Theobald, P., & Curtiss, J. (2000). Communities as Curricula. Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, 15(1), 106-111.
Paul Theobald is dean of the Education and Counseling department at Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. Jim Curtiss is a professor at Wayne State College.
This article describes how place-based education naturally fits within a constructivist theory of learning. Beginning with a discussion of the original purpose of education, which was “to provide a common education so that the people could effectively wield the power that was theirs by virtue of living in a democracy,” the authors argue that reclaiming this goal can make schools a place of community renewal rather than an isolated learning environment. Focusing on learning theory, the article reviews the ideas of John Dewey and the constructivist approach to education, arguing that a community-based (or place-based) program can accomplish the goals of constructivist education, including making it relevant to real life, developing critical and creative thinking skills, authentic problem solving, deep understanding, and a sense of worth. The article also argues that national curriculum standards do not have to be an impediment to community-based education. Students in these programs often can meet and even exceed the national standards. The article concludes with examples of community-based programming and constructivist learning as well as a vision for a district that uses community-based programming from kindergarten through high school.