Page 22 - School Planning & Management, September 2017

Design Does Matter
Respondents used a ranking system to answer from “not at all” to “essential” on the micro environment question shown above, and “poor” to “excellent” on the macro environment question.
Initial findings from the Alpha study are significant/positive. In research terms, both students and faculty agree that the de- sign of their built space positively impacts academic engagement levels.
“What’s important to understand here is that both students and educators agree that the design of the physical space in which they learn and teach makes a differ- ence in terms of how engaged students be- come. Space matters,” said Scott-Webber.
Students who reported an abundance of lecture-style teaching felt less impact from the environment on their ability to move around and engage deeply in their learning. Alterna- tively, students who believed the design of the physical environment impacts their ability
to move around and engage deeply in their learning reported experiencing less lecture- style teaching. These students were also more likely to believe that hands-on learning and the ability to move about are important for them to actively engage in learning.
“I hope the data is used to promote effective and productive educational struc- tures that encourage high levels of student engagement and learning,” said Dr. Timo- thy Mitchell, superintendent of Riverside Community School District. “We know that a positive climate can have a real impact
on our teachers and students. This in turn helps raise the level of student achievement and future success.”
PHOTO © MICHAEL ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY
Progressing to the Beta Phase and Beyond
As a continuation of the study, DLR Group issued a Beta study with additional convenience samplings of four 9-12 grade high schools across the country. We col- lected data through May 2017 and are in the process of analyzing each school, then aggregating the data across all schools.
The Beta analysis will provide further evidence of the strength of the SEI© as a tool to help predict the correlation between stu- dent engagement and design. We’re hoping to uncover more proof that good design, one that is intentional and supports the needs of human behaviors in educational settings, leads to high levels of engagement. Once the Beta results are validated, the final step in the process is to roll out the Omega, or final survey, for use by DLR Group’s K-12 Educa- tion Studio for many years.
“Participation in a study like this gives us data to use when designing new schools and renovating old ones. In addition, we may learn some things that will inform our instructional choices,” said Guthrie. “If the student data shows a clear engagement preference for a de- sign element, we will try to implement more of that element in our future designs.”
School districts are not the only benefac- tor of this research — communities at large can benefit from the positive impacts of design on education, as Mitchell explains.
“During the process to gain support
for our project, many promises were made to the public about how the new building would promote student success, including how several design features would help us deliver instruction in a variety of ways not available in our current older building. Hav- ing the data to share with our public is a way to be accountable,” said Mitchell. “The com- munity made a tremendous investment in our students and we want them to feel that their support was of value to our students and our community.”
Looking to the Future
Initial findings represented one conve- nience sample, but the fact that prelimi-
PHOTOS © BRANDON STENGEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Design and academic engagement. Results of a survey, conducted in partnership by DLR Group and consultant Dr. Lennie Scott-Webber of INSYNC: Education Research + Design, indicate that flexibility in the design of curriculum, longer scheduling periods, and pedagogical practices that u“ se space as a tool” are critical factors for successful academic engagement levels of students.
nary Beta tests are returning similar re- sults suggests that flexibility in the design of curriculum, longer scheduling periods, and pedagogical practices that ‘use space as a tool’ are critical factors for successful academic engagement levels of students.
Our research findings are validating our anecdotal beliefs. What our research is providing DLR Group is a deeper under- standing of the impact our designs have on the success of both students and teachers. We now have evidence which will continue to grow, allowing us to shape the next gen- eration of advanced learning spaces. The bottom line is, when working to achieve
a deep level of student engagement, the design of space matters. SPM
>> Jim French, FAIA, leads DLR Group’s Global K-12 Studio and is one of the most respected K-12 designers in the United States. He has led the design of more than $1.5 billion in educational facilities and has a thorough understanding of how kids learn. Jim is a lifelong learner always searching for the next unique design element that will enhance teaching and learning.
22 WEBSPM.COM / 9.17