Authors: Berglund, Ulla; Nordin, Kerstin

Source: Built Environment, Volume 33, Number 4, 2 December 2007 , pp. 469-481(13)

Publisher: Alexandrine Press

Abstract:

As stated in Agenda 21 it is important for the sustainable society that young people are afforded the opportunity to influence matters concerning them. The results of the research project on which this paper is based, stress children's willingness to communicate their experiences and wishes concerning their local environments. To be efficient this information must be delivered in such a way that it can be easily processed by its target, the local planning authority. Through tests carried out in several schools in Stockholm and in a village in central Sweden, we have developed a geographical information systems (GIS) application with an in-built questionnaire concerning routes and places used by children. We have tested different versions of the application: one with 10 to 12 year old children and another with 15 year olds. We have also tested a version focused on traffic safety. Our findings suggest that GIS is effective in engaging children and a good tool for accumulating and processing children's knowledge about their environment. Students and teachers can use it with a reasonable investment of time. The results also suggested that the method could lead to trustworthy and meaningful information for improved traffic safety in children's local environments. The paper demonstrates how Children's Maps in GIS can be constructed as a tool for communication between children and local planning authorities.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2148/benv.33.4.469

Publication date: 2007-12-02

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• Built Environment is published quarterly in March, June, September and December. With an emphasis on crossing disciplinary boundaries and providing global perspective, each issue focuses on a single subject of contemporary interest to practitioners, academics and students working in a wide range of disciplines. Issues are guest-edited by established international experts who not only commission contributions, but also oversee the peer-reviewing process in collaboration with the Editors.
  
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  The journal is abstracted in Geo Abstracts, Sage Urban Studies Abstracts, and Journal of Planning Literature, and is indexed in the Avery Index to Architectural Publications.
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