Researching Place-based Education: observations from the field

Author(s):

Elisabeth Barratt Hacking(presenting / submitting)Robert Barratt(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2013

Network:

14. Communities, Families and Schooling in Educational Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

14 SES 06 A, Place-Based and Place-Conscious Education

Paper Session

Time:

2013-09-11

15:30-17:00

Room:

A-102

Chair:

Rocío García Carrión

Contribution

There is an international research and practice momentum in place-based education (PBE). Place-based approaches draw on the learner's local everyday experience, expertise and interests as a foundation for new learning. Recent and relevant research publications include Greenwood’s (2008) collection of papers in Environmental Education Research, 14:3 and Barratt and Barratt Hacking’s (2011) special issue of Children Youth Environments, 21:1.

Despite interest in designing place-based curricular over a number of years (Fien, 1993; Bowers, 2001; Smith, 2002; Theobald and Curtiss, 2000; Theobald, 1997) mainstream education and curricular still tend to be generalised with little reference to specific places and communities (Gruenewald and Smith, 2008). Nevertheless, there is a growing recognition from both researchers and practitioners that PBE can enhance participants' learning and community participation.

This paper will draw on PBE research with children and young people undertaken by the presenters and other researchers in their informal international network. It will consider a theoretical framework for place-based education, critique research methodologies employed and present research evidence on the benefits of this approach.

Method

The paper will discuss the participatory research methodologies that have been employed in the presenters' research together with an evaluation framework adapted from Patton’s (2008) utilization approach. Participatory approaches have engaged all participants (learners/ children/ young people, teachers, community members, organisational staff/ local experts) in planning and developing research instruments, gathering data and analysing, evaluating and disseminating findings.

Expected Outcomes

The research findings have suggested a range of benefits for learners and others involved (teachers, community members, parents/ carers) including i] enhancing learning through concrete, real world environmental experience ( authentic knowledge) ii] enhancing learning by learning alongside and with local community members (intergenerational learning) iii] contributing to local community development, ecologically sustainable practice (local environmental citizenship) and quality of the local environment and community. The paper will conclude by arguing that practitioners and researchers should discuss and agree common research questions and undertake systematic evaluation of PBE projects in order to extend the research evidence and build a stronger research case. It will also argue for a clear theoretical framework for PBE that draws on learning theory.

References

Barratt, R. and Barratt Hacking, E. (Eds) (2011) Children Youth Environment. Special Issue. Place-Based Education Theory and Pedagogy. Vol 21 (1) Bowers, C .A. (2001) Educating for eco-justice and community. Athens: The University of Georgia Press. Fien, J. (Ed.) (1993) Environmental education: A pathway to sustain- ability. Geelong, Australia: Deakin University Greenwood, D. (2008). A critical pedagogy of place: From gridlock to parallax. Environmental Education Research, 14(3), 336–348 Gruenewald, D. and Smith, G. (Eds.) (2008) Place-Based Education in the Global Age. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Patton, M.Q. (2008)Utilization-Focused Evaluation. Sage Publications Smith, G. (2002) Place-based Education: Learning To Be Where We Are. Phi Delta Kappan, 83, 584–594 Somerville, M, Power, K and de Carteret, P (2009) Landscapes and Learning: Place Studies for a Global World. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers Theobald, P., & Curtiss, J. (2000) Communities as Curricula. Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, 15(1), 106–11. Theobald, P. (1997) Teaching the Commons: Place, Pride, and the Renewal of Community. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press

Author Information

Elisabeth Barratt Hacking (presenting / submitting)

University of Bath

BAth

Robert Barratt (presenting)

Bath Spa University

Bath

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