Independent work and silent classrooms appear to be part of a wider discourse adopted by some schools across England and promoted as good practice by England's Education Secretary. This paper explores the effect of grouped and individual seating on the engagement of four boys in small group sessions teaching the English Language GCSE. Observations…

This essay explores the role of talk within the English classroom. Classroom talk (in its various forms) is not simply a method for sharing fixed systems of knowledge or information; it is the most useful mechanism for giving learners the space to develop new meanings and new ways of thinking about their surroundings. As soon as learners are…

This article is concerned with the influences that are brought to bear on the design of school buildings and the effects that the design of these buildings have on those who teach and learn in them. The article also focuses on the ways in which design is altered in and through the practices of these occupants. We argue that there is a mutual…

To date, learning spaces in higher education have been designed with little engagement on the part of their most important users: students and teachers. In this paper, we present the results of research carried out in a UK university. The research aimed to understand how students and teachers conceptualise learning spaces when they are given the…

This paper presents an alternative method for learning space design that is driven by user input. An exploratory study was undertaken at an English university with the aim of redesigning technology-enhanced learning spaces. Two provocative concepts were presented through participatory design workshops during which students and teachers reflected…

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…

School building design in this publication is interpreted as meaning layout and arrangement of rooms rather than as architectural style. Citations are organized under (1) central authority publications, (2) local authority publications, (3) general works, (4) articles in periodicals, and (5) unpublished theses. (Author/MLF)

Features of a biology demonstration laboratory designed to handle large number of students and provide opportunities for using materials including live specimens for practical work are described. The design of the demonstration laboratory is given. (PS)

Conclusion drawn from this analysis is that it is necessary to pay more attention to cultural background and social environment of schools, not simply the open classroom. (MB)

The legal requirement that special needs students have access to a balanced and broadly based curriculum carries implications for accommodation in special schools. This document offers advice and guidance on the provision of accommodation which takes account of the special educational needs of the pupils, and also explains those factors relating…

This paperback presents a cross-cultural analysis of early childhood education, focusing on the public primary educational systems in England and the United States. American failures and English successes are emphasized. Differences in teacher preparation, curriculum control, and classroom freedom are discussed. The English system is analyzed…

Schools have been faced with design and technology changes over the past few years, raising issues when planners consider both new and existing school accommodations. This document illustrates typical design examples and suggests an approach which individual schools can use to assess their own design and technology accommodation requirements.…

In the industrial Midlands of England, the County Education Authority in Leicestershire County has jurisdiction over approximately 250 primary schools and 50 secondary schools. A child attending an infant or junior school works at his own pace, is creative and spontaneous, and learns on his own terms. Principals are given complete autonomy and may…

Articulates the ideological and social relationships reinforced by the spatial design of urban children's schools in the early 19th century. Describes the purpose and function of the four types of schools: Sunday, monitorial, infant, and workhouse. Includes numerous illustrations from a variety of sources. (MJP)

The primary objective of this study was to encourage teacher education programs to further the knowledge of the principles, modes of teaching, learning styles, and organization of open education. Procedures used in conducting the study were (1) an analysis of the literature reflecting a theorectical framework within which the components of open…