Page 40 - spaces4learning, Fall 2024

s p a c e s 4 l e a rn i n g CLASSROOM DESIGN
DESIGNING
FOR
LEARNING
THRILL
By Dr. David Cupolo, Ph. D.
WE ALL EXPERIENCE BOREDOM AT TIMES. Not every-
thing can be thrilling and engaging. However, this should not
be the prevalent case for student learning in classrooms. Over
the past several years, data collected on student learning experi-
ences often paint a dismal picture. Students are disengaged and
bored. What can school leaders and architects do to combat this
crisis in schools?
In 2016, world-renowned educational researchers Hattie and
Donoghue proposed a new “Conceptual Learning Model: Skill,
Will, and Thrill.” This model was formulated by synthesiz-
ing various learning strategies that teachers and students can
utilize at the “skill” and “will” stages of learning, which lead
to the “thrill” (Hattie & Donoghue, 2016). As this was a new
model, I sought to understand
how instructional leaders con-
ceptualize and perceive one
aspect of this model: learning
thrill. Through interviews,
I explored how instructional
leaders understand this new
concept of learning thrill,
explicitly examining how it
manifests in classroom set-
tings regarding how it looks,
sounds, and feels when learning thrill occurs. Additionally, I
wanted to understand the key factors in how those classrooms
use spaces for learning that create an environment conducive to
fostering these learning experiences for students.
The State of Education
for Numbers of Students
In an article published on Sept. 28, 2022, by U.S. News & World
Report titled “Why Your Child Might Be Bored at School and
What to Do About It,” author Gail Cornwall discusses research
indicating that students feel bored for one-third to half of
their time in school. Cornwall highlights a survey that links
boredom to troubling high-school graduation rates (Cornwall,
40 FALL 2024 | spaces4learning.com
STUDENTS ARE DISENGAGED
AND BORED. WHAT CAN
SCHOOL LEADERS AND
ARCHITECTS DO TO COMBAT
THIS CRISIS IN SCHOOLS?
2022). The U.S. Every Student Succeeds Act mandates that
school districts report these rates, which remains challenging
for many high schools. According to Cornwall’s survey, boredom
is responsible for nearly half of
all high-school dropout cases.
Moreover, a study reflecting
John Hattie’s findings reported
in Visible Learning shows
that boredom has a negative
effect size of -.47 on student
learning, with the majority
of 1,520 students reporting
negative emotions about their
learning experiences when
surveyed (Hattie, 2021). The evidence is clear: Students need
environments that foster deeper, engaging learning experiences
in which they can interact and discuss their learning with each
other more.
What Is Learning Thrill?
Imagine classrooms where students are actively engaged,
collaborating with peers, tackling challenges head-on, and
experiencing the deep satisfaction of mastering new concepts.
My colleagues, this is the essence of “learning thrill”—a state
where students find joy, not just in the outcome, but in the
process of learning. Consider the following for creating deeply
engaging learning environments to increase learning thrill: