A newly published study in the Springer journal highlights the success of the inaugural international field school hosted at the Aga Khan University Arusha Climate and Environmental Research Centre (AKU-ACER). The paper, titled
"Evaluating the Design of an International Field School: Learning Environments with/in a Living Lab," details how the purposeful design of physical and psychosocial spaces can significantly enhance student learning in the face of global climate challenges.
The
field school, conducted from October to November 2023, brought together 12 environmental students from Simon Fraser University, Canada for a month-long "Living Lab" experience. The curriculum centred on climate change and community resilience, integrating place-based pedagogy with local and indigenous knowledge.
“The Arusha region represents a microcosm for discovery and decision-making," says Professor Emmanuel Sulle, lead author and Director at AKU-ACER. “The field school is a critical first step towards driving research that focuses on ecology, renewable energy, and water, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for the Indigenous communities surrounding our site."
The study utilized the PLACES and SPACES survey instruments to evaluate how the campus environment – including a renovated farmhouse and semi-luxury safari tents – impacted the students' academic and social engagement.
“The curriculum embedded in any building instructs as fully and as powerfully as any course taught in it," notes co-author Dr David Zandvliet, Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. “Our research demonstrates that a learning environment characterized by a constructivist theory – one that is place-based and direct in experience – creates a robust atmosphere that effectively instils the critical thinking needed in an increasingly globalized society."
The findings establish AKU-ACER as a premier hub for community-embedded learning and academic partnership, providing a blueprint for future international environmental programmes.
A newly published study in the Springer journal highlights the success of the inaugural international field school hosted at the Aga Khan University Arusha Climate and Environmental Research Centre (AKU-ACER). The paper, titled
"Evaluating the Design of an International Field School: Learning Environments with/in a Living Lab," details how the purposeful design of physical and psychosocial spaces can significantly enhance student learning in the face of global climate challenges.
The
field school, conducted from October to November 2023, brought together 12 environmental students from Simon Fraser University, Canada for a month-long "Living Lab" experience. The curriculum centred on climate change and community resilience, integrating place-based pedagogy with local and indigenous knowledge.
“The Arusha region represents a microcosm for discovery and decision-making," says Professor Emmanuel Sulle, lead author and Director at AKU-ACER. “The field school is a critical first step towards driving research that focuses on ecology, renewable energy, and water, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for the Indigenous communities surrounding our site."
The study utilized the PLACES and SPACES survey instruments to evaluate how the campus environment – including a renovated farmhouse and semi-luxury safari tents – impacted the students' academic and social engagement.
“The curriculum embedded in any building instructs as fully and as powerfully as any course taught in it," notes co-author Dr David Zandvliet, Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. “Our research demonstrates that a learning environment characterized by a constructivist theory – one that is place-based and direct in experience – creates a robust atmosphere that effectively instils the critical thinking needed in an increasingly globalized society."
The findings establish AKU-ACER as a premier hub for community-embedded learning and academic partnership, providing a blueprint for future international environmental programmes.
