Cool, Airy, Bright Classrooms Found to Boost Quality of Learning
Researchers at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands have “found that cool, airy, and bright classrooms with good acoustics have the power to significantly boost the quality of learning and even have an impact on test scores.
The team collected evidence from 21 studies, IFLScience.com reports, all of which showed, the researchers argue, that students who are taught in optimal classrooms – cool, bright, quiet environments with ambient air, low carbon dioxide concentrations, and proper acoustics – show improved short-term academic performances.
“Sufficient evidence confirms that a poor IAQ [indoor air quality], thermal, acoustic, and lighting conditions negatively influence the quality of learning due to discomfort and impaired mental and physical health of students,” the authors wrote in their study, published in the journal Indoor Air. “Moreover, optimal conditions contribute positively to the quality of learning by creating an environment in which students feel more alert and pay more attention to the information presented in the lecture.”
The researchers hope their findings will impact any potential renovations or new construction of school buildings
