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Architectural design and the learning environment: A framework for school design research

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Abstract

This article develops a theoretical framework for studying how instructional space, teaching and learning are related in practice. It is argued that a school’s physical design can contribute to the quality of the learning environment, but several non-architectural factors also determine how well a given facility serves as a setting for teaching and learning. Supporting evidence for this argument is drawn from research on school climate and organisation, as well as from the author’s study of three open-plan high schools. Facilities design, educational practice, school culture, and student learning are found to be interrelated aspects of a school’s total learning environment.

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Correspondence to Neil Gislason.

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Gislason, N. Architectural design and the learning environment: A framework for school design research. Learning Environ Res 13, 127–145 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-010-9071-x

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