Place-related Approaches in Teacher Education A Review of Literature on Place-related Approaches in Preservice Teacher Education

Place-based education is a pedagogical approach that advocates for using one’s surrounding cultural, economic, and ecological phenomena as meaningful places for students to learn interdisciplinary content and skills. This and similar pedagogies have been examined in previous literature, yet few emphasize and evaluate its integration into preservice teacher education. Through examining 38 peer-reviewed studies on the diverse approaches of programs that integrate place-related educational approaches into preservice teacher education, this paper presents a synthesis of common findings in their implementation and outcomes. It found that characteristics of these programs diverge in their duration and intensity, course focus, and geographical and political contexts, each imparting an influence on how preservice teachers learn place-related approaches. Evidence for impact of these programs was explored in the literature in both qualitative and quantitative studies measuring self-efficacy, attitudes, beliefs and intentions, teachers’ conceptions of learning, and skill and content development. The three prevalent themes discussed in this paper are integration of theory and practice, organizational coherence, and bridging instructional contexts, which appear as important considerations for integration of place-related approaches into a wide range of preservice teacher education programs. These themes were used to provide recommendations for program development broadly and specifically for the Storer Scholars Program at Teton Science Schools.