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We asked 28 young people (16–18 Years old) from two schools in Lancashire to reflect on their COVID-19 experience and Co-Design the ideal learning environment. In this paper, we present young people’s vision for the ideal classroom that combines the best of the home and school learning environments. Young people would like to have flexible furniture arrangements, with space for group and individual activities, a bespoke learning environment that can be appropriated and adjusted according to individual preferences (e.g. sound, light, temperature, ventilation levels). Furthermore, they aim for comfortable environments with earth colours, natural materials and a direct connection with nature. We argue the importance of taking young people's perspectives presented here to inform future policy, the design of learning spaces and school rebuilding programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Recent years have witnessed the spread of purpose-built active learning classrooms throughout the higher education sector. While these innovative learning spaces are well-suited for a variety of active learning strategies, their lack of a single focal point means they are inconvenient spaces for lecturing. While educational developers often encourage instructors to implement active learning strategies in these classrooms, lectures persist. This article reports the results of a pilot study where course meetings were split between two sites each week: some of the course time took place in a lecture hall and some of the course time took place in an active learning classroom. We suggest that this split-site design offers at least two promising indicators, from the perspectives of both students and instructors: 1) an easier transition compared to a full-active learning classroom course; and 2) availability of active learning classroom time to a larger number of courses. Responding to existing literature on the relationship between lecturing and active learning (classrooms), this article presents the results of student surveys and instructor interviews, and outlines future directions for research in split-site course design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educators are continuously exploring ways to enhance the academic potential of students while fostering a positive social atmosphere within classrooms. To meet these various curricular and interpersonal objectives, teachers are increasingly utilising educational storification in order to engage students and positively support their social relationships. However, research still lacks in terms of how storification impacts students’ social behaviour and communities. With grounded theory methods, and data from a 10-day ethnographic fieldwork, participatory observations, interviews with 11 educational staff and focus groups with 79 students at a middle school employing a Harry Potter theme, this study indicates that storification can strengthen the school community and hinder students’ antisocial behaviour. The storified learning environment formed a shared interest at the school, which facilitated further friendship formations and sense of belonging, however, careful considerations on social cliques and certain norms the selected story potentially delivers are called for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research analyzes enhanced classroom daylighting utilization. The enhanced classroom daylighting incorporates a shed roof with an additional ceiling window, where the window-to-wall ratio is 41% on the north face and 56% on the south face. First, daylight factor and daily lighting, heating, and cooling loads were analyzed. In comparison with a typical classroom, an energy-savings effect and maximized energy-savings effect occurred. The result shows that enhanced classroom daylighting is expected to achieve 27% energy savings using daylighting. In addition, compared with the typical model, the energy savings in the enhanced classroom daylighting utilization model could be 10 points higher and is expected to increase by a higher illuminance setpoint. In the last section, a sensitivity study was performed to analyze the relationship between the system operation and the energy consumption ratio. With different ranges and setpoints, the enhanced daylighting utilization model shows a varying tendency with respect to the energy consumption ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fundamental problem in the design of a classroom is to identify what characteristics it should have in order to optimize learning. This is a complex problem because learning is a construct related to several cognitive processes. The aim of this study is to maximize learning, represented by the processes of attention, memory, and preference, depending on six classroom parameters: height, width, color hue, color saturation, color temperature, and illuminance. Multi-objective integer linear programming with three objective functions and 56 binary variables was used to solve this optimization problem. Virtual reality tools were used to gather the data; novel software was used to create variations of virtual classrooms for a sample of 112 students. Using an interactive method, more than 4700 integer linear programming problems were optimally solved to obtain 13 efficient solutions to the multi-objective problem, which allowed the decision maker to analyze all the information and make a final choice. The results showed that achieving the best cognitive processing performance involves using different classroom configurations. The use of a multi-objective interactive approach is interesting because in human behavioral studies, it is important to consider the judgement of an expert in order to make decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This participatory design-based research study addresses the relational character of the physical learning environment and pedagogical practice in the context of a design project carried out at a Swedish upper secondary school. Three teachers initiated the project with the intent to introduce student centred pedagogy and increase active learning. In collaboration with the research team, they designed and furnished a classroom supportive for communication and intense interaction between students, and where students and teachers could work and construct knowledge together. Drawing on observations, video recordings and design conversations with the teachers, the analysis, which is inspired by Actor Network Theory, concentrates on the six month period when the teachers started to teach in the new classroom with focus on their experiences, asking what they experienced as advantageous and challenging. Considering the new learning environment as a network of socio-material relations consisting of a) physical and spatial agents, b) organisational structural agents, and c) teacher/teaching agents, we conclude that whereas some actors corresponded well and contributed to a well-coordinated classroom practice facilitating the project's intentions, some actors contradicted each other and challenged the same intentions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning spaces that engage students actively are becoming more common. Active learning spaces are designed to facilitate collaboration between students as they engage in problem solving, communication, and teamwork. Recently, Auburn University installed an active learning space in the construction management teaching facility which provided a dedicated active learning space for construction education. During the 2018–19 academic year, students were surveyed to better understand their perspectives on the learning environment after having a class in the space. The goals of this exploratory study focused on student experiences within the active learning environment including perceived impact on learning and engagement within construction education. Sixty-eight percent of the students surveyed believed their learning and 82% believed their engagement with the material was enhanced by the space, the teaching tactics, and shared engagement. Results indicated that while the majority of students expressed positive experiences in areas of “group work and collaboration” and the “engaging and interactive” nature of the class, some construction students found the space distracting particularly when traditional lecture teaching was employed. Overall, the active construction management classroom can enhance the quality of students’ experience through appropriate course design and enriched dialogue, and a potential to positively improve the quality of construction education exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensory integration provides a foundation for more complex learning and behavior. For most of us, effective sensory integration occurs automatically. For many people with autism, the process demands effort and attention with no guarantee of accuracy. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is referred as a spectrum disorder because each individual has different symptoms, sensitivities and level of functioning. Each of the autistic children's sensory sensitivities differs from one to another. Specialized design of learning spaces for ASD children may unlock their full potential. Hence this research attempted to design sensory- friendly spaces for children with ASD to stimulate learning environment. The objectives of this research are in 3 folds; (1) to scrutinize the existing body of knowledge to ascertain relevant criteria exist to design space for ASD; (2) to evaluate three centres for children with ASD in relation to the body of knowledge examined; (3) to propose an inclusive design of spaces for children with ASD. Three case studies are chosen for these studies that are Calvary Victory Centre (Johor), Penawar Special Learning Centre (Johor) and National Autism Society Malaysia (NASOM) One Stop Centre (Selangor). Then, six components are identified to be considered in the design of the spaces and four stimuli consideration are identified that is needed to be implemented. So, designing a space that provide conducive environment for these children to use any of their senses comfortably, it may lead to effectiveness in learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusive classrooms with complex, diverse students have many challenges, including that of effective physical design. One included element that should be considered is a relaxation station, designed to teach and promote everyday self-regulation skills within a calmer and more private space. A relaxation station is an essential component in every classroom to support sensory needs, self-regulation, and so on, in an everyday and easily accessible manner appropriate for students with disabilities and their typical peers. This article presents a rationale as well as practical guidelines on how to develop such a space effectively, including recommendations for its design (e.g., boundaries), procedures (e.g., entry/exit), and elements (e.g., items, tools, and visuals). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an intervention that seeks to examine how changes to the spatial organisation of traditional classrooms affect the number of pupils able to interact with the teacher, as well as the quality of this interaction. The experimental design allows for investigation of variations between a ‘traditional’ and new classroom set-ups. This study focuses on visual relation as well as auditory interaction and pupil movement in the classroom. They are discussed in the context of four primary classroom settings in Uruguay. The method derives from a hybrid approach using photographic and video records, teacher-pupil distance information and interviews with teachers. The conclusions show that alterations to the sitting layout and proportion of the classroom space increase the number of pupils in interaction with the teacher. However, it also suggests that optimising one variable in the study compromises other variables such as possibilities of movement in the classroom. It is suggested that in order to increase the number of pupils in quality interaction with the teacher the spatial arrangement of the classroom needs to be given prominence. Ultimately, the replication of the method across a wider variety of classroom types could help teachers identify areas for early intervention and micromanagement of classrooms as well as help nurture and inform future design decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We spend all our lives in spaces, whether those are digital spaces, public areas, institutional sites, or the spaces of our minds. These spaces are necessarily filled with sounds—heard, felt, imagined, or evoked. In thinking about what Purdy and DeVoss (2017) call the “infrastructures of writing,” and learning experiences of classrooms in particular, there has been an increased interest and scholarship within composition and rhetoric that focuses on built environments, learning spaces, and classroom design. However, much of this literature has yet to draw productively on sound. Most mentions of sonic dimensions of space merely suggest a signal/noise relationship, where undesirable “noise” would be minimized. In what follows I will argue that becoming attuned to sound in classroom design has far more potential than a desire to eliminate noise. In doing so, I offer the soundscapes of 7 cross-disciplinary, writing-intensive courses as a means of recovering the potential for sound in evaluating space. Finally, I argue for further work in putting the research of rhetorical soundscape studies in conversation with learning spaces and classroom design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are a group of technology researchers and classroom designers at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) that took the challenge of re-designing an outdated and underutilized videoconference room on campus. In this article we explain in detail the design elements and ideas that were implemented at UTEP to plan and construct a videoconferencing room that mimics a telepresence environment. The heart of the design incorporates certain elements to make the far-end participants feel as life-like as possible to their local counterparts, and in the process make communication more effective. There are several telepresence systems and complete room installations on the market that are extremely expensive and essentially out of reach for many schools, universities, businesses, and other organizations. Our solution eliminates the need for hiring external, expensive consultants and audio-visual specialists. Instead, it focuses on a do-it-yourself approach that implements very simple design elements that will simulate a high-end telepresence experience for the users. This can all be done at a fraction of the cost of a full-fledged telepresence ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research indicates that technology can be useful for supporting learning and collaboration, there is still relatively little uptake or widespread implementation of these technologies in classrooms. In this paper, we explore one aspect of the development of a multi-touch classroom, looking at two different designs of the classroom environment to explore how classroom layout may influence group interaction and learning. Three classes of students working in groups of four were taught in the traditional forward-facing room condition, while three classes worked in a centered room condition. Our results indicate that while the outcomes on tasks were similar across conditions, groups engaged in more talk (but not more off-task talk) in a centered room layout, than in a traditional forward-facing room. These results suggest that the use of technology in the classroom may be influenced by the location of the technology, both in terms of the learning outcomes and the interaction behaviors of students. The findings highlight the importance of considering the learning environment when designing technology to support learning, and ensuring that integration of technology into formal learning environments is done with attention to how the technology may disrupt, or contribute to, the classroom interaction practices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Schools have been suggested as a viable avenue to combat childhood obesity. School administrators are sometimes faced with the conflicting demands of improving the health of their students and maintaining academic performance. Dynamic furniture such as stand-biased desks may be one way to address both academic and health demands placed on schools to prevent childhood obesity. Classrooms with stand-biased desks were compared with classrooms using traditional seated desks in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades. The academic engagement of 282 participants was observed in the fall and spring during one academic year. The engagement of the treatment classrooms was compared with the engagement of the control classrooms. Both groups showed general increases in their academic engagement over time. Stand-biased desks do not seem to result in adverse effects on academic engagement when used in elementary classrooms. The data suggest promising results for the use of stand-biased desks in elementary school classrooms. The results suggest that stand-biased desks can be introduced in the classroom to combat childhood obesity through increasing energy expenditure without affecting academic engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current trends in technology and new strategies in curriculum design have yielded a new methodology for content are course delivery. Blended learning is now being utilized in many colleges and universities to deliver instruction with a balanced approach in mind. This format provides new avenues in curriculum design and instructional delivery. Blended learning unites the best of both worlds in a post-secondary instructional model. It combines the face to face classroom experience with a digital education environment. The blended learning format also promotes a shift from the traditional lecture format to a more interactive learning environment for students. Overall student engagement tends to increase using the blended learning format. From an instructional perspective, blended learning tends to be regarded in a very positive light. It has been widely embraced by many contemporary, post-secondary educators as well as the student body. The 21st century student requires a flexible learning path that is individualized and available on demand. Utilizing a blended learning instructional format addresses that need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational environment influences students' learning attitudes, and the classroom conveys the educational philosophy. The traditional college classroom design is based on the educational space that first appeared in medieval universities. Since then classrooms have not changed except in their size. In an attempt to develop a different perspective of educational environment, a new design of classroom, the active learning classroom (ALC), was established at SoongSil University in Korea. Two questionnaire surveys were conducted for diagnosing the educational effects of students' learning in the ALC and comparing the results with those obtained regarding the traditional classroom. The result proved the existence of a 'golden zone' and a 'shadow zone' in the traditional classroom, which discriminate students' learning experiences depending on seating positions. On the contrary, the ALC did not produce such positional discrimination. Students perceived the ALC environment as more inspirational, especially in regards to active class participation. Students with more emphasis on academic achievement showed greater tendency to share information and to create new ideas in the ALC. However, in the traditional classroom setting, only students with high GPAs were more motivated to learn while the gap in learning attitudes was offset in the ALC setting. In-depth discussions about research findings were undertaken and four suggestions were provided in support of school administrators and relevant institutional personnel, faculty members, and researchers for future utilization of the ALC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians in academic settings spend a significant amount of time teaching students information literacy skills. Teachers adapt their teaching activities to the constraints of the physical setting of the classroom. Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library modified a classroom from a traditional lecture room to a room where the seating was mobile. The teachers and students were observed and surveyed to see if the change in physical environment impacted the teaching style or learning activities used. The findings indicate that teachers use familiar routines and lessons in both a traditional lecture-style classroom and a newly-designed flexible learning space as they present information literacy instruction. Teachers who recognised that students benefited from learning activities where they were active participants were more likely to incorporate small changes to their lesson plans. The classroom design can re-energise instruction if the teacher adapts their teaching style to the more flexible learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In a challenging economy where budgets for academic programs seem to shrink each year, writing programs face serious economic challenges. When fiscal challenges are paired with the ever-changing nature of writing technologies and the need to update classroom technologies on a regular basis, the challenges can seem insurmountable. In this article the authors discuss the multiple phases of a classroom redesign project where first-year composition students used their own laptop computers in a flexible classroom, which included mobile furnishings, mobile whiteboards, and multiple LCD screens for projection. The purpose of the project was to design a space that was economically sustainable and would better meet the needs of composition instructors and students. To meet that goal, the First-Year Writing Program partnered with the institution''s IT and Design Services to develop the flexible classroom model. The flexible classroom project sought to answer the question: how do we take existing classroom spaces and small/shrinking budgets and make the spaces work well for the teaching of writing? Based on financial comparisons of equipment between the flexible classroom versus classrooms where computers are provided by the university, as well as student surveys, the authors found that a flexible design is a cost-effective solution that is also an effective pedagogical space. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Architects and designers have a responsibility to provide an inclusive built environment. However, for those with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder ( ASD), the built environment can be a frightening and confusing place, difficult to negotiate and tolerate. The challenge of integrating more fully into society is denied by an alienating built environment. For ASD pupils in a poorly designed school, their environment can distance them from learning. Instead, if more at ease in their surroundings, in an ASD-friendly environment, the ASD pupil stands a greater chance of doing better. However, a difficulty exists in that most architects are not knowledgeable in designing for those with ASD. Any available design guidelines for architects tend, because of the inherent difficulties associated with a spectrum, to be general in their information. Therefore, in order to provide an ASD-friendly learning environment, there is a need to ensure that teachers, as the experts, can most clearly and effectively impart their knowledge and requirements to architects. This article, written by Keith Mc Allister and Barry Maguire, both from Queen's University Belfast, sets out the challenges and difficulties inherent in the design process when designing for those with ASD. It then sets out an alternative strategy to the usual method of drawing-centric dialogue between teacher and architect by using models instead as a basis for a more common language. An ASD Classroom Design Kit was designed and developed by architecture students at Queen's University Belfast. It was then used by ASD teaching staff from the Southern Education and Library Board in Northern Ireland as a case study to trial its effectiveness. This article outlines how the study was carried out before concluding with reflections by both teaching staff and architect on using the ASD Classroom Design Kit. It is hoped, firstly, that this article will highlight the need for better dialogue between expert and architect when considering ASD and the built environment and, secondly, that it may encourage others to consider using models to convey their ideas and knowledge when designing, not just for ASD, but for other special educational needs and disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study was conducted with 2nd grade students at primary schools in Turkey as part of an attempt to describe the ideal classroom space for primary education students. In the study, photographs of 20 different primary education classrooms were evaluated by 189 students. The students evaluated the images by means of surveys in which they were asked questions on four concepts: belonging, like (partiality), learning and safety. Reliability analyses of numeric data obtained from student surveys were made and they were subjected to various statistical analyses. In the second part of the study, the students' preferences for the classroom spaces were evaluated by means of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) method, by using numeric data obtained from the student about concepts as well as the classroom space photos. Numeric data were treated and test procedures were performed to ensure that ANN makes decisions in the name of 2nd grade students. This is the first study in which numeric survey results and photographic characteristics have been used together. The ANN results were very similar to the students' evaluation of the ideal classroom space, particularly in terms of belonging and like (partiality) concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on analysis of visual performance and quality issues in classrooms located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The methodology depended on data collection and analysis of design information obtained from architectural drawings of standard schools, design compliance documents set by the relevant governmental bodies, and site visits and photography. It analyzed several important design issues that have significant impact on visual quality, including space size and depth to height ratio, windows orientation, lighting direction and desk position. It used simulation to investigate potential visual problems during critical times and view angles. Several problems concerning contrasting luminance levels in the field of view were identified and described. Mitigation of the problems using recommended daylighting systems was discussed based on the UAE climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this article, we analyze the complex rationales—both transparent to us and, at times, made visible—underneath the instructional spaces in which we work and teach. To do so, we first situate space analysis in the larger, national conversations about instructional spaces and then through the work of computers and writing scholars. We conclude with an analysis of instructional spaces at our institution. These are spaces specific to our locale, but spaces we think are quite common at most institutions of higher education. Perhaps more importantly, we situate this space analysis on issues these spaces pose—issues of restricted movement, impaired ability to collaborate, sensory disruption, limited leadership ability, and functional/material constraints. We attempt to return to the roots of hacking and to situate hacking as a particular tool for negotiating and, at times, disrupting the assumptions built under, within, and across instructional spaces. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper discusses the design, development and use of a multimedia classroom for the instruction of undergraduate courses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the University of Waterloo. The classroom, which seats 50 students, was custom-designed and co-developed by the School of Accounting, Faculty of Arts and the Mapping, Analysis and Design Unit of the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES), with input from other groups on campus. The FES uses the room to teach 'hands-on' undergraduate GIS courses, ranging from introductory coverage of GIS technology use to advanced courses dealing with GIS application design and development. Instruction is facilitated by use of a high-resolution, large-screen video display connected to a networked computer running one of three operating systems (Windows NT, Mac OS and Unix). The paper discusses the pedagogical issues involved in the use of multimedia technologies for GIS instruction and outlines the design of the room, its costs and configuration, and how the room is used for live computer-based presentations. The paper concludes with a discussion of desirable, but not currently operational features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toddlers' interpersonal spacing patterns were studied in environments of different density and design. Results showed that an apparently spacious (74 m2) classroom may produce behavioral changes reminiscent of crowding in young children. When more spate (864 m2) was available: (I) children increased interpersonal distances overall; (2) children aggregated more with classmates and teachers, fragmenting into subgroups which were separated from the class overall. With visual dividers added to the classroom Facilitate subgrouping toddlers formed larger subgroups with teachers. Parent/child behavior during separation also affected distances: longer hand-holding and verbalization were found in children who stayed further others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the influence of the environment of a place on child development. Qualities or factors of an environment that contribute to a sense of place experience include opportunities for seclusion and quiet, opportunities for exploring and opportunities to effect change. Positive place experiences provide opportunities for children to explore, to manipulate and to be involved. If the environment is limited in opportunities for exploration and involvement, the child's potential for learning in that environment is also limited. Sense of place experiences also contribute to the development of imagination and creativity in young children. Because the nature and quality of the environment are major factors in how and what children learn at school, it is important to carefully critique the type of environments provided for them in the school setting.