Walk, ride and learn: students' discovery of nature and other evironmental elements on their routes to school

Abstract

America's youth face epidemic levels of childhood obesity and are suffering from a lack of exposure to the outdoors. The Safe Routes to School Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aims to improve access to safe routes to school for elementary and junior high school children. As a required component of the Safe Routes to School program, researchers use survey instruments and observation tallies to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and assess related local investments in infrastructure and social marketing. The data presented here are from a 2007 and 2008 survey of more than 12,000 Michigan students. The goal of the research is to determine factors that influence transportation behaviors to and from school. Specifically, this research examines students' modes of transportation to school and assesses built structures, natural elements, and social elements along school routes.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 2009 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium

Citation

Knollenberg, Whitney; Kwon, Jeamok; Vogt, Christine. 2010. Walk, ride and learn: students' discovery of nature and other evironmental elements on their routes to school. In: Watts, Clifton E., Jr.; Fisher, Cherie LeBlanc, eds. Proceedings of the 2009 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-66. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 36-41.