Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Many Aspects of the Educational Environment Can Have a Profound Impact on Teaching and Learning

  • 09/01/14

Quality of Lighting — Lighting has a demonstrable effect on student learning outcomes, with daylighting offering the most positive effect.

Acoustics/Ability to Hear — Chronic noise exposure hinders cognitive functioning and impairs pre-reading and reading skills.

Use of Color — Humans receive 80 percent of their information from the environment. The perception of color in the environment always carries with it visual, associative, synaesthetic, symbolic, emotional and physiological effects.

Air Quality — Scientific evidence has long demonstrated an association between poor IAQ and respiratory health effects, including asthma. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, asthma is one of the leading causes of absenteeism. Multiple studies have found that overall performance decreases with illnesses or absences.

Proper Maintenance/Green Cleaning — Maintenance issues in facilities, such as insufficient cleaning or excessive use of cleaning chemicals, have been show to trigger asthma and allergies.

Flexible Space/Flexible Furnishings — Classrooms with more functional flexibility allow instructors to vary their instructional methods to accommodate various learning styles. Flexible furniture and fixtures enable a space to be quickly reconfigured as activities change or to support a range of activities simultaneously.

Use of Technology — The National Education Technology Plan (NETP) recognizes that technology is at the core of virtually every aspect of our daily lives and work, and we must leverage it to provide engaging and powerful learning experiences.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.