Exploring the Philosophical and Pedagogical Nature of Place

• In Event: Critical Spatial: And Pedagogical Approaches to Race and Place

Abstract

Place-based education is a promising pedagogical approach that contributes to learners’ understanding of their embeddedness in the world around them through teaching in, about, and for a particular place. However, there are theoretical and practical gaps in the place-based education literature. Specifically, the concept of place is often undertheorized and the rationale for designing and implementing place-based curriculum is not clear. This paper explores the research-to-teaching gap for place-based education, defines place, and argues that place operates as both a context and a lens during learning experiences. Recognizing that place operates in multiple ways is critical for educators and planners to construct experiences prompting the deep and critical thinking needed for learners to develop integrative knowledge of their immediate world.

Author

• Sara Salisbury, Middle Tennessee State University