Outdoor Environments for Children and Youth
The course is largely based on independent work, with some group work, in combination with online teaching (via Zoom). The modules contain lectures, literature seminars and three assignments including field work and presentations.
Information from the course leader
Dates for obligatory online meetings Autumn semester 2024
September 11 - 13
October 30 – November 1
November 27 - 29
2025 January 15 - 16
Policy document -to be read and followed by all admitted students
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is not yet activated
The course evaluation is open between 2025-01-12 and 2025-02-02
Additional course evaluations for MP0006
Academic year 2023/2024
Outdoor Environments for Children and Youth (MP0006-10218)
2023-08-28 - 2024-01-14
Academic year 2022/2023
Outdoor Environments for Children and Youth (MP0006-10015)
2022-08-29 - 2023-01-15
Academic year 2021/2022
Outdoor Environments for Children and Youth (MP0006-10292)
2021-08-30 - 2022-01-16
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
MP0006 Outdoor Environments for Children and Youth, 15.0 Credits
Utomhusmiljöer för barn och ungdomSubjects
Environmental Psychology Landscape ArchitectureEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The child | 5.0 | 0202 |
| The microsystem | 5.0 | 0203 |
| The macrosystem | 5.0 | 0204 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
The equivalent of 120 credits and English 6Objectives
The overall aim of the course is to give insights about the role of outdoor environments for children and youth in their everyday life, and how these spaces can be located, developed and maintained to support their health and social life, with benefits for their play, learning and development.
After completion of the course, the student will be able to:
• Describe characteristics of outdoor environment important for children’s social life including opportunities for play, learning and development
• Apply relevant strategies to investigate children’s experiences of and perspectives on place
• Analyse what a specific setting implies for children concerning its location, content, design and management
• Suggest general principles for planning and designing an outdoor environment for and with children and youth
• Discuss the interaction between physical and social planning on issues related to children and youth
• List documents regulating the planning and design of children’s outdoor environments
Content
The course is about outdoor environments for children and youth and the different strategies used to investigate their relationship with place and developing its benefits. The knowledge can be used to improve planning, design and management for and with children to make outdoor settings adventurous, safe and health-promoting. The first section of the course elaborates on the role of outdoor environments for children’s social life with benefits for their play, learning, and development. The second section of the course deals with planning, design and management of both formal and informal outdoor spaces in cities, neighbourhoods and the natural surroundings. The third section deals with planning practices related to children and youth as part of social and physical planning at national and international level. Special attention is paid to the role of natural environment and its variation related to season, geographic location and the role of specific elements, as edible plants, animals and water.
The course comprises lectures, literature seminars, study visits, project work, exercises and a written exam. Besides a project work, a written exam and examined assignments the course requires the student to carry out assignments and exercises during study visits and seminars.
The course combines mandatory Campus meetings with tasks carried out independently.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Successful completion of assignments and exercises as part of lectures, seminars, study visits and a written exam.
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Additional information
The course is given as a distance course, with mandatory Campus meetings, at 50% speed.Responsible department
Department of People and Society
Further information
Litterature list
LITERATURE LIST 2024
The below literature should be read in preparation of each literature seminar (see separate instructions on Canvas). Note, literature seminars are mandatory. To access these texts, please make use of SLU’s VPN service: Access to databases and e-journals requires VPN | Studentwebben (slu.se).
** Literature seminar I: 09:00-12:00 13th September**
- Chawla, L. (2015). Benefits of nature contact for children. Journal of planning literature, 30(4), 433-452
- Laaksoharju, T., & Rappe, E. (2017). Trees as affordances for connectedness to place–a framework to facilitate children’s relationship with nature. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 28, 150-159.
- Loebach, J., Sanches, M., Jaffe, J., & Elton-Marshall, T. (2021). Paving the way for outdoor play: examining socio-environmental barriers to community-based outdoor play. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(7), 3617.
- Wales, M., Mårtensson, F., Hoff, E., and Jansson, M. (2022). Elevating the Role of the Outdoor Environment for Adolescent Wellbeing in Everyday Life. Frontiers in Psychology 13. Doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.774592.
Literature seminar II: 09:00-12:00 31st October
- Ergler, C. R., Freeman, C., & Guiney, T. (2021). Walking with preschool‐aged children to explore their local wellbeing affordances. Geographical Research, 59(1), 118-135.
- Jansson, M., Herbert, E., Zalar, A., & Johansson, M. (2022). Child-Friendly Environments—What, How and by Whom?. Sustainability, 14(8), 4852.
- Mårtensson, F., Jansson, M., Johansson, M., Raustorp, A., Kylin, M., & Boldemann, C. (2014). The role of greenery for physical activity play at school grounds. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 13(1), 103-113.
- Wales, M., Mårtensson, F., & Jansson, M. (2021). ‘You can be outside a lot': independent mobility and agency among children in a suburban community in Sweden. Children's Geographies, 19(2), 184-196.
Literature seminar III: 09:00-12:00 27th November
- Jansson, M., & Lerstrup, I. (2020). Children's perspectives on green space management in Sweden and Denmark. In Place, Pedagogy and Play. Taylor & Francis.
- Rodela, R., & Norss, E. (2023). Opening up spatial planning to the participation of children and youth: the Swedish experience. European Planning Studies, 31(2), 252-269.
- Sandström, I., Ericsson, S., & Hedvall, P. O. (2024). Gendered Sustainability: Are Public Spaces Designed for Girls Good for Everyone? Examining Female Participation as a Strategy for Inclusive Public Space. Examining Female Participation as a Strategy for Inclusive Public Space.
- Wenger, I., Prellwitz, M., Lundström, U., Lynch, H., & Schulze, C. (2023). Designing inclusive playgrounds in Switzerland: why is it so complex?. Children's Geographies, 21(3), 487-501.