A national seminar brought together a large group of architects, teachers, and administrators who have had experience with open plan schools. The participants agreed that the open plan school system with its flexible physical arrangement and flexible teaching program holds great promise as a way of training people to think for themselves. An…

Fifth-year pupil and teacher attitudes and opinions in innovative and conventional school plants during the 1970-1971 school year are contrasted. Teachers' educational backgrounds are also compared. The most significant finding of the study was that very few teachers in innovative plants favored a return to traditional school plants or…

The literature reviewed here indicates that school planners, aware of the growing demand for vocational education facilities, are developing a variety of new approaches. The development of educational specifications and the needs of the local community are major concerns of facilities planners. Several of the documents reviewed discuss specialized…

This publication is concerned with the general learning facilities (classrooms) of the school. Its purpose is to assist those involved in planning kindergarten areas and open space general learning facilities for the primary and junior divisions. To this end, the document is arranged in two sections -- the indoor and outdoor facilities for…

This annotated bibliography lists approximately 50 publications dealing with the general topic of open-plan schools in Canada. With a few exceptions, all the publications listed were published between 1970 and 1973. Entries are organized into three separate sections for studies and other material produced by school boards and associations, studies…

While millions of dollars have been spent to build open space schools, relatively few have been allocated to teacher education, inservice training, and followup supervision. If a school district has a genuine commitment to an educational format that stresses student initiative and responsibility, backed by funds for staff development, teachers…

This article on the purposes, process, frequency, and instruments of educational facility evaluation emphasizes the importance of obtaining data on the effect a facility has upon its users. Four references are provided. (DCS)

Summarizes the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety's recommendations for computer stations in industrial settings and proposes their adaptation to educational institutions. The human side of computer applications is stressed; solutions to educational problems are described; and a checklist of requirements for student comfort is…

Creating a physical environment that is organized, welcoming, and well-suited to the needs of students and teachers can present a challenge to both beginning and experienced teachers. Based on the responsive classroom approach, this guide for educators of kindergarten through grade 6 is designed to help teachers set up physical spaces that are…

School facilities directly affect teaching and learning. Poor conditions make it more difficult for teachers to deliver an adequate education to their students, adversely affect teachers' health, and increase the likelihood that teachers will leave their school. This study documented how teachers in Chicago and Washington, DC rated their working…

This paper explains what universal design is and is not and discusses slides of various products and environments that embody universal design principles. The paper explains that although the term "universal design" suggests a "one size fits all" approach to designing, quite the opposite is true. Rather, universal designers…

As an alternative to new construction or consolidation, many rural communities are considering the option of retaining their existing schools, upgrading them through renovations, and providing community-sensitive and effective additions as needed. The feeling of being connected to one's community can be enhanced by the continuity of community…

Schools have been faced with design and technology changes over the past few years, raising issues when planners consider both new and existing school accommodations. This document illustrates typical design examples and suggests an approach which individual schools can use to assess their own design and technology accommodation requirements.…

Six City Technology Colleges (CTCs) were all site selected, built, and opened in under 2 years without being compromised by expense or loss of quality. This document examines this "fast-track" method of building projects using case studies of each school that illustrate the CTC concept and process. The CTC initiative is described…

England's Department for Education and Employment provides construction standards with regard to access to school buildings for people with disabilities. This bulletin gives supplementary nonstatutory guidance for school governors and commissioning bodies, seeking to promote a general understanding of the issues and providing guidelines for the…