Junior Primary Greek School Pupils’ Perceptions of the City’s Public Open Spaces and Especially of the Urban Square: A Case Study

Year 2016, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 49 - 66, 30.04.2016

Nikoletta Papageorgıou Apostolia Galanı Evangelia Mavrıkakı

https://izlik.org/JA83AR89ZK

Abstract

This work - part of a wider project aimed at engaging first year primary school pupils in public open-space
design - explores the perceptions of junior primary school children as to the urban square. Data collection
tools comprised semi-structured interviews, sketches and storytelling via puppet-animation. Our findings
have shown that - according to the perceptions of the children - the square displays the advantages and
disadvantages of public open spaces both structurally and in terms of its layout, while its functions are
linked to children’s play, leisure, events and socialization. Factors that adversely affect visits to public
squares include delinquency, xenophobia, limited space and poor design. 

Keywords

Geography , Environmental Education , Pupils’ Perceptions , City Square , City Planning

References

• Al-Arasi, H. A. (2013). A Study on Children’s perception of their local living environment. Graduate Dissertation, Faculty of Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation of the University of Twente, Netherlands, Retrieved from http://www.itc.nl/library/papers_ 2013/msc/upm/alarasi.pdf.
• Allen, W. (2003). Plant blindness. BioScience, 53(10), 926.
• Altman, I. and Zube, E.H. (1989). Public places and spaces, Vol. 10, Plenum Press, New York doi: 10.1007/978-1-4684-5601-1.
• Atmatzakis, K. (2007). Pedi, pachnidi ke anaptyksi [Child, play and growth], BA thesis, Physiotherapy Department, TEI of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki.
• Berelson, B. (1952). Content analysis in communication research. New York: The Free Press.
• City of Vancouver, Land Use and Development Policies and Guidelines. (1992). Plaza design guidelines. Retrieved from http://vancouver.ca/docs/planning/plaza-design-guidelines- 1992-november-17.pdf.
• Cohen, L., L. Manion, and Morrison, K. (2000). Research Methods in Education [5th edt] London: Routledge Falmer.
• Danish Architecture Centre. (2009). Architectural Exhibition: “New Urban Spaces” – “Future works and urban spaces”. Retrieved from http://www.dac.dk/.
• Delladetsimas, P.M. (2009). E Asfales Poles [Safe Cities] Sextant Eds. Athens.
• Ehrlén, K. (2009). "Drawings as representations of children's conceptions." International Journal of Science Education, 31 (1), 41-57. doi:10.1080/09500690701630455
• Exarchopoulou, E., Vamvakidou, I. Kyridis, A. Mavrikaki, E. and Bessas, D. (2003). E symboli tu kuklotheatru stin Agogi Hygeas kata ten Proscholeki helikea. To Paradegma tes diatrofes [The contribution of puppet theatre in Pre-schoolers’ Health Education. The case study of diet] Sychroni Ekpaideusi, 132-133: 39-46.
• Farnsley, A. E., & Demerath, N. J., Diamond, E., Mapes, M.L., & Wedam, E. (2004). Sacred Circles, Public Squares: The Multicentering of American Religion. Indiana, In.: The Polis Center, Indiana University Press.
• Forbus, K., J. Usher, A. Lovett, K. Lockwood, & Wetzel, J. (2011). "Cogsketch: Sketch understanding for cognitive science research and for education." Topics in Cognitive Science 3 (4): 648-666. doi:10.1111/j.1756-8765.2011.01149.
• Galani, A. (2014). Ta pedia geo-graphun: Mia meleti gia tin plateah Deksamenis sto choro keh sto chrono [Children’s geographies: A study about Deksameni square in space and time] in Honorary edited volume for Professor Emeritus A. Katsikis University of Ioannina.
• Gillian, Th., and Thompson, G. (2004). “A Child's Place: Why environment matters to children”, Green Alliance/Demos, Retrieved from http://www.greenalliance.org.uk/.
• Carr, S. Francis, M. Rivlin, L.G., & Stone A.M. (1992). Public space, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
• Hart, R. A. (2013). Children's participation: The theory and practice of involving young citizens in community development and environmental care. Routledge.
• Hill, M. (2005). Ethical considerations in researching children's experiences, In D. Hogan & S. Greene (Eds.), Researching Children's Experience: Approaches and Methods. London: SAGE.
• Hoekstra, B. (2000). Plant blindness - The ultimate challenge to botanists. The American Biology Teacher, 62(2), 82-83.
• Kapetanios, A. (2010). Silent Squares–Part A, Retrieved from http://www.greekarchitects. gr/gr/home.
• Keogh, B., S. Naylor, J. Maloney, and Simon, S. (2008). "Puppets and engagement in science: a case study." Nordina, 4 (2), 142-150.
• Kose, S. (2008). "Diagnosing student misconceptions: Using drawings as a research method." World Applied Sciences Journal, 3 (2), 283-293.
• Kwasek, R. (2014). Streets with soul, Study tour. Municipal Engineers Foundation.
• Laforest J. (2009). “Guide to Organizing Semi-Structured Interviews with Key Informant” Retrieved from www.inspq.qc.ca.
• Landis, J. R., and Koch, G. G. (1977). "The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data." Biometrics, 33 (1): 159-174. doi: 10.2307/2529310.
• Lehman-Frisch, S., J-Y. Authier, and Dufaux, F. (2012). "‘Draw me your neighborhood’: a gentrified Paris neighborhood through its children's eyes." Children's Geographies, 10 (1), 17-34. doi: 10.1080/14733285.2011.638175.
• Loukopoulos, Α. (2008). E esagogi kenotomion sto scholeoh keh o rolos tu Diefthindi: E Apotelesmatikotita tis eveliktis zonis diathematikon keh dimiurgikon drastiriotiton [The innovative school and the role of principal: The effectiveness of interdisciplinary and creative activities], doctoral dissertation, PTDE, School of Humanities and Sociology, University of Patra.
• Mavrikaki, E., Antonatou, C. and Kyridis, A. (2012). "Greek Senior High School Students’ Perceptions about Science and the Scientific Community as These Appear in the Mass Media." Journal of Studies in Education, 2(4), 32-46. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ 10.5296/jse.v2i4.2270.
• Matthews, M. H. (2001). Children and community regeneration: creating better neighbourhoods. London: Save the Children.
• Ministry of Reconstruction of Production, Environment & Energy, retrieved from http://www.ypeka.gr/Default.aspx?tabid=38&gcsQuery=%CF%80%CE%BB%CE%B1% CF%84%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%B5%CF%82.
• Poveda, D., Casla, M., Messina, C., Morgade, M., Rujas, I., Pulido, L., and Cuevas, I. (2007). "The after school routines of literature-devoted urban children." Children's Geographies, 5 (4), 423-441. doi: 10.1080/14733280701631890.
• Sieber, J. (2012). The ethics of Social Research: Fieldwork, Regulation and Publication. NY: Springer-V erlag.
• Simon, S., Naylor, S., Keogh, B., Maloney, J., and Downing, B. (2008). "Puppets promoting engagement and talk in science." International Journal of Science Education 30 (9): 1229-1248. doi: 10.1080/09500690701474037.
• Spencer, C., Blades, M. (eds) (2006). Children and their environments: Learning, using and designing spaces. Cambridge University Press. Staempfli, M., (2009). Reintroducing adventure into children’s outdoor play environments. Environment and Behavior, 41 (2), 268–280.
• Sutton, S. E., and Kemp, S. P. (2002). "Children as partners in neighborhood placemaking: lessons from intergenerational design charrettes." Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22(1), 171-189. doi:10.1006/jevp.2001.02
• Strommen, E. (1995). "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Children's conceptions of forests and their inhabitants." Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 32(7), 683-698. doi: 10.1002/tea.3660320704
• Talen E. (2000). Measuring the public realm: A preliminary assessment of the link between public space and sense of community, Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, 17, 344–360.
• Tsevreni, Ι. (2008). Megalonodas stin Athina: Ena programma perivalodikis ekpaidefsis gia the symetochi ton pedion steh diamorfosi tu perivalodos tus [Growing in Athens”: An Environmental Education programme for children’s collaboration in development of their environment], School of Architecture, EMP, Athens.
• Van Velsor, P. (2004). Revisiting basic counselling skills with children. Journal of Counselling and Development, 82(3), 313-319.
• Veitch, J. Salmon, J. and Ball, K. (2007). "Children's perceptions of the use of public open spaces for active free-play." Children's geographies,5(4), 409-422. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14733280701631874.
• Vitsou, M. (2011). Eh proagogi tes phonologikis enimerotetas ton nipion meso tu kuklotheatru sta tmimata ekmathisis ellinikis glossas tes Stokcholmes [The development of infants’ phonological awareness in Greek learning courses in Stockholm] International Conference Arts and Education, Athens, May 6-8.
• Weber, R.P. (1990). Basic content analysis, quantitative applications in the social sciences. Sage Publications, Inc, Beverly Hills, CA 19: 24-26. Yawkey, T.D., and Bakawa-Evenson, L. (1977). "Planning for play in programs for young children." Child Care Quarterly, 6(4), 259-268. doi: 10.1007/BF01554246.
• Zagkos, C., Kyridis, A. Golia, P. and Vamvakidou, I. (2007). "Greek University Students Describe the Role of Greece in the Balkans: From Equality to Superiority." Nationalities Papers, 35(2), 341-367. doi:10.1080/00905990701254383.