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Promoting Children’s Wellbeing and Values Learning in Risky Learning Spaces

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School Spaces for Student Wellbeing and Learning

Abstract

In this chapter, the author disrupts taken-for-granted definitions of learning spaces as she considers spaces that might support children’s wellbeing and values learning . She discusses learning spaces as thinking spaces, planning spaces, physical spaces and spaces for children’s active citizenship and values learning . Such spaces, whether highly designed or not, offer opportunities for supporting children’s wellbeing through risk-taking . Much has been written about the value of learning spaces that support physical risk-taking . In this chapter, the author proposes ‘emotional obstacle courses’ that support children’s social and emotional risk-taking . Risky social and emotional learning spaces offer children opportunities to explore issues such as social justice and sustainability . While such spaces might be risky for educators and children, they may support children’s learning to become change agents in a complex world. If educators aim to support the wellbeing of children and societies, then such risks are worth taking.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia

    Lyndal O’Gorman

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  1. Lyndal O’Gorman
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Correspondence to Lyndal O’Gorman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Hilary Hughes

  2. Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Jill Franz

  3. Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Jill Willis

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O’Gorman, L. (2019). Promoting Children’s Wellbeing and Values Learning in Risky Learning Spaces. In: Hughes, H., Franz, J., Willis, J. (eds) School Spaces for Student Wellbeing and Learning. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6092-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6092-3_3

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