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that the entire playground is paved without any tree canopy coverage at 20% of LAUSD schools. In addition, nearly 11% of L.A. County students are completely sedentary. Inactivity and obesity rates are disproportionately higher for girls, students from low-income families, and students from underrepresented populations. Fortunately, substantial green schoolyard programs which have been connected to reduction in the heat-island effect, increased physical activity, improved mental health, and social development for at-risk youth are underway and large-scale investments in school ground transformations are accelerating. In this panel, physical activity and physical education specialists as well as representatives from LAUSD Facilities Department will present evidence-based research demonstrating how to optimize the benefits of these investments during unstructured recess and curriculum-driven outdoor instruction.
Learning Objectives
OBJ #1 Participants will acquire new knowledge and skills in developing outdoor play spaces to enhance social and emotional development in elementary school children.
OBJ #2 Using case study examples, participants will identify design strategies to encourage movement and engagement with others.
OBJ #3 Participants will explore various types of materials to reduce heat island effect of asphalt playgrounds that result in physical and mental health benefits.
OBJ #4 Participants will examine the importance of physical activity to a child’s ability to focus, learn, resolve conflict and build resilience to adverse experiences outside of school.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Cutting Edge Scandinavian Schools: A Design Research Mission
Max McCloskey, Senior Associate, RATIO Architects / Garden 1/ AIA CEU: 1.0 LU HSW / Primary Core Competencies: Design of Educational Facilities / Secondary Core Competencies: Educational Visioning
How does the design of learning environments support the academic success of the student? In 2018 Max received a travel grant from the Colorado Chapter of the AIA to study ten contemporary schools throughout Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. Set in a rich history of design excellence, Scandinavian architects and educators are enabled to explore revolutionary concepts in learning environments that enhance the academic success of students. These countries
have consistently ranked amongst the top 25 countries in the world based on data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Through conversations with Administrators, teachers, and designers Max sought
to study the elements of contemporary school design that support such high achieving academics while creating beautiful, sustainable environments. The classroom that we grew up in has been replaced with flexible spaces that honor individual learning, embrace collaboration, and invite the community in. This session will take the audience on a tour of the best academic buildings in Scandinavia highlighting successful design strategies based on the following criteria:
– Innovative learning environments.
– Connection to the community.
– Integration of sustainability: environmental, social, or psychological
Learning Objectives
OBJ #1 At the end of this program, participants will be able to execute the design elements that contribute to highly effective learning environments.