Nobody would deny that the design and layout of premises intended for study play an important role in the effectiveness of the educational process. In a properly designed space, it is easier for students to relax and enjoy learning, to concentrate on important issues and to spend the time at school with maximum efficiency. Let’s consider how environment affects learning and what are the main factors providing academic success.
Comfort in the class
Modern studies of school architecture and design focus mainly on the operational qualities of the premises, such as natural daylight, air purity, temperature and noise level. These are the most important elements of the environment which affect individual performance.
It was proved in one of the studies that the improvement of air quality led to an increase in the attendance of classes in the preparatory groups. Increasing the height of the ceiling in the classroom reduces the impression that the class is overcrowded. The height of the ceiling positively correlates with the academic performance of adult students. But, at the same time, preschool children like classroom designs with lower ceilings: small cozy premises contribute to a higher level of cooperation.
Color of walls
As you know, each person has a special attitude to color. Most people have a whole scale of favorite shades. It was noticed that preferences change throughout life. Pre-school children like red color. For senior students, the most favorite is blue (red is on the second place).
Kids like vivid, intense colors much more than adults. With age, gray and pastel shades become favorites. Therefore, the classroom conditions that facilitate learning will be completely different for an elementary school and a university (where almost adult people study).
Research made it possible to determine the most common and salutary color harmonies. On average, the sequence of preferred colors is as follows: blue – red – green – violet – orange – brown – pastel colors – black and white.
Preferences of boys and girls also have some differences: boys like bright colors, girls – more neutral. The color of the walls in the class influences productivity and accuracy. Cold shades contribute to concentration. A study conducted with girls from grades 7-9 showed that they made fewer mistakes while working in premises painted in their favorite colors.
In rooms with pink walls, preschool children demonstrated greater physical strength and a more positive mood than in rooms with blue walls. However, the opposite effect was revealed for adults: pink is a soothing color that pacifies the mind and, thus, can be used to suppress aggression.
Modern children themselves believe that the color of school walls is important. But most students think that the design of their educational institution is boring and unattractive. Parents and teachers, on the contrary, are used to believe that the color is not important. One 15-year-old schoolgirl described her school as a “huge prison” and said that it lacks colors.
Often pupils complain of eye fatigue in the classroom, so it is recommended to paint the wall behind the teacher’s back in a color different from other walls.
School furniture
The study of the influence of furniture used in the classroom on the behavior of students showed that the academic performance improved after introducing new items with a nice appearance. So, this detail also should be taken into account while developing college classroom design standards.
Dimensions and construction of school furniture should be based not on the height of students, but on the height of the knee in a sitting position.
The location of the desks in the classroom is also an important factor. The tables placed in rows are most convenient for individual work. Such a scheme increases the time of productive studies. Lagging schoolchildren are more prone to the influence of the arrangement of desks. Their academic performance is notably improving if the desks stand in rows.
For effective group work of elementary school pupils, it is worth using round tables. Unfortunately, in practice, the size of a group is often determined by the arrangement of furniture in the classroom and not by educational or pedagogical logic.
Tables can be placed in a form of a horseshoe in order to organize productive teamwork, to facilitate the interaction of students with each other and with the teacher, to let the audience observe his actions.
The problems connected with the use of computers in school are also quite relevant, including questions of illumination and organization of individual workplaces. Ergonomic furniture in a computer class positively influences the educational environment, improves cooperation, academic performance and ease of learning.
Space
Narrow desks, lack of space in sports changing rooms, an insufficient number of clothes hangers can cause discomfort, because kids have to fight for territory. Ideally, each student should have enough space to meet all his needs.
Convenient, thoughtful arrangement of storage places (for books, personal items, etc.) in the classroom leads to an increase in the time that the student devotes to classes.
From a designer’s point of view, large areas for demonstrating children’s works make space visually cluttered. But such zones increase the sense of involvement and the academic motivation of pupils. Each person feels pride when his photo gets to the Wall of Honor or his painting is exhibited like a work of art.
The success of students is stimulated by the presence of the schoolyard encouraging outdoor activities. Thanks to such a place, an educational institution ceases to be perceived as a cage from which children want to escape as quickly as possible. They can go for a walk during a break, breathe fresh air and refresh the mind. It’s much better than standing near a door in a noisy corridor, where crowds of people pass by creating an annoying fuss.
Food
The architectural project of an educational institution must necessarily include a spacious, comfortable canteen. Improving the quality of service and attractiveness of school meals (availability of coolers in public places, greater variety in the menu) contributes to an increased interest of students in studies, as well-fed children learn better, their cognitive abilities increase.
So, as you can see, the educational environment is quite an important issue that requires careful study. If you need to write a paper on this topic and want to get the perfect result, it’s better to apply to the college essay writing service.
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