The Impact of Urban Learning Spaces on Students` Urban Identity

Rapid changes caused by urbanization and globalization processes have changed city environment, and thereby affected the way individuals and groups form their identity. These changes amongst others lead to a continuous re-examination of the relationship between residents` identity and their city, and more generally of the crossroad of urban planning, environmental education, place attachment and the sustainability of urban identity. Local authorities are not only interested in the formation of an urban identity but mainly in strengthening the commitment of their residents, by living, working, volunteering, raising children and re-choosing to stay residents. Today there is a growing agreement that education serves as a principal engine in cultivating urban identity among children, the city`s future residents. Cities across the world launch strategic local-municipal programs based on their cultural, historical and social assets in order to cultivate a sense of citywide pride and to reinforce the sense of belonging and urban identity amongst the city`s residents - adults and children alike.

This research investigates a new aspect of urban identity: the role of local authorities, and particularly their educational systems in forming an urban identity.

Studies on urban identity and urban learning spaces do not coincide. Although abundant in their definitions from various perspectives, there is no study, which assesses the impact between non-traditional teaching (primarily outside school boundaries) and urban identity of adolescents. To bridge this gap, this study examines the influence of urban learning spaces on students` place attachment and urban identity at two secondary schools in an Israeli southern city. The study investigates the urban identity change along the cognitive, effective, evaluative and behavioral components. It demonstrates a distinctive impact of using urban learning spaces on the cognitive and effective components, and illustrates its impact on short-term place attachment. Furthermore, it is found that there is a limited impact on the evaluative and behavioral identity components, with a marginal impact on students` long-term place attachment.

Along the recent decades, different cities in Israel have launched music education programs. They see music as an essential tool for improving the education system, reduce gaps and bridge between different populations and cultures. Cities are establishing municipal orchestras, which serve as a source of pride and strengthen their urban education system. This study has different implications for such music education programs and similar municipal initiatives.