronological survey of modern art with the new technology of podcasting and the venue of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford…

Representative democracy relies on the informed trust of the citizens. School board members serve their communities at a crucial place, governing large sums of money and the future of the community's children. Without the informed trust of the citizens, this enterprise will fail. Trust may be lost directly, or through inattention to detail. One of…

This study was designed to investigate school principals' perceptions on school public relations in five areas: community demographics, parental involvement, internal and external communications, school council issues, and community resources. Findings indicated that principals' concerns were as follows: rapid population growth, change of…

In this article the author describes a project in which professors and preservice art educators from Northern Illinois University (NIU) collaborated with teens and members of the DeKalb Latino local community center to create a mural celebrating a traditional Aztec narrative. The mural project involved professors, university students, teenagers…