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Place-based or environment-based education uses the environment as an integrating context (EIC) across disciplines. It is characterized by interdisciplinary learning, team teaching, hands-on learning experiences that often center on problem-solving projects, learner-centered education that adapts to students’ individual skills and abilities, and the exploration of the local community and natural surroundings. The following eleven studies (listed alphabetically by author) show that this approach not only increases students’ environmental literacy, but delivers other important benefits as well.
Athman, Julie & Monroe, Martha. (2004). The effects of environment-based education on students’ achievement motivation. Journal of Interpretation Research, 9(1): 9-25.
Greater achievement motivation is associated with greater cognitive engagement in schoolwork, which improves academic performance. In 11 Florida high schools, 400 9th and 12th grade students took part in a comparison of achievement motivation in classrooms with EIC programs and traditional classrooms. Students filled out a 20-item Achievement Motivation Inventory and selected teachers and students in the participating programs were also interviewed. Controlling for grade point average, gender and ethnicity, environment-based education significantly raised 9th and 12th graders’ achievement motivation in comparison to the control groups. Students and teachers attributed increased motivation to the use of the local environment, teachers’ ability to tailor
learning experiences to students’ interests and strengths, and the application of learning to real-life issues and problems, which often enabled students to present their work to community audiences beyond their teacher.
Bartosh, O. (2004). Environmental education: Improving student achievement. Unpublished master's thesis, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington.
The Pacific Education Institute’s Environmental Education Assessment project compared 77 pairs of demographically equivalent schools across the state: one with environmental education (EE) integrated throughout the grades and curriculum and a matching school without EE. Schools with EE programs consistently showed higher test scores on state standardized tests in math, reading and writing, and more support from parents, community and administration. Young people exposed to EE tended to improve their overall GPA, stay in school longer, receive higher than average scholarship awards, and display more responsible behavior in their school and community. Schools with as little as 20% of the teaching staff involved with EE showed statistically higher standardized test scores and more students who met state
standards.
Danforth, P. (2005). An evaluation of National Wildlife Federation’s Schoolyard Habitat Program in the Houston Independent School District. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX.
This study compared 3 pairs of Houston schools, matched by demographics. The treatment group included at total of 306 4th grade students whose teachers were implementing NWF’s Schoolyard Habitat Program. The control group consisted of a total of 108 4th grade students whose teachers used a more traditional curriculum. Measures included standardized test scores (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills), as well as attendance and demographic data. Changes were measured between students’ 3rd grade data and their 4th grade data from the subsequent year. Results showed that SYH students increased math scores significantly more than peers with a traditional curriculum. Reading scores were slightly negatively correlated with SYH participation, though the
author argued that the curriculum was more directly connected to math than reading.
Duffin, M., Powers, A., Tremblay, G., & PEER Associates. (2004). Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative: Report on cross-program research and other program evaluation activities, 2003-2004. Retrieved October 6, 2004 from http://www.peecworks.org/PEEC/PEEC_Reports/S0019440A.
This evaluation study reports survey results from 338 educators spanning 55 schools and four different place-based education programs. Positive, statistically significant correlations were found between the amount of participant exposure to the program and nearly all desired outcomes, such as educator engagement/personal growth, ability to meet curricular goals, use of local resources for teaching, adult reports of student engagement in learning and academic achievement, and student reports of attachment to place, time spent outdoors, and environmental stewardship behavior, among others. Additionally, survey results suggested that these place-based education programs seed lasting change in a school's culture.
In 1999-2000, the East Feliciana parish began Project Connect, a district wide place-based math and science initiative, in an attempt to reform their poor academic performance. The district includes 5 elementary/middle schools and over 2000 K-8 students, 80% of whom are African American, and 85% of whom receive free lunch. Fifty-two different teachers participated in one or more of three consecutive summer trainings on place-based learning. This study investigated 4th grade ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies scores on Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP 21) from 1998-2002, comparing the district to the state for % of students at “unsatisfactory” level. The performance gap between the district and state decreased for all subject areas. Further, the greatest individual school success
occurred at Slaughter Elementary where three of the district’s place-based leadership team teach.
Ernst, Julie Athman & Monroe, Martha. (2004). The effect of environment-based education on student’ critical thinking skills and disposition toward critical thinking. Environmental Education Research, 10(4): 507-522.
Four hundred 9th and 12th grade students in 11 Florida high schools participated in a comparison of their critical thinking skills in EIC classrooms and traditional classrooms. Controlling for grade point average, gender and ethnicity, EIC programs significantly raised students’ scores on the Cornell Critical Thinking Test at both grade levels, and at the 12th grade level, significantly raised scores on the California Measure of Mental Motivation in addition. In interviews, teachers indicated that EIC programs influenced students’ critical thinking because they integrate multiple disciplines through a common environmental theme; involve open-ended projects that require hypothesizing, investigating issues, and conducting research; empower students to be
responsible for their own learning by giving them a voice in selecting their projects, goals and action plans; and provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and connect it to their communities.
Ten middle schools participated in EIC implementation in South Carolina. In the first year all of them showed some degree of improved attendance, behavior, and academic achievement. Watch to see if future reports from this group continue to build on their growing body of evidence and also provide more details about the method and data for their investigations
Lieberman, Gerald A. and Hoody, Linda. (1998). Closing the Achievement Gap.San Diego, CA: State Education and Environment Roundtable. (www.seer.org)
This is a study of student performance in 40 schools implementing EIC, and was done in partnership with 12 State Departments of Education. Data came from site visits to all 40 schools, four different teacher surveys, interviews with more than 400 students and 250 teachers and administrators. In addition, in 14 schools EIC students were compared with students in traditional classrooms on standardized test scores, grade point averages, attendance, student attitude measures, and records of disciplinary actions. Results showed the following benefits for students in EIC programs: higher scores on standardized measures of academic achievement in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies; reduced discipline and classroom management problems; increased engagement and enthusiasm for learning; and greater
pride and ownership in their accomplishments.
National Environmental Education Training Foundation. (2000). Environment-based Education: Creating High Performance Schools and Students. Washington, DC: Retrieved November 25, 2007 from http://www.neefusa.org/pubs/NEETF8400.pdf
Seven case studies of schools using EIC approaches showed improved scores on reading and math assessment tests, better performance in science and social studies, and declines in discipline problems.
State Education and Environment Roundtable (SEER). (2000). California Student Assessment Project: The Effects of Environment-based Education on Student Achievement. Retrieved July 14, 2005 from http://www.seer.org/pages/csap.pdf
This study identified eight paired sets of students: one class exposed to EIC programs and the other without. In two cases, the paired classes came from the same school; in six cases, from different, neighboring schools matched by demographics and socioeconomic descriptors. Evidence came from standardized test scores, site visits, and teacher surveys and interviews. Comparing standardized measures of academic achievement in reading, writing, math, science and social studies, the EIC students did better 72% of the time and their attendance was better 77% of the time. They also showed fewer discipline problems, increased enthusiasm for learning, and greater pride in their accomplishments.
SCHOOL USE OF AN OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAM
Defining characteristics of place-based education include a focus on exploration of the local community and surrounding natural areas and the use of the environment as an integrating factor across disciplines. The following program brought students to residential sites distant from their homes for a one-week period, and focused on ecology and earth science, so it represents a different model. Considering, however, that this program is administered by the California Department of Education to serve public schools, the at-risk population served, and the range of positive effects, it suggests that residential experiences of this kind can form an important supplement to community-based programs.
This study focused on at-risk sixth-grade students from four California elementary schools who attended three outdoor programs which used hands-on, inquiry-based methods in the natural world to study ecology and earth science. The participating schools served mostly Hispanic students (ranging from 69%-89% of the student population) and a high proportion of English Learners (32%-66%). From 81%-100% of the children qualified for the free or reduced lunch program. Within schools, the evaluation divided students by classroom into treatment groups (a total of 119 students in the final survey) and control groups (a total of 106, who were not scheduled to attend the outdoor program until after the study period). Students were surveyed three times (before treatment, immediately after, and again six to ten weeks
after) and parents and teachers were surveyed twice (before treatment and six to ten weeks after). In addition, site visits were conducted, including interviews with principals and interviews or focus groups with teachers. Children who attended the outdoor program significantly raised their science scores by three points (27%) and the increase in science knowledge was maintained in the follow-up survey. Participation in the outdoor schools was associated with higher ratings for conflict resolution skills and cooperation (longer-term student assessments) and more positive environmental behaviors (parents’ reports). According to teachers’ ratings, the children who attended the outdoor program received significantly higher ratings in self-esteem, conflict resolution, relationship with peers, problem solving, motivation to learn, and behavior in class.
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