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74
children reported to know and by the number of friends in the neighborhood that
children reported to play with, respectively.20 Independent sample t-test revealed that
active travelers reported to know significantly many more people on average, t (87)
=3.27, p<.01 and to have many more friends who can play with in the neighborhood,
t (87) =1.94, p=.053 (Table5.10). While it suggests that children’s social network in
the neighborhood is likely to encourage them to feel more confident in walking,
children traveling on foot for the school journey, in turn, may enhance opportunities
for social engagement in the locality.
Table 5.10 Children’s Weak and Strong Social Ties by School Travel Mode
Social Ties
Weak Strong
Mode Mean SD Mean SD
Active 23.05 24.89 10.30 15.99
Passive 10.16 7.97 5.38 5.18
Children’s preferred mode of transportation for the school trip was examined
as a proxy measure of the extent to which children were content with their current
travel decision.21 Traveling as passengers in motorized vehicles (including, private
vehicle, car pool, and school bus) remained more preferred by the sample children
for the trip to school (57%), while walking or biking was selected by just over 33 %
of the children (Table 5.11). For the journey from school, a slightly more children
20 Both weak and strong interpersonal ties have been suggested to enhance social cohesion and sense
of community, and thus are likely to encourage walking (see Granovetter, 1973; Lund, 2002;
McMillan & Chavis, 1986). In this study, children’s weak and strong ties are rather loosely defined
as reported number of people who are casual acquaintance and of playmates in the neighborhood.
21 It is noted that this, however, may not fully capture how decision is made within familiar context.
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 84 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 74 children reported to know and by the number of friends in the neighborhood that children reported to play with, respectively.20 Independent sample t-test revealed that active travelers reported to know significantly many more people on average, t (87) =3.27, p<.01 and to have many more friends who can play with in the neighborhood, t (87) =1.94, p=.053 (Table5.10). While it suggests that children’s social network in the neighborhood is likely to encourage them to feel more confident in walking, children traveling on foot for the school journey, in turn, may enhance opportunities for social engagement in the locality. Table 5.10 Children’s Weak and Strong Social Ties by School Travel Mode Social Ties Weak Strong Mode Mean SD Mean SD Active 23.05 24.89 10.30 15.99 Passive 10.16 7.97 5.38 5.18 Children’s preferred mode of transportation for the school trip was examined as a proxy measure of the extent to which children were content with their current travel decision.21 Traveling as passengers in motorized vehicles (including, private vehicle, car pool, and school bus) remained more preferred by the sample children for the trip to school (57%), while walking or biking was selected by just over 33 % of the children (Table 5.11). For the journey from school, a slightly more children 20 Both weak and strong interpersonal ties have been suggested to enhance social cohesion and sense of community, and thus are likely to encourage walking (see Granovetter, 1973; Lund, 2002; McMillan & Chavis, 1986). In this study, children’s weak and strong ties are rather loosely defined as reported number of people who are casual acquaintance and of playmates in the neighborhood. 21 It is noted that this, however, may not fully capture how decision is made within familiar context. |
