"Second Life" (SL) is a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world, and educational institutions are adopting SL to support their teaching and learning. Although the question of how 3D learning spaces should be designed to support student learning and engagement has been raised among SL educators and designers, there is hardly any guidance or…

While the number of medical-school campuses in Arizona doubled--from two to four--in the last few years, there is no assurance that all of the new doctors they graduate will stick around to practice in the state. Medical schools here and nationwide are struggling to line up enough clinical-training slots so that an influx of new upper-level…

These guidelines offer information on space planning and design for school principals, boards of management and designers to make permanent learning facilities available for pupils with special educational needs across the 26 counties of Ireland. The guidelines reflect many of the recent changes in the country's educational system, changes that…

The ability to do problem solving is an important concept that educators need to teach their students because that's what they do in the corporate world. When they're sitting in collaborative groups, they have the opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other, complete tasks, and work together effectively. That's the same idea that educators need…

It can be difficult for any customer service environment to keep up with the whirlwind pace of change in today's technology-centric world. The challenge can be particularly daunting in an institutional setting accustomed to deliberative, consensus-driven change. The Office of the Registrar at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) has a…

Teachers' lounges are often thought as places that breed negativity. This two-year ethnography conducted in the United States explored teachers' interactions within teachers' lounges and congregational spaces. This article discusses that an important occurrence in these spaces, professional knowledge sharing, took place instead of perpetual…

The demand for interdisciplinary teaching and research suggests the need to understand how universities are undertaking and fostering interdisciplinarity. Through an examination of strategic and master plans at 21 research universities, this article explores how institutions plan and foster interdisciplinary engagement through the use of space on…

A key area of debate within the public and academic library sectors across the world is use of physical space. Changing ideas about what a library should be, coupled with the growth of digital collections, has raised fundamental questions about how library buildings are used and the role of space in library services. Alongside these drivers is the…

Sixth Form Colleges (along with the general Further Education sector) in England and Wales have of late begun to appoint new chaplains and to set aside space for quiet, prayer and reflection. This article explores this phenomenon as exhibited by three colleges in the English Midlands, utilising spatial theory and the sociology of…

In the past several years, a series of influential conversations has elevated the importance of place, of space, of design principles, and of learning in the evolving IT infrastructure of higher education. Today, the impact of emerging technologies, diverse learners, strategic campus issues, new course design methods, and recent findings in…

This paper highlights the importance today of the spatial dimension within the analysis of parents' education strategies concerning their school choices at the secondary school level. This study is based on the 2 dimensions of the concept of spatial capital (Levy, 1994): position capital and situation capital. It explores sociospatial schooling…

As Scotland moves ahead with both an ambitious school building programme and forward-thinking educational reforms, the author explores the background to "Making Space 2010", an exciting design programme which aims to focus international vision on the importance of space. Run by Children in Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish…

Class size reduction (CSR) has emerged as a very popular, if not highly controversial, policy approach for reducing the achievement gap. This article reports on findings from an implementation study of class size reduction policy in Wisconsin entitled the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE). Drawing on case studies of nine schools,…

Moving a library collection is no easy feat. The librarian will need time, energy, and plenty of help to accomplish this enormous job. Although seldom easy or painless, the job can be simplified if the librarian and her staff plan carefully, prepare the collection, and organize the move. This article describes the planning, preparation and…

The aim of the Secondary School Modernisation Programme, being implemented in Portugal by "Parque Escolar, EPE", is based on the pursuit of quality and makes Portuguese education a potential international benchmark. This paper discusses the strategies adopted to reorganise school spaces. It describes the conceptual model and highlights…