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The power of place-based learning Place-based education can take many forms but all focus on moving learning out of the classroom and into local communities and spaces. This approach to higher education often tasks students with working on or seeking to solve community challenges, enabling them to ‘learn by doing’. It roots knowledge in specific places, immersing students in local cultures, histories and environments. This collection of resources offers examples of successful place-based learning and advice for those who wish to introduce this pedagogy to their courses.
Copyright © 2025 THE - Times Higher Education. All rights reserved. Community - engaged learning : a pedagogic approach to civic outreach
A guide to developing community - engaged learning projects that benefit the student participants and the communities they work within , by Sonia Kumar
How community projects can promote students ’ critical thinking skills
Embedding project - based learning and participatory research in degree courses can provide students with the critical - thinking skills that employers require
Bringing learning to life : nine tips for teaching in outdoor places and spaces
David A . G . Clarke reflects on his experience of teaching in outdoor spaces and provides valuable tips on how to take higher education outside the classroom
Creative ways to boost student learning through community - based projects
Jamie Darwen explains how community projects offer creative and practical ways to enhance student learning and shares advice on building successful partnerships …
Counter - mapping as a pedagogical tool
Engaging students with urban spaces can contextualise and deepen learning and bring in inclusive perspectives . Daniel Guti é rrez - Ujaque and Dharman Jeyasingham …
Food for thought : advice for building a university - community collaboration
Planning and communication can turn good intentions into lasting benefits for students , faculty and the community . Joshua Gruver shares his advice for successful …
Don ’ t be fooled – community outreach can be even better online
Covid and the move online made audiences even larger for our student - led social media workshops aimed at local businesses , say Dennis Olsen and Kristin Brewe
How to revitalise student knowledge exchange with local communities
How co - creating an ‘ umbrella ’ programme can help institutions innovate student knowledge exchange and improve engagement with local communities and …
Developing an educational app to engage students in the world around them
Niki Vermeulen and Kate Bowell describe a creative approach to place - based learning involving an app that offers educational walking tours linking students ’ …
Using project - based learning to boost student motivation and engagement
Worapoom Saengkaew shares key lessons from using project - based learning to get students away from their screens and into the real world , boosting their enthusiasm for their …
Using community - based research projects to motivate learning among engineering students
Trithos Kamsuwan explains how community - based research projects can be used to motivate students , creating opportunities to apply principles they have learned …
Place - based learning in digital universities
A discussion of how the exploration and understanding of a place can be the backbone of higher education teaching and learning , whether delivered online or …
Three steps to successful rapid - response civic engagement with students
Kathleen Riach outlines key lessons from successfully leading a rapid - response civic engagement project with students to help over 50s gain better digital access
Using digital scholarship to enhance public engagement
Having been pushed to the sidelines of academia for too long , public engagement projects can take a central role in digital courses , furthering students ’ learning …
