thriving
Thriving is a vital sense of wellbeing. Thriving in schools happens when students and adults can make choices to become their best selves. It inevitably means different things for different people.
definitions
Theory is a way of thinking and talking about familiar experiences in new ways. Theory can provide a shared language to talk about new ideas together. Different theories provide anchoring concepts that can invite new ways to frame the stories from data.
wellbeing
Wellbeing is achieved when humans have the freedoms and opportunities to live a life they value. It is a sense of capability that is made possible by conversion factors within the environment. [1][2]
capability
Capability is a student's opportunity to make meaningful choices. They have the freedom to make choices about the way they can 'be, do and feel' so that they can make choices to live a life they value, to have agency and be a 'well' being.
salutogenic wellbeing
Salutogenic wellbeing describes how spaces can be 'health giving'. When you walk into a space and feel 'aaaaah' you may be experiencing a health giving space. It is a sense of coherence brought about when the space is manageable, meaningful and comprehensible. Professor Jill Franz created some principles for Salutogenic design [3] from the work of Antonovsky [4] that can be found in our 2024 publication.
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manageable
The environment (including teachers) is a resource that helps me do what I want and need to do. It helps me cope by minimising stimuli and stress. I can manage my life as a student.
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meaningful
I feel motivated. My world makes sense.
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comprehensible
The physical/social environment at school makes sense to me. There is transparency, consistency, constancy, predictability.
verticality
Verticality is the human experience of being, doing and feeling in a vertical school. This can include social experiences of connection and sustained close proximity.
verticalness
Verticalness is the state of being vertical. It is made up of the physical elements of being a vertical school like stairs, an atrium, and views.
student voice
Student voice is where students are provided the space and opportunity to contribute meaningfully to matters affecting them in or related to school.
read our research outputs
journal article
Thriving in Vertical Schools: aspirations for inclusion and capability from a salutogenic design perspective
Inclusion was uniquely conceptualised through capability and salutogenic theories. Inclusive environments were more evident when they were meaningful, made sense, and were easy to manage. Students highlighted the importance of choice, comfort, and spaces for resetting. Aspects where students had to work harder to manage the learning or themselves in the environment point to challenges in achieving SDG4a, where facilities need to be inclusive for all. The new conceptual approach extends current theory on designing for inclusion with intentionality in a holistic way to guide greater realisation of inclusive aspirations in school environments.
the conversation article
Would you send your child to school in a skyscraper? Vertical schools could revitalise our cities
Vertical schools have an important role to play in the revitalisation of cities. They also are an invitation for city planners to think differently about the amenities and transport and facilities to support more young people and families in the city.
magazine article
Co-designing Urban Vertical Schools
The importance of student voice in designing and evaluating school spaces is explored in this short magazine article.
discussion paper
Conversations about Vertical Schools in Australia
Written together with partners in the project, this discussion paper proposes questions worth investigating, to inform and extend evidence-based design and educational leadership in vertical schools. This document is based on a scoping review of literature to identify what conversations are already occurring about vertical schools. It found very little published peer reviewed literature specifically examining vertical schools, while media reporting was facilitating public awareness and raising a range of issues.
journal article
Student wellbeing in vertical schools: a multilayered student voice approach for inclusion and influence
How can you gather stories from students in an inclusive way? This paper proposes it is by enabling students to share stories in multiple modes. The power of video is described and also some of the impact that stories had for our industry partners.
keep up with our events
Join us for forums, presentations, and events where we dive into our latest research findings and innovative ideas. Stay connected with our past and upcoming events to explore impactful discussions, and don't worry if you miss one — recordings are often available after the live sessions so you can catch up anytime.
upcoming events
There are currently no upcoming events to display.
previous events
How can Thriving in Vertical Schools shed light on student learning and wellbeing for all schools? Access the recording to hear from students, partners, and researchers about the stories that have emerged over the course of the project. Learn how these stories shaped the thinking moving forward around space, people, objects, curriculum, and design.
references
definitions
- [1]
Sen, A. (2005). Human rights and capabilities. Journal of Human Development, 6(2), 151-166. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649880500120491
- [2]
Nussbaum, M. C. (2006). Education and democratic citizenship: Capabilities and quality education. Journal of Human Development, 7(3), 385-395. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671520600942438
- [3]
Franz, J. (2019). Designing 'space' for student wellbeing as flourishing. In H. Hughes, J. Franz, & J. Franz (Eds.), School spaces for student wellbeing and learning (pp. 261-279). Springer.
- [4]
Antonovsky, A. (1996). The salutogenic model as a theory to guide health promotion. Health promotion international, 11(1), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/11.1.11
publications
- Willis, J., Gillett-Swan, J., Franz, J., Farahnak Majd, N., Carroli, L., Gallagher, J., & Bray, E. (2024). Thriving in vertical schools: aspirations for inclusion and capability from a salutogenic design perspective. Learning Environments Research, 1-22. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10984-024-09502-3
- Volz, K, Gillett-Swan, J., & Willis, J. (2024) Would you send your child to school in a skyscraper? Vertical schools could revitalise our cities. The Conversation. Published: July 29, 2024 https://theconversation.com/would-you-send-your-child-to-school-in-a-skyscraper-vertical-schools-could-revitalise-our-cities-234472
- Carroli, L., Willis, J., Franz, J., Barker, S., Bone, N., Brown, A., Chisholm, N., Gibson, A., Gillett-Swan, Jenna, Harth, S., Kelly, N., Martin, D., Mason, D., Miles, P., & Pierpont, A. (2022) Conversations about Vertical Schools in Australia. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld.https://eprints.qut.edu.au/239256/
- Gillett-Swan, J., Willis, J., & Miles, P. (2021) Co-designing urban vertical schools. Connect, pp. 13-15, November 2021.The importance of student voice in designing and evaluating school spaces is explored in this short magazine article.