Original Research

Die positiewe invloed van esteties bevredigende geboue en ʼn goed versorgde skoolterrein op die skep van skoolklimaat

Jan P.H. Pretorius, Okkie G.P. Combrinck
The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa | Vol 13, No 1 | a385 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/td.v13i1.385 | © 2017 Jan P.H. Pretorius, Okkie G.P. Combrinck | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 14 October 2016 | Published: 11 September 2017

About the author(s)

Jan P.H. Pretorius, School of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology Education, University of the Free State, South Africa
Okkie G.P. Combrinck, School of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology Education, University of the Free State, South Africa

Abstract

The positive influence of aesthetically pleasing buildings and well cared for school grounds on the creation of school climate. In this article the positive effect of beautiful school buildings and well-kept school grounds on a school’s learners, teachers and parents is investigated. The methodology and theoretical foundation of Appreciative Inquiry were used to ask learners, educators and parents of Oranje Girls School in Bloemfontein, South Africa, about their experience of the influence the school’s beautiful buildings and terrain exert on the education presented there. Six appreciative questions were put to the respondents. Four themes were identified from the participants’ responses: the aesthetics of gardens and buildings; the influence of the history of the school; maintenance and buildings that tell something; and the influence of the buildings and grounds on education and interaction between learners, educators and parents. The themes and responses are embedded into, and compared to existing literature about the topic to demonstrate their relevance. It is argued that the performance of South African learners can be improved by renovating schools and by beautifying school grounds.

In hierdie artikel word die positiewe effek wat mooi skoolgeboue en ’n goed versorgde terrein op ’n skool se leerders, onderwysers en ouers het, ondersoek. Die metodologie en teoretiese grondslag van Waarderende Ondersoek is gebruik om leerders, onderwysers en ouers van Oranje Meisieskool in Bloemfontein uit te vra oor die invloed wat die skool se mooi terrein en geboue op hulle belewenis van die skool en die onderrig daar het. Ses waarderende vrae is aan respondente gestel. Vier temas is uit die deelnemers se response geïdentifiseer: die estetika van tuine en geboue; die invloed van die geskiedenis van die skool; onderhoud en geboue wat iets vertel; en die invloed van die geboue en terrein op onderrig en interaksie tussen leerders, leerkragte en ouers. Die temas en response word ingebed en vergelyk met bestaande literatuur oor die onderwerp om hulle geldigheid aan te toon. Daar word geargumenteer dat SuidAfrikaanse leerders se prestasies merkbaar verbeter kan word deur skole op te knap en skoolterreine te verfraai.


Keywords

Oranje Meisieskool; estetiese skoolterrein en -geboue; positiewe skoolklimaat; verbeterde uitkomste

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