We're thrilled to announce the addition of Emma Gleeson to our Boundless Education team. As our new Curriculum Development and Place-Based Experiential Learning Designer, Emma will play a key role in designing the curriculum for Boundless Life, with a special focus on our Trailblazers Program for teens aged 10–12 and 13–14. The Trailblazer Program blends academic rigor with immersive, place-based learning to prepare older students for the real-world challenges of today and tomorrow.

Emma brings 20+ years of education experience, including several as a Senior Learning Designer and traveling educator at THINK Global School. Her passion for creating transformative educational experiences through student-centered approaches has led her to become a leading figure in curriculum innovation and design and we’re thrilled to have her on board.

In this post, we'll delve deeper into Emma's background, expertise, and the exciting contributions she'll be making to Boundless Education.

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A huge, Boundless ‘welcome’ to you, Emma! Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into education?

I completed my undergraduate degree in Process Engineering in Ireland, as I was very drawn to STEM subjects as a high school student. Then in 2003, on completing my degree, I lost my father to cancer. While taking time out of my original career path to care for him, I had a lot of time to reflect on what I really wanted to do with my life. Being a sports coach for many years gave me a hunger to help others achieve their goals, and I knew I wanted to work in education. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of creating learning experiences for students across the globe. Joining Boundless Life, especially to contribute to the Trailblazers Program, feels like a natural next step. I’m excited to help design a curriculum that equips teens with real-world skills while immersing them in meaningful, place-based learning.

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Can you summarize ‘Place-Based Learning’ and how you see this as a transformative approach to education?

At Boundless Life, we are blending “Place-Based Learning” with “Project-Based Learning”. The two models are closely aligned but also distinct from each other.

1. Place-Based Learning (PBL) centers on learning through the lens of a specific location or community. It’s about engaging students with local environments, cultures, issues, and resources. Place-based learning often addresses local needs or challenges, making the place itself an integral part of the learning experience. 

2. Project-Based Learning emphasizes learning through completing a project, usually driven by a question or problem to solve. 

Place-based learning redefines how students engage with education, emphasizing relevance, community, and direct experience in ways that foster a deep, lasting impact. 

For example, Place-based learning is at the heart of the Trailblazers Program, where teens engage deeply with their surroundings to understand local issues, culture, and history. For instance, Trailblazers might explore environmental challenges in one destination and work collaboratively on community-centered solutions in another. By tying learning to real-world problems, the program fosters agency, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary connections, making education relevant and impactful.

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What ultimately drew you to Boundless Life Education and the role of Place-Based Experiential Learning Designer?

The key to meaningful learning comes from our experiences in the real world, with real people, and being immersed in multicultural environments can play a big part in this. When we travel and get to spend time experiencing and observing things outside of our comfort zone, magic can happen. At Boundless Life, I get to apply my 20 years working in education all around the world, and my passion for living and being a part of diverse communities, to creating meaningful experiences for future generations. My mission is to help them develop the skills needed to succeed in today’s changing world.

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You have a diverse background in engineering and education. How have these experiences shaped your approach to learning design?

My background in education gives me great insight into how to create differentiated learning environments for widely diverse student needs and design learning experiences that engage diverse learners in different ways. My engineering background gives me the critical perspective to put the structures in place to make these learning experiences happen. As a designer, I want to create experiences for our learners that allow them and refine their own Design Thinking skill.

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Tell us a little bit about THINK Global School, the first traveling High School of its kind. What are some of the key lessons you've learned from your time there and other institutions?

THINK Global School was founded in 2010. Each year students travel to four countries, developing a global perspective and honing problem-solving and critical thinking skills through place-based learning and cultural immersion experiences. I worked with THINK for three years, serving as a Curriculum Developer, Learning Experience Designer, and Project-Based Learning Educator.

Through my work with THINK and in Kenya, East Africa, and the U.S., I’ve gained a deep understanding of how to do effective Place-Based Learning within the context of a specific country. I’ve also learned that the most valuable learning is often captured in the process rather than the product. The learning process should primarily focus on iteration, evaluation, and reflection. 

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What would you say are the key elements of a well-designed place-based learning curriculum? How do you balance academic rigor with experiential learning?

Student agency is very important of course, but this comes in time. There is a lot of other skill-building that needs to happen through experiences before this element becomes obvious.

Some of the other key elements are:

Local Relevance and Connection‍

The curriculum centers around local community issues, culture, history, and ecology. It should be deeply rooted in the unique context of the place, making learning personally relevant to students and fostering a sense of connection to the community.

Interdisciplinary Approach‍

Place-based learning naturally lends itself to integrating multiple subjects, encouraging students to apply skills and knowledge across disciplines. This approach enriches understanding, linking concepts in math, science, language, social studies etc., to the local environment and community issues.

‍Active, Experiential Learning‍

Students engage in hands-on activities like fieldwork, community projects, or experiments, directly interacting with their surroundings. Learning becomes more impactful through real-world experiences that allow students to practice problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration.

‍Reflection and Documentation

Reflection activities, such as journaling, discussions, or presentations, are essential for students to process their learning, connect personal insights to larger themes, and articulate their growth. Documenting their journey also creates a tangible record of their progress and outcomes.

Academic rigor is part of the experiential learning. We definitely should not see them as separate components. The core academic subjects should make up a significant part of the knowledge and skills of each place-based learning experience, and these should then be complemented by other aspects of our educational system such as focus on soft skill building, cultural elements, and design thinking amongst other things.

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How do you envision the future of education, and what role do you see place-based learning playing in it?

The future of education lies in preparing students to tackle real-world challenges, which is central to the Boundless Education curriculum and especially to the Trailblazers Program. By combining place-based and project-based learning, students develop both technical and soft skills, fostering a mindset for lifelong learning and adaptability. I believe this approach—focused on portfolio building, interdisciplinary projects, and community engagement—will redefine how we prepare young people for the future.

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And, finally, what excites you most about your role within Boundless Education? 

Any opportunity to design learning at an international level and through a place-based learning lens excites me. This is a huge opportunity to be part of a highly engaging project while collaborating with a diverse international community. I’m very excited about the road ahead.

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Big thanks to Emma for sharing your expertise with our community. If this innovative educational approach speaks to you and your children, let’s talk! With a growing number of locations available, we have plenty of places to explore place-based learning. And don’t forget to check out our Trailblazers Program; the deadline for our first wave of applications is coming right up on December 1.