Place Learning is a transformative movement rooted in the principles of Place-Based Education, reimagined with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core. The central premise of Place Learning is that academic standards can be effectively taught through the lens of local contexts, while simultaneously addressing global challenges. This "glocal" approach (global plus local) capitalizes on the unique resources and histories of communities, fostering holistic, sustainable learning experiences.
The Foundations of Place Learning
Place Learning emphasizes teaching through engagement with the local environment and community, making learning relevant and meaningful to students. Place Learning extends this concept by embedding the SDGs, thereby connecting local action with global responsibility. This integration ensures that students develop not only academic competencies but also the critical thinking, empathy, and problem-solving skills necessary to contribute to a sustainable future.
Place Learning as a Response to Standardized Learning
Place Education is a reaction to the No Child Left Behind legislation. I had the opportunity to teach both before that enactment and after. What I have seen is that students and teachers are less engaged in the process. Teachers used to be excited about lessons; now they must teach common plans, often purchased as a curriculum resource that has no tie to the community. The shift toward standardized curricula has diminished the creativity and adaptability of instruction, making learning more rigid and less meaningful. By contrast, Place Learning restores teacher autonomy and student curiosity by fostering deep, place-based connections to learning.
Harnessing Local Contexts for Academic Standards
Communities are rich with resources that can serve as living classrooms. In our town, for example, the lived experiences of individuals who endured the Jim Crow Era provide invaluable lessons in history, resilience, and social justice. These narratives offer students a profound understanding of historical events while fostering emotional intelligence and cultural awareness. By engaging with local elders and their stories, students learn history in a way that transcends textbooks, making the lessons tangible and impactful.
Similarly, natural resources such as rivers offer interdisciplinary learning opportunities. A river can serve as the focal point for teaching science, geography, mathematics, and art. For example:
Science: Investigating the river’s ecosystem, water quality, and biodiversity aligns with standards in biology and environmental science.
Mathematics: Measuring flow rates and calculating the impact of conservation efforts integrates real-world applications of algebra and statistics.
Social Studies: Exploring the river’s historical significance and its role in the community highlights connections between human activity and geography.
Art and Literature: Inspiring creativity through river-themed projects, poetry, and storytelling nurtures expression and cultural appreciation.
Addressing Academic Challenges Through Place Learning
After teaching in Title One, K-12 schools for 24 years, I know which academic standards trip students up in high school. Specifically, students must pass Biology to obtain a high school diploma in Georgia. Many of the lessons I design and teach to younger children target those academic standards that tend to be problematic. In this way, when they encounter these meaty topics in high school, they already know the vocabulary associated with the content, as well as the targeted knowledge. I teach these through local topics so that the students will have a connection to the phenomenon and it is reaffirmed when they come into contact with it.
For example, I teach a year-long unit to middle school students on our local river. I teach the water cycle, the rock cycle, and units from Social Studies on the people who have interacted with the river since its beginning. The students take a field trip to the river and learn to appreciate it, conserve it, and to become river ambassadors. This immersive experience helps students build long-term knowledge retention and fosters a sense of environmental stewardship.
Aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals
Place Learning bridges local and global perspectives by aligning its curriculum with the SDGs. For instance:
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: Students can engage in projects aimed at conserving local water sources, understanding their importance for both their community and the global population.
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: By studying the history of their town and envisioning its future, students can contribute ideas for sustainable urban development.
Goal 13: Climate Action: Local conservation projects provide hands-on opportunities to address climate change.
Benefits of Place Learning
Engagement and Relevance: By anchoring learning in familiar contexts, Place Learning enhances student engagement and makes academic standards more relatable.
Interdisciplinary Learning: Local contexts naturally lend themselves to integrated approaches, breaking down traditional subject silos.
Community Connection: Students develop a deeper appreciation for their heritage and environment, fostering a sense of belonging and responsibility.
Global Competency: Aligning local learning with global challenges equips students with the knowledge and skills to act as informed global citizens.
Implementation Strategies
Curriculum Design: Develop curricula that identify and integrate local resources and align them with academic standards and SDGs.
Community Partnerships: Collaborate with local historians, scientists, artists, and activists to enrich the learning experience.
Professional Development: Train educators to adopt a Place Learning, glocal approach, emphasizing the integration of local contexts and global challenges.
Student-Led Projects: Encourage students to design and implement projects that address both local and global issues, fostering leadership and innovation.
Conclusion
Place Learning represents a shift in how we approach education. By leveraging the unique assets of local communities while addressing global challenges, it creates a dynamic and meaningful learning experience. This glocal approach not only fulfills academic standards but also nurtures informed, empathetic, and empowered individuals prepared to contribute to a sustainable future. As educators, policymakers, and communities embrace Place Learning, they pave the way for a generation that understands the profound interconnectedness of their local actions and global impact.