Page 48 |
Save page Remove page | Previous | 48 of 188 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large (1000x1000 max)
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
This page
All
|
38
al., 1998; McMillan, 2003; Ziviani et al., 2004). Also, parents who lacked confidence
in their child’s competence in managing risks were less likely to allow children to
walk to school (Ahlport et al., 2008; Wen et al., 2008). In a study that examined the
association between neighborhood walkability, parental concerns, and active
commuting to school in Seattle, Kerr and others (2006) found that children were five
times more likely to walk to school when their parents had few concerns than those
whose parents expressed many concerns. They found that parents from low income
neighborhoods showed the most concerns despite the fact that neighborhoods were
walkable from the aspects of built form. It is likely that social nature of risks were
more prevalent in such neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Characteristics
Both parents and children have reported that the distance one lives from the
school is the most common barriers to walking (Ahlport et al., 2008; Collins &
Kearns, 2001; Dellinger & Staunton, 2002). Previous research has consistently found
that spatial distance (either actual or perceived) is most likely to influence how
children travel to and from school, as one would expect (e.g., Black et al., 2001;
Bradshaw, 1995; DiGuiseppi et al., 1998; Ewing et al., 2004; Timperio et al., 2006;
Wen et al., 2008). Especially, living less than 1 mile from school was found to
significantly increase the likelihood of children walking to school (McMillan, 2003;
Schlossberg et al., 2006). McDonald (2007) suggests that increasing travel distance
alone may account for half of the decline in active commuting to school between
Object Description
| Title | Walkability as 'freedom': the ecology of school journey in inner city Los Angeles neighborhoods |
| Author | Uhm, Jung A |
| Author email | uhm@usc.edu; j_uhm@hotmail.com |
| Degree | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | planning |
| School | School of Policy, Planning, and Development |
| Date defended/completed | 2008-06-05 |
| Date submitted | 2008 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2008-10-17 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Banerjee, Tridib |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Irazabal, Clara Stoner, Madeleine |
| Abstract | Over the past two decades, rising concerns over childhood obesity and its health effects have brought the issue of "walkability" to the forefront in creating a child friendly environment. Particularly, the idea of promoting children walking to and from school has gained widespread support among policy makers, public health officials, civic organizations, and planners as a way to increase physical activity among children to prevent obesity. Recent policies and programs however are based on an assumption about the direct influence of the built environment on school travel mode, of which parents' values and perceptions are considered prominent in determining environmental attributes related to children walking to school.; This research proposes a conceptual framework in understanding the relationship between the environment and children's travel by adding a crucial link generally missing in current walkability research - children. By proposing the notion of walkability as freedom, this study attempts to draw attentions to children's choices and real opportunities and factors that either facilitate or prohibit children in or from actualizing what they value (walking to school as one of many). With this goal, this research explored the elements of a walkable environment through the eyes of ethnic minority children attending five elementary schools in inner city Los Angeles.; Through the triangulation of capability approach, child-centered participatory methods, and ecological perspectives, the findings demonstrate children's capacity not only to observe and understand the environment, but also to evaluate and reflect on making their neighborhood environment safer and walkable on their own terms.; This research suggests a shift in policy focus from the provision and improvement of environmental resources to the enhancement of individual freedom by increasing children's participatory capability. The results of this study advance the discussion on the relationship between active school travel and the environment by bringing children into the foreground within the spheres of ecological transaction. |
| Keyword | capability; children; inner-city neighborhood; perception; school travel; walkability |
| Geographic subject | educational facilities: Foshay Learning Center; educational facilities: Norwood Street Elementary School; educational facilities: St. Agnes Parish School; educational facilities: Vermont Avenue Elementary School; educational facilities: Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School |
| Geographic subject (city or populated place) | Los Angeles |
| Geographic subject (state) | California |
| Coverage date | circa 2008 |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m1671 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Uhm, Jung A |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-Uhm-2224 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume29/etd-Uhm-2224.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 48 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 38 al., 1998; McMillan, 2003; Ziviani et al., 2004). Also, parents who lacked confidence in their child’s competence in managing risks were less likely to allow children to walk to school (Ahlport et al., 2008; Wen et al., 2008). In a study that examined the association between neighborhood walkability, parental concerns, and active commuting to school in Seattle, Kerr and others (2006) found that children were five times more likely to walk to school when their parents had few concerns than those whose parents expressed many concerns. They found that parents from low income neighborhoods showed the most concerns despite the fact that neighborhoods were walkable from the aspects of built form. It is likely that social nature of risks were more prevalent in such neighborhoods. Neighborhood Characteristics Both parents and children have reported that the distance one lives from the school is the most common barriers to walking (Ahlport et al., 2008; Collins & Kearns, 2001; Dellinger & Staunton, 2002). Previous research has consistently found that spatial distance (either actual or perceived) is most likely to influence how children travel to and from school, as one would expect (e.g., Black et al., 2001; Bradshaw, 1995; DiGuiseppi et al., 1998; Ewing et al., 2004; Timperio et al., 2006; Wen et al., 2008). Especially, living less than 1 mile from school was found to significantly increase the likelihood of children walking to school (McMillan, 2003; Schlossberg et al., 2006). McDonald (2007) suggests that increasing travel distance alone may account for half of the decline in active commuting to school between |
