The childcare environment impacts physical activity participation, but little descriptive information is available in different types of programs. Most studies focus on the schoolyard despite children spending more time indoors. This study identified which learning centers were available, used by children, and promoted physical activity, both…

Organizational transformation takes time, energy, and patience. An active administrative unit, The Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology (called simply, the Hub) engaged intentional change from its inception. The Hub aspires to help Michigan State University (MSU) "reinvent itself as a learning institution" by transforming…

Project-based learning often centers learning experiences around projects and is characterized by the application of knowledge, management of resources, and self-directed learning. In recent years, newer classroom designs have been developed to facilitate communication, classroom interaction and active learning but the cost of such spaces can be…

A body of research suggests that learning communities provide a range of academic benefits by increasing social connectedness. Researchers have also hypothesized that informal learning spaces--nonclassroom spaces (NCSs)--can facilitate learning by supporting social connectedness. This study uses qualitative methods to explore the way nonclassroom…

Research suggests that the appearance of a college campus--both inside and out--is a significant criterion in college selection. As community colleges are finding it increasingly important to attract and retain students, placemaking is becoming an effective and efficient platform to support recruitment and retention. Placemaking is imagining and…

Space is both an asset and a burden for colleges and universities. On the one hand, space holds enormous value for institutions; their campuses and buildings are worth, in many cases, hundreds of millions of dollars. Space is the medium in which the institution operates. Online courses have proven that education can be conducted anywhere, but most…

The author reports on the reigning economic calculus that helps to drive constant expansion and poor utilization of space on many campuses. The author states that colleges could charge for utilities, which might encourage departments to save energy. Most American colleges do not charge for space--in part because doing so would raise the hackles of…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the behaviors, attitudes, and levels of understanding among faculty, staff, and students in efforts to design programs aimed at reducing energy use in University of Michigan (UM) buildings. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-method approach is used in five diverse pilot buildings including focus…

Illustrates how systems planning can be used in the recycling of old school space and in erecting multistory additions. (Author/DN)

COLLEGE PARKING FACILITIES SHOULD (1) PERMIT FREE MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES, (2) ACCOMMODATE PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC DEMANDS, INCLUDING PROVISION OF RESERVOIR SPACE AT ENTRANCES AND EXITS, (3) BE ADEQUATELY MARKED AND POSTED, (4) BE DESIGNED TO ALLOW INTERNAL MOVEMENT, EASE AND SAFETY OF ACCESS, ADEQUATE MANEUVERING AREAS, AND GENERAL CONVENIENCE, AND (5) BE…

Describes two novel ways to accommodate new student populations: (1) building small, house-style classroom buildings in developing residential areas (in Flint, Michigan); and (2) using modular classrooms that can be dismantled and attached to other schools as the population shifts (in Montgomery County, Maryland). (MLH)

Describes how a Michigan school district transformed several free-standing, "warm-weather" high school buildings into clustered areas connected by enclosed corridors. Space is now grouped by instructional area or the use of related equipment, and the building shell is tight and energy-efficient. (MLH)

A dying school building, half a century old, recovers so dramatically and so economically that it receives national recognition. (Author)

Some proponents of Michigan education reform have suggested that private schools could be used to reduce student overcrowding in public schools without the need for new taxes to construct additional schools. Another proposal includes using vouchers and tax credits to enhance parental school-choice options. Both proposals depend upon the ability…

This planning document was prepared in response to the fourth basic responsibility of the State Board of Education regarding the planning and coordination of postsecondary education in Michigan. Specifically, it is the responsibility of the State Board "to review and make recommendations concerning operating and capital budgets of public…