An architect and educational facilities consultant talks about the roles of architect and user in a building process, suggesting how educators can make best use of partnerships with architects. (EV)

Describes The Walt Disney Company's K-12 school of the future design that was developed from combining the hands-on knowledge of a school district and the curriculum expertise of a teaching university. Several illustrations and a basic floor plan are provided. (GR)

Discusses the use of interactive television (ITV) in higher education and describes graduate courses taught with ITV at Washington State University. Highlights include problems encountered with ITV in traditional classrooms; criteria for evaluating the appropriateness of ITV classrooms; and guidelines for the development of effective ITV…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to focus on schools and address the structural dimensions of the organization as well as the hierarchical design of information flows between stakeholders. The paper highlights current structural barriers to creating learning organizations. Design/methodology/approach: This paper utilizes a conceptual model.…

Education institutions have trouble justifying huge spaces that have only one function and sit empty most of the day. The solution to this problem is to create multipurpose spaces that can accommodate a number of functions. This article offers suggestions on how to develop functional multipurpose spaces.

The reference desk at Indiana State University's (ISU) library offers an excellent view of student work areas on the first floor. From this vantage point, the reference librarians noticed students, especially in the evening and on weekends, huddled together in small groups, with one student at the keyboard of a laptop or desktop computer. The…

Slide shows presented with software such as PowerPoint or WordPerfect Presentations can trap instructors into bad teaching practices. Research on memory suggests that slide-show instruction can actually be less effective than traditional lecturing when the teacher uses a blackboard or overhead projector. The author proposes a model of classroom…

Innovative teaching techniques for delivering courses in the 21st century will include use of audio, data, and video in classrooms, as well as transmission to distant sites. Toward this end, the University of South Florida, in opening its newest campus at Lakeland, has built facilities, designed an administrative organization, and provided…

Provides information related to the design of chemistry classrooms and laboratories. Project cost estimates, space assignment by function, generation of space requirements, educational specifications, and space conversion formulas (considering net assignable square feet) are among the topics discussed. (JN)

This paper addresses classroom design trends and the key issues schools should consider for better classroom space flexibility and adaptability. Classroom space design issues when schools embrace technology are discussed, as are design considerations when rooms must accommodate different grade levels, the importance of lighting, furniture…

Technology is changing the classroom requiring new design features and considerations to make the classroom flexible and interactive with the teaching process. The design of a Master Classroom, a product of the Classroom Improvement Project at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is described. These classrooms are specially-equipped to…

Examines recent trends in technology education and how learning success can be influenced by effective design. Describes several technology labs, including those in which modular units replace typical classrooms and curriculum, and discusses the environments necessary to accommodate successful project-based learning. (EV)

Discusses the seven popular Wingspread Principles (principles for good practice in undergraduate education) in terms of their implications for learning spaces, both physical and virtual. (EV)

Many districts (like District 28 in Tempe, Arizona) that made major cuts in their arts programs in the 1980s have rebuilt them only to be challenged by burgeoning student populations. Some, like one Colorado district, have begun sharing arts facilities with community organizations. Community support is essential. (MLH)

Describes the design of a K-8 school that incorporates classroom clustering around a shared common area. The classrooms are clustered along a linear block of support spaces that resembles a traditional multibuilding educational campus. The school design shows ample use of windows and glass-walled stairwells as well as easy access to outside…