Discusses research on the impact of the physical environment of the classroom on student behavior and attitudes, and offers guidelines for designing informal classrooms. Encourages school personnel concerned with creating positive learning environments to pay more attention to the physical environment. (Author/NRB)

This research evaluated the effects of a design modification in an open-plan high school. The addition of several variable height partitions throughout the school reduced classroom interruptions and increased content questions. Hypotheses about specific design mechanisms contributing to environment-behavior congruence in open plan schools were…

That preservation and recycling of unused school buildings to other community uses is both economically and socially sound is illustrated by several examples. Information on federal grants for conversion of unused school buildings to community education and activities centers is included. (MF)

Campus design is discussed as a metaphor for an educational world view. Present spatial organization of the average campus works against the best interests and efforts of the academic community. Implications for spatial reorganization are detailed. (Article originally published in 1971.) (AF)

A measurement instrument combines photography with a three-dimensional grid overlay to produce detailed blueprints of the classroom. Analysis of a field test produced significant findings concerning the interaction patterns of students of different race and sex, particularly with regard to peer clustering. (Author/MLF)

Describes one school's approach to school renovation that supported the seven ways in which students are smart as advocated by Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory. It includes a highlighted section on MI that covers its framework, descriptions of each intelligences, and five entry points to the MI framework. (GR)

Refutes the assumption that large classes must be impersonal, characterized by lecture style, and presented in a theorem-proof-example format. Discusses successful strategies for space use, classroom management, and collecting student feedback. (DDR)

The 51.7 million students enrolled in public and private schools this year outstrip the 51.3 million mark set in 1971. Today's taxpayers are reluctant to pay for new schools; therefore, school leaders need to be creative in handling the enrollment crunch. Experts in fast-growing districts offer tips. (MLF)

Describes the development and administration of archives in Australian universities, and discusses problems relating to financial support, staffing, space allocation, placement, and management. The outlook for the future of archives in Australia is then examined, focusing on financial support and the role of the government in encouraging…

The space analysis process, designed by facilities planners at the University of Toronto to address the gap between macro standards and the way they are used at the micro level, is described. Institutional space policies and guidelines, space inventory, and procedures for collecting space utilization data from users are discussed. (MLW)

Presents a multifaceted approach to identifying facility needs in academic libraries that applies different evaluation methods to different functional areas, defines problems from more than one viewpoint, and considers the interrelationships of various areas. The strengths and weaknesses of this approach are discussed using examples from its…

Evaluating educational facilities requires utilizing an effective assessment process. The five key components of space adequacy are scheduling efficiency, design efficiency, technical capacity, practical capacity, site capacity, and suitability. Assessment of the physical adequacy of school building should explore the following areas:…

Describes the use of laptop computers by reference librarians at the East Carolina University Health Sciences Library. Topics discussed include computer selection; online searching; office space utilization; the professional image of librarians; security measures; expansion capabilities; and the development of a local area network. (LRW)

Reflecting new visions of learning, educators and architects are creating "three-dimensional textbooks" that use the learning environment as a teaching tool. In a planning process called architectural programing, the community and those who will occupy the building are consulted concerning developmental needs, aesthetic preferences, and…

Answers the question of whether educational facilities funded under the Community Education Facility Act are being used by the community. The 19 funded projects surveyed addressed issues pertaining to kinds of projects, daily operation responsibilities, evaluation provisions, degree of community use, cooperation promotion, and compliance of state…