Reviews literature to form a folklore of information workspace and emphasizes the importance of studying folklore of information work environments in the context of the current shift toward removing work from any particular place via information systems, e-mail, and the Web. Discusses trends in workplace design and corporate culture. Contains 84…

School systems in urbanized or built-up areas have difficulties locating suitable sites for new buildings. Examples of the use of space in alternative locations include the Parkway Program in Philadelphia; the Work Place School in Alberta, Canada; the Metropolitan Learning Alliance in Minnesota; and the Schoolhouse Boat in Vienna, Austria. (MLF)

Role of boardroom table shape in college/university governing board decision making is considered. Boards are urged to consider whether boardroom table and room design accurately reflect institutional/group culture and whether they lead to information sharing and collaboration. A semicircular table design is seen as directing energy toward a…

Discusses design of physical environment for an early childhood program. Provides six starting points and pertinent questions for redesigning: start from the end and work forward; do your research; who's on your design team?; clean out and de-clutter before you start; maximize space; and beautify places. (DLH)

Building or rebuilding a library media center to accommodate new technologies and teaching methods requires careful planning. New national standards for library media programs are useful starting points. Space should be allotted for a circulation area, online catalog/electronic reference area, librarian's office, workroom/storeroom, and class…

Each month, "American School & University" provides a mix of thought-provoking features, how-to-articles, industry reports, exclusive surveys, new sections, insightful columns, new product introductions and case histories to assist education officials in better performing their jobs. This October 2004 issue includes the following:…

The domain of interiors constitutes a point of tension between practicing architects and interior designers. Design of interior spaces is a significant part of architectural profession. Yet, to what extent does architectural education keep pace with changing demands in rendering topics that are identified as pertinent to the design of interiors?…

In classrooms across the U.S., students spend untold hours sitting at desks and tables working on their lessons or listening to their teachers. That lack of movement might not have been a concern years ago, when children's time away from school typically was spent outdoors playing and exercising. However, as children spend more time in front of a…

Time management is a skill. Like any new skill, it takes time and commitment to develop. A frequent complaint of center directors is not having enough time. Most work extremely long hours and still feel they are not getting enough done. This article presents ideas on how to manage time and work smarter, not harder. These ideas are the following:…

This report examines the class size conditions in New York City's lowest performing schools--the 408 Schools in Need of Improvement (SINI) or Schools Requiring Academic Progress (SRAP) identified by the state. This report examines a detailed analysis of class size and enrollment data for each grade in each of these schools and determines how many…

This report presents findings, conclusions, and recommendations from a study of capital planning space standards and guidelines for classrooms, academic offices, research laboratories, and teaching laboratories in California. The report addresses the second and third of the study's three key objectives which were accomplished through three…

This review of the literature of the effects of the physical setting on instructional goals posits that the physical setting in which instruction occurs will affect learners' behavior, whether or not it is intended to. These effects occur in two ways--directly, by the behavior the setting allows, and indirectly or symbolically, by the messages the…

In fall of 1988, the William Jasper Kerr Library at Oregon State University combined its separate science/technology and social science/humanities reference areas. One year later, the Reference Arrangement Task Force was appointed to evaluate the effectiveness of the new configuration. The Task Force modelled the area with drawings and balsa…

Today, many communities are expanding the roles of their schools and school buildings. This development is reversing a trend dominant for several decades, which has alienated the school from much of the community. This report focuses on community uses for local schools--how the role of the schoolhouse has changed over time and how four medium-size…

This paper describes how creation of a varied, imaginative, and cultivated environment can recreate the pleasure of learning. The development of an indoor-outdoor, public-private, and half-climatized glazed (glass covered) space at the University of Dragvoll in Trondheim, Norway, is described. Well-planned glazed spaces can increase social…