Toward a Theory of Sense of Place in Online Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Place-based educators recognize the importance of place in shaping learning, as our sense of place serves as a lens through which we interpret our experiences. Despite the growing prevalence of online environments in education, their impact on our sense of place remains largely unexplored. This case study employed critical case sampling to explore how graduate students in an online place-based program developed their sense of place in their online learning environment and its influence on their behavior. Using grounded theory and constant comparative analysis of surveys, interviews, documents, and observations, two overarching themes emerged. The first theme, “Building a Web of Connectivity,” illustrates the process through which participants developed their sense of place in the online learning environment. Central to this theme are six nodes: Finding Oneself in the Curriculum, Connecting with Culture, Building Pilina, Fostering Safety, Building Awareness, and Enacting Agency. Metaphorically functioning akin to a mesh network topology, each node represents a critical activity that students engaged in to create multiple points of connectivity between people and place. The second theme, “Robust Webs for Engaged Learning,” highlights how students exhibiting more nodes demonstrated increased engagement in the online learning environment. These findings offer valuable insights for educators and instructional designers, providing practical guidance on fostering meaningful and engaging learning experiences in online learning environments by utilizing the six nodes. This study underscores the transformative potential of the nodes, emphasizing the importance of assisting students in understanding the online world and their place within it.Keywords: sense of place, online learning, place-based education