Factors That Influence Sense of Place as a Learning Outcome and Assessment Measure of Place-Based Geoscience Teaching

Abstract

Sense of place encompasses the meanings that a given place holds for people and the attachments that people develop for that place. Place-based science teaching integrates the natural and cultural meanings of a place as context for scientific study, and hence leverages the senses of place of students and instructor. It has been proposed that this method enhances relevance and interest for introductory students, particularly those with cultural ties to the places under study. Authentic evidence of place-based learning comprises not only gains in locally situated knowledge and skills, but also enrichment of the sense of place. Valid and reliable surveys for measuring sense of place exist and have been tested successfully as assessment instruments. However, a student’s proximity of residence and history of visitation with a place used as the setting for a lesson may also influence his or her sense of that place. To investigate the possible effects of these factors and further explore the sense of place in assessment, introductory geology students were surveyed on their proximity of residence to, history of visitation to, and sense of Grand Canyon: an iconic place and the subject of a class laboratory exercise. Frequency and recency of visits to Grand Canyon, but not proximity of residence to it, were correlated with student’s sense of place. These findings suggest that place-based geoscience teaching is applicable to nonresident and local students alike, but that prior experiences with the place may influence a student’s receptivity to the method.