The impact of classroom design on pupils' learning: final results of a holistic, multi-level analysis

Barrett, PS; Davies, F; Zhang, Y; Barrett, L

Abstract

Assessments have been made of 153 classrooms in 27 schools in order to identify the impact
of the physical classroom features on the academic progress of the 3766 pupils who occupied each of
those specific spaces.
This study confirms the utility of the naturalness, individuality and stimulation (or more memorably,
SIN) conceptual model as a vehicle to organise and study the full range of sensory impacts experienced
by an individual occupying a given space. In this particular case the naturalness design principle
accounts for around 50% of the impact on learning, with the other two accounting for roughly a
quarter each.
Within this structure, seven key design parameters have been identified that together explain 16% of
the variation in pupils' academic progress achieved. These are Light, Temperature, Air Quality,
Ownership, Flexibility, Complexity and Colour. The muted impact of the whole-building level of
analysis provides some support for the importance of "inside-out design".
The identification of the impact of the built environment factors on learning progress is a major new
finding for schools' research, but also suggests that the scale of the impact of building design on human
performance and wellbeing in general, can be isolated and that it is non-trivial. It is argued that it
makes sense to capitalise on this promising progress and to further develop these concepts and
techniques.

Citation

Barrett, P., Davies, F., Zhang, Y., & Barrett, L. (2015). The impact of classroom design on pupils' learning: final results of a holistic, multi-level analysis. Building and Environment, 89, 118-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.02.013

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 11, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Feb 20, 2015
• Publication Date: Jul 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Feb 25, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016
• Journal: Building and Environment
• Print ISSN: 0360-1323
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-684X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 89
• Pages: 118-133
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.02.013
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.02.013
• Related Public URLs: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03601323
• Additional Information: Funders : Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); Projects : Holistic Evidence and Design (HEAD); Grant Number: EP/J015709/1