Rebecca Lynn's List: Learning Environments

A study of 34 primary classrooms and 751 students showed classroom environment can affect a child's academic progress over a year by as much as 25%. 73% of the variation in pupil performance can be explained by building factors, including classroom orientation, natural light and noise, temperature, color, flexibility of space.

Research shows when anyone is taught according to their learning style, their academic achievement, as well as attitude and self-esteem, increases. Article discusses 21 elements of Dunn & Dunn Learning Style Model, covering 5 strands: environmental, emotional, sociological, physiological, and psychological. In general, individuals are affected by 6 to 14 elements.

Site of an educational design consultancy that wrote the book The Third Teacher. Includes photos and videos of schools and institutions with innovative learning spaces.

Article and links to other resources, including video case studies about innovatively designed spaces.

Considers the Apple store as a model for schools. The Store has carefully designed learning environments learning - the Genius Bar, for problem solving and troubleshooting, and the Studio, for one-on-one and small group instruction. They also have a "play area." Learning experience is highly personalized, customers can make mistakes, challenges are real, and assessment is built right into the learning.

Offers a checklist/ plan to design technology-rich informational learning spaces with 6 steps, from roadmap to integration.

pinterest pins of learning spaces, especially using color.

Guides readers through discussion points to think about learning spaces and what makes them effective.

Short blog post that explains environment and design, even the way a classroom is arranged affect student learning.

Slideshare of the Georges Vanier Library in Surrey, British Columbia and their transformation from Library To Learning Commons. Their finished space includes moveable cubes and not much other furniture or freestanding shelves to create a larger more versatile space.

Describes learning spaces that are flexible, including an intermediate school in New Zealand known for inquiry projects that has semi-supervised spaces where students can collaborate. Small adjustments, like painting walls with whiteboard paint, encouraging students to write on desks/floor with dry-erase markers, and providing spaces for quiet and spaces for collaboration can help promote thinking and creativity.

Volunteer forces from eight Schools that drastically needed school library updates and improvements worked to create uniquely designed, state-of-the-art libraries that supported each school's curriculum and serve as the educational heart of the school. Includes photos from the finished libraries.

Describes journey of Northern Beaches Christian School in Sydney as they worked to redesign spaces around collaborative teaching, retrain teachers to work collaboratively, and empower teachers to be agents of change.

Australian blog that explores collaborative teaching and spaces with questions, discussion, and photos. Includes large spaces with smaller spaces within. Also includes feedback and ideas from students.

Blog post about planning new library space. Advice include watch how students are using the space, observe other spaces and how they are designed, think about how the space might be used ten years from now, thinking about how teachers/adults use the space, and outdoor spaces.

Includes case studies, photos, and feedback from learning spaces in universities.