Reviews ERIC documents dealing with community services functions, community education, community development, and the involvement of the community with community colleges. (DMM)

Describes a simulation game which introduces concepts and problems associated with community planning. Initial activities include a role-playing exercise focusing on decisions related to a vacant lot; implications for various decisions are noted. Also gives suggested questions to address when planning a town. (DH)

There is a growing interest among organizations in identifying and nurturing Communities of Practice. Delineating what is and what is not a Community of Practice (CoP) is not a clear-cut task. One specific area of difficulty is distinguishing between a team and a CoP. Because there are strong similarities between the two, it is often helpful to…

In 2000, a study entitled "Youth in Decision-Making: A Study on the Impacts of Youth on Adults and Organizations," examined organizations that actively involved youth in decision making roles and found that adults and organizations had experienced significant positive changes as a result. Building on focus groups and interviews conducted…

This report highlights the contributions of universities and colleges to local community revitalization efforts, focusing on the efforts of Community Outreach Partnership Centers (COPC), which provide seed money to institutions of higher learning to encourage and help them reach out to distressed local communities. The COPC program provides 3-year…

Place-based, or "contextualized," mathematics instruction gives learners the opportunity to see how mathematics is relevant to their lives. Such opportunities are crucial to the success of students in rural settings and may be crucial to the survival of rural communities. For the last half century, schools have educated rural children to believe…

The Family to Family initiative has encouraged states to reconceptualize, redesign, and reconstruct their foster care systems. By 1996, the initiative was being implemented in five states, five Georgia counties, and Los Angeles County, California. The first objective of this initiative is to develop a network of family foster care that is more…

This guide is designed to help organize and conduct a forum about sustainability with conservation groups. The ideal number of participants for this activity is 12 to 32 people. Sections of the guide include: (1) "Before You Begin"; (2) "About This Conservation Issues Forum"; (3) "An Agenda"; (4) "Welcome and Introduction"; (5) "Participant…

Community development programs in Fort Chipewyan, Wabasca-Desmarais, and Slave Lake were evaluated to determine their success in effecting social change in spite of, or in cooperation with, the existing bureaucratic machinery in Alberta. The history of governmental support and the Human Resources Development Authority jurisdiction are cited…

Specific examples of curriculum-based community service from elementary through university level are cited in response to criticisms of education. The use of resources in assisting professionals is cited in several contexts: social work, medicine, police work, etc. The particular emphasis is on youth, especially those readily available. (AG)

The article describes the contributions of social work in two areas, in grass roots community organization and in social planning. As a partial response to the growing connection between the two areas, the writers have attempted to adapt the community organization curriculum of a professional school of social work. (Author/AG)

Unesco clubs, Associated Schools Programs, and National Commissions report on exchange projects, new materials, and curricular innovations, as well as requests for interaction with others interested in active learning from an international perspective. (JH)

Considers the philosophy underlying learning and needs in adult education. (RK)