The University of the Future - In a world where economies are increasingly dependent upon high-level knowledge, higher education is a key national resource. But a Forward Look initiated by the European Science Foundation shows that we need to know more about how universities, and other higher education institutions, are changing in the 21st century. Download papers from the Higher Education Looking Forward (HELF) project here. [Source: HandsNet WebClipper]

Improving Education on Reserves - A decade ago, the 1996 Census found that approximately 60 percent of First Nation on-reserve residents aged 20 to 24 had not completed high school. The 2006 Census results are unchanged. This Caledon paper by Michael Mendelson recommends a new legal framework to encourage for First Nations the equivalent of the school consolidation movement that swept rural Canada many years ago. Download the paper here. [Source: Caledon Institute of Social Policy]

Relevance In High School Education - California's one-size-fits-all approach to high school education isn't working. But by combining hands-on learning with high-level academics, "multiple pathways" programs are showing how to re-engage students and transform education in the state. Learn more here. [Source: The James Irvine Foundation]

Schools as Centres of Community - CEFPI is a professional organization for architects and planners who work at designing schools—the physical buildings themselves. This guide explains how community needs can be addressed during the design process, and how the buildings themselves can serve the purpose of community engagement. It outlines how citizens can get involved in the design process and lays out the design principles needed to make the school a useful space for all community members, not just students.

Schools as Community Learning Centres - This research paper from the US Department of Education discusses the benefits of using public schools as ready-made community centres. Most traditional schools are open only 6 useful hours per day, and sit empty the rest of the time. By keeping them open after classes and into the evening, schools can be centres of activity for the whole community, with academic or recreational activities available for students and adults. Many community schools embrace this philosophy as a central part of their mission.

Take a look at the appendices at the end of this report (just scroll down the page)—it provides more information on all sorts of topics, from funding to staffing to evaluation.

Rural & Small Libraries: Lifelong Learning - This research paper from the US Department of Education examines how libraries can be centers of learning for people of all ages. In many communities, especially rural ones, libraries are the best and most easily accessible institutions for promoting community education. They are especially useful for promoting “lifelong learning,” since traditional schools usually have little connection to adults in need of education.

Have we missed something? Know a great resource we should include here? Email us at tamarack@tamarackcommunity.ca.

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