Resources for Educators

Place-based education (PBE) takes a holistic, interdisciplinary, immersive and local approach to teaching concepts, skills and curricula (Sobel, 2004).

A deceptively simple definition of place is "a meaningful location" (Cresswell, 2004, p. 14). By this definition, a location can range from a kitchen to a continent. The elements of place will include all the characteristics and processes that imbue that place with meaning, including the landscapes, ecosystems, people, culture, social institutions, built environment etc. Understanding a location as a place enables us to view the world through a lens of connectedness (Cresswell, 2004). We can see that there "is a rich and complicated interplay of people and the environment" (p. 18).

Education based in place becomes meaningful, relevant and connected to students' lives. Through PBE, the local environment and community become the primary source and site of learning. The scale of place will change and grow as children develop (Sobel, 2004). For young children, the house, front yard, school building and local park may be the primary places of learning and discovery. Much of this learning will occur through direct interaction and exploration. As children grow older and their awareness of the larger world expands, so does the concept of place, ultimately including international and global connections (Sobel, 2004).

We see a similar progression through the EID Model. For very young children, or individuals developing a basic Trust in Nature, direct interactions and experiences in nature are crucial. As individuals progress through their EID, they will develop greater Spatial Autonomy, enabling them to explore more widely and independently. Eventually, individuals will develop Environmental Competencies and knowledge; many of these skills may be learned in and from the natural world, but individuals may require supplemental education from books, teachers, scientists and community members. Finally, a healthy environmental identity will result in Environmental Action and advocacy. This action may take place at the local scale or at regional and global scales, as people engage with the global environmental issues and challenges of the modern world. The actions can also incorporate causes of environmental justice.

The EID Model also recognizes that our environmental identities are complex and unique. Environmental identity is influenced by past experiences and emotional attachments, as well as familial, cultural and social values (Clayton, 2003). PBE provides a holistic approach that allows and encourages connections with these various elements of identity.

The EID Model emphasizes the importance of family, culture and society in the development of one's environmental identity. It is essential for educators to consider cultural identity when developing educational or recreational activities to promote EID.

There is no one method or technique that can be recommended to capture the diversity of ways in which different cultures understand and interact with the natural world. Instead, it is vital that educators and caretakers acknowledge and learn about the different or diverse cultural backgrounds of their students and children. This may be done by reading and researching about other cultures, but more importantly educators must respectfully observe, listen to and ask questions of the communities and children they serve. Exploring different pedagogies, such as Indigenous-framed land education, can inspire new and inclusive approaches to education (Tuck, McKenzie, & McCoy, 2014).

Educators must also recognize and incorporate diverse cultural ways of learning and teaching. These different ways of learning may not be apparent at first to a cultural outsider. For example, in our research with Alaskan children in rural and non-rural contexts, we've begun to notice differences in the two groups' level of awareness and observation in the natural world. On our class nature tours, the children are equipped with wearable cameras as they explore and play, so we may learn more about their experiences in nature. However, after several hours of watching the video data from the rural cohort of the Alaska Native village, we realized we were often learning a great deal more about the children not wearing the camera than the ones wearing it. It seemed the children were quietly and highly observant of others around them and these observations were captured with their wearable cameras. Learning through observation is indeed an important value in Alaska Native cultures (Barnhardt & Kawagley, 2005), but this learning style may be difficult for a cultural outsider to perceive initially.

Identities related to culture, such race, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic status, may also affect individuals' environmental identity development (Miao & Cagle, 2020). Consider, has this individual seen mentors or role models who look like them in environmental fields? Have they had opportunities while growing up to visit or vacation in natural areas? Generally speaking, are natural spaces and recreational activities accessible and welcoming to their gender or race identity? It's important to ask these questions so that we may create effective and empathetic educational experiences for all in the natural world (Miao & Cagle, 2020).

We have created and curated various educational methods that support and nurture EID. In the creation of these education strategies, we drew from the EID Model, place-based pedagogies and our research-informed education initiatives. We also worked in collaboration with graduate students in M. Ed. programs at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to develop a greater diversity of activities.

These methods and strategies may be used by educators or caretakers, in the classroom or at home. Many of these learning activities are applicable to people of all ages. We provide suggestions on how to adapt each technique to different age groups and contexts. These educational methods are intended to be flexible and responsive to the needs of your learners and you should adapt or modify them as necessary.

It is important to remember that these activities only provide opportunities for environmental identity development. It is the individual's emotions and interactions within and for the environment that will drive their personal development. With that in mind, we have included a section on "spontaneous" child-initiated learning activities. In our research, we have seen children engage in these activities over and over again across cultures and contexts. We provide suggestions on how to support these "naturally occurring" EID activities in children.

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Barnhardt, R. & Kawagley, A. O. (2005). Indigenous knowledge systems and Alaska Native ways of knowing. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 36(1), 8-23. https://doi.org/10.1525/aeq.2005.36.1.008

Clayton, S. (2003). Environmental identity: A conceptual and an operational definition.” In S. Clayton and S. Opotow (eds.) Identity and the Natural Environment (pp. 45–65). MIT Press.

Cresswell, T. (2004). Place: A Short Introduction. Wiley.

Miao, R.E. & Cagle, N.L. (2020). The role of gender, race, and ethnicity in environmental identity development in undergraduate student narratives. Environmental Education Research, 26(2), 171-188. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2020.1717449

Sobel, D. (2004). Place-based education: Connecting classrooms and communities. The Orion Society.

Tuck, E., McKenzie, M., & McCoy, K. (2014). Land education: Indigenous, post-colonial, and decolonizing perspectives on place and environmental education research. Environmental Education Research, 20(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2013.877708