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web dev / Wednesday, November 2, 2016
/ Categories: Office Furniture, Space Planning & Design
The connection between classroom design and learning outcomes is more than
simple conjecture. Recent scientific research backs this up.
A 2015 study published in the journal Building and Environment found that
changing some core elements of classroom design can increase student learning
outcomes by 16 percent.
According to the study, factors such as air quality, lighting and students’ sense
of ownership of their classroom all affected the students’ ability to learn.
Research by Steelcase shows that rearranging the rows of desks into grouped
configurations improves all of the following aspects of learning:
Ability to engage in preferred learning methods
Active involvement
Collaboration
Focus
In-class feedback
Opportunity to engage
Physical movement
Real-life scenarios
Stimulation
A classroom library sectioned off with shelves and comfy chairs for
reading
A common area, maybe on a large rug or around a large table, for class
discussions
Air Quality
According to the Building and Environment study, good air quality and
comfortable room temperatures improved student progress by 28%.
Teachers can decorate their classrooms with plants to improve the air quality
and brighten up the room. In rooms without local control of the thermostat, fans
or space heaters can help regulate the temperature.
Choice
Student choice is a major factor in creating an ideal learning environment.
Letting students choose how they learn gives them a feeling of ownership and
creates a sense of community in the classroom.
Educators can accomplish this by providing flexible seating options and allowing
students to decide where they’ll do their best work. Flexible seating options can
include:
Individual workstations
Mats or cushions
Complexity
The overall layout and interior design aspects of the classroom—including the
use of color—create an environment that is either stimulating or not. The
Building and Environment study shows that a balanced layout with wall displays
and perhaps an accent wall can increase student progress by 23%.
Desk Arrangement
How desks or seating options are arranged has a significant influence on student
engagement and the prevalence of active learning. In the Steelcase study, both
students and faculty experienced over 30% more engagement in classrooms
with new desk configurations over the old standard of traditional rows.
The most impactful desk arrangements are designed with collaboration and
flexibility in mind. Desks and chairs should be easily moveable—consider
options with wheels on the bottom—to accommodate any given learning
scenario, from small group collaboration to larger group learning labs or
independent work.
Light
Industrial-style fluorescent lights are unattractive and, worse, may interfere with
student learning. In particular, students with autism or sensitive hearing might
find the buzzing of fluorescents distracting.
In addition to this exercise, teachers can also get students directly involved in
classroom design. Ask students’ opinions and get them to help rearrange and
redesign the classroom.
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