Hi Kiddos.
You will be divided by alphabet into groups- not working groups, but merely as a way of categorizing information.
Each of you will have 1 reading from 1 category that you will be required to do the following:
1. Read the article.
2. Condense the article into 5 thoughtful, main topic sentences to be posted on this site. Please be more elaborate than bullet points- let us know how these ideas were, or could be applied in a learning environment.
3. Post a comment on 1 other classmates posting, providing your own original thoughts and analysis to their information gathering.
**** No two people may report on the same article. There are 30 people in the class, so this should not be a problem.
The categories are as follows:
School Typologies
Color
Case Studies
Technology
Furniture
Planning and Physical Interaction
Psychology
Acoustics
Lighting
Sustainability
Special Needs
Readings will be given in class.
Article One: "School Typologies"
ReplyDelete• The government is obligated to create a uniform set of codes and guidelines for school construction because it is tax payers money being used for funds. This creates major restrictions for firms working on schools.
• The guidelines also have tension between them because they are sometimes conflicting. For example a school has to be open to the community while being a safe haven for the students. However, tensions like these are often found in all types of design, not just design restricted by government involvement.
• The article seemed to flip flop between the benefits and limitations created by the codes and regulations. In some cases it was saying it is helpful to have an efficient plan already laid out for a firm, but on the other hand this limits the amount of creativity involved in the design process.
• The typologies for school design are a linear plan, campus plan, and a plan which is a combination of the first two, linear campus plan. These plans often depend entirely on the site of construction and while they are a government restriction they are also efficient.
• The end of the article was really weak because it just trailed off and faded out. The conclusion slightly undermines the entire article because it states that the site will determine most of the design decisions in the end. It is not about the code restrictions or creativity of the designer, it is only about making the school fit into the specific site.
Article Two: "Family and Community Involvement in Schools: Results From the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006."
ReplyDelete• This article discusses the benefits of community and family involvement with the school. Some benefits are better attendance, better grades, and better behavior. This is one of countless benefits of family and community involvement in the compartments of a child's upbringing.
• The article then makes the claim (and supports with researched studies) that a family and community involvement in school health programs is a effective way to strengthen those programs and improve the health of the student population.
• There is a framework of 6 types of family and community involvement accepted throughout the study of community and family involvement in schools. The six types are parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating. These are all proven methods of successfully involving the community and family in the school and should be considered when designing a scholastic environment.
• The article then organizes all of the information from the surveys taken on the percentage of schools nationwide which have family and community involvement in health education using the six methods of involvement listed before. Overall, there is a lot of room for increase in the use of the six methods in involving the families and communities in student health education.
• This article is specifically talking about family involvement in the health education department, but the concepts can (and should) be applied to any area of academics in the school environment.
Bibliography
ReplyDeleteMichael, S., P. Dittus, and J. Epstein. "Family and Community Involvement in Schools: Results From the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006." The Journal of School Health 77, no. 8 (October 1, 2007): 567-87. http://www.proquest.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/ (accessed November 6, 2010).
"School Typologies" Under the Histories and Typologies Section.
Leeanna Cota
ReplyDeleteComment on Alison’s posts
First of all I feel Alison’s bullet points gave a concise, clear synopsis of what was covered in the two articles. I feel like I could easily understand what the articles were about and the tone they took when talking about their various subjects. Furthermore, I think the second article Alison chose to cover was an interesting, often over looked, part of creating a successful learning environment. I think family involvement not only in a child’s education, but overall life style as well, is necessary to create healthy, confident, well adjusted, and successful children.
1. Classrooms of the future: Bedfordshire, Bournemouth & Camden
ReplyDeleteThe above are three case studies that look at schools and the classrooms within as a design challenge to help better engage future generations with a dynamic learning process stimulated by the build environment.
5 main points:
• Evolution: The architecture and interior design must be able to sustain major changes in technology.
• Flexibility: The architecture and interior design must take into account varied learning styles as well as new learning and teaching relationships.
• Natural Environment: The built environment must take into account the natural environment surrounding it in order to observe sustainable practices. Understanding how wind, light and the landscape can affect space placement and direction to optimize comfort and energy efficiency.
• Technology: The future Classroom will be staffed to provide expertise in the delivery of ICT (information and communication technologies) skills to both pupils and teachers in schools, and to pro-mote and sustain the development of ICT as a teaching and learning medium. Technology use is becoming second nature to a large portion of the population especially in Generation Z.
• Collaboration: Schools and classrooms of the future must nurture new relationships in teaching and learning.
2. Rethinking the School Desk Is the best way to fix the American classroom to improve the furniture? By Linda Perlstein
ReplyDeletehttp://www.slate.com/id/2272409/pagenum/all/#p2
Offices spend thousands of dollars on task chairs with the sole purpose of increasing work efficiency amongst employees. Furniture companies such as Steelcase, Herman Miller and Knoll have complied years of research which find that furniture can in fact influence work productivity. Yet ironically, students who like office employees are expected to work to the best of their ability everyday are forced to sit in the same rigid uncomfortable seating day after day. It is very rare for students to actually have a chair and desk that fit them right. Perlstein noted that unless you have a janitor’s set of tools handy desks and chairs remain one size fits all. The present day school furniture also does not take into account ergonomics which as lasting effects on a child’s posture and development. The article lists many possible solutions to solving this problem with the goal of increasing student work efficiency. Researchers have found that innovative furniture is worth the initial investment and will make students pay attention more, not less.
Acoustic Design
ReplyDeleteD. Baumann & C. Neiderstatter
5 Points:
•This article discusses the importance of acoustics in the learning environment, the aesthetic and financial benefits, as well as the influence of sensory perception and the consequences of poorly implemented acoustics in educational settings.
•Of all the sensory organs, the ear transmits the most finely tuned temporal orientation, more so than our sense of touch, so the slower sensory perception of touch benefits from faster auditory perception. This supports reasoning for a strong coordination between ear and eye and it’s relationship to acoustics.
•Acoustics can be perceived differently by different user groups; small children are very active and sensitive to their acoustic environments, but teenagers are more attuned to a developed emotional perspective that predominates acoustic impressions.
•It is beneficial for children for schools to create different zones of varying acoustic characteristics, ranging from tranquil spaces to eating and speaking spaces, to music spaces. Children, as with adults, experience a feeling of well being if the acoustics compliment the function of the room.
•Acoustics standards and guidelines for school buildings exist and should be used for reference to achieve best sensory experiences for reception of speech and music spaces. These guidelines also consider children with impaired hearing, and standards indicate that speech in classrooms should be twice as loud as the sum of all interfering background noises.
A Bright Future
ReplyDeleteIsabel Allen
Allen, Isabel. "A Bright Future." Architects Journal (2003). Web. 7 Nov. 2010. .
A Case study evaluating the long-term effects of color in the educational environment as well as implementing sustainable practices in the building and designing process.
Important Points:
•Community: The Jubilee School took particular care in its design phases to take into consideration the affections of the community it served. I think this is important because a school may find higher success if it keeps a generous degree of appreciation and respect for the community its students are coming from.
•Creativity: The Jubilee School aimed to shatter preconceived notions about the traditional learning environment, and as a result saw higher student interest and interaction. This supports my belief that interior design can have a significant impact on educational design by incorporating a marginal amount of delight and sensory stimulation.
•Flexibility: This case study looks at implementing a system of ‘clusters’ of associated used as opposed to specific functions for every single space. I think that this idea, while risky in its own right, was executed pragmatically and is a plan that could be applied to a myriad of different educational settings.
•Sustainability: Not only did it save the school money, but it lended itself to a certain, exciting aesthetic through the use of exposed chimneys. I thought this was a great way to illustrate that common, necessary building parts can become interesting and beautiful when given the appropriate attention.
•Disadvantage: The School does not however leave any availability or opportunity for extension. The building’s execution and location in an urban area dictate its lack of opportunity. I think for our project this might less relevant because of budgetary reasons, but in general for educational projects I think this is an important consideration.
Munich University - Knowledge Paper
ReplyDelete"The Classroom of the Future: How Does Space Influence Learning?"
*Steelcase Inc. and Munich University are working together and teaming up to show how spatial design and furniture design in classrooms can considerably affect learning in a positive manner. Also, learning productivity, creativity and accuracy levels can all dramatically increase based on the overall design and furniture of the space.
*Passive learning is the result of the design of classroom being solely focused on the instructor. Though the role of the instructor is vital in the educational setting, the students should be the main focus and they learn and grow. Steelcase and Munich want to change this typical design by incorporating technology, competition, work and society into the classroom. The new attitudes and new methods of this era should be used to engage students.
*Steelcase and Munich University not only wanted to improve classroom design, but they also wanted to stimulate the students during their learning. In an analysis of three hundred students, various room and furniture designs with Apple computers and Steelcase furniture were surveyed, observed and monitored by video surveillance.
*The data concluded that standing and mobile positions improved accuracy of thinking and idea innovation. Also, there was a 40% increase in correct decision making in problem solving and group work.
*Though it took a few weeks for the students to adapt comfortably to the new design, they quickly utilized the new layout. Overall, the study revealed that working in a standing position significantly increases creativity and solution finding among individuals.
The article concluded by mentioning five key points in beneficial classroom design and teaching methods in general. "Plug and Play", which means connecting today's technology to lesson plans, "Fold and Go" which means designing spaces to be flexible and easily reconfigurable, "Say and See", which means to show support during verbal presentations, "Relate and Reflect", which means to enable collaboration between reflection and learning, and also "Inspire", which means to motivate and comfort all students throughout the teaching process.
Steelcase Inc. "The Classroom of the Future: How Does Space Influence Learning?" Steelcase: Knowledge Paper October (2008): 1-8. www.steelcase.com
In response to Maureen's post about the article titled, "Acoustic Design", I was surprised to discover the close relation between the ear and eye in regards to the senses. Each of the five senses encompassed by the human body are unique and combine to create a powerful experience. Because each sense is so diverse from the other, it was compelling to look at the eyes as ears for those who are deaf or have impaired hearing. The bullet points that Maureen pointed out inspired me to think about the possibility of acoustical design being implemented strictly for the deaf or hearing impaired. If the concept of reading lips could be expressed as easily as a song is played on the radio, then that would give acoustics a power not only on hearing, but on sight as well.
ReplyDeleteTechnological Trends
ReplyDeleteArticle; Virtual and real
The reading used virtual and real models practice comparison in education environments. It talked Schank’s hybrid approaches, which he said that learners should spread a day 3 main parts; one-third of their day at the computer, one-third talking with others, and one-third making something. Another approach is to learn clearly favors a combination of interactive and learning-by-doing strategies.
There are some challenges for designing virtual spaces. One of them is to design learning spaces that do not
simply accommodate the need for diverse learning approaches but embrace, empower, and sustain learners of differing capabilities and interests.
The goal might be to design spaces allow work begun during class meetings. Spaces should be easily move and flexible; to adjacent team and independent work areas. In terms of technology trends, these spaces must also allow easy access to information resources through wired or wireless data connections.
Another discussion that addressed is the ability for students to use the campus communications infrastructure to exchange e-mail, contribute to discussion forums, or visit a teacher during virtual office hours . These are all key factors in establishing good practices that encourage faculty-student contact. Good practice can encourage students build relationship between learning environments and student collaboration is an important design element.
Back to Roger Schank’s recommendation which students should divide their day in thirds among computer work, conversation, and construction. By moving from formal to informal learning spaces which means academic spaces to residential spaces, it drags the importance of communication and feedback are readily available. The reason there for the technological infrastructure of a campus needs to provide the tools and access from nearly everywhere to everywhere. The concept provides learners convenience of anytime and anywhere learning.
In the end of article, the author provided 9 trends are relating to higher education: Ubiquitous computing, Wireless networking and robust Internet access, Technology-intensive teaching and learning, Emphasis on informal learning, emphasis on the classroom, Imaginative furniture design, Emphasis on service learning, Student-created products for business, New learning partnerships.
These trends indicate that continues to change as educators attempt to address the complex requirements for learning environments.
2nd Article.
ReplyDeleteA.W. Tony Bates, “The impact of technology on the organization of distance education.” Technology, E-learning and Distance Education. Book, Second Edition. Routledge, 2005
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=yOpH1aOuopcC&oi=fnd&pg=PR6&dq=technological+trends+in+education+space&ots=juIbUZlXRh&sig=5ZquCjbQMNC_jC_oGR_t-00lvMg#v=onepage&q&f=false
The author use different case studies from British Universities analyzed the different approaches to the organization of distance education, e-learning and in particular. It viewed how the internet impacts in the emergence of new forms of distance education. Learners there commonly take online course, and there has been a concern that many students will not have convenient and ready access to a computer and the internet. One of the study mentioned UK institute designates its programmed as primarily information technology enhanced. Most of courses are supplement by emails, discussions forums and web sites, and although it has a number of innovative educational technology projects. The original media of print, television and audio still provide the core learning materials for most of their programmed, although information technology plays an increasingly important part in many courses. This reading reflects the approach to my previous reading which requires a blending of multiple methods in e-learning integrated with a learning-objectives-driven curriculum. The article also provides examples of virtual institutes or dual model institutes drag the points of how learners' transforming academic spaces to residential spaces under technology environment.
One thing that was not mentioned in my previous reading was for-profit distance education institutes. Her e it used US institutes as general statistic. It's difficult to categorize and modify the positions with learners' different levels, sizes and diversities. Also the institutes have to provide different learning systems with technology needs.
Comment for Marklin's reading.
ReplyDeleteHer readings discusses learning styles of children and the relationship with the classroom environment.
I was very interesting at the 4 environment elements; design of spaces, sound of materials influenced, lighting of the environment and temperature that have effects on students. It's very different from my reading topic and direction. Because her readings were more focused early learner stage, and mine were more focused later stage learner. I wonder use to some types of common design concept for learning environments, but the spaces can actually be solutions for general target.
Kensington and Chelsea:
ReplyDeleteThe school building has one permanent classroom (30 kids) and two separate interactive learning zones. The building was raised off the ground to create a covered play area for the children. The building is intended to provide an ideal “learning system” which will emphasize relationships between the students who construct their knowledge through experience, action, and conversation. The building is intended to lead students through scientific investigation through the transparency if its construction, and the presence of a building management system will allow students to monitor the health and efficiency of their learning environment.
Milton Keynes:
The classrooms in Milton Keynes aim to solve the problem of changing demographics by exploring designs for prefabricated, relocatable building units. These are intended to be moved easily, so as to not to compromise the quality of learning environment. The project consists of two freestanding building units, on two already existing school sites. The aim is to provide flexible spaces that can easily be reconfigured. There will be a network connection between the two school units, enabling them to project lessons onto screens in the other school, creating a collaborative learning environment. The use of large windows creates lots of natural daylighting, combined with solar reflective glass and shading to reduce solar gain on south facing side during the summer. Sustainable materials and energy efficiency was a big element to these schools as well.
Norfolk:
This school project aimed to broaden educational experiences and opportunities for pupils, teachers, and the community. This will be implemented through direct video conferencing, to promote teaching and interactions with other pupils, teachers, and specialists from other schools. Again, sustainability was a crucial design element in this building. Some elements included: super-insulation, under-floor heating systems which runs off the air from the water pumps, the water would be heating by solar panels and rainwater will be recycled for use in the bathrooms.
Daylighting in Schools: Improving Student Performance and Health at a Price Schools Can Afford by: Patricia Plympton, Susan Conway, and Kyra Epstein -
ReplyDeleteThis study, conducted by the U.S Department of Energy, lays out ways in which daylighting in schools is proven to significantly increase student’s test scores, promote better health and physical development, and can be attained without an increase to the school’s construction or maintenance costs. This is proven through four case studies at four school located throughout the country. One study found that student’s in schools with the most daylighting in their classrooms progressed 20% fast on math test and 26% faster on reading tests, than those students without daylighting. The results of these findings indicate that work done in classrooms without daylighting may upset basic hormone patterns, influencing the children’s ability to concentrate, cooperate, and impact their annual body growth. It also indicated lower rates of absences in schools with high levels of natural daylighting implementation.
U.S Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information. Daylighting in Schools: Improving Student Performance and Health at a Price Schools Can Afford. By Patricia Plympton, Susan Conway, and Kyra Epstein. Springfield: U.S. Department of Commerce, 2000. Print.
Comments on Kailin's post:
ReplyDeleteI thought Kailin's use of bullet points made it very easy to understand what the aim of the project was, how it could be implemented. I found her conclusion to be helpful by pointing out the five key points in beneficial classroom design and teaching methods (the key concepts to be implemented). Addressing the issue of "passive learning" I feel applies greatly to our work at Hillside. We are trying to find a solution to involve the students and get them interested in doing their homework, and I believe looking at the five key concepts with allow us to design classrooms which engage students and will improve their learning abilities.
Article 1
ReplyDeleteCase Studies:
In both elementary and high school studies in several case studies there is a goal to create a space that infuses nature and order, and light and vision. Burr Elementary is in a square building organizing the classrooms in a structured sensible way, while in the central structure, organic shapes are cut out to create light fill courtyards to add an exciting twist. Staff is usually concerned with organization and structure in the layout of a school while students want to add excitement and interesting forms.
In the Kuoppanummi School Centre glazed panels separate central work areas to increase visual space, allow more light, and provide easy supervision. Color organizes different areas in Kvernhuset Junior High School to create an architectural narrative, and The Joint Denomination School pays attention to acoustical surfaces to create a sense of calmness. The goal is to create a stimulating environment for kids while still retaining the organization needed by staff to run the school.
Article 2: Learning Curves
With the goal of stimulating perceptions of the students, the construction of the Escola Artur Martorell in Badalona, Spain brings the site inside. Located next to a park filled with pine trees with distant views of the Mediterranean, the school is made up of smaller units that are spaced to avoid looking like one overwhelming building and to replicate the asymmetrical spacing of trees. Rough textures on the floors stimulate touch and give the feel of earth and soil. Colors in vibrant shades also mimic the outdoor park. Perforated aluminum panels on the exterior add texture and act as a filter to reduce glare in the classrooms. One of the architects Marc Binefa makes the point that "Children are always closer to nature than adults."
These organic representations within the school are exactly what many of the schools in the case study articles focused on. Kids want exciting forms and colors to stimulate their environment.
Barreneche, Raul. “Learning Curves; With a Primary school in Badalona, Spain, Dos Punts and Architect Xavier Sans Master a Lesson in Good Design.” Interior Design Magazine 218 (January 1, 2008) accessed November 2010. Web.
In response to Kailin’s article…
I thought it was great that such a comprehensive study was done to see which classroom and furniture configuration most positively impacted learning. It makes sense that people are more creative and active when they work standing up because they can’t just sit there and choose not to focus. Standing is an active position. Is the “fold and go” key point in the article related to the standing design? I was wondering how it could be possible to stand comfortably all day for the duration of school, or if that concept of flexibility allows the standing design to be implemented when appropriate?
Juliette Garcia
ReplyDeleteCase studies:
Little Village
Chicago, Illinois, USA
• The exterior structure has a recessed loggia to the west, playgrounds on the south, and a small play plaza to the north. These are interesting arrangements because it provides a powerful civic presence and because of its architectural flourishes the form does not appear to look too austere.
• The staircase is an important access and social meeting point within the school’s verticality structure. Apart from the other less colorful spaces, the staircase tower is dramatically cladded in colored geometric tiles to intentionally highlight its significance.
• Inside the stair tower there is a sun motif in the form of a semi-circular 45- degree roof light. . The back wall features a sundial calibrated to the angle of the sun radiating from above. The motif is echoed on the external street courtyard with the axis graphically set out in colored floor tiles. This feature successfully communicates what it is without being so literal.
• There is proximity of classroom windows and doors to the streets. This is an important design approach because it gives immediacy to the local community, which is welcoming to outsiders yet in a controlled way.
• The school is a heavy external structure and has an internalized plan form. This is important due to its region experiencing extreme temperature ranges across the seasons.
North Kildare Educate Together School
Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland
• The internal courtyard garden is the main focus for the school and allows each classroom to access out to the playing fields. This is successfully designed because there is circulation that wraps around the inside courtyard on three sides that connects the classrooms and the autistic unit to the main entrance.
• There are dedicated play corners and attached changing areas. These features give the classrooms their own self-contained feel, like an individual school within a school.
• The building maintains a subtle balance between control and democratic open movement. This is important because the grouping of principal’s office, staff room and the library, for instance, is deliberately organized to monitor the entrance/reception area.
• Parents wait to pick up their children in the entrance courtyard, which is separated from the bus and set-down area by the perimeter fence. This design approach allows the building to feel like an integral part of the architecture rather than an afterthought.
• Natural materials are used such as red brick around the base of the walls, timber windows, terracotta window sills, birch plywood paneling with a copper-coated roof. These materials successfully aid the visual and tactile understanding children have for the environment.
Greenwich Academy
ReplyDeleteGreenwich, Connecticut, USA
• The school is composed of transparent glass facades and glazed roof lights. This is important because it maximizes daylight penetration throughout the structure and the light provides a physical and psychological affect on people.
• There are grassed roof terraces as well. This works well because it allows the building to further integrate with its wooded setting and provides a subtle visual extension of the grassed areas around the building that was additionally built.
• Sod and flowers are planted on the roof. This feature clarifies the importance of implementing nature in architecture.
• Glazed light chambers are also used. This creates a dynamic sculptural environment.
• The rooftop plane is grass. This enhances energy efficiency and promotes environmental sustainability. It also provides effective insulation which help lower overall cooling and heating costs for the building.
St. Andrew’s College
Aurora, Ontario, Canada
• The school has improved its circulation areas. This design choice has helped provide generous laboratories and libraries, a new gym and more classrooms.
• The new circulation area has enabled the adaptive re-use of spaces in the existing buildings. The original gym, for example, was too small and therefore was converted into a state-of-the-art music and art facility.
• There is a sense of transparency in the overall design. This design feature is important because it encourages the community to take advantage of the views to the surrounding countryside.
• There are also glazed openings that are cut into both end facades of the new middle school. This design feature provides extended views through the length of the classrooms on each floor.
• Bringing the facilities up to modern standards without losing the historical quality was key. The use of materials such as rustic Wiarton stone and ipewood helped provide a suitable contextual reference to have the school look like it belonged to the 21st century yet retaining its historic character.
Free-choice reading:
Lighthouse Community Charter School
Oakland, California, USA
Set as a beacon in an economically depressed neighborhood, the school is designed by Starkweather Bondy Architecture and it offers its 650 K-12 students, their parents, and the community a new schoolhouse in which they can take pride. Originally, the school was donated $15-million dollars from a private foundation to be constructed and designed.
• The Starkweather Bondy Architecture team converted the building’s parking lot space into playgrounds and maximized two fully glazed interior courtyards as central elements to the design.
• The school is two buildings: the north for the upper school, and the south for the lower, both share functions to create one cohesive unit. By necessity, the upper school has its own entry, but the programming promotes cross-pollination between the two. For example, the library for the high schoolers is in the lower school, while the multipurpose room in the upper school serves as common ground. The high school side has a student space called a "Think Tank," and a corresponding courtyard for social activities, while the lower school's courtyard is positioned more as an outdoor classroom. The Family Resource Center centrally located in the lower school adjacent to a courtyard. This is successful in that it offers a visual connection to most areas of the school and welcomes the community. There is a visible layering of spaces so that one can look out from a classroom through a courtyard and into another classroom.
• The interior’s palette is basic and simple. The materials and colors are emblematic according to the school. The carpet is used to facilitate wayfinding, hallways are wider for easier circulation, and plentiful glazing maximizes daylighting.
In response to Alison's Post:
ReplyDeleteHer article states that it is important for designers to consider the regulations of school construction because it is tax payers supporting the funds. If designers do not abide by the set of codes and guidelines, they will be restricted by the government. However, Alison mentions that the article seems to contradicts itself between the benefits and limitations created by the codes and regulations. I think this issue needs to be addressed in that creativity will be limited in the design process if efficient plan continues to be laid out for firms.