Drawing on a socio-materialist perspective, this study analyses connections between cultural contexts, the social situatedness of learning experiences and the material artefacts in rural Chilean schools. Our focus on different dimensions of design foregrounds the ways materials and places may act together with other elements to influence human…

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…

Exploring built pedagogy, one college set out to disrupt structure and create a community of research by erecting a teaching lab yurt and inviting faculty to create a cohort of action researchers teaching in the yurt. The round shape of the yurt facilitated a more democratized learning environment where students found themselves a greater part of…

Research in the field of Education has produced a corpus of studies dealing with the specific relationship between school building condition and student achievement reporting positive results. Yet, studies have been completed reporting no significant difference in achievement scores from students in buildings in poor and good condition. The…

School leaders across the United States face the challenge of creating safe and secure environments across their campuses in a way that helps promote the achievement of schools' educational objectives. To help them meet this challenge, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency asked the Homeland…

Improving the school building may well be the most overlooked means of improving student health, safety, and academic performance. Yet in conversations about factors that lead students to academic success, only rarely does the role of the physical environment come to the fore. By downplaying the importance of the building, policymakers and parents…

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…

This article vividly describes the indoor and outdoor components of what Montessori calls Home Sweet Home. Her vision of a domestic Children's House contains many facets: rooms of varied space, beautiful flooring, gardens that educate and evoke collaboration, and places for year-round exercise. This is a definitive yet rare Montessori article that…

A lot of misunderstandings exist regarding sustainable, or green, construction. It is important that educators understand the benefits so they can communicate them to stakeholders. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a $4 investment (per square foot) in building green nets a $58 benefit (per square foot) over 20 years. Savings…

In 2004, "Learning Reconsidered" urged educators to think more holistically about student learning and development. "Learning Initiatives in the Residential Setting" provides a framework for putting this call into action at large universities and small colleges alike. Chapters trace the history of learning in residence halls, discuss academic and…

Schools must be considered as designed environments where individuals should be given maximum opportunity to engage in task activities with a minimum of adverse influences from elements in the designed surroundings. (Author)

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,…

The basic factors in personal comfort, the nature of the processes of teaching and learning, and the effects of environment on these functions are discussed. The role of climate conditioning and space conditioning as interpreted by sensory factors during the learning process gives guidelines for design solutions. Technical supplements on climate…

Describes attributes of educational facilities that (1) influence occupants' performance (physical factors, task-related factors, user-friendliness, organizational qualities); (2) convey subtle messages (design statements, accessibility, spatial factors, aesthetics); and (3) influence programs and their delivery (technology, learning-style…