Claims that almost none of the preschool design literature bridges the interest and technical concern of architects and education professionals. Offers design suggestions for classrooms, outdoor spaces, shared spaces, offices, teachers' space, and a place for parents. Discusses general design issues such as textures and colors, materials, security…

AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS ARE CHANGING THEIR TEACHING METHODS AND THEIR BUILDING DESIGNS. TEACHERS WILL WORK IN TEAMS, AND STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE MORE INDIVIDUALIZED FORMS OF INSTRUCTION. STUDENTS WILL ASSUME MUCH OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR LEARNING THROUGH THE USE OF WELL-STOCKED LIBRARIES AND INDEPENDENT STUDY SPACES. HIGH SCHOOLS WILL OPERATE…

THE SPEECH RECOUNTS THE NEW DIRECTION IN THE FLEXIBLE DESIGN OF FUTURE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT IS PREDICTED THAT WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL DECADES A MULTITUDE OF NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS WILL BE CONSTRUCTED IN ADDITION TO THE REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING SCHOOL PLANTS AS THEY BECOME OUTDATED AND INADEQUATE FOR NEW INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS. THE NEW INSTRUCTIONAL…

Discussion of the parameters governing noise control and room acoustics are followed by a demonstration on how to achieve a good acoustical environment. Topics emphasized include--(1) design and control objectives, (2) noise sources and propagation, (3) reverberation parameters, (4) noise control factors and parameters, and (5) sound systems. Also…

"American Places" calls for campuses to be designed with attention to traditional virtues of campus coherence, human scale, and place distinction, not only to heighten the quality of the learning experience, but also as working demonstrations of ways in which places everywhere can be transformed into more healthy, humane, civic…

In recent years, more education administrators and designers have embraced the potential benefits of daylighting. They have been persuaded that using natural light to illuminate facilities enables schools and universities to conserve energy and provide a learning environment in which students perform better. For daylighting advocates, the…

Purpose: Accompanying the recent concern for the quality of our nation's educational infrastructure, a growing body of research connects the quality of school facilities to both student outcomes including achievement, behavior, and attitude as well as to teacher attitude and behavior. Less is known about the mechanisms of these relationships. This…

THREE SCHOOLS WERE BUILT WITH EXTENSIVE USE OF GLASS INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR WALLS. AFTER ABOUT TWO YEARS OF USE, RESPONSE TO THESE FACILITIES BY TEACHERS, STUDENTS, ADMINISTRATORS, PARENTS, AND MAINTENANCE PEOPLE WAS DETERMINED BY QUESTIONNAIRE AND INTERVIEW. THE REPORTED REACTIONS WERE OVERWHELMINGLY FAVORABLE. (JT)

ENVIRONMENT CAN BE DESCRIBED AS A STIMULUS FIELD TO WHICH THE SUBJECT RESPONDS WITH THE SUBJECT'S BEHAVIOR ALSO BECOMING AN ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR. ITS RELATIONSHIP TO LEARNING CAN BE ESTABLISHED BY SPECIFIC CASE STUDIES THAT ANALYZE THE PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT, THE PARTICULAR LEARNER (OR GROUP OF LEARNERS), AND THE PARTICULAR LEARNING ACTIVITY.…

Two studies show that underground elementary schools have no detrimental effect on pupils' achievement or adjustment in school, or on their physical or mental health. (Author/IRT)

The Educational Facilities Laboratories (EFL), an independent research organization established by the Ford Foundation, opened its doors in 1958 under the direction of Harold B. Gores, a distinguished educator. Its purpose was to help schools and colleges maximize the quality and utility of their facilities, stimulate research, and disseminate…

The third annual conference of the National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) was held at Trinity College Dublin on 11-12 November 2009, and was attended by over 300 delegates. The theme--"Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy"--was timely and generated some fascinating papers, workshops and…

Using an outline format accompanied by numerous photographs and sketches, this brochure explores the relationship of "school" to people's conceptions, actions, and physical surroundings, highlighting changes over the past 20 years in Scandinavian school design. Two major conceptual changes are decentralized administration and teaching…