Skip to content

Category: Peer-Reviewed Articles

Published on

Zellner, L. J., Morris, J., & Burch, A. L. (2012). 3 (1)

Over two decades of research has consistently confirmed that the physical environment impacts the learning environment and student achievement, but what is it that makes one learning environment more engaging than another? This paper will provide additional insight on the impact incorporation of a Brain Compatible Learning (BCL) philosophy in 3 elementary schools with similar demographics affected student engagement in learning, school climate, teacher retention, and community satisfaction.

View Article

Published on

Klocko, B. A. (2012). 3 (1)

The impact of the superintendent in the design decision-making process of sustainable school buildings was examined in this case study analysis of the attitudes and influences of superintendents in six Midwestern school districts that engaged in construction projects during the previous five years. The major findings of this study are: (a) Leadership is the key to greening America’s schoolhouses; (b) Superintendents are inadequately prepared for dealing with issues regarding sustainability; (c) Superintendents who utilized sensemaking as a decision-making strategy yielded high-quality decisions; and (d) Superintendents who could articulate a vision of triple bottom line sustainability which incorporated the environmental, educational, and economic principles of sustainability were viewed by constituents as effective stewards. This purposeful sampling provided rich data to support three distinct motivations for building green—social or educational, environmental, and economic. Today, superintendents mindful of the triple bottom line regarding sustainability are leading the way toward a sustainable future.

View Article

Published on

Greeney, B., & Slate, J. R. (2012). 2 (2)

In this investigation, the authors examined the attendance rates, dropout rates, and completion rates of Hispanic students in Texas high schools for the 2003-2004 through the 2008-2009 school years as a function of school size.

View Article

Published on

McArthur, J. (2011). 2 (1)

In the International Journal for Academic Development, Peter Jamieson (2003) reported that colleges, universities, and educational centers around the world are engaged in the construction and renovation of built and digital spaces to meet the growing demands of a population in search of education. As these spaces are built, educators, administrators, and student development professionals need a common language to discuss the qualities necessary for these spaces. This study seeks to further Jamieson’s (2003) claim by investigating the means whereby user-experience design principles can influence the design of spaces of learning. This study begins with two unrelated texts – Cooley’s (2000) model of human-centered systems from information design and Oblinger’s (2006) compilation of current practices in built space from education – and organizes a conceptual framework to define a common design language for educators and creators of educational spaces.

View Article

Published on

Chan, T.C., & Dishman, M. (2011). 1 (1)

President Obama’s Education Blueprint of March, 2010 pinpointed safety and health conditions of school facilities as essential elements to improve school learning environment. The Blueprint concluded with increased flexibility and use of data to target health and safety needs of schools. This paper explored the current literature about school safety and health environment issues and discussed how safe and healthy school environment could be created. In addition to budget constraints, poor design, poor construction, poor supervision, poor maintenance, high abuse, high vandalism, high maintenance, and high risks are identified as challenges to school safety and health conditions. Implementation of flexibility and use of data to achieve a safe and healthy school environment for learning was also discussed.

View Article

Published on

Steiner, J. (2011). 1

This paper presents a regression model that analyzes the effects of school enrollment and schools per district on costs per pupil and standardized test passing ates in Indiana elementary and secondary schools. This model employed data from the Indiana Department of Education and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The results showed that districts with more schools had higher costs per pupil and that a school’s enrollment had no significant effect on student achievement. In addition, the results suggest that school consolidation could cut costs while not necessarily lowering student achievement levels. // Steiner, J. (2011). Are big schools bad schools? Measuring the effects of the number and size of schools on district costs and student achievement. Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research, 1, 46 – 51.

View Article

Published on

Lunenburg, F. C. (2010). 27 (4)

A key responsibility of school administrators is facilities management. School buildings across the nation are aging and becoming a barrier to optimal learning and teaching. This results in escalating school infrastructure costs. A case can be made to renovate or build new facilities that maximize an effective learning environment. This will involve allocation of funds for building renovation or new construction. In this article I discuss these two issues: school infrastructure costs and financing new construction.

View Article

Published on

Howard, A. W., Macarthur, R., Rothman, L., Willian, A., & Macpherson, A. K. (2009). 6 (12)

The risk of playground injuries, especially fractures, is prevalent in children, and can result in emergency room treatment and hospital admissions. Fall height and surface area are major determinants of playground fall injury risk. The primary objective was to determine if there was a difference in playground upper extremity fracture rates in school playgrounds with wood fibre surfacing versus granite sand surfacing. Secondary objectives were to determine if there were differences in overall playground injury rates or in head injury rates in school playgrounds with wood fibre surfacing compared to school playgrounds with granite sand surfacing. Creative Commons Attribution License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/

http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000195

Published on

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.

Tanner_ExplainingRelationships

Published on

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.

Maxwell_Effects of Play Equipment and Loose Parts

Viewing Message: 1 of 1.
 Notice

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Visit GW’s Website Privacy Notice to learn more about how GW uses cookies.