The potential for technologies to transform health and physical education (HPE) has received increasing international attention in both policy and academic contexts. However, what is absent from much of this work is a lack of appreciation of the spatial dimension that recognises the relationship between "how" young people use digitised…

Here I shine light on the concept of and call for safe space and on the implicit argument that seems to undergird both the concept and the call, complicating and problematizing the taken for granted view of this issue with the goal of revealing a more complex dynamic worthy of interpretive attention when determining educational response. I…

The positioning and movement of the teacher in the classroom are fundamental to the pedagogical process. Specific spaces in the classroom take on certain meanings because of the nature of pedagogic discourse that occurs on the site and the positioning and distance of the site relative to the students and the teaching resources. Spatial pedagogy is…

This article focuses on the ways that one individual child, Christina, experienced urban life in and outside of a diversely populated elementary school with a multicultural curriculum. Labeled by the school and her parents as white, Christina identified as Latina, and used specific spaces in the city to support this claim. Drawing on data from a…

Examines proxemics, the study of people's use of distance and space arrangements, and how these can affect the adult learning environment. (SK)

The study investigated the influence of spatial density on four 3- and 4-year-old children's social behavior during freeplay periods. Group data analyses indicated that the restricted freeplay setting resulted in a greater percentage of intervals with child-child socially directed behavior. (Author/DB)

The nature of communication can be affected by the violation of private space. Types of personal space are defined. Observations are reported concerning the behaviors some adult basic education students display to define their need for personal space. Implications for the classroom are discussed. (Author)

The findings of research on personal space have been extended to older adults. Suggestions are provided on how to minimize negative responses of the older adult when in a learning situation. (KC)

The teacher's body has a dubious status within contemporary pedagogic practice. The impact of progressivism in many western countries, with its emphasis on student-centred learning, has resulted in a marginalisation of the teacher's role in many classrooms. While its influence appears to be waning, in Australian primary schools, student-centred…

Observing children's use of space and utilizing materials gathered from the community are discussed as ways of reflecting community in the classroom environment. (RH)

The effects of spatial density as a setting event on the social interaction of preschool children were examined in this review. A specific interest was the potential application of this setting event to children with special needs in inclusive settings. Twelve studies were examined revealing a range of methodological and technical difficulties in…

Comparing space allocations in measurable areas such as living areas, phone booths, fallout shelters, and jails, this study asserts that space for individuals usually is determined by cost and anticipated time of occupation and that the personal space allocated for each child in school is meager. (JC)

Children need privacy for learning autonomy, negotiation of space, creation, observation, and self-evaluation. Children achieve privacy by territoriality, verbal and nonverbal behavior, aggression, and withdrawal. Adults can help children meet privacy needs by providing a manipulable environment and schedule that balance solitude and interaction…

Two studies examined the relationship between classroom crowding and the behavior of handicapped students in a total of 74 special classes. Both studies found the frequency of disruptive or aggressive behavior higher under the crowded conditions. (Author/DB)

This newsletter theme issue contains four articles which focus on the development of normal and handicapped infants in various settings. "The Baby's World," by Lois Barclay Murphy and Colleen T. Small, emphasizes experiences of sensation and discovery in the first three years of life, noting the role of caregivers and the cultural context. "The…