Learning Environment Affects Students' and Teachers' Abilities

Did you know… Environmental factors have significant effects on pupil and teacher well-being. Poor quality lighting, ventilation, acoustics and furniture all have a negative effect on student achievement and health. In recent years, there have been a number of research studies published on the impact of lighting, air quality and acoustics on learning.

  • Lighting — Studies by Alberta Education (1991), Kuller and Lindsten (1992) and Heschong Mahone Group (1999) demonstrate a correlation between lighting and student achievement.
  • Air Quality — Studies by the EPA show a connection between IAQ improvements, such as increasing fresh air and removing pollutants, and improved academic performance. Controlled studies show that students perform school work faster as ventilation rates increase.
  • Acoustics — Much of the education that takes place in classrooms hinges on oral communication. When we miss or mis-hear, we automatically “fill in the blanks.” While adults can perceive information that is only 50 percent intelligible, a child will not understand most of what is said.

Unfortunately, school furniture is an environmental factor that is too often overlooked, especially considering the fact that students spend 15,000+ hours sitting down during their school years. Too often, ‘one size-fits all’ has been our mantra — the same furniture selected for all classrooms and learning spaces across multiple campuses. While a simple purchasing policy, the result is furnishings that are not task-oriented, fit for the purpose, or fit for the changing size of today’s students.

School furniture and equipment should...

  • safeguard the physical well-being of students through appropriate ergonomics and the ability to adjust to individual student’s physical needs.
  • be flexible both within the subject area and within the individual lesson and promote creative teaching and learning experiences.
  • be designed to minimize time spent on setting up and arranging spaces, freeing teaching staff for curriculum delivery.
  • encourage excellence by facilitating the widest possible range of teaching and learning strategies.
  • reflect the move from teacher-focused to learner-focused education.
  • help contribute to the institutional message about the value placed on staff, students and the processes of teaching and learning.

Furniture that meets the needs of children, teachers and schools and is well designed will benefit all — from better classroom environments, to improved student comfort, behavior and health.

— Sources include the Furniture Industry Research Association.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • dormitory with green roofs, solar panels, balconies, and labeled architectural annotations

    2025 Residence Hall Design Trends Focus on Sustainability, Flexibility, Community, Technology, and Well-Being

    With the most technically advanced Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) at the helm, residence hall design trends for 2025 look to focus on flexible spaces, health and wellness, sustainability, community, and digital technology.

  • ClassVR Wins Tech & Learning Best of Show at ISTELive 25

    Avantis Education recently announced that its flagship product, ClassVR, won the Tech & Learning Best of Show Award at ISTELive 25 in San Antonio, Texas, according to a news release. The program is designed to celebrate products that are “transforming education in schools around the world and that show the greatest promise for the industry,” and this is the fourth consecutive year that Avantis has claimed the award.

  • Beeville ISD Starts Construction on New Elementary School

    The Beeville Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently began a construction project that will consolidate two existing, aging schools into a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects and Spawglass General Contractors for the design and construction, respectively, of the new facility.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

Digital Edition