Grounded in Place: A Study of Place-Based Teacher Professional Development

• In Event: The Importance of Family and Place in Professional Development

Abstract

Recognizing the importance and power of place-based education (PBE), this paper highlights findings from a yearlong qualitative study which took place during the 2017-2018 academic year. It centers on K-12 educators (N=110) who worked with approximately 5,500 students from thirty-six different urban, suburban, and rural schools. These educators participated in the Grounded program, a grant-funded, yearlong PBE professional development program located in the Midwestern United States. Results indicate that when rooted in experiential, inquiry-based learning, PBE-based professional development can and does support teacher learning and, by proxy, students’ learning. Moreover, there are benefits to participating in effective PBE professional development, including opportunities for teachers to use what they learn to directly benefit students and local communities.

Author

• Erica R Hamilton, Grand Valley State University