UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Poleman, Walter M.
Dept./Program:
Natural Resources
Degree:
PhD
Abstract:
This dissertation focused on the development and evaluation of the PLACE (Place-based Landscape Analysis & Community Education) Program, a community outreach initiative offered collaboratively by the University of Vermont and Shelburne Farms. PLACE is an attempt to apply landscape analysis and whole systems thinking to fostering a sense of place and a sustainable future in local communities. By showcasing partnerships, infusing energy and ideas, motivating educators and town officials, and forging and deepening relationships, the program staff seeks to engage the whole community in a celebration ofplace. The essential work of PLACE is to bring expertise and energy from the University, Shelburne Farms, and other partnering organizations to bear on developing integrative and interpretive analyses of town landscapes. Since its inception in 2001, PLACE has collaborated with a host of local and regional partners to facilitate programs in 13 Vermont communities.
The central goal of my research was to improve the quality and sustainability of the PLACE Program, and assess the degree to which it has been meeting the intended outcomes for the community sponsors, volunteers, graduate students, educators, and residents involved in the program. In order to meet these objectives, I gathered information from a variety of sources: participants, staff, program documents, experts, program partners, comparable organizations, and the literature. I utilized a range of qualitative and quantitative research instruments, including surveys, open-ended interviews, focus groups, observations, and document analyses to evaluate the program, and distilled a set ofeducational design principles for application to PLACE and other natural history education initiatives.
The findings indicate that, although PLACE has been achieving its primary objectives, there is an opportunity to redesign the Program to make it more participatory and relevant to the needs of the community and the lives of the residents. I present a revitalized program model that showcases local food systems, traditional skills, integrative analysis, empowerment evaluation, and web-based mapping, as well as strategies for helping teachers more effectively incorporate place-based education into their curricula.
The central goal of my research was to improve the quality and sustainability of the PLACE Program, and assess the degree to which it has been meeting the intended outcomes for the community sponsors, volunteers, graduate students, educators, and residents involved in the program. In order to meet these objectives, I gathered information from a variety of sources: participants, staff, program documents, experts, program partners, comparable organizations, and the literature. I utilized a range of qualitative and quantitative research instruments, including surveys, open-ended interviews, focus groups, observations, and document analyses to evaluate the program, and distilled a set ofeducational design principles for application to PLACE and other natural history education initiatives.
The findings indicate that, although PLACE has been achieving its primary objectives, there is an opportunity to redesign the Program to make it more participatory and relevant to the needs of the community and the lives of the residents. I present a revitalized program model that showcases local food systems, traditional skills, integrative analysis, empowerment evaluation, and web-based mapping, as well as strategies for helping teachers more effectively incorporate place-based education into their curricula.