By Karen Zainal & Zeslene Mao

BRITISH children aged above eight can recognise more Pokemon characters than local wildlife, a 2002 British study found.

And the average American child can identify over 1,000 corporate logos, but only a handful can name more than a few of the plants or birds in their neighbourhoods, said another essay by writer Pamela Michael.

So how would young Singaporeans fare? While there has been no study either way, Raffles Institution (RI) principal Lim Lai Cheng thinks they would be no different. She feels Singaporean youngsters are just as disconnected from their communities.

'When we are tired, we go to the shops for retail therapy. I think as Singaporeans growing up in an urban setting, this is what we have become.'

That is why 150 participants, mostly educators from various primary and secondary schools as well as tertiary institutions, gathered yesterday for the inaugural Place-Based Education (PBE) Seminar, organised by RI, to look at ways in which students can learn from the environment around them.

PBE is a learning pedagogy - first introduced in the United States - that emphasises learning through real-world experiences, with the local community and environment as a starting point.

It is now a feature of some schools. For instance, Pei Hwa Secondary students have designed a heritage trail where they serve as tour guides, taking primary school pupils around the Sengkang neighbourhood.

The Jalan Kayu Heritage Trail, incorporating nature, food, history and even mathematics, is an avenue for inculcating in the younger generation an appreciation of the community near their school.

Also aimed at engaging students with their surroundings is the St Andrew's River Project, by St Andrew's Secondary School, a living lesson about riverine ecosystems and water quality.

Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for Education and National Development, who opened the seminar, commended these schools for their initiatives. She said: 'Because of the rich experiences and interactivity these projects offer, students have developed a greater interest in their environment and community, in addition to becoming more enthusiastic in their studies.'

Educators accept that the idea of learning outside the classroom is not new, but RI hopes to convince teachers that 'it should be a pedagogy, and not just a one-off event', said Mrs Lim.

'We are proposing a schoolwide approach,' she added.

Mr Yap Wai Meng, head of department of humanities at Xinmin Secondary School, felt that PBE could be a key to producing more well-rounded students.

'What struck me at today's seminar was that PBE connects with the senses. If academic and non-academic departments can cooperate, it will allow students to develop in a holistic manner.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.