Why Use Place-based Education? Four answers that emerge from the findings of PEEC, the Place-based...

Why UsePlace-based Education?

Four answers that emerge from the findings of PEEC, the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative

(Group presentation version)

Prepared by:

Michael Duffin, PEER Associates, Inc.

Prepared for:

the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative (PEEC)

February 9, 2007

Suggested citation:

Duffin, M., & PEER Associates (2007). Why use place-based education?: Four answers that emerge from the findings of PEEC, the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative, (Presentation version). Retrieved [date] from http://www.peecworks.org/PEEC/PEEC_Reports/S01248363-01248382

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What is place-based education (PBE)?– Community as curriculum

– 3 integrated goals: student achievement, community vitality, ecological integrity

– See www.PromiseOfPlace.org for more

What is the Place-based Education Evaluation

Collaborative (PEEC)?– 5 programs, one foundation

– 3 goals: improve programs, share evaluation tools, contribute to research base

– See www.PEECworks.org for more

About this presentation– Summarize four key findings

– Multiple versions can be downloaded for free at www.PEECworks.org

Background Context

http://www.promiseofplace.org/

http://www.peecworks.org/


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Overview of the Body of Evidence

Large amount of data…– 4 years of individual and cross-program evaluations of 6 place-

based education programs representing more than 75 schools (rural, suburban, and urban) in 5 states

– Over 700 adult interview or focus group participants– Over 200 student interview/ conversation/focus group participants– Nearly 650 educator surveys– Nearly 1,500 student surveys– Extensive document review and

on-site observations

Evidence suggests that…

Hal

ey S

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, MA

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Overview of the Body of Evidence

Place-based education can…

1. Invigorate educators

2. Support transformation of school culture

3. Help students learn

4. Engage parents and communities

Hal

ey S

choo

l, R

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, MA

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#1 – PBE can Invigorate Educators

Place-based education can help educators become more excited and collaborative in their professional practice, and more likely to use local resources for teaching

and learning

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PEEC Cross-Program Survey Results 2003-2006Changes in Educator Practice Toward PBE Outcomes

Dose-response strategy

Best fit line going from lower left to upper right suggests program is active ingredient


Program “Dose”

(Exposure + Implementation)P

rogr

am “

Res

pon

se”

(Mea

sure

s of

Int

ende

d O

utco

me)

Less More

Low

er

H

ighe

r

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PEEC Cross-Program Survey Results 2003-2006Changes in Educator Practice Toward PBE Outcomes

Strongest PEEC finding

PEEC dose accounts for 17% of variance in

Overall Educator Practice

(For comparison, weight status accounts for 17-19% of the variance in costs of cardiovascular disease)


0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

Dosage of PEEC Program

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

Avg

. of

12

Ed

ucato

r P

racti

ce S

urv

ey I

tem

s

Educator Practice (overall module, 2003-2006)

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ONE EXAMPLE: Forest For Every Classroom program helps second grade teacher(s) from the Ray School in Hanover, NH

“FFEC gave me the peers on a professional level outside my school to recharge and to update my knowledge and content and gave…me the push to get the science committee to commit to the outdoor-focused curriculum.”

“We have been energized to do more in the area of backyard science because we realize that we CAN!”

For instance

Gilford Elementary School, Gilford, NH


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Other examples of place-based educators reporting increased engagement, collaboration, and professional growth

“I think of this work as a big ball, and I have to push it up this big hill. But the more I think about it, it’s like a little snowball at the top of the hill and all you have to do is push it, and then it builds and builds…even with all the obstacles along the way.”

- TTEC Educator

“Because of CO-SEED I’ll never again be the same teacher…It’s transformed my whole vision about how I teach my kids. It gave me the tools…the opportunity. The results are just phenomenal…and I will never ever teach the same again.”

- CO-SEED Educator

More



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Other examples of place-based educators reporting increased engagement, collaboration, and professional growth

Inspires additional training

Release time for collaborative planning is key

SSP Critical Friends Groups

LREC increased staffing

More



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#2 – PBE can Transform Culture

Place-based education can actively shape and become embedded in a school’s

culture and identity

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ONE EXAMPLE: CO-SEED helps Haley Elementary in Boston achieve their goal of becoming a model environmental school

Surveys show gains over 3 years

88% of educators surveyed agree that “Place-based education is a part of the cultural fabric of our school.”

“’Ahh ha’ moments are slowly but surely infiltrating all of the other minds of the other teachers.”

“I think the mentality is really part of our identity. It’s who we are.”

For instance

Haley School, Roslindale, MA


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Analysis of data across PEEC programs reveals a “Tipping Point” pattern of culture change at multiple sites

After multiple years of whole school model PEEC program, newer educators tend to report similarly high outcomes as veterans of the school or program

Intended outcomes transmitted through the norms and culture of the school as much or more than by direct exposure to the program

“Now it’s just part of the culture of the school.”

“Collaboration is now kind of a built in thing.”

“[Veteran teachers] sweep these new people up and into the theme, the culture of the school.”

More

Haley School, Roslindale, MA


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#3 – PBE can Help Students Learn

Place-based education can help students with academic achievement

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Ten studies from across the United States connect place-based education and student academic achievement

16 states, 265 schools, recent (1998-2005)

Standardized test scores, interviews, observations, demographics, and document review

Compelling as a group

Detailed references at www.PEECworks.org: (AIR, 2005; Athman & Monroe, 2004; Bartosh, 2004; Danforth, 2005;

Emekauwa, 2004; Ernst & Monroe, 2004; Falco, 2004; Liebermann & Hoody, 1998; NEETF, 2000; SEER, 2000)

Does not even include service-learning



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ONE PEEC EXAMPLE: First Grade Academic Achievementas a Function of CO-SEED/ Experiential Units

“One thing we know is that kids’ writing is much more interesting, complex, and detailed if they’ve had rich experience …The current first grade has about a third of the kids who didn’t have Kindergarten here and in general it is breathtaking the difference in the academic achievement. Our Kindergarten has the strongest place-based education in the school, especially with language development.”

Compared achievement scores of first graders with one versus two years of exposure to strongest PBE teachers

For instance

Young Achievers School, Jamaica Plain, MA


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First graders with more in-depth place-based education outperformed peers on all measures

For instance DRA Assessment: 1 year vs. 2 year tenure at Y.A.

Grade 1 only 9.57

Grades K-1 13.2

0

4

8

12

16

20

24

28

32

36

DRA

Assessment

Mea

n S

core Grade 1 only

(N=14)

Grades K-1(N=25)



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For instance



Writing Assessment: 1 year vs. 2 year tenure at Y.A.

1.63

1.55

1.44

1.61

1.54

1.71.65

1.61

1.681.64

1

1.25

1.5

1.75

2

2.25

2.5

Writing-Content Writing-Organization Writing-Language Writing-Mechanics Writing-Overall

Assessment

Mea

n s

core Grade 1 only

(N=14)

Grades K-1(N=25)

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For instance



TERC Math: 1 year vs. 2 year tenure at Y.A.

Grade 1 only 60.71%

Grades K-168.60%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

TERC Math

Assessment

Mea

n S

core Grade 1 only

(N=14)

Grades K-1(N=25)

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ANOTHER PEEC EXAMPLE: Effects of CO-SEED onStandardized Test Scores (MCAS) at the

Beebe Health & Environmental Magnet School

CO-SEED worked with Beebe 4+ years

Environmental theme became embedded in the school culture

Predicted increased performance relative to district and/or state in four content areas

More

Beebe School, Malden, MA


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Typical pattern: state performs highest, then Beebe, then district

MoreMCAS - Grade 5 Earth Science

3035404550556065707580

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

year

% c

orre

ct BeebeDistrictState



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Prediction supported for three out of four content areas

More



MCAS - Gr. 8 Life Science

3035404550556065707580

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

% c

orre


23




More



MCAS - Gr. 8 Math, Open Response

3035404550556065707580

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

year

% c

orre


24




More



Earth Science

3035404550556065707580

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

% c

orre


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Other examples of place-based educationhelping students learn more or better

Educators report increased student engagement in learning

More


0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

Dosage compositeScale: No exposure to CO-SEED = 0,

Very high CO-SEED exposure and implementation = 4

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

Ave

rage

sco

res

for in

dex

con

sist

ing

of thre

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item

s ab

out th

e en

thusi

asm

, pre

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le le

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, and sel

f-

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pro

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Scal

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tron

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Dis

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Stro

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gree

= 4

Figure S3. Student Engagement in Learning (index) From CO-SEED educator surveys, 2003-04

The best fit multiple regressionline above shows that 16% ofthe variability in survey responseis predicted by dose of CO-SEED.The result is statistically significant.R2= .16, p = .000, n = 245.

Student Engagement in Learning (index)

From CO-SEED educator surveys, 2003-2004

Ed

ucato

r R

ep

ort

s o

f

Stu

den

t En

gag

em

en

t in

Learn

ing

Dosage of CO-SEED

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Students report increased place attachment

More



Student Attachment to Place (module)

From PEEC student surveys, 2003-2004

Stu

den

t R

ep

ort

s o

f

Att

ach

men

t to

Pla

ce

Dosage of PEEC Program

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“My kids were so excited about the things that they saw that I know they will look more and pay closer attention to our environment. Actually visiting the ecosystems helped them really understand the concepts that I was trying to get across.”

- Litzsinger Road Ecology Center Educator

More



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#4 – PBE can Engage Communities

Place-based education can help engage youth in their community and

connect communities to their schools

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Barnes Elementary, Burlington, VT

ONE EXAMPLE: Students in Burlington, VT help revitalize a neighborhood street as part of the Sustainable Schools Project

Students get school zone signs installed

“[Our students] are very comfortable now with business owners, extremely comfortable with the Mayor, with the City Council, and with the Neighbor-hood Planning Committee because they’ve spoken there. And when they go to speak, people listen.”

- SSP Teacher

“Sustainability involves strengthening the relationships between a community and a project, such that eventually the project naturally happens on its own because the entire community is so invested in its success.”

- SSP Parent

For instance


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Barnes Elementary, Burlington, VT

Other examples of place-based educationconnecting youth to their communities

School-community collaborations– Networking for farmer’s markets– Recycling replicated by municipal officials– Bond issue to close landfill– Waste heat used to clear winter sidewalks

“There is not a town project that I do now where I don’t start with ‘How can we involve the students?’”

- Town Mgr. in CO-SEED Community

“Before… I thought of [the AT] as a very individual thing,… for ‘me.’ Now it’s something that I can’t wait to go out and share with the kids, with the community. I want other people to see what a great resource it is.”

- TTEC Community Member

More


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ReviewDrawing from several years of data from PEEC, the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative, evidence suggests that place-based education can…

1. Invigorate educators

2. Support transformationof school culture

3. Help students learn

4. Engage parents and communitiesFFEC training, VT

Dearborn Middle School, Roxbury, MA

Woodsville Elementary School, Woodsville, NH


Why UsePlace-based Education?

Four answers that emerge from the findings of PEEC, the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative

(Group presentation version)

Prepared by:

Michael Duffin, PEER Associates, Inc.

Prepared for:

the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative (PEEC)

February 9, 2007

Suggested citation:

Duffin, M., & PEER Associates (2007). Why use place-based education?: Four answers that emerge from the findings of PEEC, the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative, (Presentation version). Retrieved [date] from http://www.peecworks.org/PEEC/PEEC_Reports/S01248363-01248382

Why Use Place-based Education? Four answers that emerge from the findings of PEEC, the Place-based...

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