Schools, space and atmospheres: the value of student videos in negotiating contested spaces in new urban vertical schools

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Article / Journal

Author(s) / editor(s):
Kylie Boltin , Prue Miles , Stuart Poyntz and Jill Willis

Year: 2026

Keywords: Vertical schools; atmosphere; digital story; student voice; school spaces
Language(s): English

Abstract:
This paper examines how youth voices inform civic dialogue about thriving in adult-designed vertical (high-rise) schools in Australia. Drawing on 204 secondary students who produced 96 one-minute digital stories, and close analysis of four videos plus audio-recorded screening discussions, the study shows digital stories surface students’ affective, embodied experiences and tensions, prompting productive dialogue with adults. Findings highlight the value of digital storytelling as a civic mediator and identify unscripted, edge spaces as important for students’ wellbeing and learning in vertical schools, with implications for school and city design.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2026.2625784

Post created by: Virginia Signorini

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