IALA » Com, Lrng Centers

Learning in the Community

Wayne Jennings — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 18:11:44 +0000

Community Based Learning: Engaging Students for Success and Citizenship by the Coalition for Community Schools highlights how involving students in real-world learning would make a tremendous difference in school outcomes. For example:

-Ninety-five percent of students (ages thirteen to nineteen) said opportunities
for more real world learning would improve their school. Seventy-one percent said that it would improve their school a great deal.

-Ninety-two percent of adults (including teachers) favored emphasizing real world learning in schools including work study, community service, and vocational courses. Sixty-four percent of adults strongly advocated emphasizing real world learning.

-Seventy percent of teachers strongly advocated emphasizing real world learning.

See page 2 of the report for references on these assertions. The report provides the theoretical basis of its community based learning theme, examples of programs, the desirable outcomes of such programs, policies and strategies, and lists of organizations supportive and active in this field. A very significant report for school transformation!

Design for New Schools: CLC

Wayne Jennings — Mon, 31 May 2004 23:52:21 +0000

The Community Learning Centers model was developed to “redesign American education.” A huge database of information is available about its features and how to implement them. It includes: personal learning plans, professional learning plans, differentiated staffing, performance pay, advisor program, technology use, thematic instruction, service learning, school board operations (charter), brain compatible learning, and other topics with detailed descriptions.

This is highly useful for people planning new schools who need to think differently about education. The CLC model was developed by Designs for Learning, a St. Paul, MN consulting firm.

Exciting Designs for New Schools

Wayne Jennings — Mon, 26 Apr 2004 04:59:06 +0000

In a remote blue collar region of Australia, Devenport, Tasmania, a new school, Reece Community High School received the prestigious MacConnell award for the best planned, designed and technologically advanced school in the world. Education Week has an excellent story (free registration) as has Design Share, The International Forum for Innovative Schools.

A second set of examples of advanced schools is Schools as Centers of Community: A Citizens’ Guide for Planning and Design, a gorgeously illustrated free book you can download from the web by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.

A third source of good ideas is Smaller, Safer, Saner Successful Schools from the Center for School Change and can be downloaded free. This well-illustrated booklet provides a rationale for smaller schools and for sharing space with community resources.