Quantifying a relationship between place-based learning and environmental quality

Abstract

The goal of this study was to investigate the degree to which school-based and nonformal education programs that focus on air quality (AQ) achieved measurable AQ improvements, and whether specific instructional methods were associated with those improvements. We completed a standardized telephone interview with representatives of 54 AQ education programs. Quantitative analysis of these interviews generated three key findings: (1) nearly half (46%) of the programs we studied reported evidence that AQ had actually improved over the course of their projects; (2) most (89%) of the programs we studied took some sort of action to improve AQ; and (3) programs reporting more place-based learning qualities and practices such as service-learning and community partnerships were more likely to report improvements in AQ (r = .40, p < .01).

Keywords:

• place-based learning
• environmental quality
• air quality

Notes

aThis category summarizes respondents’ answers to eight specific and one open-ended survey question that inquired about the following physical AQ indicators: carbon dioxide, airflow, particulates, temperature, humidity, odors, animals/insects, damp/mold, and any other.

bIn a similar fashion, respondents were asked about proxy indicators through six specific and one open-ended question. In addition to the four proxy indicators shown in the table, we asked about two others (health symptoms and school absences), but these were not endorsed by any of the respondents.

**Significant at .01 level (two-tailed).

*p < .05 (two-tailed).

**p < .01 (two-tailed).

*p < .05 level (two-tailed).

**p < .01 level (two-tailed).