Impact of a place-based educational approach on student and community members’ experiences and learning within a post-secondary GIS course

Abstract

Students develop personal connections to local places and build critical thinking skills as they engage in meaningful problem-solving rooted in place. At the same time, when students work within local communities, they can contribute to increased community technical capacity and well-being. In this case study, we sought to explore student and community perceptions of a place-based activity integrated within a college-level GIS course in Maine, USA. We partnered with a local conservation organization to develop place-based activities to address our partner’s geospatial needs. We drew on multiple data generation methods including pre-/post-test student responses within a quasi-experimental design, student reflections, and a group interview with community partners to illuminate the diverse benefits and challenges of place-based education (PBE). Our findings indicate that while quantitative results did not detect differences between the place-based, technologically-mediated place-based, and campus-based approaches, qualitative results – such as student reflections and community partner perceptions – depicted complex reciprocal gains resulting from education rooted in local community. Community partners benefit from PBE by increasing their GIS capacity and engaging on a personal level with students. We conclude with implications for GIS instructors seeking to incorporate place-based approaches within their college-level courses, such as the need to engage community partners thoughtfully and transparently, think critically about measurement and assessment of learning outcomes, and remain flexible to student needs.