Utility of Community-Based Learning Resources.

An increasing number of high school programs are turning toward activities outside the classroom as a source of student learning experiences. One form of organization for such learning is Experience-Based Career Education (EBCE), which provides a link between the academic classroom and vocational education through the use of a "resource pool" of community participants. This study focuses on the resource pools of three schools that decided to implement high fidelity EBCE programs. The main objectives of the study were to increase knowledge about the nature of resource pools and analyze their effectiveness as learning environments. It also demonstrated techniques for locating worthwhile data about such resource pools and helped identify areas where more information is needed. Among results of the study were the findings that resource persons and resource organizations will maintain interest in the program over time, and that underutilization of resources frequently exists. (Author/JG)