Essentials Magazine Essentials Winter 2016 | Page 23
likelihood that all students will have an
equal opportunity to succeed?
One way that modern day learning centers can achieve this goal is
by including flexibility options within
the design of the facility. A variety of
factors warrant consideration when
designing a new learning facility.
Evidence based features and the fact
that no two children learn in the same
way are but two considerations for
flexible learning spaces. Before moving
forward with discussing these features,
lets first look at the current condition
of our nation’s schools.
Research continues to grow that
indicates that the condition of school
facilities has an effect on achievement
and learning outcomes. Likewise, the
literature on the deterioration of America’s public schools has expanded. In an
October 2014 report, the Council of the
Great City Schools (CGCS) stated that
the amount of deferred maintenance
for American public schools is between
$271 billion and $542 billion depending
on if the division uses a 50or 25year
amortization of the building life cycle.
In the same year, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that 53% of public schools were
in need of repairs or renovations in order to bring the facilities up to “good”
condition. The report also reveals that
32% of American school facilities need
to improve window systems; 31% need
to improve plumbing systems; 30%
need modernizations in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems
(HVAC); 25% need improvements to
roofs, interior finishes, and internal
communication systems; and, 21%
need to improve their technology infrastructure. These statistics highlight the
needs in our nation’s school facilities.
How can we expect children to
learn when we do not provide them
with a facility that meets the standards we expect of our workplaces and
homes?
In as much as the research provides
evidence that our public schools are
deteriorating, every effort to spend our
limited dollars in the most appropriate areas become paramount. Funds
should be leveraged to ensure all
students have an equal opportunity for
success. In a recent metaanalysis commissioned by the Education Facilities
Clearinghouse, researcher Kenneth
Tanner concluded some important
facts for architects to consider when
designing or renovating a school facility. Highlights of his findings indicate:
• There is a statistically significant
link between the amount of natural
light in a classrooms with views and
student achievement.
• The overall impression of a
school facility covers all the design
patterns and influences student
outcomes significantly.
Tanner’s work provides a valuable
insight for school administrators and
designers as they plan for new facilities
and consider renovations of existing
facilities. The report provides further
justification for what many researchers
have already put forward: As schools
are designed, natural lighting, safety,
provision of quiet spaces, green spaces
and ample, state-of-the-art technology are all important factors. These
elements help meet the needs of the
diverse learning approaches of our
students.
Project: Alexandria Area High School, Cuningham Group, © Brandon Stengel
• Safety and security measures
have a significant impact on student
learning outcomes.
• The design family of quiet places
and spaces for reflection has a
stat istically significant influence on
student outcomes.
• Green spaces have a positive
impact on student outcomes.
• Ample stateof theart technology
for teachers and students makes a
significant contribution to student
achievement.
School designers seek to accommodate different learning styles and preferences. Howard Gardner’s research
on multiple intelligences and different
learning styles helped educators to
understand that not all children learn
in the same way. In light of this, other
differentiated learning style models exist
to help explain how to optimize learning. One such model is the Dunn and
Dunn Learning Style Model that define
learning styles as the way individuals
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