SCHOOLYARDS’ DESIGN AND STUDENTS’ NEEDS FROM GENDER PERSPECTIVE: THE CASE OF PALESTINE
Date
2018-07-02
Authors
Manal Al-Bishawi
Soheil Salaha
Shaden Awad
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Abstract
This study focuses on the relationship between gender,
students’ needs and the physical form of schoolyards. It
investigates whether and how the needs of both male and
female students influence the physical form of schoolyards in
Palestine, as a Middle Eastern country. The aim is to develop
a better theoretical understanding of the relationship between
the students’ needs based on their gender, and the physical
form of schoolyards. The study follows an environmental
approach, which is based on the concept of behavioural
setting, to analyse the physical form of schoolyards in relation
to students' needs. For the validity of results, both
quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative approaches
(observations, interviews with planners, and school
principals, mental maps drawn by students) are used.
Different techniques, such as Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS), ethnographic (cultural) techniques, photos
and written notes are used. The study finds that the
components of the physical form of schoolyards (design, use
and rules) are influenced by gender, particularly the design
components. There are differences between design, use and
rules components of females’ schoolyards and males’
schoolyards. These differences are due to differences
between needs of female and male students in schoolyards.
Therefore, the study recommends that the components of
schoolyards should support different needs of both male and
female students.
Description
Keywords
Schoolyards , physical form components , students’ needs , gender , Palestine