What is place-based pedagogy?

WHAT IS PLACE-BASED PEDAGOGY?

According to Miri Yemini at al. (2023), place-based education (PBE) is a pedagogical approach that emphasises the connection between a learning process and the physical place in which educators and children are located. It incorporates the meanings and experiences of place in teaching and learning, which can extend beyond the walls of the preschool or early childhood centre.

Place-based pedagogy fosters active learning and can be simply explained as an educational approach that is locally driven, community-based, or ecologically focused.

Place-based pedagogy existed long before it became a trend (see Dewey and Froebel approaches). The outbreak of COVID-19, attention to lack of nature exposure and children’s health and mental issues, forced the rapid adoption of alternative learning environments, including teaching and learning outdoors and learning from home.

This approach is rooted in research and aligns with the principles of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) in the Australian context. Here’s a closer look at place-based pedagogy in ECEC based on research and the EYLF:

1. Connection to the Local Environment: Place-based pedagogy emphasizes the importance of connecting children to their immediate surroundings, such as the local community, natural environment, and cultural heritage. This approach recognizes that learning is most meaningful when it occurs in the context of the child’s everyday life.
2. Holistic Learning: Place-based pedagogy aligns with the holistic view of children’s development advocated by the EYLF. It acknowledges that children are capable and competent learners who actively engage with their environment. Learning is not limited to traditional classroom settings but extends to the world outside.
3. Respect for Diversity: The EYLF emphasizes the importance of recognizing and respecting the diversity of children and their families. Place-based pedagogy encourages educators to explore and celebrate the cultural, linguistic, and social diversity present within the local community, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion.
4. Active Learning: Research has shown that children learn best through active, hands-on experiences. Place-based pedagogy encourages children to explore, investigate, and problem-solve within their local environment. This approach aligns with research on constructivism and experiential learning.
5. Collaborative Learning: Both research and the EYLF promote collaborative learning experiences. Place-based pedagogy often involves collaboration between educators, children, families, and the wider community. This collaborative approach enriches children’s learning experiences and connects them with real-world contexts.
6. Sustainability and Environmental Awareness: Place-based pedagogy can also promote sustainability and environmental awareness. Children learn about the natural world and the importance of caring for it within their local context. This aligns with the growing emphasis on sustainability in early childhood education.

According to the EYLF 2.0, Place-based pedagogy refers to an
understanding that educators knowledge of the setting or context will influence how educators plan and practice. This pedagogical approach is particularly important to Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples and their connection to land and places should be explored with local Elders and community members in culturally responsive ways.

In many areas, localised Aboriginal culture is
closely aligned to nature and the environment, with
particular emphasis on cycles and patterns and
the effect each has on the other. It is based on an
undeniable link to the land, language and culture.7
These links also affect perspectives. For example,
close ties to Country by some Aboriginal cultural
groups affect the way the land is perceived and
treated; not as a commodity or resource, but as
an extension of the group and something to be
nurtured.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE?

• Know your place, community and Country
• Created opportunities for children to explore and interact with the local natural environment. This could include visits to nearby parks, forests, rivers, or other natural settings where they can connect with nature firsthand.

Nature and community are both powerful teachers

• Educators would begin by acknowledging and respecting the local Aboriginal culture, including the connection to the land, language, and culture. This acknowledgment may involve traditional Welcome to Country ceremonies or other culturally appropriate practices, performed by Elders.
• Aboriginal culture often places a significant emphasis on storytelling and oral tradition. Educators might incorporate traditional stories, songs, and narratives that convey the interconnectedness of the land, language, and culture into the curriculum. Elders or community members may be invited to share their stories and knowledge with the children.
• Children would be encouraged to observe and explore the cycles and patterns in the natural world, such as seasons, weather, plant growth, and animal behaviors. This aligns with the Aboriginal perspective, which often recognizes the deep connections between these natural elements. For example, you can find our more about local peoples’ seasons (I use this Bunurong 6 seasons)
  
• Children would be taught to view the land not as a commodity but as an extension of the community and something to be cared for and nurtured. Activities may include planting and tending to native plants, cleaning up litter, and participating in land conservation efforts.
• Outdoor learning spaces are a feature of Australian learning environments. They offer a vast array of possibilities for physical activity and learning experiences not available indoors. Access to play spaces in natural environments may include plants, trees, edible gardens, open spaces, sand, rocks, mud, water and other elements from nature. These and other outdoor spaces invite open-ended play and interactions, physically active play and games,spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, discovery and connection with nature. They foster an appreciation of the natural world and the interdependence between people, animals, plants, lands and waters providing opportunities for children to engage with all concepts of sustainability through environmental education (EYLF, DET, 2022, p. 23).

REFLECTION TIME

• What is a sense of place and why is it important?
• Has your sense of place influenced aspects of your life and if so, how?
• Describe how children and adults learn from direct experience with this place.
• Explain the difficulty that many people have in getting this type of experience.
• What would children suggest are their special places?

Miri Yemini, Laura Engel & Adi Ben Simon (2023) Place-based education – a systematic review of literature, Educational Review, DOI: 10.1080/00131911.2023.2177260