Summary
Date: August 9, 2004 – August 9, 2005
Research Topic: How Learning Landscapes are used in relationship to promoting children’s physical activity.
Funding Source: The Caring for Colorado Foundation
Evaluating Opportunities to Utilize Learning Landscapes to Increase Physical Activity at Denver Public Schools
Project Overview
Since 1998, through a successful collaboration between multiple stakeholders, Learning Landscapes has transformed neglected Denver elementary school playgrounds into attractive and safe multi-use playgrounds that are tailored to the needs and desires of the local community. The Learning Landscape Program transforms playgrounds by creating fun, participatory play areas that encourage outdoor play and learning, improve opportunities for physical activity for children of all ages, “green” the grounds, and facilitate community ownership and use of the playgrounds.
Learning Landscapes serve as a catalyst for uniting health professionals, urban planners and designers, and educators to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current educational policies and programs at Denver Public Schools as they relate to the promotion of physical activity and healthy nutrition among elementary school students. This assessment examines how Learning Landscapes are used in relationship to promoting children’s physical activity. This project seeks to use the knowledge gained through the assessment process to create and implement pilot site-based physical activity and nutrition programs at three Denver elementary schools: Eagleton, Remington, and Munroe. Ultimately, the results of this study are intended to inform future decision making with regard to physical activity curriculum and policies.
Research Objectives
- Join with health, education, design, and community development professionals and other stakeholders to collaboratively supplement current knowledge about the links between increased physical activity, decreased obesity, and improved health status.
- Identify potential program, curriculum, and policy interventions after gathering and analyzing relevant data about each school’s physical environment, physical education curriculum, and the student’s physical activity awareness and fitness levels.
- Experiment with creative and motivational site-based strategies promoting physical activity. Integrate those site-based physical activity programs that are deemed successful into the school’s physical education curriculum or after school program.
Role of school community in shaping this project
All 3rd to 5th graders at Eagleton, Munroe and Remington Elementary Schools participated in this program. Eagleton Elementary located in the northwest section of Denver and had a population of 484 students in the 2003-2004 school year. Munroe Elementary, located in the Westwood neighborhood in West Denver, served a large and rapidly expanding student population of 605 students during the 2003-2004 school year. Remington Elementary School is located in northwest Denver and had a student population of 331 during the 2003-2004 school year. On average Ninetyninety-five percent of students were Hispanic and from 40% to 60% were English language learners. Ninety-two percent of the students qualified for the free or reduced lunch program.
A series of meetings were held in April and May of 2005 with the PE teachers from Eagleton, Munroe, and Remington to discuss: 1) Their current physical activity curriculum; 2) Their perceptions of the playground equipment in terms of what is working well and what needs to be improved in terms of physical activity opportunities; and 3) A list of possible physical activity interventions involving the playgrounds. These meetings allowed the interventions to be tailored to the needs, resources, and policies that are specific to each site.
Timeline
| 2004 | Convene an advisory committee composed of health, education, and design professionals to identify the specific steps for meeting the objectives proposed. |
| 2004-2005 | Conduct an assessment of the physical environments from each site using; 1) DPS Site Assessment “Kit of Parts” Su rvey; 2) A Play Equipment Rating Matrix developed by Denver Public Schools, play equipment vendors, and the University of Colorado faculty; and, 3) Safety Assessment Forms. |
| Conduct an assessment of the physical education curriculum and current policies regarding physical activity at each of the schools through a series of meetings with the PE teachers from Eagleton, Munroe, and Remington. | |
| Spring 2005 | Develop and administer a questionnaire to 3rd through 5th grade students to assess children’s attitudes towards physical activity and their physical activity levels and qualitative data was collected based on observations of the student’s playing on the playground during recess and PE classes |
| Develop a pilot warm-up circuit program as part of the regularly scheduled physical education classes using the outdoor playground equipment and interactive community art projects to inform the community at large about health, physical activity and safety in their communities. |
Advisory Committee
The advisory committee was formed to identify the specific steps for meeting the objectives proposed in the project plan for the Caring for Colorado grant. Members of this committee met several times and also provided information regarding the district, state, and national standards for physical activity with elementary school children.
Members:
- Lois Brink, M.L.A., Director Learning Landscape Alliance, University of Colorado at Denver
- Jim Hill, Ph.D., Director, Center for Human Nutrition, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
- Beverly Kingston, Ph.D., Project Director, Children, Youth and Environment Center for Research and Design
- Eric Larson, Director of Physical Education, Denver Public Schools
- Ed Melanson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
- Bambi Yost, Project Manager Learning Landscape Alliance, College of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado at Denver
Results
- Building collaborative relationships: develop a good relationship with the director of the physical education for a district. As the director, his or her buy-in regarding the incorporation of Learning Landscapes/playgrounds into the physical activity curriculum is critical to its implementation throughout the district.
- Be aware and understand how district versus site based policies can influence how the playgrounds are used.
- Changing perceptions of the PE teachers regarding the Learning Landscapes: PE teachers were resistant to implementing a warm-up circuit for their classes until they realized it met DPS regulations for physical activity.
- Student satisfaction and increased physical activity – The warm-up circuit: Reports from the students confirmed that they enjoyed participating in the playground circuits. About 10- 15% of students continued to practice the circuit on their own during recess. The circuit appears to be a useful activity because many kids can be involved at one time in sustained moderate to vigorous physical activity
- Spatial challenges: As the warm-up circuit was implemented at each site, it became clear that some playground designs are more conducive than others to creating an effective circuit. This finding is important for informing the design of future playgrounds.