Gaffney, J., Richard, E., Kustusch, M.B., Ding, L., & Beichner, R. (2008). 37 (5)
In this article, the authors discuss the classroom design and teaching techniques that allow pedagogical advances to be used in large-enrollment classes.
Author: campus
Public-private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002, as amended.
Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of General Services (2008).
The Public-Private Education and Infrastructure Act of 2002 (PPEA) was designed to bring private sector expertise to bear on public projects - saving time and money. It has allowed private entities to "acquire, design, construct, improve, renovate, expand, equip, maintain or operate qualifying projects" and encourages innovative approaches to financing construction and renovation. The law created resources to fund a comprehensive range of projects, including schools, wastewater treatment plants, and telecommunications infrastructure - essentially any type of public venture.
http://dgs.virginia.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=NxcfjXS5DsM%3d&tabid=62
Building Minds, Minding Buildings – Our Union’s Road Map to Green and Sustainable Schools
American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO (AFT) (2008).
Energy-efficient buildings keep skyrocketing energy costs in check, which in turn frees money for crucial academic and student support services. But “going green” is about much more than just saving money: Green schools mean healthier environments for students and staff. Research shows that better environmental quality yields more productive human beings and greater academic achievement for all students.
Building Minds, Minding Buildings – School Infrastructure Funding Need
American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO (AFT) (2008).
Unlike previous studies limited to deferred maintenance, this research [by the American Federation of Teachers] considered the full range of school infrastructure needs, such as the cost of new construction to accommodate projected enrollment growth and captial costs related to education reforms, such as class size reduction efrorts designed to improve student acheivement.
A guide to school vulnerability assessments
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools (2008). (ED-04-CO-0091)
This guide is intended to be a companion piece to Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities, originally published by the U.S. Department of Education in 2003 as a guide for schools and districts to prepare for a variety of crises. This new guide, published by the U.S. Department of Education in 2008, emphasizes a valuable part of emergency management planning-ongoing vulnerability assessment-and is intended to assist schools with the implementation of an effective vulnerability assessment process, to include choosing an appropriate vulnerability assessment tool. This guide is not intended to be prescriptive or to give step-by-step instructions for conducting assessments, rather it is intended to describe the key elements to be considered when selecting an assessment tool appropriate for school environments and provide guidance for conducting an assessment that will inform school emergency management activities.
Wildfire hazard mitigation handbook for public facilities
United States Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2008). (FEMA P-754)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) strives continuously to improve the delivery of disaster assistance to State, local, and tribal governments. One important goal of disaster assistance is to reduce the vulnerability of communities to damage from future disasters. This Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Handbook for Public Facilities (Handbook) is intended to assist facility owners affected by wildfire disasters by suggesting mitigation measures that can be taken to reduce the vulnerability of damaged facilities to future wildfire incidents. The measures described in this Handbook are applicable to the Public Assistance (PA) Program and are intended to help Applicants for assistance under the program identify options that can be implemented during post-disaster repair and rebuilding to reduce the potential for future damage.
http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1715-25045-2934/fema_p_754.pdf
Creating Schoolwide Prevention and Intervention Strategies
Sprague, J. (2008).
The document is intended to put the issue of school wide violence prevention in content for educators and outline an approach for choosing and creating effective prevention programs. The following topics are covered: 1)Why school wide prevention strategies are critical 2)characteristics of a safe school 3)four sources of vulnerability to school violence 4)how to plan for strategies that meet school safety needs 5)five effective response strategies 6)useful web and print resources
Energy Performance of LEED for new construction buildings
Turner, C., & Frankel, M. (2008).
This study analyzes measured energy performance for 121 LEED New Construction (NC) buildings, providing a critical information link between intention and outcome for LEED projects. The results show that projects certified by the USGBC LEED program average substantial energy performance improvement over non-LEED building stock. This Executive Summary briefly summarizes key study findings.
Explaining Relationships Among Student Outcomes and the School’s Physical Environment
Tanner, C. K. (2008). 19 (3)
This descriptive study investigated the possible effects of selected school design patterns on third-grade students' academic achievement. Three relative assumptions guide this study: 1) Educational facilities should be viewed as a collection of environments that influence learning; 2) The physical environment influences student attitudes and behavior; 3) Where students learn is as important as many aspects of the curriculum.
Effects of play equipment and loose parts on preschool children’s outdoor play behavior – An observational study and design intervention.
Maxwell, L. E., Mitchell, M. R., & Evans, G. W. (2008). 18 (2)
This research project investigated, in two stages, the ways in which playground equipment and the addition of loose parts to a playground contribute to preschool children’s dramatic and constructive play behaviors. The second study confirmed findings from the first study that young children like to act out dramatic play themes in small, enclosed spaces. In the second study, children were able to construct their own spaces, which not only encouraged dramatic play but also communication and negotiation skills.
