The role played by innovative educational environments to support learning for the 21st century has attracted the interest of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development at the global governance level and at the national policy level internationally. This article draws on global, European and Australasian research and data from a…

This study explored educators' perspectives on the role the physical and sensory Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) environment plays in supporting children's social and emotional development. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted, in August 2022, at two ECEC sites in Victoria, Australia. Data were thematically analysed and key…

This study highlights how 20 Swedish principals, school managers and architects involved in planning, construction and reconstruction of primary and secondary school buildings at regional, municipal and local levels represent good learning environments. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, the analysis focuses on how the stakeholders understand…

This qualitative phenomenological research study was based on interviews with 12 persons who had experienced a transition into a new school facility. Six of the individuals were administrators, ranging from superintendents to principals to assistant principals to consultants; six of the individuals were classroom teachers, and all twelve…

In this chapter we present the findings of an investigation into the ways in which the discourses and practices of school design produce educational spaces which influence the discourses and practices of teaching and learning when the building is occupied. This investigation involved the development of a methodology for systematically analysing…

This article looks at the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and its stated intention to "transform learning" from the perspective of the author's involvement as an architect/facilitator. Reflecting on his experiences, he focuses on the possibilities of the programme as a learning and change process, rather than as simply a…

Scotland's Building Excellence programme is exploring the implications of curriculum reform for school building design. It includes events which bring together teachers, designers, school managers and local authorities.

The organization of space profoundly affects learning. Students feel better connected to a building that anticipates their needs and respects them as individuals. Built in 1971, Crow Island School, in Winnetka, Illinois, is a prize-winning facility that has provided generations of children with windowed classrooms, skylights, adjacent workrooms,…

This study was designed to observe, record, and describe the interface between educational facilities and learning climate in three elementary schools, comparing the results with results from a 1990 study. Data came from taped informal interviews, videotape recordings, observations, and conversations with parents, teachers, and administrators.…

There is a considerable amount of research documenting the effects of noise on children. The effects are largely negative. Chronic exposure to noise has been shown to be harmful to children of various ages. It can have especially detrimental effects on younger children when language and discrimination skills are forming. Sometimes major noise…

Discusses how a facilities study will allow school districts to meet current demands, as well as plan for future needs. Describes strategies for evaluating how educational programs fit into a building's existing space and offers tips for inventorying the facilities themselves. Lists items to include in a facilities study. (RJM)

There are three building-design factors vital to young children: protection, interaction, and scale. School and classroom scale (fixtures, cabinets, doorknobs, furniture) should be suited to young children. Sample designs from Scarsdale, New York, and Kansas City, Missouri, are presented. (MLH)

Author discusses the importance of proper acoustics to a learning environment. In addition, he gives pointers on various accoustical treatments. Basic to his suggestions is his belief that not only the construction of an area, but also its ultimate purpose must be considered in the planning. (Author)

This presentation describes the development of an Icelandic school for students in grades 1-10. The school is based on the needs of students, their families, their communities, and their country. The process for making decisions about the new schools is called "design down," which refers to starting with the biggest issues and moving…

As teacher educators, the authors visit numerous learning environments. Each school has its own unique characteristics and personality. Some schools seem to have a magnetic draw, filling the senses with energy, wonder and intrigue. This energy, writes the authors, stems from a symbiotic relationship, a flow of spaces that work together…