The Recommendations for Schoolyard Design to Increase Movement Affordances for Children : Nordic Baltic Learning Environments for Movement Affordances NPHZ-2017/10130

Abstract

The main activity of the project was to carry out needs analyses of the learning environment for movement affordances by involving cross sectorial cooperation for reaching reliable results as well as preparing a sufficient study module to be used at all levels of lifespan. Needs analyses is important for all actors of the project as the obtained results enable to have a new insight on the issue which is very important especially in Baltic States. The experience and knowledge of different sectors of Nordic Countries enriched the content of the study module, helped to supplement it with innovative research ideas as well as broaden the philosophy of young educators towards physical activity and healthy lifestyle. The mapping results were presented during the pilot seminar and finally the recommendations were developed based on the tested prototype. Due to COVID-19 pandemic the project activities had been rescheduled and most of the efforts had been put to analyses and then using data to write a scientific article which had been successfully finished. There was no possibility to organize face-to-face meetings, so all activities were online. Final practical activity – Intensive course was changed into an online Forum, which attracted about 500 participants. Representatives of Ministry of Education, Science and Sport participated at the Forum and expressed their thoughts on physical inactivity at schools as well as representative of Ministry of Health actively joined the discussion and supported, evaluated the importance of the project ideas as well as actively participated in a Round Table discussion.