Place-Based Education (PBE) is an approach to education that takes advantage of geography, community assets, design patterns and learning environments to make learning authentic, meaningful and engaging for students. PBE is defined as an immersive learning experience that “places students in local heritage, cultures, landscapes, opportunities and experiences–using these as a foundation for the study of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and other subjects across the curriculum.”

Power of Place Book Cover

The Power of Place: Authentic Learning Through Place-Based Education

“Place: it’s where we’re from; it’s where we’re going. . . . It asks for our attention and care. If we pay attention, place has much to teach us.”

With this belief as a foundation, The Power of Place offers a comprehensive and compelling case for making communities the locus of learning for students of all ages and backgrounds.

Dispelling the notion that place-based education is an approach limited to those who can afford it, the authors describe how schools in diverse contexts urban and rural, public and private have adopted place-based programs as a way to better engage students and attain three important goals of education: student agency, equity, and community.

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Resources

What is Place-Based Education and Why Does it Matter?

Get the foundations of PBE from this great introductory guide. Learn how PBE relates to your community and the best places to start.

A How-To Guide For Place-Based Education

This guide helps unpack the best ways in implement PBE. No matter where your community is, there are ways to connect with place.

Quick Start Guide to Place-Based Professional
Learning

Great PBE needs great professional learning. Check out our guide for getting professional learning programming started for PBE.