Leaders in K-12 education in Hawai'i are increasingly advocating for and utilizing the culture and knowledge of the kānaka Maoli, the native people of these islands, as a context for learning in a variety of curricular disciplines and approaches (Benham & Heck, 1998; Kani'iaupuni, Ledward & Jensen, 2010; Kana'iaupuni & Malone, 2006; Kahakalau, 2004; Meyer, 2004). To expand upon this trend, this thesis uses a combination of autoethnographic and critical indigenous methodologies to present a personal narrative that looks specifically at approaching art education from a Maoli perspective. Through extensive participant/observer reflections, two place-based and culture-based art education experiences are juxtaposed with an experience working on a culturally-based collaborative mural project. Four significant kuamo'o, a concept which holds multiple meanings, including: "backbone, spine; road, trail path; custom, way," (Puku'i & Elbert, 1986), emerge as significant markers of meaningful Maoli-based art education: 1) mo'oku'auhau, genealogy and acknowledgement of those who have come before us, 2) mo'olelo, stories which belong to our place, 3) an idea that I am labeling pili ka mo'o, which literally means, the lizard is intertwined but can be translated through metaphor to mean someone who is intimate and deeply connected, and 4) aloha, a profound and honest love.

This qualitative research investigates how educators in Hanoi, Vietnam, perceive and utilize place-based approaches in teaching green buildings (TGBs) to deliver education for sustainable development (ESD) lessons. The study involved twelve middle school teachers from five green schools. The interview was the primary data collection of this research. After conducting interviews with participants, thematic analysis was employed to identify five key themes: (1) benefits, (2)limitations, (3) suggestions, (4) planning with TGBs, and (5) teaching activities with place-based education (PBE). The findings revealed that TGBs’ design patterns support their teaching and serve as a tool to foster a stronger connection with nature and the environment, ultimately enhancing pro-sustainable elements in ESD. However, these instructors encounter significant challenges rooted in the Vietnamese cultural context and a lack of support from the school. Teachers can implement some place-based teaching principles into their lessons, but to maximize the teaching potential of TGBs, they must place greater emphasis on the role of place within TGBs and encourage students to be more mindful when learning with TGBs.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study attempted to present a nuanced perspective on the sense of place of learners and the extent to which teachers practice a pedagogy of place. In the study, the researcher investigated the sense of place of twelve Grade 6 and 8 learners at a school, situated in an eco-village in the Stellenbosch vicinity. The assumption is being made that the eco-village is a more conducive context for cultivating a sense of place amongst learners. The group consisted of six learners that did not live in the eco-village and six learners that did live there. Furthermore, an attempt was made to determine what the two Social Sciences teachers' understanding of the concept "place" was, the extent to which they practiced a pedagogy of place and the influence that the eco-village had on their teaching approach. The research report comprises two components, namely (a) a theoretical-philosophical component, and (b) an empirical component. The aim of the theoretical component was to explore the idea of a "sense of place" critically. This was done firstly, by emphasising the nexus between place and space, secondly, to present more clarity on the concept "place" by discussing the multiple meanings underpinning the concept, and lastly, to investigate a sense of place as a multi-dimensional concept. Against the background of a sense of place and pedagogy of place, I critically analysed the South African curriculum statements of the Social Sciences learning area for Grades R to nine, in order to determine how these policy statements address the concept place. Teachers are confronted with these statements on a regular basis and the assumption is that the emphasis being placed on this concept in the statements might have an impact on their pedagogy. This assumption was further explored in the interviews that were conducted with teachers, in an attempt not only to determine their understanding of the concept "place" but also to determine the extent to which they practice a pedagogy of place. Before interviews were conducted with teachers, it firstly determined what learners' sense of place is regarding where they live and attend school. The aim was to establish the differences, similarities, overlappings (if any) between these two groups. This study serves as a confirmation of the complexity regarding educational discourses and practices that explicitly examine the place-specific nexus between the environment, culture and education. It challenges teachers and educators in environmental education to expand the scope of their theory, investigation and practice in order to include the social and ecological contexts of our own inhabitation and those of others. In other words the challenge for teachers and educators lies in reflecting on the relationship between the type of education that they strive for and the type of place that we inhabit and leave behind for future generations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het dit ten doel gehad om 'n genuanseerde perspektief te bied op leerders se sin van plek asook die mate waartoe onderwysers 'n pedagogie van plek toepas. Tydens die studie is die sin van plek onder twaalf graad 6- en 8-leerders aan 'n skool, geleë in 'n eko-dorpie in die Stellenbosch-omgewing ondersoek. Die aanname is gemaak dat die eko-dorpie meer bevorderlik is vir die kweek van 'n sin van plek by leerders. Die groep het bestaan uit ses leerders wat nie in die eko-dorpie woon nie en ses leerders wat wel daar woon. Verder is daar gepoog om te bepaal wat die twee Sosiale Wetenskappe-onderwysers se opvatting van die konsep "plek" is, tot watter mate hulle 'n pedagogie van plek toepas en die invloed wat die eko-dorpie op hulle onderrigbenadering het. Die navorsingsverslag bestaan dus uit twee komponente, naamlik (a) 'n teoreties-filosofiese komponent en (b) 'n empiriese komponent. Met betrekking tot die teoretiese komponent is daar beoog om die gedagte van 'n sin van plek te verken deur dit krities te ondersoek. Dit is gedoen deur eerstens die verband tussen plek en ruimte te bespreek, tweedens meer duidelikheid omtrent die konsep "plek" te verkry deur die veelvuldige betekenisse aan die lig te bring en laastens om "sin van plek" as 'n multidimensionele begrip te ondersoek. Wat betref sin van plek en 'n pedagogie van plek, is daar verder beoog om die Suid-Afrikaanse kurrikulumverklarings ten opsigte van die leerarea Sosiale Wetenskappe vir grade R tot nege krities te analiseer om te bepaal tot watter mate die beleidsdokumente die konsep "plek" behandel. Onderwysers word op 'n daaglikse basis met hierdie verklarings gekonfronteer en die aanname is dat die klem wat op die konsep "plek" gelê word, 'n invloed op hulle pedagogie as sodanig sal hê. Hierdie aanname is verder verken in die onderhoude wat met onderwysers gevoer is waar daar nie net gepoog is om hulle opvatting van die konsep "plek" te bepaal nie, maar ook om vas te stel tot watter mate hulle 'n pedagogie van plek beoefen. Alvorens daar met onderwysers onderhoude gevoer is, is daar eerstens bepaal wat leerders se sin van plek is met betrekking tot waar hulle woon en skoolgaan. Daar is beoog om die verskille, ooreenkomste en oorvleuelings (indien enige) tussen die twee groepe leerders se sin van plek vas te stel. Die studie dien as 'n bevestiging van die kompleksiteit aangaande opvoedkundige diskoerse en praktyke wat eksplisiet die plek-spesifieke neksus tussen die omgewing, kultuur en onderwys bestudeer. Dit stel onderwysers en opvoedkundiges in omgewingsopvoeding voor die uitdaging om die omvang van hulle teorie, ondersoek en praktyk uit te brei om sodoende die sosiale en ekologiese agtergrond van ons eie en ander se bewoning in te sluit. Met ander woorde, die uitdaging vir onderwysers en opvoedkundiges lê dus daarin om te reflekteer oor die verhouding tussen die tipe opvoeding wat hulle nastreef en die tipe plekke wat ons bewoon en nalaat vir toekomstige generasies. / Andrew Mellon Foundation

Research shows that being in nature is important for children's health and psychosocial and physical development. Outdoor education can significantly improve the quality and meaningfulness of learning, contribute to the teachers' and pupils' well-being and help to build a positive attitude towards nature. However, learning outside the school building is rather an exception in the Czech Republic and has not yet received much attention here. On the contrary, Norway is specific in its attitude to outdoor recreation and outdoor education. The purpose of this paper is to present Norwegian approach to outdoor education in primary schools. The theoretical chapters describe the issue of outdoor education in general with a specific focus on the Czech tradition and discourse, the Norwegian education system and the local situation of outdoor education. This part is followed by a qualitative research carried out in the Bodø district in northern Norway. The main method of data acquisition were interviews with teachers from seven local primary schools. The research describes the teachers' concept of outdoor education and answers the question of where the sources of support for outdoor education in Norway are.

In a large urban district in Ohio, 29.2% of Grade 5, 28.7% of Grade 8, and 45.7% of Grade 10 students passed the state test in science. School district administrators formed a community partnership with local science institutions in order to provide students with hands-on place-based learning experiences intended to improve science academic achievement in PK-Grade 5. The purpose of this qualitative program evaluation was to determine the level of implementation of that place-based program by examining the efficacy of the teachers' embedded professional development and their experiences with the training components. Bruner's theory of cognitive development was used to examine teachers' needs in facilitating the program. A stratified random sample of 659 PK-Grade 5 teachers from 73 district elementary schools was selected, and 57 teachers responded to an anonymous online survey of 5 open-ended questions. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identity factors that enhanced or impeded the implementation of place-based education programming based on their professional development. The key findings indicated that over half of the participants viewed resources as lacking, training as limited, and planning that is too time consuming, and complicated. Participants expressed the need for clarity regarding resources and more training on how to plan for and integrate the placed-based approach. The resulting project was an executive summary and interactive workshop for program stakeholders, such as administrators, teachers, and ultimately students, who would benefit from this project by improving the place-based program.

This international research set out to exemplify the pedagogical practices of 11 teachers from Christchurch/Ōtautahi, New Zealand (Aotearoa) and Saskatoon, Canada. It explores their resistance to the various colonial and neocolonizing constructs central to contemporary mainstream schooling in both cities (due to forces such as neoliberalism). These acts of resistance were the result of contesting ideologies of time, space, curriculum and assessment. The research, therefore, describes some of the pedagogical practises of these teachers. It also considers their narratives about their usage of place-based education (PBE) approaches and their commitment to the adoption of critical pedagogies of place (CPP) to meet the real needs of their students (both Indigenous and non-Indigenous). An interpretive paradigm was employed within a qualitative framework to underpin this research. A case study approach was also adopted and informed by a bricolage methodological framework. Primary and secondary data were collected from a number of storage sites (libraries) in both countries and through a questionnaire, interview and observation of each teacher’s classroom space. The data was analysed by coding key information while drawing out any recurring themes and points of difference. The findings reveal that certain aspects of PBE and CPP are accessible to teachers despite their feelings of being confined in terms of their ability to use time, space, curriculum and assessment within their traditional school institutions. Although their abilities to engage with PBE and CPP were limited, those teachers that had more control over time, space, curriculum and assessment were able to dive deeper into PBE and especially CPP. A key finding of this research was the extent of awareness and engagement that the teachers had in transforming controlled, static, spaces found in the classrooms, communities and natural environments into meaningful places with students. This finding also suggests that teachers with more control over time, space, curriculum and assessment have an easier time in creating this change. The findings also indicate that these teachers first needed to have the courage to challenge traditional systems of schooling, because teachers can become marginalized by other teachers and administrators when seen to be attempting to transform entrenched institutional (schooling) cultures. Flexibility and trust were two of the other recurring themes that emerged from the data collected. Teachers possessing more flexibility (with regards to time, space, curriculum and assessment design procedures) were most able to enact PBE and CPP. They were also the best-positioned participants to create meaningful professional relationships with their students and local community members. Issues of trust were clearly evident in recurring discussions around the increased amount of trust teachers needed to have with students for the students to be able to engage with space and place. There was also an increased amount of trust that school administrators (principals) needed to have in their teachers who were engaging with PBE and CPP. The research participants in this study demonstrated that, in different ways, they were striving to resist the ideologies underpinning traditional mainstream schooling, and that they were able to enact change regardless of the challenges they experienced. Their perseverance to ground their teaching in PBE and CPP approaches testifies to their love of education and their acceptance of it as a legitimate process for change and growth.

abstract: This dissertation focuses on traditional arts at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) as a form of place-based education by asking the question, what is the role of traditional arts at IAIA? Through a qualitative study students, faculty, staff, and alumni were interviewed to gain their perspectives on education, traditional arts, and the role of traditional arts at IAIA. Through analysis of these interviews, it was found that participants viewed traditional arts as a form of place-based education and that these practices should play an important role at IAIA. This study also looks at critical geography and place-based practice as a form of anti-colonial praxis and an exercise of tribal sovereignty. Colonization restructures and transforms relationships with place. Neo-colonialism actively seeks to disconnect people from their relationship with the environment in which they live. A decline in relationship with places represents a direct threat to tribal sovereignty. This study calls on Indigenous people, and especially those who are Pueblo people, to actively reestablish relationships with their places so that inherent sovereignty can be preserved for future generations. This study also looks at the academic organization of IAIA and proposes a restructuring of the Academic Dean and Chief Academic Officer (AD&CAO) position to address issues of transition, efficiency, and innovation. The extensive responsibilities of this position cause several serious concerns. The policy paper proposes that the academic programs be divided thematically into 2 schools that will allow greater flexibility and adaptive practices to emerge out of the academic division at IAIA. The combination of restructuring the academic division at IAIA, my theoretical argument promoting place-based praxis as anti-colonial practice, and my research into the application of place-based programming at IAIA all support my overall goal of supporting Pueblo communities through my own work. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Justice Studies 2018

I skolorna talas det alltmer om utomhuspedagogik som arbetssätt och dess inflytande på elevers inlärning. Det finns forskning som behandlar huruvida arbetssättet påverkar elevers förståelse och kunskapslagring, men desto mindre kring hur arbetssättet bedrivs i praktiken. Frågor som kan ställas är om det även kan finnas faktorer som har inflytande på användandet av arbetssättet, och varför. Syftet med föreliggande studie är att bidra med kunskap om hur lärare i Stockholms innerstad kontra förorter, använder historiska platser i form av besök i samband med sin historieundervisning. Sju legitimerade grundskolelärare i årskurs 4–6 som arbetar på olika skolor runt om i Stockholm har deltagit i studien. Metoden som använts är kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med en abduktiv ansats. Intervjufrågorna som har ställts är öppna för att respondenterna ska få utrymme till mer utförliga svar med eventuella följdfrågor. Den övergripande teorin för studien är Learning by doing av John Dewey med särskilt fokus på begreppen utomhuspedagogik, platsbaserad undervisning och upplevelsebaserat lärande. Dessa är förankrade med undersökningens innehåll, och därav baseras arbetet utifrån dessa teorier gällande lärande. Resultatet av studien visade att geografiska förutsättningar ökar användningen av arbetssättet i samband med historieundervisningen, då det oftast används i innerstaden med närhet till många av Stockholms kulturhistoriska platser. / In schools you often hear about outdoor education as a way of teaching and its influence of the students learning. There is research that shows whether outdoor education has an impact on the student’s understanding and memorization, however it is hard to find research that describes how it is actually used and practiced. Questions that should be considered is whether factors that affect the use of outdoor education, and why that is. The aim of the study is to contribute with knowledge about how teachers in Stockholm’s inner city versus the suburbs, tend to use historical places in terms of visits in connection with their history teaching. The respondents who participated in the research are seven licensed primary school teachers who teach the history subject in grades 4–6 and work at different schools in Stockholm. The method that is used is qualitative and semi structured interviews with an aduktiv approach. The interview questions that have been asked are opened with the possibility to give the respondent space for a more free answer and also the possibility to ask supplementary questions. The overall theory for the study is learning by doing by John Dewey, with a particular focus on concept outdoor education, place-based education, and experience-based learning. These are strongly anchored with the consent of the research, and therefore the research is based upon these theories about learning. The result shows that the geographic closeness increase the use of the working method in connection with history education, as it is most often used in the inner city with closeness to many of Stockholm's cultural-historical places.

As we come to the end of the decade declared as United Nations Decade for Biodiversity 2011-2020, the impact humans are having our planet is clear. The current primary school children are the future decision makers, consumers and electors; therefore, they must be exposed to approaches that can assist development that is sustainable and that will prevent further degradation of our planet. A key way to achieve this is to transform the education current and future generations of children will receive. Education must address sustainable development to support the formation of responsible citizens, eager to actively engage in decision-making processes, environmental issues and societal matters. This can be assisted through a focus on a specific approach to Education for Sustainable Development, Biodiversity Education. To add to current research about this approach to ESD, I investigated the effect biodiversity education had on the sustainability consciousness of primary school children. I chose a qualitative method of data collection and analysis through focus group, semi-structured interviews with 5th class students. The results showed that the participants' sustainability awareness, regarding two of the three dimensions of sustainable development, was highly developed; the environmental dimension and the social dimension. There was less evidence of a consciousness for the economic dimension of SD. Therefore, biodiversity education had a positive influence on the participants' sustainability consciousness, making them more aware of sustainability issues and action-oriented to address these issues. However, they lacked one dimension of sustainability; therefore, their sustainability consciousness was not fully developed. Further research is needed to analysis and interpret the rationale as to why the economic dimension was less developed in these participants who attended a school that promotes biodiversity education.

Outdoor education is believed to be a new teaching approach and method in the education framework which relates to learning through natural places using direct experience. However, the teaching approach that is mostly used in the Gambian schools is based on the traditional approach of teachings as well as many African countries. As a relatively new teaching technique, outdoor education is gaining recognition from many researchers who are developing a keen interest in it. Thus, the aim of the current thesis is to investigate the perceptions of Gambian Basic and Secondary school teachers about outdoor education. in that regard, six (6) Gambian teachers from different teaching subjects, grades, and regions reported their views about outdoor education. A qualitative approach methodology with the use of semi-structured interview was employed to get teachers perceptions. After the data collection, thematic analysis was used for analyzing the collected data from which three (3) themes emerged to report the participants’ opinions. The participants revealed their basic knowledge and perceptions about outdoor education and presented some characteristics and examples of how the practice outdoor education. They emphasized that they view outdoor education as a teaching approach with the use of outdoors. However, according to them, any teaching activity that involves using the outside the four corners of the classroom or the school premises, is considered outdoor education. They noted that outdoor education can take place in the form of excursions, fieldtrips, classes outside the class under a tree or within the school premises. Besides, although the teachers indicated that the main teaching approach, they use is still the traditional teaching and learning approach, they showed willingness to enrich their classes with use of outdoor education. They further revealed that the main places they conduct outdoor education is the school yard, under a tree, a visit to places of interest, excursions to various historical places or museums and the like. The Gambian teachers acknowledged many potentials of outdoor education to the students including stimulation of multi-senses, increased understanding, improved social relation and cooperation, boosting of their health and wellbeing, developing curiosity, and giving students a sense of freedom and happiness. However, participants also revealed several barriers that suppress them from doing outdoor education effectively. Among the barriers mentioned includes, inadequate funding, lack of support from parents and school administrators, lack of pedagogical training, tight schedule, and limited time. Thus, further research is needed to help testifying the results of the current study and give more insight into the field of outdoor education in the Gambia and Africa at large