The project resulted in the development of a tested pedagogical framework that guides the creation and practical application of place-based experiential learning (PBEL) modules across the curriculum. The pedagogical framework was tested through the development and integration of PBEL modules into four STEM undergraduate courses to research what impacts engagement with a campus farm has on the development of scientific literacy, place meaning, place attachment, and civic-mindedness within students. The findings from this research provide evidence that a place, such as an urban farm, integrated into the curriculum through PBEL, can become a location upon which students can build positive meaning as well as be a place to which students can build an attachment. This place meaning and attachment can then be used to build upon scientific literacy and civic-mindedness. In addition, through this project, a PBEL pedagogical framework specific to an urban agriculture context was created and disseminated to the public to encourage the adoption of that framework across the country.

The four courses that implemented discipline-specific, farm-situated PBEL curriculum each took distinctly different approaches to the integration of the campus/urban farm into their curriculum. While there were varying contexts through which students were introduced to and came to interact with farm spaces, each method showed some statistically significant and positive impact on the civic-mindedness of participating students. This was especially true in the courses where students were provided more flexibility in student-led learning opportunities and engagement with the place. Students indicated that their interaction directly impacted their vision of the farm in the scope of food systems and their daily lives.

For example, an environmental studies course explored a campus farm and other local, urban farms through the concept of food systems, and provided students with a greater understanding of the role of agriculture—whether urban or rural, monoculture or polyculture, organic or non-organic—within our world. This differed from the minimal and highly-guided inquiry activities experienced by students in a 200-level Biology course. These students gained greater scientific knowledge of soil respiration and arthropod diversity through farm-engaged research projects. Despite these disciplinary differences, students from both courses showed statistically significant gains across civic-mindedness, place attachment, and place meaning. Furthermore, a 400-level Biology course provided students the ability to create and mold their interactions with the farm providing them the opportunity to delve more deeply into areas relevant to their own research interests. This course context enhanced student scientific literacy and understanding of the research process.

While more research needs to be conducted with a larger array of courses and students, these findings indicate the campus/urban farm-situated PBEL curricula effective in supporting students to: 1) learn scientific knowledge and critical thinking skills within a local context to cultivate informed citizen action, 2) pull knowledge from and work with disparate disciplines to solve problems, and 3) become more aware of their environmental agency, all invaluable skills in addressing emerging social and scientific challenges. The merging of inquiry, science content, and discipline-specific material situated within a real-world community-engaged location transformed student perspectives of science from a once-off required course to understanding the value of scientific inquiry and content to personal civics and their own professional disciplines. By challenging students to see how their disciplinary interests intersect with food and civics, this curriculum has the potential to train future STEM and non-STEM professionals to collaborate and apply STEM and discipline-specific knowledge to address the challenges of today’s world and improve all sectors of the workforce.

The PBEL pedagogical framework can be modified and applied to a variety of place settings including parks, museums, and other community spaces to create powerful opportunities for individuals to develop place attachment and to build profound meanings around ecologically-rich places. This framework may be a particularly beneficial model for resource-limited institutions where themed learning efforts may enhance knowledge networks and interdisciplinary discourse.

Last Modified: 12/30/2019
Modified by: Brandon Sorge