Publication: Safer route to school analysis for children by integrating cognitive mapping, perception analysis, and site observation approaches: case study of Jerash camp, Jordan
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Date
2023-07-01
Authors
Enas Al-Najjar
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Abstract
This dissertation focuses on investigating the safety and security of school routes in Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan. The study aims to develop a map that demonstrates the level of safety and security of school routes and to identify the key issues and threats faced by school children aged 13 to15 years old who travel independently inside the refugee camps. Thematic analysis of two focus group discussions involved parents in Jerash camp was conducted to develop the research model that investigates the factors impacting the safety and security perception of school children and their relationships to the children’s wayfinding behaviour when walking to school. The study also used a survey that included a mapping activity to collect data from a sample of 626 school children in Jerash camp. The relationships of the variables were tested using Smart PLS-SEM 4, while the cognitive mapping activity analysis was performed using ArcMap GIS. The results showed that socio-economic, built environmental, and individual factors have a positive and significant influence on the perception of school children towards safety and security, and there is a significant relationship between their perception and their wayfinding behaviour reflected in their cognitive maps. After that a Safe Route to School map was created by combining survey results and field observations that reflect the actual safety and security level of school routes in the camp. In conclusion, this study highlights the critical level of safety and suggests some improvements to increase safety and security of school routes in the camps. emphasizing the need for safe route to school programmes intervention focusing on children in refugee camps.