Lærke Mygind

Conceptions of place: approaching space, children and physical activity

In this paper, we argue that place mapping is useful for approaching childrens conception of place and that this is of relevance when designing physical activity interventions. We contend that socio-material factors influence childrens perception and use of places, and are crucial to understand in relation to their use of local neighbourhoods for physical activity. A place mapping of childrens understandings and everyday use of their local neighbourhood in suburban Copenhagen was conducted with a fifth grade elementary school class. The mapping and subsequent analysis resulted in three categories of relevance to childrens conceptions of place; located social experiences, experiences of the unknown, and childrens contested spaces. We argue that such knowledge can provide useful information in the development and evaluation of activities that promote physical activity in urban spaces.

Bridging gaps between intentions and realities: a review of participatory exhibition development in museums

During the past decade, museum professionals have increasingly involved external participants in exhibition development. In this paper, we review empirical studies of this popular approach to participatory exhibition development practice, with regard to methods, degrees of participation, rationales, obstacles and facilitating factors. These influences include cultural differences between external participants and museum professionals; level and form of museum control; participant characteristics and motivations; and management of disagreements. Based on our findings, we formulate implications for practice, policy and research, which are also relevant across a wide spectrum of professions that apply participatory design, e.g. city planning, health promotion, landscape architecture and product development.

Museums and science centres for health: from scientific literacy to health promotion

ABSTRACT This paper presents a scoping study of the written materials used in 19 health promoting exhibitions presented at American and European museums and science centres, with the aim of assessing and discussing their health promotion potentials. Our descriptive results provide an overview of the exhibition context, and the five action areas of the WHO Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion were used as a theoretical framework for analysing the breadth of the current health promoting exhibitions. Drawing on Nutbeams health outcome framework, we assessed the health-related outcomes of the exhibitions. The discussion considers the challenges and opportunities faced by museums taking on health promotion activities with regard to evaluating broad health-related outcomes, creating an inclusive exhibition environment and fostering open-ended learning experiences. The health promotion potentials of exhibitions may be increased by building on a broader notion of health, by increasing empowerment and equity and by increasing community synergies.

Udeskole in Denmark: A narrative of mutual support and sharing

This chapter presents a short narrative of the growth of outdoor teaching in Denmark and the networks of people that have been, and currently are, involved in the process. Getting children outside the classroom during school time, weekly or biweekly, and teaching them curricular subjects and working on formational goals are today a part of the everyday life of about one-fifth of all Danish schools. The school-based outdoor practice called udeskole has developed from being a grass-roots movement to a government-supported practice within about 15 years. Central to this is the advent of a strong network based on the will to cooperate and to share knowledge, experience, and encouragement—free of charge.

Stress Response and Cognitive Performance Modulation in Classroom versus Natural Environments: A Quasi-Experimental Pilot Study with Children

Stress during childhood can have mental and somatic health influences that track throughout life. Previous research attributes stress-reducing effects to natural environments, but has mainly focused on adults and often following leisurely relaxation in natural environments. This pilot study explores the impact of natural environments on stress response during rest and mental load and cognitive performance in 47 children aged 10–12 years in a school context. Heart rate variability measures indexing tonic, event, and phasic vagal tone and attention scores were compared across classroom and natural environments. Tonic vagal tone was higher in the natural environment than the classrooms, but no differences were found in event or phasic vagal tone or cognitive performance measures. These findings suggest a situational aspect of the conditions under which natural environments may give rise to stress-buffering influences. Further research is warranted to understand the potential benefits in a real-life context, in particular with respect to the underpinning mechanisms and effects of accumulated exposure over time in settings where children spend large proportions of time in natural environments.

Reviewing Automated Sensor-Based Visitor Tracking Studies: Beyond Traditional Observational Methods?

ABSTRACT The method of timing and tracking has a long history within visitor studies and exhibition evaluation. With an increase in indoor tracking research, sensor-based positioning tool usage in museums has grown, as have expectations regarding the efficacy of technological sensing systems. This literature review identifies emerging trends in sensor-based tracking methods used for museum visitor studies. Ten studies are identified, in which five sensor-based solutions are used to access visitor movement in museum settings. These are compared with more established observational timing and tracking methods in terms of obtained level of detail, accuracy, level of obtrusiveness, automation of data entry, ability to time concurrent behaviors, and amount of observer training needed. Although individual sensor-based and traditional, observational methods had both strengths and weaknesses, all sensor-based timing and tracking methods provided automated data entry and the opportunity to track a number of visitors simultaneously regardless of the available personnel.

A school excursion to a museum can promote physical activity in children by integrating movement into curricular activities

Since children spend a large proportion of their time in institutional settings such as schools, health promotion researchers have identified this as an important setting to promote physical activity (PA). Apart from physical education, PA could be integrated into the school curriculum in other ways. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether a school excursion to a museum can increase primary school students’ PA and reduce sedentary time. One hundred and ten primary school students aged 12–13, from three Danish schools, wore accelerometers for four consecutive days, of which one consisted of an excursion day to a museum. While an increase in light physical activity and reduction in the amount of sedentary time was observed, students did not spend more time in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) during the visit to the museum than on a regular school day. However, over the full excursion day, the students accumulated more MVPA. One school used active transportation to and from the museum, which contributed to significantly more MVPA compared to the other schools. An excursion to a museum significantly reduced sedentary time, but was in itself not sufficient to increase MVPA.