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Abstract
The school grounds provide students opportunities for respite, relaxation and relief from daily stresses during breaks in the school day. However, it is unclear whether secondary schoolyard designs adequately support the diverse and evolving needs of adolescents, particularly at a time when they are experiencing rapid emotional and physical developmental change. To investigate this, quantitative methods were used to explore differences in perceptions of schoolyard attractiveness and restorative quality based on student gender and year level. A school-wide survey was administered to approximately 284 students in years 7 to 10 at a secondary school in Canberra, Australia. Results indicate significant declines in student perceptions of schoolyard attractiveness and restorative quality. Higher ratings of schoolyard likeability, accessibility, personal connection and restorative quality of ‘being away’ were associated with male students across all year levels. Further work is needed to explore how schoolyard environments can better support the design preferences and well-being needs of older and female students. Such information would help planners, designers and land managers develop schoolyard designs that are more equitable in their benefits to secondary school students of different genders and year levels.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 4221 |
Pages (from-to) | 1-14 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 27 Feb 2023 |
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Dive into the research topics of 'Enjoyed by Jack but Endured by Jill: an Exploratory Case Study Examining Differences in Adolescent Design Preferences and Perceived Impacts of a Secondary Schoolyard'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Activities
- 3 Invited talk
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A Greenprint for Change: Making Schoolyards Work for Wellbeing
LEIGH, G. (Speaker)
8 May 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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The Schoolyard Greenprint: Transforming Schoolyard Spaces into Places for Student Wellbeing
LEIGH, G. (Speaker)
31 Oct 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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A Greenprint for transforming schoolyards as places for student wellbeing
LEIGH, G. (Speaker)
18 Oct 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk