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Peer-reviewed article

Development and validation of the Place-Based Learning and Constructivist Environment Survey (PLACES)

July 1, 2012 | Public Programs, Informal/Formal Connections

Learning environment studies acknowledge that learning takes place within the social realm and that social conditions contribute to the quality of both learning and experience. This can be said to be especially true for environmental learning programs. To access information about students' perceptions of their learning environment, a robust instrument for describing and measuring student perceptions of environmental education in place-based educational settings was developed and validated. Focus groups with environmental educators were formed to explore (from teachers' perspective) the factors viewed as most important to environmental learning and as most likely to influence the unique type of learning environments fostered in place-based or community-based environmental education programs. Analysis of qualitative work resulted in the inclusion of eight scales developed/adapted from previous learning environment surveys for use in the new Place-Based Learning and Constructivist Environment Survey for use in secondary settings. In this article, validity and reliability data for this instrument are presented and the implications of these data for future research within environmental education, place-based education and teacher education programs are discussed.

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  • David Zandvliet
    Author
    Simon Fraser University
  • Citation

    DOI : 10.1007/s10984-012-9110-x
    ISSN : 1387-1579
    Publication Name: Learning Environments Research
    Volume: 15
    Number: 2
    Page Number: 125
    Resource Type: Research Products
    Discipline: Ecology, forestry, and agriculture | Education and learning science | Life science
    Audience: Middle School Children (11-13) | Youth/Teen (up to 17) | Undergraduate/Graduate Students | Educators/Teachers | Museum/ISE Professionals
    Environment Type: Public Programs | Community Outreach Programs | Informal/Formal Connections | K-12 Programs

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