Construction of the School Physical Environment Standardized Features Tool

: Objective: A descriptive design, using the methodological approach, is carried throughout the present study from April 1st 2012 to May 20 th 2013 to construct the school physical environment standardized features tool. Methodology: An instrument of (141) item is constructed for the purpose of the study. A purposive sample of (44) school; (22) public and (22) private ones is selected. Content Validity of the instrument is determined through the use of panel of (11) expert who are specialists in Community Health Nursing and Community Medicine. Internal consistency reliability, using the split-half technique, is employed through the computation of Cronbach alpha correlation coefficient of (0.93) for internal scale. Data were collected through the use of the instrument and the schools' visits as means of data collection. Data are analyzed through the application of the inferential statistical data analysis procedure of simple Pearson’s correlation coefficient and factor analysis (principle component) method. Results: Findings of the study reveal that the features are presented, post their rearrangement, under five factors that include school services, emergency and school sanitation, food and protection services, safe school environment, and school environment. So, the new tool can be structured, tested and used as guide for new investigations. Such presentation of factors reflects the actual model by which the school's physical environment features can be considered as essential elements for future evaluation through the utilization of the constructed tool. Recommendations: The study recommends that the new discovered tool can be used as measure for future work, and further studies can be carried out on large sample size and nation-wide base.


Introduction:
school's environment is the thread that connects the multitude of activities on a campus. In many respects this thread is almost invisible, yet everyone experiences its influence. Positive social relationships and attitudes about school are as important to the environment as are safe and wellkept buildings and grounds. A safe, clean, and well-maintained school with a positive psychosocial climate and culture can foster school connectedness, which in turn boosts student and staff health as well as students' educational achievement (1) .
A school's physical environment includes the school building and the surrounding grounds, such as noise, temperature, and lighting, as well as physical, biological, or chemical agents (2) .
The design of schools is a very important factor when dealing with sanitation related to moisture. Building roofs that leak or will not stop water are detrimental. Water in classrooms leads to mold which can cause allergic reactions. High humidity and standing water also creates an environment favorable to all kinds of bacteria, which can spread diseases (3) .
So, the present study attempts to construct a tool by which the school physical environment standardized features can be evaluated. This instrument can be utilized as a measure for determining the actual status of the school physical environment for better development and modification of such environment.

Methodology:
A descriptive methodological design is carried throughout the present study from April 1st 2012 to May 20 th 2013 to construct the school physical environment standardized features tool. An instrument of (141) item is constructed for the purpose of the study. A purposive sample of (44) school; (22) public and (22) private ones is selected. Content Validity of the instrument is determined through the use of panel of (11) expert who are specialists in Community Health Nursing and Community Medicine. Internal consistency reliability, using the split-half technique, is employed through the computation of Cronbach alpha correlation coefficient of (0.93) for internal scale. Data are collected through the use of the instrument and the schools' visits as means of data collection. Data are analyzed through the application of the inferential statistical data analysis procedure of simple Pearson's correlation coefficient and factor analysis (principle component) method. Table (1) presents the simple correlation coefficients (Person's correlation coefficients). There are a various significant levels for the extracted correlation coefficients between the studied main parts responding and they are indicating a meaningful and significant interaction. The preceding results invite to searching for that significant interactions in order to creating or constructing the actual measurements scale for studying the phenomena of " Construction of School Physical Environment standardized features tool" and that could be achieved through applying the factor analysis technique and they are illustrated in table (2). Figure (1) represents graphically two plots, first at the left side adverts the variance associated with each factor. It is used to determine how many factors should be kept. Typically the plot shows a distinct break between the steep slope of the large factors and the gradual trailing of the rest (the screen).
The second plot at the right side adverts the three-dimensional space loading plot of the first three factors. Plots display rotated solutions if rotation is requested orthogonal of applying (Varimax) method.   That extracted Factors ordered in more powerful significant, with advantage at the first factor in (29.801%) of covariance constructed, then followed with advantage at the second factor in (15.043%) of covariance constructed, then followed with advantage at the third factor in (10.545%) of covariance constructed, then followed with advantage at the fourth factor in (8.831%) of covariance constructed, then finally followed with advantage at the fifth factor in (7.279%) of covariance constructed.

Discussion: Part I: Correlation, Extraction, and Rotation of the School's Physical Environment Factors
Throughout the course of the data analysis, it has been realized that it is important to examine the relationships between the standardized features of the school's physical environment in order to determine the precise factors that may include the related features for the purpose of restructuring them as identities within each factor. The data analysis has depicted that the features are presented post their rearrangement under five factors that include school services, emergency and school sanitation, food and protection services, safe school environment, and school environment. So, the new model can be structured, tested and used as guide for new investigations (Tables 1 and 2; Figure  1). Such presentation of factors reflects the actual model by which the school's physical environment features can be considered as essential elements for future evaluation through the utilization of the constructed tool.
Supportive evidence for such findings is found in a survey of thirty-seven state primary schools located in the Isparta region of Turkey which are studied during the period between March and May of 2002. The results showed that all the schools of the region had a number of inadequacies because they had not been adequately adapted to comply with existing standards. The survey showed that local and central official bodies must reinforce the need for standards and ensure the implementation of high standards in the schools to ensure the pupil health, safety and security (4) .

Recommendations:
Based on the findings of the present study, we can recommend that: 1. The new discovered tool can be used as measure for future work. 2. Further studies can be carried out on large sample size and nation-wide base.