The effect of place-based education on achievement, attendance, and environmental attitudes in a high school environmental science classroom

Abstract

Placed-based education is the idea of using local contexts as a starting point for classroom learning. This study aims to evaluate a new program's effectiveness at increasing student attendance, attitudes towards the environment, and academic achievement through a place-based study of the environment. In an 11th grade environmental science class, ten students carried out year-long investigations at a 300-acre parcel of land set aside for conservation. The results indicated that the treatment improved student perception of school but did not increase actual attendance rates. Sixty percent of students in the treatment either met or exceeded the state standards as evaluated by the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, and student views of the environment remained high throughout the treatment.