Primary actor in the design and transformation of primary schoolyards: student

Abstract

School and the opportunities that schools provide are among the leading factors that shape child development first and social structure secondly. Within this framework, schoolyards emerge as a learning and experience environment, with a growing importance. Schoolyards, where students spend 28% of their daily school lives, should be used more efficiently and playtime activities in this environment should be assessed as an inseparable part of learning and development process. In accordance with this perspective, serious studies are done in the issue, especially in countries where social and economic level of development is high; and these studies are put into practice as well. It is stated in best practices that expert opinions are not enough alone in the arrangement or transformation of schoolyards, which are important locations in learning process, and that it is essential to provide the participation of primary and secondary partners/actors in order to reach the objectives in practice and use. Students, who are one of the above mentioned partners, have a key role since they are the target audience of the study.