DOES WHERE YOU TEACH
MATTER?
Pam Woolner, Research Centre for Learning and
Teaching
Learning can take place anywhere...
....can’t it...?
School buildings research evidence
What effect(s) does the physical
environment have….?
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Physically inadequate places impact directly (eg
noise on reading; poor air quality on health) and
indirectly (poor maintenance on teacher and
student attitudes) on learning
There is much less evidence for any benefit of
much better setting
There are exceptions to both these generalisations!
What impact(s) does changing the setting
have?
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History shows that changing the physical setting
often doesn’t change teaching and learning
practices
Participatory approaches seem to have benefits to
place and participants
The Impact of School Environments: A literature Review (2005)
www.designcouncil.org.uk
School building programmes: motivations, consequences and implications
(2005) www.cfbt.com
Woolner & Hall (2007) Oxford Review of Education 33(1), 47-70
Woolner et al (2010) Learning environments research13(1), 1-22
Woolner & Hall (2010) International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health 7 8) 3255-3269
Woolner P. Educational and Child Psychology 2011, 28(1), 9-19
This all suggests...
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There is no ideal space for learning
The importance of ‘fit’ between the space and what
teaching and learning you want to do in it
Teachers (and students and others) need to get
involved in thinking about teaching spaces and
facilitating change
Fitting the space to your intentions
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Find the appropriate room
Consider re-arranging the furniture
Discuss how you teach with
colleagues
Feedback (to your school, faculty,
T&L Spaces Group, Estates) about
what you need
TEACHING SPACES ON CAMPUS
Bev Robinson , Estate Planner,
Newcastle University, Estate Support Service
Teaching & Learning spaces
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Over £15 million of funding has been invested in
teaching and learning spaces in the last six years.
The aim has been to create ‘Better not more
spaces’
Improve the quality of all teaching rooms
Standardise equipment
Improve utilisation and efficiency
Number of Teaching rooms
Fitness for purpose survey 2010
LT’s, Teaching rooms & seminar spaces
Chart 4 Comparison of Fitness for purpose surveys
200
180
160
Number of rooms
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2005/06
2007/08
2009/10
Grade 1
41
77
46
Grade 2
80
57
107
Grade 3
59
18
8
Grade 4
18
0
0
Total
198
152
161
Lecture Theatres
Armstrong 1.46 Capacity 106
Claremont Tower 1.02 Capacity 252
RB Green
Entrance to Lecture Theatre
2009
Lecturers view when teaching
RB Green lecture Theatre 2010
Capacity 450
King George VI LT1
Raked seating 2009
Teaching wall 2009
King George VI
2010
Capacity 143
King George VI LT5 2011 Capacity 64
Standard AV equipment
Percy G11
2008
Stephenson T 13
Capacity 60
Teaching Rooms
Stephenson T1 (3.02) 2008
Stephenson T1 (3.02) 2009
Capacity 48
Teaching Rooms
Stephenson T12
Capacity 60
Bedson Teaching Centre G36
Capacity 60
Merz Court L201
Capacity 50
Stephenson T10
Capacity 60
Percy 1.05
Capacity 22
Herschel Computer Cluster 2009
Herschel Computer Cluster 2010
Green zone student study
25 capacity
Purple (48), Red (36) and Blue (68)
zones for teaching (Capacity full 172)
Hershel Cluster 2010
Projection screen for Red zone
Purple zone
capacity 48
King George V1 Computer Cluster
2007 split into 2 with screens
2008 One or two teaching spaces
Capacity 90
Stephenson Computer Cluster
Capacity 124
2010
2011 Refurbishment
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Old Library Building Cluster - Student study
Robinson Library cluster - 24 hour student study
King George VI LT5 , seminar rooms 1.11 & 1.12
Bedson 1.46 Lecture Theatre
Decoration & minor improvements to over 20
teaching and seminar rooms
Installation/upgrade of AV Percy 1.19 & 4 Dental
seminar rooms
Conversion of 7 seminar rooms to boardroom style
Old Library Building cluster
Bedson Teaching Centre 1.46
Summer 2011 Refurbishment
Wooden seating to be retained
Refurbishments 2011/12
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Daysh Brae Cluster
David Shaw Lecture Theatre - AV
King George VI LT4
Computer clusters - Bedson - Chart, Medical School Pool, Merz Court - Oracle, Ridley - Neried
Creation of a film showing venue
Development of a number of social learning spaces
Decoration and minor improvements to a number of
rooms
Creation of large flat floor teaching space
Does Where you teach matter?
 1.
How can we improve the spaces we’ve got ?
 2.
Other institutions
 3.
Something different?
Merz Court L301
Capacity 78
Merz Court
L3.03 84 Capacity
Claremont Tower
1.01
Capacity 60
King George VI LT4
Capacity 117