Research news: Outdoor seating options in schools
Researchers from the University of Canberra found that high school students across Australia are dissatisfied with current outdoor seating options. The study suggests that students prefer flexible, social seating arrangements over traditional benches, which often go unused.
Why it matters
Understanding student preferences for school infrastructure can help educators and designers create more effective learning environments that support student wellbeing.
Woodcroft College in South Australia. Design by Swanbury Penglase. ©Brad Griffin In a recent podcast episode of The Research Files, researchers Hannah Richardson and Dr Gweneth Leigh introduced listeners to the Schoolyard Greenprint project – a series of free-to-access guides sharing their findings from almost 2 years of research into outdoor spaces in secondary school settings. A major finding from this research was that students desire better outdoor seating options at school. In this follow-up article, Hannah Richardson shares more about the importance of sufficient outdoor seating, the specific seating types students desire, and suggestions for improving student seating on a shoestring budget.
If you asked your students what they would change in their schoolyard, what do you think it would be? Perhaps new expensive play equipment or a basketball court?
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