A short list of great Community-Based Learning websites

• This site outlines some projects that use the local environment to teach students concepts using all disciplines while emphasizing hands-on real world learning experiences. “This approach to education helps students develop stronger ties to their community, a greater appreciation for the natural world and a heightened commitment to serving as active, contributing citizens”.

• Links to a study funded by the Gates Foundation entitled: Community-Based Learning: Engaging Students for Success and Citizenship.  The website links to many other informative sites.

• This is a Canadian government site (English/Francais) that offers great links to projects, other teachers and wonderful resources from all over the country.

• This site links to what are called “service-learning” projects. “Service-learning is a teaching method that enriches learning by engaging students in meaningful service to their schools and communities. Young people apply academic skills to solving real-world issues, linking established learning objectives with genuine needs. They lead the process, with adults as partners, applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills to concerns such as hunger, pollution, and diversity”.   Many interesting projects are outlined.

• The Centre for Interactive and Learning Collaboration offers great examples of student projects that work to improve communities using math, science and language arts etc.  Also, it is a great place to meet another school if you would like to collaborate on a project over the VCN or on the internet.

• This web site looks at “place-based learning”.  It states that…"Place-based" education is learning that is rooted in what is local -- the unique history, environment, culture, economy, literature, and art of a particular place. The community provides the context for learning, student work focuses on community needs and interests, and community members serve as resources and partners in every aspect of teaching and learning. Together we have discovered that this local focus has the power to engage students academically, pairing real-world relevance with intellectual rigor, while promoting genuine citizenship and preparing people to respect and live well in any community they choose.
  
  Place-based learning helps schools and communities get better together. 
  

• A great website on project-based learning, funded by the George Lucas foundation (the creator of Star Wars).  The site offers links to literature in the topic of PBL as well as examples of projects and schools currently implementing exciting projects.

• This site comes from the Government of Canada.  It is essentially a directory of project-based learning resources and background information.  There are lots of great ideas to be borrowed and adapted.
  

• This site outlines strategies for teachers to use websites to develop projects for teachers.  There are some very interesting links.  The site also takes a critical outlook on choosing appropriate teaching strategies.

• This is an interesting site, which allows space for younger students to work on common projects, express themselves and share their work with other students from all around the world.

• This site offers a justification for project-based learning in the curriculum.  It offers ideas for science and math and some interesting links.

• Blue Web'n is an online library of 2122 Internet sites categorized by subject, grade level, and format (tools, references, lessons, hotlists, resources, tutorials, activities, projects). You can also browse by broad subject area (Content Areas) or specific sub-categories (Subject Area). See "About this Site" for a scoring rubric and answers to other burning questions!