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The Physical Setting and Open Education
... \ Clear pathways between students and high trafficked areas (Visser, 2001;Weinstein, 1979) Make a clear distinction between individual versus group activity areas. Rearrange teacher's desk (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974;Zifferblatt, 1972). Place barriers and/or partitions in the classroom (Evans & Lovell, 1979;Gump, 1974;Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974). ...
... Rearrange teacher's desk (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974;Zifferblatt, 1972). Place barriers and/or partitions in the classroom (Evans & Lovell, 1979;Gump, 1974;Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974). Address acoustic quality in the classroom by eliminating objects that produce background noise. ...
... Although this type of research previously has been conducted in self-contained special education classrooms (Guardino, 2009) Modifications to the classroom environment increased academic engagement and decreased disruptive behavior. Smith & Leffingwell, 1983;Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974;Visser, 2001;Wheldall & Olds, 1987;Zifferblatt, 1972 Providing a specific framework (i.e.. ...
In this article the authors discuss how the classroom environment can increase academic engagement and decrease disruptive behavior. The article suggests that teachers collect data with regard to students' engagement during instruction, disruptive behaviors, and teacher observations to identify physical improvements in the classroom that will contribute to improvements in attention and behavior. The article also discusses classroom management strategies that take a proactive approach to preventing disruptions and are easy to implement.
... Classroom layout affects the social interaction of both teachers and students (Gifford, 1987). The design and arrangement of space and furniture are factors in implementing educational goals (Gump, 1987;Proshansky and Wolfe, 1975). Physical and spatial aspects of a learning environment communicate a symbolic message of what is expected to happen in a particular place. ...
... The effective arrangement and management of space can facilitate the learning process, while the unplanned ineffective use of space can result in unforeseen and unexpected interference, and may even serve to instigate conflicts. The teacher sometimes does not realise that certain behaviours occur in the classroom as a result of how the room has been arranged (Proshansky and Wolfe, 1975). When children exhibit puzzling behaviour, the environment should be checked. ...
... Lack of awareness of physical and spatial needs in the classroom environment can interfere with the optimal functioning of the classroom. Proshansky and Wolfe (1975) found that a great deal of attention is generally given to lesson plans but little attention is given to space planning. Lackney (1994) believes that buildings are often conceived solely as relatively fixed objects that are not amenable to significant change. ...
... Changing the classroom seating is one of the more obvious and easier changes to make to the classroom environment. Several researchers have noted how changing the seating arrangement has affected student behavior (Hood-Smith & Leffingwell, 1983; Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974; Visser, 2001; Wheldall & Olds, 1987; Zifferblatt, 1972). An early descriptive observational study by Zifferblatt (1972) indicated that grouping student desks together encouraged student socialization but had a negative effect on student academic engagement. ...
... Student's behaviors can be affected by too much or too little environmental lighting. Visser (2001) observed a classroom of students with emotional behavior disorders and reported, as had previous authors (Evans & Lovell, 1979; Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974; Weinstein, 1979) that too much light creates a " dazzling " on white boards and students' desks, which becomes a visual distraction. Because many DHH students primarily use their vision to communicate, sufficient lighting and control of excessive lighting is important and is likely to increase attention and academic engagement. ...
... Acoustics and noise. It is likely that a noisy learning environment affects students' ability to understand teachers and to focus on their work (Choi & McPherson, 2005; Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974; Robinshaw, 2007; Sorkin, 2000). There is evidence that young listeners and students with learning disabilities have difficulty understanding sentences in noise (Bradlow, Kraus, & Hayes, 2003; Nelson & Soli, 2000), although research with typically hearing students has not always shown that noisy conditions negatively affect reading or writing performance (Slater, 1968; Weinstein & Weinstein, 1979 ). ...
The goal of this study was to examine the effect of physical modifications on the academic engagement and disruptive behavior
of Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing students in self-contained classrooms. Three classrooms at a school for the Deaf were modified
after consultation with the classroom teachers. The modifications of the classroom environment included changes in seating
arrangements, classroom organization, visual stimulation, and acoustic quality. A multiple-baseline design was used to examine
the effects of the intervention on the frequency of student academic engagement and disruptive behaviors. Results show a functional
relationship between the physical environment and both an increase in levels of academic engagement and a decrease in levels
of disruptive behavior. Teachers maintained the majority of modifications after the study ceased. Social validity ratings
by the teachers indicated high acceptability of the intervention. Limitations and practical implications for future research
are discussed.
... They believed that open space designs or technical tools alone simply result in "innovation without change" if the "nature of talk" does not change, because "talk is the only readily available manifestation of the extent and process by which mutual understandings of what counts as knowledge in any context are transacted" (104). Similarly, Proshansky and Wolfe (1974) pointed out that it is not the physical setting itself that guarantees or inhibits "open" learning, but an open-education philosophy that makes way for it. The traditional Confucian classroom shaped by the legacy of the Chinese exam system was never guided by an "open-education philosophy" but rather a closed philosophy that aimed to maintain "the status quo". ...
... Though our own field is T&I and not specifically in educational theory, educational technology, or classroom design, it is uplifting to see that a number of findings, concepts, and theoretical arguments in these fields support our own observations of the limitations of the in-person Confucian classroom, which have led to the formulation of the 4Cs as advantages of the online classroom that may assist us in breaking free from ideological in-person confinements. Notable ones include Proshansky and Wolfe's (1974) findings close to fifty years ago which identified "the most glaring [deficiency]" of the traditional classroom to be "the lack of space for solitary activity" (570). This can be readily addressed by the "privacy" function we have designated as one the 4Cs in using online platforms. ...
This book presents the latest developments in translation and interpreting (T&I), which has been at the forefront to face the challenges brought by COVID-19. The contributions in the book contain both quantitative and qualitative empirical studies as well as personal accounts of the impact and opportunities T&I has faced in the global pandemic, covering topics including metaphor translation, delivery of and access to T&I services during COVID-19, renewed perspectives on T&I practice and profession, and technological applications in the T&I classroom. The various themes in the book, through examining the role and many facets of T&I against the backdrop of COVID-19, have demonstrated that T&I as a vital means of intercultural communication is assuming immense importance at a time of uncertainties and disruptions.
As one of the books addressing crucial issues of T&I at a time of global crisis, this edited book is of interest to many T&I professionals, researchers, teachers, and students who have been impacted by the pandemic and yet showed a continued interest in T&I and its future emerging practice in the post-pandemic era.
... They believed that open space designs or technical tools alone simply result in "innovation without change" if the "nature of talk" does not change, because "talk is the only readily available manifestation of the extent and process by which mutual understandings of what counts as knowledge in any context are transacted" (104). Similarly, Proshansky and Wolfe (1974) pointed out that it is not the physical setting itself that guarantees or inhibits "open" learning, but an open-education philosophy that makes way for it. The traditional Confucian classroom shaped by the legacy of the Chinese exam system was never guided by an "open-education philosophy" but rather a closed philosophy that aimed to maintain "the status quo". ...
... Though our own field is T&I and not specifically in educational theory, educational technology, or classroom design, it is uplifting to see that a number of findings, concepts, and theoretical arguments in these fields support our own observations of the limitations of the in-person Confucian classroom, which have led to the formulation of the 4Cs as advantages of the online classroom that may assist us in breaking free from ideological in-person confinements. Notable ones include Proshansky and Wolfe's (1974) findings close to fifty years ago which identified "the most glaring [deficiency]" of the traditional classroom to be "the lack of space for solitary activity" (570). This can be readily addressed by the "privacy" function we have designated as one the 4Cs in using online platforms. ...
As instructors who experienced first-hand the abrupt transition from face-to-face to online teaching in March 2020 in the US due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and who continue to adapt to various online platforms and technologies for the T&I classroom in Taiwan, we argue that the online classroom has specific cultural advantages summed up as the 4Cs: immediacy, privacy, intimacy, and democracy. We discuss how these advantages ring especially true for the Chinese classroom, because it is one not known for intimate interaction or lively discussion, but rather a mirror of Confucian class divide shaped by the legacy of the Chinese civil service exams. Findings from regular course evaluations and targeted feedback from students in the US and Taiwan support our argument. The goal is a more inclusive adoption of multimodal learning foregrounding “social presence” that transcends the black-and-white argument of “in-person” versus “online”.
... They believed that open space designs or technical tools alone simply result in "innovation without change" if the "nature of talk" does not change, because "talk is the only readily available manifestation of the extent and process by which mutual understandings of what counts as knowledge in any context are transacted" (104). Similarly, Proshansky and Wolfe (1974) pointed out that it is not the physical setting itself that guarantees or inhibits "open" learning, but an open-education philosophy that makes way for it. The traditional Confucian classroom shaped by the legacy of the Chinese exam system was never guided by an "open-education philosophy" but rather a closed philosophy that aimed to maintain "the status quo". ...
... Though our own field is T&I and not specifically in educational theory, educational technology, or classroom design, it is uplifting to see that a number of findings, concepts, and theoretical arguments in these fields support our own observations of the limitations of the in-person Confucian classroom, which have led to the formulation of the 4Cs as advantages of the online classroom that may assist us in breaking free from ideological in-person confinements. Notable ones include Proshansky and Wolfe's (1974) findings close to fifty years ago which identified "the most glaring [deficiency]" of the traditional classroom to be "the lack of space for solitary activity" (570). This can be readily addressed by the "privacy" function we have designated as one the 4Cs in using online platforms. ...
This study investigates the stance mediation of a Chinese and a British newspaper in (re)framing the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 with a focus on metaphor transfer in news headlines. The database includes 97 pairs of Chinese/English news headlines from The Global Times Editorial (GTE) and 77 pairs from The Economist Global Business Review (EGBR). Drawing on an analytical model that combines framing, corpus and Appraisal Theory, the study found that the conceptual metaphors, framing strategies and attitudinal graduation in GTE and EGBR differ significantly. Whereas GTE generally takes a pro-China and anti-US/West stance, EGBR adopts an anti-China and pro-West perspective. The study highlights stance mediation in non-political reports within news agencies that resort to self-translation and metaphor as a frame in stance mediation, a finding that may foster interdisciplinary collaborations between framing studies and journalistic and metaphor translation studies.
... They believed that open space designs or technical tools alone simply result in "innovation without change" if the "nature of talk" does not change, because "talk is the only readily available manifestation of the extent and process by which mutual understandings of what counts as knowledge in any context are transacted" (104). Similarly, Proshansky and Wolfe (1974) pointed out that it is not the physical setting itself that guarantees or inhibits "open" learning, but an open-education philosophy that makes way for it. The traditional Confucian classroom shaped by the legacy of the Chinese exam system was never guided by an "open-education philosophy" but rather a closed philosophy that aimed to maintain "the status quo". ...
... Though our own field is T&I and not specifically in educational theory, educational technology, or classroom design, it is uplifting to see that a number of findings, concepts, and theoretical arguments in these fields support our own observations of the limitations of the in-person Confucian classroom, which have led to the formulation of the 4Cs as advantages of the online classroom that may assist us in breaking free from ideological in-person confinements. Notable ones include Proshansky and Wolfe's (1974) findings close to fifty years ago which identified "the most glaring [deficiency]" of the traditional classroom to be "the lack of space for solitary activity" (570). This can be readily addressed by the "privacy" function we have designated as one the 4Cs in using online platforms. ...
Remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI) platforms existed well before the COVID-19 pandemic, but their use skyrocketed when social distancing and mandatory quarantine restrictions made it practically impossible to organize on-site events with live interpretation. This new working method has a clear impact on interpreters’ workload. In a traditional booth setting, conference interpreters can rely on their boothmates when it comes to problem solving. Scholarly literature on the subject is relatively scarce, but it seems to confirm that interpreters heavily rely on each other when reproducing names, numbers and lists, communicating with clients and technicians while in the booth, as well as providing emotional support. In a virtual booth, however, communication between partners can be obstructed, and non-verbal communication is entirely impossible. In our research, we conducted semi-structured interviews with trained conference interpreters to examine how in-booth communication works on RSI platforms, what kind of difficulties may arise, what strategies interpreters use to overcome these difficulties and how RSI platform developers could change platforms to allow for a smoother simultaneous interpreting experience for interpreters and the audience alike. Results suggest that trained and experienced interpreters are capable of finding strategies to deal with most of the arising difficulties, very often in a more autonomous way than in a traditional setting. However, the emotional importance of having a boothmate seems to emerge more explicitly than in our previous study about boothwork.
... Consequently, the classroom's physical structure in which the students' experiences at school are formed and structured for years and the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours which the students are expected to obtain by means of the implemented programme in this environment are not independent from each other (Proshansky and Wolfe, 1975;Proshansky & Fabian, 1987). Inadequacy of awareness towards physical needs in the classroom environment can interfere with the functioning of the classroom (Horne Martin, 2002). ...
... Inadequacy of awareness towards physical needs in the classroom environment can interfere with the functioning of the classroom (Horne Martin, 2002). Some studies found that attention is generally given to lesson plans yet little attention is given to space planning (Proshansky and Wolfe, 1975;Proshansky & Fabian, 1987). Similarly, OECD (1988;cited in Horne-Martin, 2004) report that "teachers are responsible for spaces for teaching and learning and should attempt to make them exciting and stimulating and be prepared to develop them. ...
p style="text-align:justify">The purpose of this research is to investigate teacher candidates’ perceptions about the physical dimension of classroom management. A hundred two 3rd year students at the Primary School Education Department of a state university were instructed to visit a primary school and to observe a classroom in terms of its physical dimensions. The students were guided both to tell about the actual classroom they observed and to tell about their dream classroom. Thus, this study aims to discover students’ perception on actual classroom and their construction of dream classroom in terms of physical characteristics. The research findings revealed that most of the teacher candidates mentioned their dream classroom according to the actual classroom and only one third of them designed the classroom according to their own dream classroom characteristics. Also teacher candidates did not mention the affective influences of physical layouts and environments on individuals.</p
... Individual work area defined (Evans & Lovell, 1979;Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974) Children would fight over materials and interfere with others workspace 1 1 ...
... Created barriers from preexisting furniture (Evans & Lovell, 1979;Gump, 1974;Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974) Children did not have clearly defined boundaries and roamed from place to place 2 1 Sufficient space for group & large group activities (Fullerton & Guardino, in press) Children were hitting one another because the work spaces were too small 1 1 ...
High levels of aggressive behaviors were observed during the transition times in two self-contained special education classrooms: a kindergarten and pre-kindergarten. The present case studies examine how modifying the classroom infrastructure impacts students' aggressive behavior. Teachers were assisted on the usage of select modifications (visual cues and carrels). Data were collected during pre-experimental, baseline, intervention 1, and intervention 2. Results indicate that modifying the classroom environment decreased aggressive behaviors during transition times by as much as 12% from the beginning of the study. The change in aggressive behavior was moderate and teachers perceived the intervention as having a positive impact on students' learning and their ability to teach. Implications for practitioners are discussed.
... The communication between the physical environment and the child occurs through symbolic messages. Proshansky and Wolfe (1974) state that adults' intentions or values about that environment transform the setting over which they have control in a pragmatic role. The overall setting is designed and controlled by adults in educational facilities, but in several academic research studies, the child's point of view has recently started to be considered. ...
Educational buildings, which appear as a design problem when viewed through the historical process, appear as a whole of structures consisting of educational units of different functions and sizes, shaped through a main corridor space and attached to this main space. On the other hand, when educational buildings are considered through their plan schemes or spatial layouts, it is possible to say that they positively or negatively affect different but interrelated parameters such as students' potential to come together, their motivation in crowds, and their involvement with each other in social relations. In the space syntax theory, buildings are separated from each other in terms of programming; that behavior is shaped and determined by the configuration (strong programming) or possible new forms of behavioral patterns occurring against the layout (weak programming). This study uses a comparative methodology to investigate the effect of the spatial layout of educational buildings on how social interaction is generated and motivated in the relations of 'syntactic programs' in school settings. The study focuses on recess time behavior in relation to the spatial layout and uses behavior maps and space syntax methods to examine the effects of the spatial setups programming parameters in educational buildings. Results show that if an educational building has a flexible structure (weak programming) with its spatial organization, socialization is oriented naturally by the layout with enriched behavioral patterns. However, when the design starts to behave strongly programmed, social behavior becomes monotonous and prevented. As a result, this study shows the importance of understanding social logic in the architectural design of educational buildings in structuring social relationships. Revealing the relationships between these concepts is thought to guide the evaluation of the design criteria of educational buildings and the contents presented for new designs.
... The suspicion that many open plan schools were not operating along the student-centred, active learning lines that the environments had been designed to support was steadily proved correct by research that accumulated through the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Detailed observation within open plan schools, of the sort envisaged by Weinstein, was conducted on both a small (Cooper, 1982;Proshansky and Wolfe, 1974;Rivlin and Wolfe, 1985) and larger scale (Bennett et al, 1980). Although some teachers in some schools were using their new spaces to enable students to be active learners, supporting the engagement and application to learning that should enhance outcomes (see e.g. ...
The purpose of this reflection paper is to present a new framework to guide the process of investment in education infrastructure through participatory planning, and to consider its application to the development of innovative spaces. Financing education infrastructure provides an opportunity to innovate to support student learning, but for this to happen infrastructure and education investments need to be conceived from the beginning as a single, intertwined process. The Constructing Education framework is based on research evidence about the effects of educational environments and theoretical understanding of change. It draws on the issues identified in a series of in-depth reviews carried out in the cities of Espoo, Finland, the department of Seine-Saint Denis, France and Malmö, Sweden, to explore the links between construction and education during the investment process.
... Psikologi lingkungan memiliki berbagai macam deskripsi yang dikemukakan oleh para ahli. Ruang lingkup psikologi lingkungan tidak hanya terbatas pada arsitektur atau pada lingkungan binaan (built environment), akan tetapi juga membahas mengenai rancangan (desain), organisasi dan pemaknaan, ataupun hal-hal yang lebih spesifik seperti ruang, bangunan, ketetanggaan, rumah sakit dan ruangruangnya, museum, teater, tempat tinggal, sekolah, pesawat, mobil, kamar tidur, tempat duduk, penataan kota, tempat rekreasi, hutan alami, serta setting lain pada lingkup yang bervariasi (Proshansky, 1974) Sementara itu, Veitch dan Arkkelin (1995) menyatakan bahwa psikologi lingkungan merupakan suatu cabang ilmu yang merupakan hasil dari sejumlah cabang ilmu pengetahuan seperti geologi, biologi, psikologi, geografi, hukum, sosiologi, ekonomi, fisika, kimia, filsafat, sejarah, dan masih banyak cabang ilmu lainnya. Oleh karena itu berdasarkan ruang lingkupnya, maka psikologi lingkungan bukan hanya membahas setting yang berhubungan dengan manusia dan perilakunya, namun juga melibatkan cabang ilmu pengetahuan yang beraneka ragam. ...
Kesehatan merupakan salah satu asset berharga yang dimiliki setiap manusia. Kesehatan terdiri dari dua macam yaitu kesehatan fisik/jasmani dan kesehatan psikis/rohani. Penyakit psikis lebih sulit terdeteksi dibandingkan penyakit fisik karena biasanya timbul akibat adanya gangguan pada kesehatan jiwa/mental. Gangguan jiwa atau gangguan mental merupakan sindrom atau pola perilaku seseorang berkaitan dengan adanya gejala penderitaan (distress) yang menyerang salah satu fungsi penting pada tubuh manusia. Orang-orang dengan gangguan kesehatan biasanya diwadahi di rumah sakit. Individu dengan gangguan kesehatan jiwa, diwadahi di rumah sakit jiwa. Sebelum menjalankan rehabilitasi, pasien mental yang memerlukan rawat inap terlebih dahulu ditempatkan di bangsal. Bangsal memiliki peran yang besar dalam mempengaruhi kondisi psikologis pasien dan kondisi kesehatan dan keamanan pasien. Tata ruang bangsal baik secara zonasi maupun penataan interior pada bangsal harus diperhatikan mengingat pengguna utama ruang tersebut adalah pasien dengan gangguan jiwa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimanakah pola tata ruang bangsal di Rumah Sakit Jiwa Daerah (RSJD) Surakarta dan bagaimana pengaruhnya terhadap perilaku pasien. Penelitian dilakukan dengan metode kualitatif berupa wawancara dan pengamatan langsung terhadap objek penelitian. Data hasil penelitian dianalisa dengan menggunakan metode behavioral mapping dan metode superimposed. Penelitian ini menghasilkan elemen-elemen tertentu seperti jarak antar tempat tidur, elemen jendela dan pintu, dan suasana pada ruang, yang dapat mempengaruhi perilaku tertentu pada pasien.
... Various suggestions are made regarding the location or usage style of the teacher's desk, which is located in the traditional classroom layout and belongs only to the teacher and represents the authority in the seating arrangement. The most appropriate spot for the teacher's desk is at the back of the classroom, as revealed by numerous studies (Krych, 2015) which was once located on a physically isolated, elevated platform in the center of the classroom, indicating the teacher's status relative to the student and the direction of the information flow (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974). ...
... Various suggestions are made regarding the location or usage style of the teacher's desk, which is located in the traditional classroom layout and belongs only to the teacher and represents the authority in the seating arrangement. The most appropriate spot for the teacher's desk is at the back of the classroom, as revealed by numerous studies (Krych, 2015) which was once located on a physically isolated, elevated platform in the center of the classroom, indicating the teacher's status relative to the student and the direction of the information flow (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974). ...
... In order to do this, the teacher must have the skills to organize and manage the physical environment of the classroom in order to orchestrate an environment that supports exploration, discovery and investigation. The teacher should be aware of the fact that the classroom is not her/his sole territory and effective use of the available space must be planned by students and teachers together (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974). There should be adequate notice boards and display facilities students can use to decorate the classroom and display their work and therefore have a sense of ownership of the physical environment (Di Giulio, 2007). ...
... The suspicion that many open plan schools were not operating along the student-centred, active learning lines that the environments had been designed to support was steadily proved correct by research that accumulated through the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Detailed observation within open plan schools, of the sort envisaged by Weinstein, was conducted on both a small (Cooper, 1982;Proshansky and Wolfe, 1974;Rivlin and Wolfe, 1985) and larger scale (Bennett et al, 1980). Although some teachers in some schools were using their new spaces to enable students to be active learners, supporting the engagement and application to learning that should enhance outcomes (see e.g. ...
The report proposes a framework to guide investments in education infrastructure so they can better contribute to students' learning outcomes. An education perspective is embedeed to the traditional construction process along four distinct phases, from initial brief to post-occupancy. A marginal additional investment cost that we believe can make an importatn difference.
... As noted, sociologists tend, when investigating the potential for individual action, to emphasise the social structures through which society is organised as opposed to the related material and physical structuring that also impacts on individuals. Even when a classic sociology text explicitly considers the built environment of school (Meighan et al. 2007: 91-104), this is in the context of a section on the 'hidden curriculum' and centres on the symbolic as opposed to the pragmatic (see Proshansky and Wolfe 1974 for discussion of this distinction) constraints and affordances of school space. Thus the rather dated references are used to argue that spaces ''may be indicative of assumptions about relationships'' (p. ...
Educational change is known to be challenging and therefore research exploring the conditions that seem to facilitate change is important. The literature relating to school level change shows some awareness of the part played by the physical school environment, but the role of the school premises in change is rarely the focus of research rooted within this literature. This is a notable omission. The history of innovation in school design parallels the recognised challenges of school reform and change. Educational leadership practice and certain historic policy initiatives suggest awareness of how the physical environment may encourage or constrain, and so is potentially an important part of a change process, but this understanding is not developed. This paper brings together our research concerning school environments and our work with schools attempting pedagogical change to develop such an understanding of the place of the physical setting in initiating, supporting and sustaining school level change. It is a conceptual exploration of the role of the physical environment in enacting change using an empirical base to illustrate our argument. We present a narrative account of two schools’ approaches to change and use the theoretical framework of culture, structure and individual action, where the physical environment is part of the structure within which change is attempted. It becomes clear that although the physical setting is intimately related to other school structures, particularly certain organisational features, there is a qualitative difference in the way the physical setting, as a tangible and visible entity, contributes to change processes. As well as contributing to the development of conceptualisations of educational change, our exploration has implications for the wider understanding of structures within human society, and their relationship to culture and individual agency.
... For successful implementation, goals underlying curriculum change must align with other elements of the educational system, including the built environment. This is because spaces for learning influence whether and how educational goals can be reached (Nordquist & Laing, 2014), including the teaching approaches adopted (Conner & Sliwka, 2014;Stukalina, 2010) and educational activities (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974;Sigurðard ottir & Hjartarson, 2011). Thus, changes in educational vision that necessitate curricular change require corresponding changes to the spaces. ...
It is recognised that educational environments influence learning experiences, so it is important to ensure that educational buildings are designed to be fit for purpose. In order to ensure that educational buildings meet the needs of those who use them, all relevant stakeholders should be involved in the design process. However, this is not straightforward and much remains unclear about how involvement in such complex design processes should proceed. This article presents the findings of four small heterogeneous groups of architects, educational designers, teachers and students from the UK and The Netherlands, discussing how they would envision optimal collaboration and involvement of stakeholders in the process of (re)designing educational buildings and instructional methods. Presentations from the four groups were transcribed and analysed. Informed by a review of existing models and frameworks, our findings were synthesised into a new interdisciplinary model of participatory building design in education. This new model focuses on an iterative design process with different stakeholders involved in different ways at different times. We propose that this model can inform policy and practice in educational building design, as well as within co-creation of curricula, learning, teaching and assessment.
... "A learning space should be able to motivate learners and promote learning as an activity, support collaborative as well as formal practice, provide a personalised and inclusive environment, and be flexible in the face of changing needs" (Joint Information (Hygge & Knez, 2001) emoções (Loewen & Suedfeld, 1992) e saúde mental (Evans, 2003 Barrett et al., 2015b) Os alunos devem ser capazes de trabalhar sem serem distraídos, para que desta forma consigam terminar as tarefas iniciadas (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974). Neste campo, torna-se igualmente importante abordar a questão inerente aos acessórios e equipamentos que constituem o espaço da sala de aula, sendo estes importantes para promover a eficiência e funcionalidade do espaço de aprendizagem. ...
No seguimento da iniciativa ‘Future Classroom Lab’, desenvolvida em 2012 pela European Schoolnet (EUN), têm vindo a ser criados no contexto educativo nacional, ‘Salas de aula do futuro’ (SAF), que se apresentam como ambientes educativos inovadores (AEI’s) (ERTE, 2017) de estrutura modelar, reconfigurável e multifunções. Mediante a proliferação destes novos espaços educativos nas escolas básicas e secundárias nacionais e de modo a analisar como os mesmos se encontram a ser utilizados, pretende-se desenvolver um projeto de investigação cujo enfoque incide nas práticas educativas, especificamente nas metodologias de ensino-aprendizagem atualmente utilizadas nesses espaços. Em particular, pretende-se analisar as suas características, projetos subjacentes e práticas efetivas que nos mesmos se têm vindo a organizar. Será efetuado um levantamento sobre o design e configuração destas salas de aula e adicionalmente serão analisadas as metodologias desenvolvidas em tais espaços sob a perspetiva de professores e alunos. Inscrito no paradigma paradigmático, o estudo combinará métodos quantitativos e qualitativos de recolha e análise de dados e adotará um formato longitudinal de modo a analisar a realidade eleita com o objeto de estudo com vista a identificar e caracterizar os elementos que conferem sustentabilidade às práticas pedagógicas adotadas nesses AEI’s/SAF. Como participantes do estudo, foram selecionados três casos cujos espaços se assumem como ambientes educativos inovadores e que respeitam os critérios de seleção, previamente estabelecidos. Os momentos de recolha de dados irão ocorrer em dois anos letivos, nomeadamente em 2016/17 e 2017/2018. Os resultados serão posteriormente cruzados, de modo a possibilitar a produção de um relatório descritivo das práticas documentadas e dos produtos resultantes das mesmas.
... It has been theorized that environmental experiences in childhood endure into adulthood, and thus that the design of buildings can have both a direct and long-term symbolic impact on children (David & Weinstein, 1987). School design can encourage and facilitate, hinder and inhibit behaviors at school, and the architectural symbolism of schools can have a profound wider impact on children and their behaviors in and outside of school (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974). Weinstein (1977) found statistically significant differences in students' behavior due changes in spatial design, where students were encouraged to move into locations that had previously been avoided, and the frequency of specific behaviors was altered. ...
... Both are important within the educational endeavour. A classic paper discussing how the classroom environment might support innovation in teaching and learning proposes a distinction between the 'pragmatic role' played by features of the physical environment and their 'symbolic message of what one expects to happen in a particular place' (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974 : 558-9, italics in original). Similarly, from a leadership perspective, Briggs notes that 'the physical environment is a visible sign of the school's culture' (Briggs, 2001: 176). ...
Physical spaces of education have a complex, dynamic relationship with the activities that take place in them. As Briggs notes 'the physical environment is a visible sign of the school's culture' (Briggs, 2001: 176) and the ethos of the school affects the way space is en-gaged with, organised and used (Uline et al., 2009). Thus a new school building, replacing a degraded, dated building has the potential to be a catalyst for other educational changes, enhancing morale and changing attitudes, but this is not a certainty.
Research within education consistently suggests the importance of participation in change processes, with more successful change occurring when school staff and students are ac-tively involved in planning and enacting the change. This idea has parallels with participatory practices in planning, architecture and design that are clearly of particular relevance to school re-building. Such beliefs about the benefits of participation were key to the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, initiated in 2003, but discontinued in 2010, amid criticism from the James Review (2011) that participation is expensive and inefficient.
This paper reports the initial stage of research that will follow an English secondary school (students aged 13-18) through a re-build under the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP), which replaced BSF. The focus is on the students’ existing attitudes to learning, their expectations of the new building and their involvement in the change process. Data was collected through focus groups and a questionnaire that includes questions from a sur-vey of student attitudes used before and after a secondary school rebuild (Rudd et al. 2008). This enables comparisons with the changes in student attitudes found by research that took place in the context of a BSF rebuild. The extent of student involvement in this rebuild are assessed using the ‘climbing frame of participation’ (Singer & Woolner, 2015: 196), devel-oped from Arnstein’s ladder (Arnstein, 1969). Implications for democratic processes within the new school are also considered.
... Environmental psychologists state that there are direct and indirect effects of the classroom environment on the students and teachers. The arrangement of furniture in the classroom is an important factor in implementing educational change (Proshansky and Wolfe, 1975). For example, research has indicated that the appropriate choice of seating arrangement can be an important way to increase student participation, and it has recently been shown that there is a clear relationship between students' seat locations and their grades ( Benedict and Hoag, 2004;Perkins and Wieman, 2005;Edwards, 2000). ...
... If the arrangement of space is unplanned and ineffective, unexpected conflicts can arise. Disruptive behaviors in the classroom can occur as a result of how the room is arranged (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1975). Loughlin and Suina (1982) Seating Arrangements. ...
This senior project focused on the physical environment of elementary school classrooms, with a particular emphasis on how environmental factors influence behavior and academic achievement. Such environmental factors included lighting, color, acoustics, temperature, seating arrangements, space and crowding, and living kinds such as plants and animals. Previous research has demonstrated a connection between student behavior and the classroom environment. Taylor and Vlastos (2009) developed a theory regarding the relationship between environment and design within the classroom. They referred to the physical environment of the classroom as the “silent curriculum” and hold strongly to the belief that understanding the physical environment is essential to the education of children. The goal of this project was to investigate empirical evidence on the importance of the physical environment and develop a website in order to share this information with teachers and administrators.
... Her focus was on the teacher and on the classroom physical environment. Martin explored the technique of behavioral mapping (see Prosansky et al. 1974) and interviews. Her examples are based on extremes in classroom organization, mobility, and degree of centeredness, and illustrate the link to pedagogy. ...
... 2) the physical structure and layout of the environment can communicate values and play a role in motivation (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974); ...
Recent years have seen a steady increase in the number of Italian schools opting to integrate technology into the classroom. Teachers and principals often embark on digitalization projects despite a lack of consolidated theory to guide the process; in many cases, the outcome is a lesson format which remains traditional in style with the implementation of one-to-one computing and use of an electronic whiteboard instead of a chalkboard. Given the lack of a reference framework defining a richer variety of digital classroom settings, in this study we aimed to provide a categorization of digitalization formats to aid in the planning and design of digital classrooms. Our analysis was based on systematic observation of a number of digital classrooms currently being implemented in Northern Italian schools. From the data collected we developed a functional classification of digital classroom settings, described in terms of how digital devices are distributed to students and the specific devices adopted. We identified seven digital classroom settings: one-to-one computing with students seated in traditional rows; paired seating; small group seating; multi-screen classrooms; subject areas; media areas; mobile learning. A further criterion is the type of device provided to students for use at school: handheld screen devices; A5 size screen devices; A4 portable laptop; desktop and large screen devices. This classification may be useful to teachers and principals in the start-up phase of digitalizing their classrooms and schools.
... Additionally, pathways between work stations and trafficked areas should be separated clearly [83,84]. The placement of the instructor's desk can also be manipulated, for example, placed in front of or in the middle of the classroom [85,86]. Typically, lecture classes benefit from rows of seats, which keep students more focused and attentive to the instructor. ...
Exploring how classroom attributes affect student satisfaction and performance in higher education classrooms continues to be a critical initiative among educators and researchers. Although specific classroom attributes and their impacts on student satisfaction and performance have been investigated independently, a holistic investigation of many of these attributes and their individual and cumulative impacts on student perceptions of their learning environments is missing. This paper takes a statistical approach to assess ambient, spatial, and technological attributes that can be found in higher education classrooms through an online survey conducted in six classrooms in a university. The paper provides insight for future evaluation of higher education learning environments by linking two Likert scales: one rating student satisfaction with classroom attributes and the other rating the impact of these attributes on student performance, and by analyzing the relationships between reported perceptions and student evaluations of different conditions. The results revealed that student perceptions rely heavily on spatial attributes, specifically visibility and furniture, and ambient attributes, specifically air quality and temperature, which are highly impacted by the design, management and maintenance of classrooms. The paper also investigated the impacts of non-classroom factors, including gender, seating location, cumulative GPA, college year and expected course grade, on student perceptions of learning environments. Results showed that perceptions of visibility, acoustics and furniture were more sensitive to non-classroom factors, followed by temperature, air quality, artificial lighting, room layout and software.
... There is considerable evidence regarding the relationship between students' and teachers' behavior and attitude and their school physical settings (Day, 2007;Durán-Narucki, 2008;Moore, Lackney, Wisconsin Univ, & Urban, 1994). Schools physical environment transmit symbolic messages to children (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974). Some of the spatial setting encourage and facilitate some of the behaviors while others might hinder and inhibit some behaviors. ...
ABSTRACT:
The interrelationships between school design and children learning are well established. Less evident is the relationship between sustainable school design and the level of environmental behaviour of the children in attendance. Newly erected primary schools in Australia have been broadly graded as either sustainable or conventional. This paper evaluates the impact of both sustainable and conventional school design on children’s environmental behaviour, and examines the correlation between school design and children’s environmental behaviour.
624 children, aged 10-12 years old, completed a survey. This sample, from seven selected primary schools in Victoria (Australia), includes four conventional schools and three sustainable ones. The survey was developed according to GEB (General Ecological Behavior) scale and a few more school specific variables.
The outcome of the survey was analyzed using an independent sample t-test and two-way between groups ANOVA in order to assess environmental behavior differences of children in both sustainable and conventional schools taking into account factors that either explicitly and/or implicitly impact on their behavior such as sustainable school design, teachers’ environmental behavior and parents’ environmental behavior.
The results show statistically significant differences in environmental behavior of children in sustainable schools and those in conventional schools. Comparing the means of children’s environmental behaviour indicates that children in sustainable schools possess higher levels of pro-environmental behavior than children in conventional schools.
The paper highlights the strong relationships between school design and children’s environmental
behavior, and expands recognition of the role of environmentally sensitive school design not only to improve learning environments but more specifically to engage children ecologically with their immediate built environment.
Keywords: Sustainable School Design; Environmental Behavior; Children
... There is considerable evidence regarding the relationship between students' and teachers' behavior and attitude and their school physical settings (Day, 2007;Durán-Narucki, 2008;Moore, Lackney, Wisconsin Univ, & Urban, 1994). Schools physical environment transmit symbolic messages to children (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974). Some of the spatial setting encourage and facilitate some of the behaviors while others might hinder and inhibit some behaviors. ...
The interrelationships between school design and children learning are well established. Less evident is the relationship between sustainable school design and the level of environmental behaviour of the children in attendance. Newly erected primary schools in Australia have been broadly graded as either sustainable or conventional. This paper evaluates the impact of both sustainable and conventional school design on children's environmental behaviour, and examines the correlation between school design and children's environmental behaviour. 624 children, aged 10-12 years old, completed a survey. This sample, from seven selected primary schools in Victoria (Australia), includes four conventional schools and three sustainable ones. The survey was developed according to GEB (General Ecological Behavior) scale and a few more school specific variables. The outcome of the survey was analyzed using an independent sample t-test and two-way between groups ANOVA in order to assess environmental behavior differences of children in both sustainable and conventional schools taking into account factors that either explicitly and/or implicitly impact on their behavior such as sustainable school design, teachers' environmental behavior and parents' environmental behavior. The results show statistically significant differences in environmental behavior of children in sustainable schools and those in conventional schools. Comparing the means of children's environmental behavior indicates that children in sustainable schools posses higher levels of pro-environmental behavior than children in conventional schools. The paper highlights the strong relationships between school design and children's environmental behavior, and expands recognition of the role of environmentally sensitive school design not only to improve learning environments but more specifically to engage children ecologically with their immediate built environment.
... 4). In some schools, students move between classrooms and do not sit at an assigned desk, which causes all students to use the same size furniture regardless of age or grade level [29]. Further complicating the problem of anthropometric fit, there is a paucity of anthropometric data for children in developing countries such as Serbia to inform the ergonomic design of school furniture . ...
Background:
Assessing physical ergonomic factors within the classroom environment creates new opportunities to support designs that promote student well-being. Student-aged anthropometric data helps guide proper desk fit assessment, therefore facilitating scholastic performance through the reduction of distractions such as physical discomfort.
Objective:
This study reports dimensions of fit between student anthropometry and the desk environment (classroom seating conditions), for grade-school aged children in Serbia. Measurements of the children and their desks are compared to subjective reports of discomfort.
Participants:
Fifty-seven elementary school students, grade 2 (ages 7-8; n=29) and grade 4 (ages 9-10; n=28), were enrolled in this study. All participants were from the same elementary school in the city of Nis, Serbia.
Methods:
Seventeen anthropometric measurements of students were collected using standard anthropometric instruments. Eight measurements of student work desks and chairs were also collected. Students were evaluated by a physiatrist to assess health issues and completed a novel questionnaire about musculoskeletal discomfort for different body parts. Student fit to the classroom seat and desk was assessed structurally and subjectively. Data analysis included descriptive anthropometric measurements and inferential statistics including Chi square analysis.
Results:
Results indicated age-related differences in body part discomfort for grade 2 and grade 4 students, arm discomfort reported over 50% of second grade students, and neck/upper back discomfort was reported as the highest of all body parts (32%) for students in the fourth grade.
Conclusion:
Anthropometric variables and preliminary analysis of fit as it relates to reported discomfort are discussed, as are external factors of backpack use and seated video/computer-game use. International comparisons of anthropometric data are discussed and serve to inform new considerations of ergonomics research for school children.
... (e.g. Proshansky and Wolfe, 1974). Others have investigated the physical setting of the classroom in terms of student privacy (e.g. ...
A method for linking classroom evaluations to specific physical properties and for comparing the evaluations of different groups is described and illustrated. Thirty-five college classrooms were photographed and shown to 20 professors and 51 undergraduate students, each of whom evaluated the friendliness of and their overall preference for all the classrooms. Seven physical properties of the classrooms were reliably assessed by independent observers. Using a modified Brunswik lens model, the relations between the physical properties and the evaluations by the two groups were established and compared. Between 40 and 57 per cent of the variance in the evaluations could be explained from only three classroom properties: view to outdoors, seating comfort and seating arrangement. Evaluations by the students and professors were surprisingly similar, an encouraging sign for classroom designers.
... While there are elements of the school environment that are important to learning, there is no evidence of simple causal links between the environment and behaviour within it. The experience of open-plan schools, in both the UK and US, shows that a setting does not determine behaviour (Proshansky and Wolfe, 1975;Canter and Donald, 1987), while attempts to link student achievement with physical environment are often equivocal (Weinstein, 1979;PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2000). ...
This study aimed to explore the environmental determinants of attitude among primary school children. The primary goals of the study are to evaluate, to educate, to assist, and to help the environmental attitudes of students and teachers at primary school level. This study was descriptive in nature and utilized a survey method. The survey included all primary school students and instructors from public schools in southern Punjab. Data was collected using a simple random sampling approach. The sample size included 325 children and 75 instructors. Two separate questionnaires were employed as study instruments to gather data for both teachers and students. The data were evaluated using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, averages, and standard deviation to compare the perspectives of various respondent groups. The results were shown in tables and were described. The data analysis revealed that the teachers at primary schools level must inspire students to create a better atmosphere. Students should have the option to choose between government and private schools. Teachers should utilize audio-visual tools to enhance the effectiveness of their teaching during classroom instruction.
This guide is the result of a two year project undertaken by a research team from the Centre for Learning and Teaching, Newcastle University and funded by the Edge Foundation. Our aim was to work with teachers interested in developing Project Based Learning (PBL) through providing them with brokerage, resources, professional development activity and perhaps most importantly encouragement.
This study aimed at investigating job related challenges faced by Iranian EFL junior and high school teachers during their professional jobs as English language teachers. To this end and to develop a valid questionnaire for investigating the Iranian EFL teacher challenges, researchers first asked a representative group of teachers for their views on the challenges they have confronted during their professional jobs. Then the data were classified into seven main challenges including textbooks, teachers, learners, social problems, spaces and educational facilities, educational systems, and social contexts. After developing the instrument, the participants who were 93 Iranian EFL junior and high school teachers were required to respond to open-ended items related to each classification. The findings demonstrated that Iranian EFL teachers have a wide range of challenges concerning their professional careers understanding of which can exert a great impact on EFL teaching and learning process. The results have different theoretical as well as practical implications implications for students, teachers, policymakers, learners, and curriculum developers.
Amid increasing global and national interest in the built educational environment, this editorial considers developments within the Nordic countries that are investigated and discussed within the articles in this special issue. We discuss commonalities and divergences in the experiences of transition and change in the schools, located in a range of times and places. We observe Nordic openness being reflected in the interest of policy-makers and architects in schools with open designs, but also note the very real challenges for school leaders, teachers and students of transitioning from traditional enclosed classrooms and teacher-centred learning to student-centred approaches in a versatile space. Yet the articles of this special issue also make clear the educational and societal reasons and values behind attempts at this transition, and we conclude our editorial by proposing some ways to address the challenges we have identified.
All inizio del presente saggio, viene presentata una panoramica della letteratura
scientifica che indaga l influenza dell’ambiente di apprendimento
negli insegnanti e negli studenti.
Innanzitutto vengono presentate alcune sfide che riguardano la valutazione
degli ambienti di apprendimento e successivamente viene delineata l’importanza
generale dell’edificio scolastico e dell’aula per la scuola e l’istruzione.
Il focus risiede nell evidenziare l interazione esistente tra l’ambiente di apprendimento formale e le sfide dell’insegnamento e dell’apprendimento.
Questa interazione viene illustrata attraverso i risultati di studi empirici e, in
conclusione, vengono proposte prospettive di ricerca future nel campo
dell Educazione e della Psicologia ambientale e architettonica.
In erfolgreichen, guten Schulen werden Lehren und Lernen durch die bauliche Umgebung bestmöglich unterstützt – aus Schul- und Lernräumen sollten also Lebensräume werden. Um dies zu erreichen müssen erziehungswissenschaftliche, architekturpsychologische und architektonische Ansprüche in Einklang gebracht werden. Die AutorInnen nähern sich dem Thema der pädagogischen Schulraumgestaltung aus ihren jeweiligen Disziplinen und eröffnen Wege für eine optimalen Schul- und Klassenzimmergestaltung.
Die AutorInnen des Bandes nehmen der die Bedeutung der Schulhaus- und Klassenzimmerarchitektur für Lehr- und Lernprozesse aus internationaler Perspektive in den Blick. Die Gestaltung des Schulhauses und des Klassenzimmers werden dabei als gebaute Lernumgebung betrachtet und diese Betrachtung wird im Dialog zwischen Erziehungswissenschaftlern, Architekturpsychologen, Architekten und Lehrkräften vorangetrieben. Ausgehend von einem Überblick über die theoretische und empirische Forschung zu Schulgebäuden und Klassenzimmern im Zusammenhang mit Lehren und Lernen tragen die AutorInnen Ergebnisse aus den differierenden Forschungstraditionen zusammen. Dadurch kann die Bedeutung der gebauten Umgebung auf Lehr-Lernprozesse nachgezeichnet werden. Neben den Möglichkeiten zur Evaluation von Zusammenhängen zwischen Gestaltung der gebauten Lernumgebung, Lehren und Lernen werden auch neuere Forschungsmethoden diskutiert, die die Beteiligten im Designprozess von Schulhäusern und Klassenzimmern einbeziehen. Weitere Ergebnisse aus der erziehungswissenschaftlichen Forschung illustrieren, wie Lehrkräfte, SchülerInnen mit ihrem Klassenzimmer, ihrer Schule umgehen. International anerkannte ArchitektInnen aus Deutschland, Amerika und Portugal thematisieren, wie Lehren und Lernen durch architektonische Planungen gezielt unterstützt werden kann. Architekturpsychologische und phänomenologische Betrachtungen runden die Gesamtschau auf den Gegenstand ab. Die Multiperspektivität der Beiträge ermöglicht es zum einen, die jeweiligen fachwissenschaftlichen Diskurse nachzuvollziehen, und zum anderen sich ein umfassendes Bild zu Lehren und Lernen in der gebauten Umgebung zu machen, sowie Ideen und Ansatzpunkt für zukünftige Forschung und Gestaltung von Schulgebäuden und Klassen weiterzuentwickeln.
Die Herausgeberin:
Prof. Dr. Ulrike Stadler-Altmann,
Ordinaria für Allgemeine Didaktik/Schulpädagogik an der Bildungswissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Freien Universität Bozen
While the education field has addressed classroom design and queer theorists have addressed the notion of landscaping, scholars have yet to critique classroom spaces from a queer theoretical perspective. The concept of queer landscaping, as theorized by Jill Casid, offers a particularly powerful concept for exploring the ways in which physical and discursive classroom spaces are performatively produced and the ways in which this production can trouble the boundary between “interior” and “exterior” spaces.1 Theoretical justification for queer classroom landscapes can be found at the intersections of queer theories of pedagogy and theories of classroom design, two areas of scholarship that rarely, if ever, overlap. As Beth Ferri, participating in a study by Elizabeth Sierra-Zarella, succinctly explains, queer pedagogy
is disruptive of normative assumptions, troubles taken-for-granted assumptions, and is critical of binary thinking. Queer pedagogy confounds and confronts knowledge and power, exclusions, and erasures. It shifts the center and makes the familiar strange.2
This chapter is a reflection on 15 years of work focused on children in institutional environments, including schools, psychiatric facilities, and day-care centers.* We have attempted to understand the relationships between the stated goals of a particular place; the administrative, educational, and therapeutic programs developed to attain these goals; the physical, social, economic, and political environments in which these programs were implemented; and the eventual impact on the lives of the children housed within them. On the basis of our work, we have tried to extract generalizations concerning the child-environment relationship. In doing so, it has been impossible to ignore the powerful developmental implications of such places, especially their socializing power for children.
Throughout the centuries theologians have argued about the one true religion, politicians have argued about the ideal form of government, and educators have argued about the best method of teaching. It is time that we acknowledged that, at least in the last situation, there is no “one best.” It seems to this author, as a social psychologist and a high school administrator, that it is just as ridiculous to assume that all students learn best in the same way as to assume that all people will behave in the same manner given a certain set of controlled circumstances. Social psychologists have turned to probability and statistics and hypothesize that more people will behave thusly in one environment than in another environment. In education this is not good enough. We should not say that since a majority of students appear to function adequately in the traditional school environment, we will assume that it is best for everyone. I personally would question the use of the word majority in this context, but that is not the point. The point is that schools must begin to offer a plurality of learning environments, allowing teachers and students to function in environments conducive to their personal teaching and learning styles. At the same time, research should be aimed at determining what variables create effective learning environments.
Children’s interactions with physical settings tend to be direct and easy to observe. For the infant who delights in exploration and movement and the preschooler who strives to master physical skills, the immediate environment is the primary medium for learning. Moreover, attachments to beloved objects and places are central to the emotional life of the young child. As time goes on, exposure to a variety of group and institutional settings leads to new understandings about social roles and norms in the world beyond the home. The arrangement of classroom space, for example, communicates expectations for behavior that are reinforced by institutional policies.
The new “Fair Housing” law promotes accessible, safe, supportive and desirable housing for all groups. One group of people with special needs that requires safe, supportive home environments is children. The purpose of this study is to stimulate inquiry and interdisciplinary dialogue by examining theory and findings from developmental and environmental psychology in relationship to the design of housing for children. 30th direct and symbolic forms of stimulation are considered, including physical stimulation and social stimulation from social agents, such as family and friends. In addition, elements of layout and design that facilitate development of common functions, privacy, personal identity, security, and trust in the home environment are examined. Furthermore, participation of children with adults in planning physical settings is explored as an effort toward improved environment quality.
Problem Statement: The physical environment of the classroom has an impact on various components of the teaching and learning processes. Recently, there has been research into the relationship between classroom management and the physical environment in elementary schools. However, the focus of these studies was only on one dimension of the physical environment of the classroom such as the relationship between class size or the physical environment and academic achievement. Therefore, there is a need for research into how early childhood teachers perceive the impact of the physical environment on classroom management.Purpose of Study: This study aimed to examine the perceptions of a group of early childhood teachers in Ankara, Turkey, in relation to the influence of the physical environment of the classroom on classroom management. More specifically, the present study examined teachers' perceptions about the factors that influence their classroom management practices, how the physical environment of the classroom influences their instructional processes and teacher-student interactions, and elicited suggestions from teachers about improving the physical environment.Method: This study is a qualitative study where the data was obtained from a semi-structured interview schedule containing 16 questions; six pertained to demographic items while the remaining 10 open-ended questions aimed to investigate the teacher's perceptions. The participants were 36 female early childhood education teachers. Findings: Content analysis was performed at the end of the study. The themes that emerged from the findings were categorized as follows: (1) factors influencing classroom management, (2) physical characteristics of classrooms, (3) strengths and weaknesses of the physical environment, (4) remedies for the weaknesses of the environment, and (5) suggestions for improving the physical environment. Conclusions and Recommendations: A combination of semi-structured interviews and observations of classroom practice can create a wider picture of the teachers' perceptions. In addition, since the physical environment is important in both primary and secondary education, the same study could be applied to teachers working at other grade levels to examine their beliefs concerning the relationship between the physical environment and classroom management.
The study observed the spatial distribution of activity in a second-third-grade open classroom before and after a change in the physical design. It tested the general hypothesis that minor changes in the physical setting could produce predictable, desirable changes in student behavior. The experimenter observed for two weeks, using a time-sampling-by-child instrument. The activities and locations of the students were recorded on a floor plan of the room. Design changes were then made with specific behavioral goals in mind, and a two-week post-change observation period was begun. In most cases, the desired behavior changes were produced. Time-series analysis indicated that these changes were statistically significant.
This descriptive study investigated the possible effects of selected school design patterns on third-grade students' academic achievement. A reduced regression analysis revealed the effects of school design components (patterns) on ITBS achievement data, after including control variables, for a sample of third-grade students drawn from 24 elementary schools. The sample means on the ITBS per school represented approximately 1,916 third-grade students. The independent variable set for developing a possible explanation of student achievement was the school's physical environment, defined as four sets of design patterns: movement and circulation (e.g., adequate personal space and efficient movement patterns throughout the school), large group meeting places (e.g., social gathering places), day lighting and views (e.g., windows with natural light), and instructional neighborhoods (e.g., large and small group areas that accommodate wet and dry activities). Each of the four full regression models, which included subsets of the design elements, explained between 2% and 7% of additional variance in achievement when compared to the reduced model, which included a measure of school SES. Therefore, each of the four design variables was positively related to student achievement, even after controlling for school SES.
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to determine whether new intelligent classrooms will affect the behaviour of children in their new learning environments.
Design/methodology/approach
A multi‐method study approach was used to carry out the research. Behavioural mapping was used to observe and monitor the classroom environment and analyse usage. Two new classrooms designed by INTEGER (Intelligent and Green) in two different UK schools provided the case studies to determine whether intelligent buildings (learning environments) can enhance learning experiences.
Findings
Several factors were observed in the learning environments: mobility, flexibility, use of technology, interactions. Relationships among them were found indicating that the new environments have positive impact on pupils' behaviour.
Practical implications
A very useful feedback for the Classrooms of the Future initiative will be provided, which can be used as basis for the School of the Future initiative.
Originality/value
The behavioural analysis method described in this study will enable an evaluation of the “Schools of the Future” concept, under children's perspective. Using a real life laboratory gives contribution to the education field by rethinking the classroom environment and the way of teaching.
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