Place-Based Education and Practice: Observations from the Field

The preservation of the identity and culture of the Indigenous Lanninese people of West Papua, Indonesia, through education (Preservación de la identidad y la cultura del pueblo Lani, comunidad indígena de la provincia Indonesia de Papúa Occidental, a través de la educación)

“…Matters that had been cast in a negative light by some Indonesian people, such as Lanninese students’ families, lives, specific cultural needs, native language, traditions, local knowledge, traditional garments, houses and tools, which are essentially funds of knowledge (Esteban-Guitart & Moll, 2014a; González et al, 2005; Jones et al, 2019; Rodríguez-Arocho, 2020; Subero et al, 2017), were used as learning materials and became the subject of daily conversations in school. Some evidence from previous studies has confirmed the positive effects (Barratt & Hacking, 2011; Lee et al, 2012; McInerney et al, 2011). By connecting students’ life skills with their learning, they can elevate their sense of place and become more aware of what they can accomplish (Kuwahara, 2013; Redding & Walberg, 2012).…”

“…When the Indigenous teacher expanded his teaching methods through the use of pictures and storytelling about students’ lives and culture, the students became increasingly aware that they were connected to the history of the place and were responsible for preserving it. A ‘narrative journey’ approach to storytelling opens the gates for students to get to know their environment more deeply (Barratt & Hacking, 2011). The teacher encouraged the students to explore their place, history and connections through assignments to gather their family’s and elders’ perspectives.…”

“…Se ha dado una imagen muy negativa de algunos aspectos como las familias de los estudiantes lani, sus actividades cotidianas, sus necesidades culturales específicas, su lengua nativa, tradiciones, conocimientos locales, ropajes tradicionales, viviendas o herramientas que constituyen esencialmente fondos de conocimiento (Esteban-Guitart & Moll, 2014a; González et al, 2005; Jones et al, 2019; Rodríguez-Arocho, 2020; Subero et al, 2017) y que se utilizaron como materiales de aprendizaje y se convirtieron en los temas centrales de discusión en las conversaciones cotidianas en la escuela. Algunos estudios previos confirmaron también sus efectos positivos (Barratt & Hacking, 2011; Lee et al, 2012; McInerney et al, 2011). La vinculación de las habilidades cotidianas de los estudiantes con su aprendizaje les permite incrementar su sentido del lugar y ser más conscientes de lo que son capaces de conseguir (Kuwahara, 2013; Redding & Walberg, 2012).…”

“…Cuando el docente indígena amplió sus métodos pedagógicos mediante el uso de imágenes y de narraciones sobre las vidas y la cultura de los estudiantes lani, estos fueron cada vez más conscientes de sus vínculos con la historia del lugar y de ser responsables de su conservación. El enfoque de ‘viaje narrativo’ en las clases de lectura y creación de relatos permite que los alumnos adquieran un conocimiento más profundo de su entorno (Barratt & Hacking, 2011). El docente animó a los estudiantes a explorar su lugar de origen, su historia y sus vínculos mediante tareas como obtener las opiniones de sus familiares o de los mayores de su comunidad.…”

Unearthing green potential: Assessing the state of managed urban landscape curricula in Minnesota's higher education institutions

“…Place‐based education utilizes local conditions (e.g., social and environmental) to situate learning across disciplines within the context of the community (Sobel, 2004). While such place‐based education has been adopted for younger students and has been widely researched, its uptake and impact in the context of higher education institutions has been less strong (Barratt & Hacking, 2011; Gahman & Legault, 2017; Semken et al., 2017). A more detailed understanding of the role of place‐based education in the higher educational context could help illuminate this question.…”