Young children's and adults' perceptions of natural play spaces: A case study of Chengdu, southwestern China

Wang, Xia; Woolley, Helen; Tang, Ya; Liu, Hsiao-yi; Luo, Yuyan

doi:10.1016/j.cities.2017.08.011

Cited by 37 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…As far as parents are concerned, it has been shown that they usually understand the benefits of natural play spaces, appreciating natural environments much more than urban ones for their children's activities and learning (Wang et al, 2018). Regarding teachers' perspectives McClintic and Petty (2015), have explored the beliefs about preschool outdoor play, reporting that teachers interviewed in their study considered outdoor play essential along with the children's opportunity to experience free play.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Outdoor Education in Italian Kindergartens: How Teachers Perceive Child Developmental Trajectories

2018

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Outdoor Education (OE) refers to organized experiential education that takes place in the outdoor, characterized by action-centered and thematic learning processes. Literature shows how OE may have beneficial effects on different areas of child development, including cognitive abilities, social skills, and motor development. This relationship is not necessarily linear, but moderated by different variables. Until now, few studies have examined, using rigorous methods, the role of OE in children's development and studies of preschool aged children remain lacking. The current study aimed to explore teachers' perceptions of children's developmental trajectories over 2 school years, investigating whether teachers' perceptions differed between two kindergartens, one characterized by a consolidated OE approach and the other one characterized by a more traditional method of education. The sample was composed of 20 teachers, evaluating 93 children aged 3–5 (M = 46.95 months, SD = 6.73; 42 males): 13 teachers were from a traditional kindergarten (Traditional Group- TG) and evaluated 52 children; 7 teachers were from an OE kindergarten (Outdoor Group—OE) and observed 41 children. All the teachers completed the Kuno Beller Developmental Tables (Mantovani, 1995), in order to describe specific child developmental areas in 4 consecutive moments during 2 school years (T1-T2: January-May 2014; T3-T4: October 2014-May 2015). The 20 teachers also completed the “Outdoor Activities/Trips Diary,” an instrument created for this study to collect qualitative data on the characteristics of outdoor activities. Results showed that, in all the developmental areas, OE teachers perceived higher scores over time were found for the Outdoor Group compared to the Traditional one. Specifically, GLM ANOVAs Repeated Measures revealed a significant interaction of the 2 variables Time and Groups (p < 0.001): contrast analyses showed that OE children, compared to the TG children, were perceived by their teachers with higher levels in all developmental areas at T1 and T2, but not at T3 and T4. The findings suggest that the OE activites, compared to indoor ones and according to teachers' perceptions, offer greater opportunities to promote the child's development at different levels, especially when children are younger. Future studies are recommended analyzing possible moderating variables and long term effects of OE.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Outdoor Education in Italian Kindergartens: How Teachers Perceive Child Developmental Trajectories

2018

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“…It is well-known that contact with the open-air not only has a positive impact on children's physical and psychological health, but also on their interactions and social networks, helping to develop creative potential and mental, linguistic and motor abilities [13,14]. However, social changes in the 21st century and increasing urbanization processes have affected the amount of time that children devote to open-air activities, leading to more sedentary lifestyles that are disconnected from the natural environment [15,16]. An experience that took place in Vermont, USA, related the absence of open-air activities among children to apathy toward the environment and a separation from the natural world.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Sciences, Art and Physical Activity in Leisure Environments. An Inter-Disciplinary Project for Teacher Training

et al. 2018

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Factors such as social change and increasing urbanization processes in the early years of the 21st century have caused a reduction in the amount of time that children devote to leisure activities in the open-air, resulting in more sedentary lifestyles than children in previous decades. An education in healthy habits from early ages to increase children's physical and mental well-being together with their level of cultural knowledge contributes to the acquisition of a Leisure Culture that allows children to perceive the close environment as a scene for learning and enjoyment. It is thus be necessary for schools to foster pedagogical experiences, taking the physical and cultural environment as teaching resources. An innovation project is proposed which will be implemented with 25 university students from the School of Teacher Training and Education at the University of Oviedo (Oviedo, Spain). The project will consist of the proposal of educational itineraries through the city of Oviedo and Mount Naranco. As teachers-to-be, students must combine knowledge of the related areas and generate inter-disciplinary activities throughout the routes that will foster respect for the environment and leisure based on culture and physical activity, attitudes that they will transmit to their own students in the future.

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“…Las aportaciones teóricas de las comunicaciones encontradas en la literatura versan sobre los siguientes temas: las funciones cognitivas y estructuras cerebrales (López-Fernández y Llamas-Salguero, 2018); teorías integradas de la relación creatividadpersonalidad (Romoa et al, 2017); el papel de las formas de apropiación de lo real en la imaginación y la capacidad crítica (Murrieta et al, 2015); los aportes de las neurociencias (Burgos y Osses, 2015) y la dirección del proceso de la actividad psíquica (Kamak et al, 2017). Otros estudios incursionan en la influencia de los entornos en los que el niño se desenvuelve y el valor de la aceptación familiar en el desarrollo creativo (Krumm et al, 2013); así como las percepciones de familiares sobre el empleo de entornos naturales y seguros para desarrollar los juegos (Wang et al, 2018).…”

Section: Resultados Del Primer Rubro (Siete Estudios): Aportaciones Tunclassified

Desarrollo de la Creatividad y el Talento desde las Primeras Edades. Componentes Curriculares de un Programa de Maestría en Educación

et al. 2019

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ResumenSe analizan los componentes curriculares de un programa de maestría en educación con especialización en desarrollo de creatividad y el talento, a partir de un estudio secuencial en tres fases. Los métodos empleados incluyeron el análisis de contenido temático de artículos de revistas de corriente principal, trabajos de titulación de docentes graduados en maestría de Educación, encuesta a docentes, e informes públicos que aportan datos sobre formación docente. Los resultados muestran tres problemas principales: i) tendencias en estudios que justifican el desarrollo creativo desde bases fisiológicas, psicológicas y sociológicas; ii) necesidades teóricas y metodológicas de docentes en ejercicio; y iii) oferta formativa limitada a otras especializaciones. Se concluye que, la evidencia teórica y empírica aporta referentes en la construcción de los componentes del programa propuesto para el contexto ecuatoriano en estudio. AbstractThe curricular components of a master's program in education with specialization in the development of creativity and talent, from a sequential study divided in three phases are analysed. The methods used included the analysis of thematic content to articles in mainstream journals, graduate works of teachers graduated from a Master's Education program, surveys to teachers and public information and reports that provide data on teacher training. The results show three main problems: i) trends in studies that justify creative development from physiological, psychological and sociological bases; ii) the theoretical and methodological needs of current teachers; and iii) the formative offer limited to other specialisations. It is concluded that the theoretical and empirical evidence provides references in the construction of the components of the proposed program for the Ecuadorian context under study.

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Young children's and adults' perceptions of natural play spaces: A case study of Chengdu, southwestern China

Cited by 37 publications

References 21 publications

Outdoor Education in Italian Kindergartens: How Teachers Perceive Child Developmental Trajectories

Outdoor Education in Italian Kindergartens: How Teachers Perceive Child Developmental Trajectories

Social Sciences, Art and Physical Activity in Leisure Environments. An Inter-Disciplinary Project for Teacher Training

Desarrollo de la Creatividad y el Talento desde las Primeras Edades. Componentes Curriculares de un Programa de Maestría en Educación

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