The influence of school architecture on academic achievement

Abstract

Limited, dated information is available to school administrators concerning the influence that the built learning environment has on academic achievement. Given the population increases, volatile standardized test scores, demand for new schools, and deplorable conditions of school facilities in the United States, it is timely to investigate this neglected aspect of educational research. In the face of radical technological changes and curriculum innovations, much of the new public school architectural design is tied firmly to past and outdated practices. Currently reform advocates push for program change to occur, while voicing minimal concern for the often obsolete and shabby physical environments of the schools where the program improvement is to evolve. With these problems representing the educational need, the specific purpose of this study was to determine how school architectural design factors might influence student achievement scores in elementary schools. A total of seven design factors were found to correlate with student learning outcomes.

Explaining Relationships Among Student Outcomes and the School's Physical Environment

“…A few studies of the physical environment and student outcomes have been conducted (Earthman & Lemasters, 1998;Lemasters, 1997;Tanner, 2000Tanner, , 2006Wohlwill & vanVliet, 1985;Yarborough, 2001). With sporadic and often inconclusive information existing in the literature concerning the effects that the physical environment has upon students, there exists a need for current, valid, and reliable data to support or refute the perspectives underlying this inquiry.…”

Fifth-, sixth-, and seventh- grade students’ use of non-classroom spaces during recess: The case of three private schools in Izmir, Turkey

“…Even when concern is expressed for the quality of the design of school facilities, outdoor spaces and other non-classroom spaces are often the least-considered or are perceived only as places of secondary importance with no direct impact on the principal goals of schools (Catling, 2005). Tanner (2000) states that often the design of "green areas, natural quiet areas, and play areas" are not given enough attention. When there is some concern for the design of school grounds it is usually shaped according to adults' vision of what children ought to do during their recess hours (Collins & Coleman, 2008;Dyment & Bell, 2007).…”

“…When it comes to the design of children's spaces, such as schools, the spaces are often shaped with mediocre design and building standards (Catling, 2005;Collins & Coleman, 2008;Tanner, 2000). Even when concern is expressed for the quality of the design of school facilities, outdoor spaces and other non-classroom spaces are often the least-considered or are perceived only as places of secondary importance with no direct impact on the principal goals of schools (Catling, 2005).…”

“…The design of school grounds has been shown to impact students' level of physical activity (Collins & Coleman, 2008;Ozdemir & Yilmaz, 2008), and inadequate design of non-classroom spaces may have adverse effects on students either by way of problem behaviors (Kumar et al, 2008) or negative emotions (Thurber & Malinowski, 1999). The conditions of the physical environment may adversely affect students' academic performance (Durán-Narucki, 2008;Tanner, 2000) and school attendance (Durán-Narucki, 2008), as well. Moreover, the schoolyard design may affect students' play patterns as suggested by Armitage (2005), in a study which shows that the schoolyards in England have been used for similar types of play over a period of many years.…”

Systematic Comparative Illustration of Primary School Building Regulations in Serbia and Slovenia

“…The influence of school design on various aspects of academic achievement have been studied by a number of researchers before. Tanner (2000) found that four design factors to correlate with student learning outcomes in elementary schools in USA: access to technology for teachers, freedom of movement within the school and among learning environments, overall positive impression of the learning environment and positive outdoor spaces that are in harmony with nature. Barrett, Zhang, Moffat and Kobbacy (2013) showed that six design parameters of the built environment: colour, choice, connection, complexity, flexibility and light have demonstrable impact on the learning rates of pupils in primary schools.…”