VIRTUAL: Learning. Life. Work.

Abstract

Place-based education is an excellent way to make writing and reading in school more authentic. It also encourages students to consider the environment in ways that aren’t feasible within a traditional classroom setting. Students can explore their surroundings, whether near the school or distant. My paper draws upon findings from a project involving teacher education students attending a course on critical cultural literacy. During this course, the students explore a historic walking route along the Storånå River in Viglesdalen, Hjelmeland municipality, in western Norway. This ancient walking path guides the students to a remote mountain cabin where they spend the night. Along the path, they engage with the natural environment and cultural heritage, using literary mapping and poetic inquiry as their main tools. In my paper, I discuss the educational potential of place writing, emphasizing its relevance at all levels, from elementary school to teacher education. The project builds on established methods like place-based education and the Scandinavian concept of “Friluftsliv” (Outdoor Life). However, my intention is to expand these approaches with a more dynamic understanding of place, time, and movement, also highlighting human–non-human entwinement. My objective is to further develop traditional place-based learning by integrating travel writing, nature writing, literary mapping, and poetic inquiry within a framework of interdisciplinary environmental and sustainability education.