The changing sense of place among agricultural families in Saskatchewan: Implications for rural education and society

This study explored the experience of three generations of farm families (grandparents, parents and children) in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada with respect to their sense and experience of place. The theoretical construct, sense of place, was linked to the life experience of the study participants. Sense of place was defined as the attachment or affinity—whether conscious or unconscious—between a person or groups of people and a particular place. Sense of place was explored with regard to four thematic categories: community, culture, economics and technology and education (formal and informal). In all four categories, the study findings showed a weakening sense of place among the study participants. This was most pronounced for the youngest generation. In particular, rapid social, economic, and technological change has altered the participants' perception of place. The study findings were used to suggest both place-sensitive strategies for rural education and the implications for the personal and social lives of the study participants.