NREL Has Learned Over the Past 20 Years About Variouwcommunity-Based Learning Programs
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 397 476 EA 027 711 TITLE School Improvemént Research Series: Series X, 1995-96. INSTITUTION Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, Oreg. SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 96 CONTRACT RP91002001 NOTE 103p. AVAILABLE FROMNorthwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 101 S.W. Main Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97204. PUB TYPE Collected Works General (020) -- Information Analyses (070) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC05 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Academic Achievement; *Change Strategies; Citizenship Education; Cooperative Education; *Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; *Excellence in Education; *Experiential Learning; Integrated Services; Learning Experience; Learning Strategies; Organizational Climate; School Size ABSTRACT This packet contains seven research briefs in the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory's (NWREL's) "School Improvement Research Series" for 1995-96. Topical Synthesis #8, "Community-Based Learning: A Foundation for Meaningful Educational Reform" (Thomas R. Owens and Changhua Wang) summarizes les..ons that NREL has learned over the past 20 years about variouwcommunity-based learning programs. Close-Up #19, "Educating for Citizenship" (Kathleen Cotton), describes issues concerning the content and processes of civic education. Close-Up #20, "School Size, School Climate, and Student Performance" (Kathleen Cotton), reviews research literature that examined the relationships among school size, school climate, and student performance. Snapshot 1/37, "Providing Integrated Services in an Inner-City School" (Joan Shaughnessy), relates how a small innAr-city public elementary school--the Family Academy, New York, New York--designed an approach that successfully integrated social services with academic learning. Snapshot #38, "Integrating Middle School Curriculum around Real-World Issues" (James W. Kushman) describes how Waldo Middle School in Salem, Oregon, integrated middle-school curriculum around real-world issues. Snapshot #39, "Improving Elementary School Climate" (Kathleen Cotton), describes how Bonneville Elementary School in Pocatello, Idaho improved its school climate. Snapshot #40, "Leading an Inner-City School to 'Overall Excellence' (Kathleen Cotton), describes how an inner-city school--the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Seattle, Washington--received national recognition for overall excellence through the leadership of the principal and key staff members. References accompany most of the briefs. (LMI) Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory 101S.W. Main Street, Suite 500 Ponland, Oregon97204-3297 (503)275-9500 Writer's Direct Dial Number: Fax: Internet: SCHOOL TMPROVEMENT RESEARCH SERIES SERIES X 1995-96 1.TOPICAL SYNTHESIS #8 Community-Based Learning: A Foundation for Meaningful Educational Reform 2.CLOSE-UP #19 Educating for Citizenship 3.CLOSE-UP #20 School Size, School Climate, and Student Performance 4.SNAPSHOT #37 Providing Integrated Services in an Inner-CiV School 5.SNAPSHOT #38 Integrating Middle School Curriculum Around Real-World Issues 6.SNAPSHOT #39 Improving Elementary School Climate 7.SNAPSHOT #40 Leading an Elementary School to "Overall Excellence7 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office ot Eaucahonei Research arm improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to Improve reproduction qualify. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. BEST COPY AVAILABLE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RESEARCH ...,e,RIES Table of Contents: YearSeries Series VI-X "Research You Can Use" PRODUCTS Collaboration#5:1891-02/SeziesVISchool-Community to Improve Management#6:1992-03/SeriesVIISchool-Based Harmony#7:1993-841SeriesVIII Fostering in Schools: Intercultural UpdatedSynthesis1994-05/SerieslX Research on Effective Learning:#8:1995-06/SeriesXCommunity-Based A Foundation Topical Syntheses #11:UrbantheFamilies Quality Teaching Youth of andLife Thinking Their for #13:Developing #15:Research Developing Findings #17:Schooling Reducing Practices the Reformfor419: Meaningful Educating Educationalfor Close-Ups Skills#12:Staff Development YouthEmpathyEducation#14: Nongraded in Children Primary and EmployabilityCurriculum#16: Integrated Skills TutoringDropout#18: Peer Rate and Cross-Age CitizenshipPerformanceClimate,#20: School and Size, Student School MiddleQualityand#21: Assess Learning School,- James Writing toSan Lick Write Stevencon-CarsonStudent#25:District, Building Self-Concept Stevenson, Positive School WA - #29:Salem,entaryProgramNongraded Implementing School,NCKonnoak Elementary Winston- a Elem- andershipStrongImprovement#33: theEngendering -Instructional DemonstrationSale Elementary Through School Lead-School#37:Academy,Services Providing - The in New an Family Inner-City IntegratedYork, NY Snapshots Francieco,TraditionalProductively#22: Using CA School,School - J.S. ChickTime InnovativeMathematics#26: Achieving Programming Through Success in - School,MakingThrough#30: School Junction- Teacher Laurel Improvement City,Elementary Decision OR Through#34:School,VisualMathematics Promoting MathColumbus, a Hands-On Program Learning Student MS -and#38:MiddleReal-WorldSchool Integrating CurriculumSchool, Issues Salem, Middle - AroundWaldo OR #23:KansasPerformance Improving City, MO Through Student Students#27:Portland,Davis Success Elementary ThroughOR for At-Risk School, Secondary#31: Restructuring Level:Grouping, at the PortsmouthQuality#35:Portland, Applying Management OR Middle Total School,tary#39: School Improving Climate Elemen- - School,CollegeMastery Lynnwood,Place Learning Middle - WA HighInstructionComputer-Assisted School, - PensacolaPensacola, FLNorktown,mentInstruction, - York VA andHigh Assess- School, cumbeEducationPrinciples#36:Sitka, Preparing AK High to- Mt. School,Secondary HighEdge- School,Bonneville#40: Leading Pocatello, Elementary an Elemen- ID #24:School,SouthChild-InitiatedCurriculum Restructuring Colby Port to Orchard,Elementary ActivityPromote the WA - School,Multiethnic#28:Linda Restructuring Vista San Diego,EnvironmentElementary CAin a - OklahomaShidlerMultiethnic#32: Rejuvenating Elementary City, Urban OK Schoola School, - SchoolLeonardtown,CountyPrepWorld Program of StudentsPublic Work MD-Schools, inSt. for a Mary's Techthe Excellence"tarySchool,Marshall School Seattle, Elementary -to Thurgood "Overall WA NorthwestPortland,101 S.W. MainOregon Regional Street,275-9500 97204 Educational Suite 500 Laboratory DevelopmentSchool, Community Program and Professional 1 Telephone3503) 4 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT -RESEARCH SERIES "Research You Can Use" Topical Synthesis #8 Community-Based Learning: A Foundation for Meaningful Educational Reform Thomas IL Owens Changhua Wang In my community experience, I went bilities. They feel cut off from meaningful from learning what something is, to relationships with caring adults. As a result, applying it to real life. I learned why I they are often unmotivated to study and view need to know the things that I learned education as something imposed by adults in math class. I had -ct chance to work rather than an exciting opportunity for them with some neat people who let me try to develop their skills and contribute to others. out things for myself The mentor In short, there is a growing consensus that really seemed to care about me as a change is needed in education, not only in person, and I had fun.A Student reforming what is taught but also in how and where it is taught. Introduction This topical synthesis summarizes what we have learned over the past 20 years about Many of today's leaders in education, business, various community-based learning programs and community development are coining to and describes how community-based learning realize, even more than in the past, that can serve as an important contribution to schools alone cannot prepare our youth for educational reform in the future. The paper productive adulthood. These leaders are ready first defmes what we mean by community- to try new approaches that link learning based learning and discusses it as a philoso- activities in classrooms with a full range of phy, program, set of strategies, and expected learning experiences available in our commu- outcomes. Next, we describe the advantages nities. of having multiple outcomes for community- based learning that include a youth develop- Perhaps more important than the views of ment perspective. We review the barriers that adults are the views of young people about have faced this form of learning. The research themselves and their schools. Students often regarding community-based learning is dis- complain that their classes are irrelevant, not cussed, followed by its contribution to educa- related to what occurs outside of the class- tional reform. Finally, we state some conclu- room, and lacking opportunities for hands-on sions and recommendations for future direc- applications. They feel they are treated as tions. Following the text we cite key refer- children instead of being given adult responsi- ences and general references. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory 101 S.W. Main Street, Suite 500 Portland, Oregon 97204 School, Community and Professional Telephone 1503) 275-9500 Development Program t education that includes critical thinking, What is Community- teamwork, and the ability to apply knowl- Based Learning? edge.