What is Place Based Learning and how can it be used in your Curriculum?

With Place Based Learning you can enhance education for you students. Learn what Place Based Learning is and how it can be used in your teaching.

What is Place Based Learning?

 Did you think that the classroom was the only teaching place for students? If yes, then think again. Using Place based education, you can convert anywhere and everywhere into a classroom and provide an enriching educational experience for your students.

Definition of Place Based Education:

 The Rural School and Community Trust(2005) defined it as “ Place based education is learning that is rooted in what is local- the unique history, environment, culture, economy, literature, and art of a particular place. The community provides the context for learning, student work focuses on community needs and interests, and community members serve as resources and partners in every aspect of teaching and learning. This local focus has the power to engage students academically, pairing real-world relevance with intellectual rigor, while promoting genuine citizenship and preparing people to respect and live well in any community they choose.” (p.23).

Goals of Place Based Education

The three fundamental goals of Place Based Education are:

1. Improving student achievement- Place Based Education encourages student participation within and for the community and aims to improve their sense of responsibility and ownership of their environment. This has been found to stimulate academic excellence.

2. Collaborating between school and community: The practice of Place Based Education helps develop a strong bond between the various local organizations and the school, which is mutually beneficial in terms of improving quality of life and communities.

3. Preserving the environment:As the students learn from their enviornment they are encouraged to take steps to preserve it and solve existing environmental issues.

Getting started on your Place Based Education

 Here are some tips to help you get started with your own Place Based Learning:

Look for opportunities: While some learning ideas are right there in your school property, others may need to be searched for or created. For instance, the trees surrounding your campus can be a great lesson in science, while a  tour around the community will familiarize your students to its outstanding history. Conducting small community projects or addressing community needs also serves as a lesson in how to tackle or resolve existing issues.

Set your goals: When you realize the immense potential for learning all around you, it is quite easy to be distracted and get lost in all the options. To help you stay focused, set your learning goals, create a lesson plan and then search for the places or locations that can help you attain your goals.

Include your community: As well as the local environment, the various members of your community also have a significant role in Place Based Learning. Parents and community leaders are great sources of resources just waiting to be utilized.

Use all resources: Do not limit your teaching to familiar areas. Instead explore, find and create unique learning experiences. You should also be comfortable to reach out to others for help. Use commity leaders to collaborate in teaching your students about their particular fields.

With these resources you are able to step out of the box. Take your students on a comprehensive learning experience that will be hands on and unforgetable.

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