Affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning

Children's outdoor play in school grounds is a fundamental component of their environmental learning because it creates meaningful, enduring environmental connections and increases children's performances. However, the extent of children's engagement in outdoor play and the way they c...

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Main Author:	Aziz, Nor Fadzila
Format:	Thesis
Language:	English
Published:	2014
Subjects:	QE Geology
Online Access:	http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/78347/1/NorFadzilaAzizPFAB2014.pdf
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id	my-utm-ep.78347
record_format	uketd_dc
spelling	my-utm-ep.783472018-08-26T04:53:23Z Affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning 2014-10 Aziz, Nor Fadzila QE Geology Children's outdoor play in school grounds is a fundamental component of their environmental learning because it creates meaningful, enduring environmental connections and increases children's performances. However, the extent of children's engagement in outdoor play and the way they can learn through play is strongly influenced by the physical and social contexts of school grounds. Adults and schools, have often overlooked the values of outdoor play for learning that takes place outside the classroom. Thus, many schools are designed without considering children?s needs and desires. The spaces in schools are shaped with mediocre design standards and school grounds are not recognised as essential to a school?s mission or curriculum. This study explores the factors that influence children's play behaviour patterns and the actualisation of affordances in school grounds, and the connection with children's conception of ideal school grounds for outdoor play and environmental learning. This study was conducted with children (n=80) and teachers (n=71) at two primary schools in the state of Johor, Malaysia. Data on the children's behavioural and perceptual responses were elicited using five methods: walkabout interview and mapping, photography, drawing, preference survey and survey questionnaire. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Rasch Model, and spatial and content analysis. The results revealed different play behaviour patterns and preferences among children regarding the use of school grounds during non-formal and informal learning sessions. The differences that were identified were influenced by the degree of functionality, attractiveness, aesthetic quality, comfortability, accessibility and safety of the school ground environments. The findings of the actualisation of affordances and children?s conceptions of ideal school grounds suggest that children desire school ground environments that meet their physical, communal, emotional and educational needs. These findings contribute to a better understanding of children's interaction with and perceptions of their school grounds environment, and highlight the importance of such environments in promoting outdoor play and environmental learning. 2014-10 Thesis http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/78347/ http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/78347/1/NorFadzilaAzizPFAB2014.pdf application/pdf en public http://dms.library.utm.my:8080/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:98648 phd doctoral Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Faculty of Built Environment Faculty of Built Environment
institution	Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
collection	UTM Institutional Repository
language	English
topic	QE Geology
spellingShingle	QE Geology Aziz, Nor Fadzila Affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning
description	Children's outdoor play in school grounds is a fundamental component of their environmental learning because it creates meaningful, enduring environmental connections and increases children's performances. However, the extent of children's engagement in outdoor play and the way they can learn through play is strongly influenced by the physical and social contexts of school grounds. Adults and schools, have often overlooked the values of outdoor play for learning that takes place outside the classroom. Thus, many schools are designed without considering children?s needs and desires. The spaces in schools are shaped with mediocre design standards and school grounds are not recognised as essential to a school?s mission or curriculum. This study explores the factors that influence children's play behaviour patterns and the actualisation of affordances in school grounds, and the connection with children's conception of ideal school grounds for outdoor play and environmental learning. This study was conducted with children (n=80) and teachers (n=71) at two primary schools in the state of Johor, Malaysia. Data on the children's behavioural and perceptual responses were elicited using five methods: walkabout interview and mapping, photography, drawing, preference survey and survey questionnaire. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Rasch Model, and spatial and content analysis. The results revealed different play behaviour patterns and preferences among children regarding the use of school grounds during non-formal and informal learning sessions. The differences that were identified were influenced by the degree of functionality, attractiveness, aesthetic quality, comfortability, accessibility and safety of the school ground environments. The findings of the actualisation of affordances and children?s conceptions of ideal school grounds suggest that children desire school ground environments that meet their physical, communal, emotional and educational needs. These findings contribute to a better understanding of children's interaction with and perceptions of their school grounds environment, and highlight the importance of such environments in promoting outdoor play and environmental learning.
format	Thesis
qualification_name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.)
qualification_level	Doctorate
author	Aziz, Nor Fadzila
author_facet	Aziz, Nor Fadzila
author_sort	Aziz, Nor Fadzila
title	Affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning
title_short	Affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning
title_full	Affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning
title_fullStr	Affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning
title_full_unstemmed	Affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning
title_sort	affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning
granting_institution	Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Faculty of Built Environment
granting_department	Faculty of Built Environment
publishDate	2014
url	http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/78347/1/NorFadzilaAzizPFAB2014.pdf
_version_	1747817967044788224

Affordances of school grounds for children's outdoor play and environmental learning

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