Beyond the school grounds: Links between density of tree cover in school surroundings and high school academic performance

Li, Dongying; Chiang, Yen Cheng; Sang, Huiyan; Sullivan, W. C.

doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2018.11.001

Cited by 52 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Other observational studies also link greenness to academic achievement on several levels. For instance, several spatial analyses have found a positive correlation between greenness and graduation rates (Hodson and Sander, 2019), school greenness and math and English test scores (Tuen Veronica Leung et al, 2019), density of tree cover surrounding schools and various measures of high school academic performance (Li et al, 2019). One study found that test scores were more strongly correlated to the availability of urban trees than poverty (Tallis et al, 2018).…”

Section: Academic Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

A national research agenda supporting green schoolyard development and equitable access to nature

Stevenson

Moore

Cosco

et al. 2020

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

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The benefits of nature are increasingly well-documented and diverse, but they are inequitably distributed. A large and growing body of literature including observational, experimental, and epidemiological studies support a myriad of benefits of access to nature. Exposure to green settings, including urban green spaces, is associated with positive outcomes related to physical health, ranging from cardiovascular health (Duncan et al., 2014) to pregnancy and birth outcomes (Dadvand et al., 2014). Mental health benefits are also diverse, including recovery from stress (Li and Sullivan, 2016), reduced depression (South et al., 2018), restoration of attention (Joye and Dewitte, 2018), and calming our need to scan for threats (Browning and Alvarez, 2019). Community-level benefits of increased exposure to green spaces include increased community cohesion (Peters et al., 2010) and lower crime levels (Wolfe and Mennis, 2012). In addition, green settings are associated with higher academic achievement (e.g., higher scores on standard tests of attention: Kuo, Browning, and Penner, 2018); and pro-environmental behaviors (Stevenson et al., 2013; Chawla, 2015). However, it is also well documented that access to nature is not equitable. Increasingly, access to nature is a privilege, with low-income communities and communities of color being underrepresented in the use of outdoor spaces (Wen et al., 2013) and having fewer opportunities to engage with nature than their wealthier or white counterparts (Rigolon, 2016). In addition, children in low-income communities may benefit from time in nature to a greater degree than their higher income peers (i.e., the equigenic effect: Mitchell et al., 2015). In short, nature is less accessible to those who would benefit from it most and thus not equitable. Green schoolyards are "school grounds where natural elements are present and abundant" (Children & Nature Network, 2016a: 4). They may include playground equipment, sports facilities, community gathering spaces, accessible pathways, outdoor classrooms, storage, storm water capture elements, nature play settings, trails, etc. Most critically, they include native vegetation (trees, shrubs, grassland, flowers, etc.), pollinator and/or edible fruit and vegetable gardens, associated animal life, and other natural

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Section: Academic Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

A national research agenda supporting green schoolyard development and equitable access to nature

Stevenson

Moore

Cosco

et al. 2020

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…They are less likely to be involved in behaviors that conduct to lower performance (e.g., dropping out of school, truancy) (Hess & Copeland, 2001;Pascoe, Hetrick, & Parker, 2020). So, decreasing the students stress may be a way through which greenery affects student performance (Li & Sullivan, 2016;Li et al, 2019). The results add to the proof announcing that the view of plants have strong impacts on the efficiency of students at different ages (Donovan, Michael, Gatziolis, & Hoyer, 2020;Guardino, Hall, Largo-Wight, & Hubbuch, 2019;Matsuoka, 2010;Taylor, Kuo, & Sullivan, 2002;Wu et al, 2014).…”

Section: Impact Of Outdoor Learning On Stress Reductionmentioning

confidence: 58%

“…In this study the significance of boosting students' mental and cognitive health by considering classrooms with green window views is mentioned. The research demonstrates class views to green landscapes have important, positive effects on recovery from stress, and psychological fatigue (Bingley, Greenaway, & Fielding, 2019;Bringslimark, Hartig, & Patil, 2007;Li et al, 2019;Sadick & Kamardeen, 2019) (Bingley, Greenaway, & Fielding, 2019;Bringslimark, Hartig, & Patil, 2007;Li et al, 2019;Sadick & Kamardeen, 2019). More than two decades, some countries such as the US, Australia, and England have indicated the significance of "environmental education in schools' open spaces" (Stevenson et al, 2020).…”

Section: Impact Of Outdoor Learning On Stress Reductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Another experimentation presented in New Zealand also realized an indirect connection among green spaces within school buffers and elementary school performance (Beere & Kingham, 2017). Overall, though almost all proof indicates so, the relationship between greenery in school surroundings and performance is not always direct (Li, Chiang, Sang, & Sullivan, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

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The impact of nature and outdoor learning on students

Sam¹,

KOUHİROSTAMİ²,

Azimi³

2020

GRID - Architecture, Planning and Design Journal

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The human innate tendency to interact with the natural environment has been proven by psychologists. This interaction should be placed in educational environments (schools). Unfortunately, interaction with nature is not considered in schools today, and the schoolyard, a place where students can interact with open space and nature, is designed to be completely separated from the classrooms. That means the schoolyard and the classrooms should be designed in harmony with each other. Students spend a majority of their educational period in classrooms, so to create diversity and increase student's productivity, it is necessary to combine outdoor natural spaces with indoor educational areas. So, the schoolyard plays a complementary role to the classroom. Additionally, the natural environment can be considered as another educational setting option. The major goal of this review paper is analyzing the impact of the school's outdoor and natural spaces on enhancing students' learning abilities. Accordingly, first, the landscape architecture theories related to individuals and the natural environment, the importance of nature in learning spaces, and its impacts on students are presented. Then, the outcome of designing learning spaces in combination with outdoor spaces is displayed. Finally, the results can provide guidelines to education stakeholders, designers, and policymakers focused on creating more encouraging environments for students' learning.

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“…In modern society, children are increasingly exposed to "vicarious" and less "direct" experiences with nature, yet Maller (2009) found that practitioners believed unstructured activities (similar to "direct" experiences) to be the most beneficial to children's development and mental/social/emotional health. Not only are school programs important, but the density of greenness surrounding schools has been demonstrated to have a positive effect on academic performance of students (Dadvand et al 2015;Li et al 2019). Townsend et al (2015) recognise that adolescents' needs differ from adults and is often complex.…”

Section: Connections With Naturementioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescent food environment and wellbeing: understanding attitudes and food choice predictors in different learning environments

Uhlmann¹

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The majority of the human population is now living within urban areas, where opportunities for young people to experience and interact with nature are greatly diminished. With mounting evidence of positive health benefits from interaction with nature, it is feared that this disconnect will have longterm implications for the health and wellbeing of future populations. Adolescence is a particularly crucial period of socialization when young people learn and develop a healthy relationship with food (which is inextricably a part of nature). The connection with food is related to the concept of 'foodscape', which can be defined as the places and spaces where food is acquired, prepared, talked about or some form of meaning is gathered. Historically, research has studied effects of nature connection and foodscapes on wellbeing as separate fields of research, when in reality there are many commonalities between them. Young people represent future households, yet little is understood about their perspectives on, and experiences of, their foodscape, or potential drivers in the nature, food and health nexus. The aims of this research study, therefore, are to identify relationships between nature relatedness, foodscape and perceived wellbeing in adolescents; and how these relationships may be shaped by learning opportunities within the school and home environment. Adolescents from three state high schools with differing foodscapes in South East Queensland, Australia, participated in the study. One school was in a rural area surrounded by large-scale agricultural industry and natural vegetation, and the other two schools were based in nature-poor urban areas, one with agricultural programs offered by the school, and one without. A mixed methods approach was used that included a foodscape assessment, surveys and photovoice. The foodscape assessment provided a novel baseline measure for the three differing foodscapes that adolescents are exposed to. Across all schools, 59 students and potential role models (31 parents and 91 classroom teachers) completed online surveys including measures of food literacy, nature relatedness, wellbeing, healthy eating attitudes, behaviours and decisions. This was complemented by photovoice with thirty-two students who took photographs of what 'food in my life' meant to them and subsequently discussed these images in semi-structured interviews. This research project found significant correlations between adolescent nature relatedness and wellbeing. These correlations occur across all three foodscapes. Most adolescents felt that food connected them with nature; however urban students were less likely than rural students to mention specifically that food comes from nature. Although the food literacy scores were not significantly different between the schools, a divergence became apparent between the rural and urban adolescents in relation to food system awareness. Interestingly, positive healthy eating attitudes and confidence Publications included in this thesis No publications included.

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Beyond the school grounds: Links between density of tree cover in school surroundings and high school academic performance

Cited by 52 publications

References 46 publications

A national research agenda supporting green schoolyard development and equitable access to nature

A national research agenda supporting green schoolyard development and equitable access to nature

The impact of nature and outdoor learning on students

Adolescent food environment and wellbeing: understanding attitudes and food choice predictors in different learning environments

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