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Exploring Primary and Secondary Students’ Voices from the School Playground\u003Cbr>Brendon P. Hyndman\u003Cbr>International Graduate Centre of Education, School of Education, Charles Darwin University, [brendon.hyndman@cdu.edu.au](brendon.hyndman@cdu.edu.au)\u003Cbr>Amanda Telford\u003Cbr>Discipline of Exercise Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, [amanda.telford@rmit.edu.au](amanda.telford@rmit.edu.au) |  |\n\nRecommended Citation  \nHyndman, B. P., & Telford, A. (2015). Should Educators be ‘Wrapping School Playgrounds in Cotton Wool’ to Encourage Physical Activity? Exploring Primary and Secondary Students’ Voices from the School Playground. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 40 (6).  \nRetrieved from [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss6/4](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss6/4)  \nThis Journal Article is posted at Research Online.  \n[http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss6/4](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss6/4)  \nAustralian Journal of Teacher Education  \nShould Educators be ‘Wrapping School Playgrounds in Cotton Wool’ to Encourage Physical Activity? Exploring Primary and Secondary Students’  \nVoices from the School Playground  \nBrendon Hyndman  \nCharles Darwin University  \nAmanda Telford  \nRMIT University  \nAbstract: Physical activity in school playgrounds has changed considerably over recent decades to reflect a climate of ‘surplus safety’. A growing culture of surplus safety can be attributed to a desire of parents and teachers  \nresponsible for children to protect school students from danger. The aim of  \nthis research was to examine students’ perceptions of playground safety influences on physical activity during school breaks from the perspectives of the ‘users’ of school playgrounds. Data collection consisted of seven focus  \ngroups (4 primary school & 3 secondary school) conducted across four  \nschools (2 primary & 2 secondary). During this study, the focus group  \ndiscussions consisted of 54 children (32 primary & 22 secondary; 50%  \nfemales; 50% males). Social-Ecological Model levels of school playground  \nsafety influence identified by both primary and secondary school students  \nincluded intrapersonal safety influences (risk taking, preventing boredom,  \nmisbehaviour); interpersonal safety influences (teacher responsibilities,  \nteacher support, peer support, teacher intimidation and bullying/territorial  \nissues); physical environment safety influences (surfacing, protection from  \nthe weather, safe structures, protective equipment, playground space,  \nhydration, school security and passive smoking protection) and  \npolicy/organisational safety influences (designated play areas, playground  \nrules, further supervision, maintenance). This research addresses an  \nimportant gap in the literature by providing useful information for teacher  \neducators of the multiple safety influences on students’ participation in  \nplayground physical activity.  \nBackground  \nThe promotion of an active lifestyle for students is important to lay the foundation fora physically active lifestyle (Dobbins, De Corby, Robeson, Husson, & Tirilis, 2009) . In some instances early lifestyle and activity habits have been reported to track into adulthood and can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases (Telama, 2009) . Schools are often targeted as the key setting to develop students’ physical activity standards (Eisenmann, 2006) . Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that expends energy (Caspersen, Powell & Christenson, 1985). Many physical activity opportunities exist in schools including physical and sport education programs, after school activities and play during school breaks (Olds et al., 2009). There is a developing trend of schools looking to facilitate students’ physical activity via non-curri","cbCaibnCU19750y1","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaibnCU19750y1","pdf",464949,26,"English","# Abstract\n# Background","[{\"question\":\"What is the main focus of the research on school playgrounds?\",\"answer\":\"The research examines students’ perceptions of how playground safety influences physical activity during school breaks.\"},{\"question\":\"How was data collected for this study?\",\"answer\":\"Data collection used seven focus groups (four primary and three secondary) across four schools.\"},{\"question\":\"What categories of playground safety influences were identified by students?\",\"answer\":\"Students identified intrapersonal, interpersonal, physical environment, and policy/organisational safety influences affecting participation in play.\"}]","Australian Journal of Teacher Education - Should Educators be ‘Wrapping School Playgrounds in Cotton Wool’ to Encourage Physical Activity? Exploring Primary and Secondary Students’ Voices from the School Playground - Article 4 | PDF",1792077645,66]