Placed-based Pedagogy Teaching Certification
The Place-based, Community-engaged Teaching Certification prepares faculty across disciplines to teach courses or components of courses using place-based pedagogy that also engages and amplifies the work of community partners focused on economic development, health services, education access, resource conservation and management and leadership in all spaces and places.
This certification represents a partnership between Experiential Learning and the CTLA. It arises from the experience of Experiential Learning Executive Director Michelle O'Malley whose students in her Ecology of Leadership course visit Grand Teton National Park and consider disruption, resilience, succession and adaptation in nature and how those concepts translate to human spaces and teaching and learning.
Participants in this deep professional learning opportunity will be able to disconnect and adventure while considering innovative and creative pedagogical design in their courses.
Place-based Certification Outcomes
- articulate differentiating characteristics of place-based pedagogy and its relevance to their respective disciplines
- deepen appreciation for place-based pedagogy and the necessity for community engagement resulting from an immersive experience on site and with community leaders, educators and developers
- develop curricular content, modeled on that of the teaching certification course, for courses to be offered at OHIO, in Athens and across the Regional Higher Education ecosystem, as well as via Study Away/Study Abroad programming which elevates Place and each citizen's role in support of Place.
Certification Requirements
- Proposal of a specific course redesign or component for development using place-based pedagogical approaches.
- Participation in three workshops during spring to prepare for the on-site experience.
- Completion of Place-based, Community-engaged Teaching Certification course at Teton Science Schools, in Jackson, WY, during the summer.
- Submission to University Curriculum Council and CTLA of course or course component redesign.
- Submission of reflection (written or multi-media) on experience to CTLA.
- Presentation proposal (poster, technical talk, other) to the annual OHIO Place-based/Community-Engaged Symposium.
Summer 2026 Location: Murie Ranch, Grand Teton National Park
The summer 2026 professional development session will take place June 18 to 29, 2026, on the Murie Ranch inside Grand Teton National Park and at a site that is stewarded by collaborating colleagues at the Teton Science Schools (TSS).
On-site Activities
Participants will work with the professional learning team at the Teton Science Schools while exploring pedagogies that support community and deeply knowing/engaging with Place.
They will also have the opportunity to experience the Tetons, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the community of Jackson Hole in much the same way Ecology of Leadership students do.
Participants will hike, journal, read/discuss/reflect AND build out new courses (or components of courses) for future implementation.
Important Considerations before Applying
- Spring Workshops and Pre-departure Cohort Meeting: Participants must attend three workshops during the spring and a pre-departure meeting.
- Physical Activity: This program consists of extensive walking/hiking and/or standing activities in nature and at high altitudes.
- Technology Accessibility: There will be limited wifi/cell service for the duration of the program onsite. In the case of emergencies, onsite staff will have emergency communication abilities, but participants should be prepared to be mostly disconnected from the digital world.
- Transportation to the program: Please note that if flying domestically, participants will need to ensure they have the proper identification to pass through airport security (TSA). U.S. travelers must have -compliant driver's license or ID card OR another acceptable form of identification (like a passport) to board domestic air travel.
- Room and Board: Participants will be sharing rooms and facilities and eating together. This is a "no-frills" professional development experience. :)
Program Cost and Support
The CTLA and Experiential Learning are partnering to make this experience as affordable as possible for participants. The CTLA will provide $1,000 and Experiential Learning will provide an additional $1,000 towards the total cost of the experience.
Faculty accepted to participate should expect to contribute between $500 and $700 program fees PLUS THE COST OF airfare to Jackson Hole, WY. As of December 2025, flight costs were $500, but that cost increases significantly beginning in March.
This experience will be limited to 12 participants.
Applying to Participate
Ideally, the summer cohort will represent multiple colleges and disciplines, as well as faculty positions (tenure-track, instructional). The application is relatively simple to complete.
In addition to information about department, college and courses, applicants are asked to upload a letter of application/interest statement (500 words maximum) indicating why they would like to participate in this certification. The letter should include the following:
- A teaching problem, challenge, or area of inquiry to be addressed by place-based, community-engaged pedagogy.
- Current familiarity with place-based, community-engaged pedagogy. (Please note: Applicants do not have to have experience with this type of pedagogy to participate.)
Applicants MUST indicate their availability for the entire 10 days, their ability to secure funding, their understanding of the location and activities associated with the experience and a brief note of support from their department chair.
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FEB. 15, 2026.
For Additional Information
For additional information about this unique professional learning experience, contact the CTLA or the OHIO Place-based Initiative Director.