Green spaces' efficacy of outdoor learning in a preschool environment. Case studies in Glasgow and Kuala Lumpur

Urbanization and industrialization should not limit preschool children to obtain
benefits from green space and outdoor learning. It is a challenge for architects to
ensure that every school has a green space that is sensibly planned and designed for the benefit of school users. The educators also have to play roles to maximize the usage of green spaces in line with the syllabus of learning and activities rather thanfocusing on indoor learning and classroom methods. This method only uses visualization rather than experiencing it first-hand. Due to green space scarcity in urban preschools, there is a big gap in child’s connection and exposure to the natural environment. These have impacted the children’s crucial developmental stages for physical, emotional, and intellectual development. Children learn and focus more through play (learn-through-play, L-T-P). By exploring the different typologies of structured play in a preschool outdoor
environment, children will develop their sense of mind and qualities in thinking. The importance of outdoor learning spaces has benefitted widely in secondary to higher education. However, to date, little research has explored the outdoor learning environment to the extent of preschool settings focusing on children between 3 to 6 years old. Comparative studies will be conducted in three (3) Public Nursery Schools in Glasgow and Kuala Lumpur, to rationalize the relationship between the availability of green spaces and outdoor learning environments in urban areas. In order to measure the value of green spaces in a preschool environment, a mixed-method research strategy with a quantitative method as the main approach supplemented by qualitative methods will be conducted. This study will begin with selecting a few case studies of outdoor preschool environments as a basis for developing a questionnaire survey and
observation checklist. The observation methodology uses a combination of
space/nature syntax and a child-nature-distance (C-N-D) approach to evaluate the children’s movement and space utilization. This method aims to enhance the value of green spaces in preschool environments to reconnect children back to nature. Secondly, surveys and questionnaires will be conducted to gather priorities and attributes from teachers and school owners on the issues and barriers to implementing outdoor learning. This method aims to gather information in assisting educators to implement L-T-P in outdoor environments and further aligned with preschool curriculum activities. The outcome shall minimize children’s social problems such as delays in speech, slow movement, and poor cognitive learning. Lastly, recommendations and solutions will be gathered from Architect’s perspectives through conducting expert interviews. The findings on design strategies in maximizing green spaces for preschool outdoor environments will conclude as a design framework strategy. The value of this research lies in identifying the Architect design attributes that are of the greatest importance to the preschool environment. Such findings could help policymakers and architects to provide better design solutions in the allocation of green
spaces in a preschool environment.