Classroom DesignBlanche Palasi, Henry Ovalle

Ms Carlisle

TASK Goal: design the most effective, most creative high school Social Studies classroom in room B6.

We used 3 phases to simplify and maximize the process.

Our products were designed off of student and teacher polls, with inspiration from online resources and pictures.

PHASE 1: COLLECT INFORMATIONTo get an idea of how to improve room B6, we first had to gather data and opinions.

● Our goal of designing our classroom was to work with, not against, the obstacles the room has, specifically spacing.

● These pillars may be a hinderance in some circumstances, but we planned to incorporate them into our design

Student PollsWe asked students’ opinions on room B6, its conditions, and how they would improve the classroom to maximize their learning.

Question 1:What do you like about your classroom?

Student 1:. It is airy and the temperature is alright.Student 2: I like that there are a lot of maps around the room.Student 3: Information can easily be seen throughout the classroom.Student 4: I like that the room is very spacious and lets students work either independently or together rather well. Student 5: It is large, with good airspace and seating arrangements. Student 6: I like that there's a lot of maps and posters and visual references on the walls. It helps when I need to remember geographical information. Student 7: The room is pretty spacious and not crowded to the point where it gets uncomfortable. Teacher: Its layout for the class is good

Question 2: What do you not like about your classroom?

Student 1: It gets really hot!Student 2: I do not like the classroom when it gets too dark and boring.Student 3: The desks are cramped and the space is limited. Student 4: I do not like the crowded walls. Also the location of the projector and smartboard inhibits some students.Student 5: The colors are drab and the lighting is poor.Student 6: When I am in the back left corner of the class, I feel uninvolved and secluded; I raise my hand, but sometimes the teacher doesn’t see me.Student 7: The computers restrict the view of the front. Teacher: The desk arrangement is often cramped.

Question 3:How would you improve your classroom?

Student 1: The chairs are pretty uncomfortable and desks are small. Student 2: I would put more historical information on the walls. Student 3: Overhead projector as opposed to a floor projector to save space.Student 4: Fix the smart board by creating a more separated space dedicated to computers and storage. Student 5: Put more art and color. Also we need mousepads.Student 6: Somehow get everyone involved. I don’t like how people are sometimes uninvolved even when they want to be. Student 7:The board should be visible. Teacher: I would make the classroom a lot bigger or at least make it feel bigger.

Question 4:What effect does your learning environment have on your school experience?

Student 1: If I don’t have a good learning environment, I do worse in school.Student 2: When I get bored, I do not learn.Student 3: Having easily accessible information throughout the classroom helps my learning experience. Student 4: It makes me feel sleepy.Student 5: Decide whether or not I want to pay attention that day.Student 6: It affects how attentive I am, as well as my well-being. Student 7: If a student is unable to see, it discourages them to learn.Teacher: History is a hard class. If students do not get involved because of an uncomfortable environment, it makes students discouraged to learn.

Question 5:What would you improve about the desks?

Student 1: I would make them bigger. Student 2: The desks should be put together in tables rather than individual desks. Student 3: Provide a greater amount of space in between desks for optimum movement. Student 4: Make the table tops wider.Student 5: More comfortable chairs, but other than that, the big black desks are good. Student 6: Sitting for like an hour and 30 minutes, I would probably make it more comfortable. ‘Student 7: A desk should have enough space to hold all of our books. Teacher: I would make them larger, get rid of the right-handed or left-handed desks.

PHASE 2: BRAINSTORMING● From the information acquired, we compiled all our

research and figured out ways to solve the students’ and teachers’ complaints.

● We used external pictures as inspiration for our classroom.

This classroom has a lot of empty space.

This lets students move around and engage in their classroom.

The desks are also shaped in a way that allows discussion, which is crucial for history.

The interesting shape of the desks allows for variety of form.

Good for group work

Dividers between desks allow for comfortable, individual work.

The colors of the room affect students’ learning abilities and attention to the teacher.

The colors in this classroom are clean and relaxing.

Encourages students to be more active and enjoy their surroundings.

This classroom is fit for discussion, which is important for social studies. All the desks can easily view the board without obstacles.

Street View

Birds Eye View

How can we apply principles and elements of design to maximize our classroom?

Space: #1 PriorityFrom the poll I collected of students, they do not learn well in crowded classrooms or in environments that are claustrophobic. Being in cramped quarters→ stressed and disorganized.

SolutionA lot of space between the aislesDesks comfortably spaced

FormA lot of classrooms repeat the same shapes and forms, leaving no room for variety within classrooms. This makes the students feel bored, discouraging them to learn and get involved in class.

SolutionMake the chairs and desks with more exciting, abnormal shapes.

COLOR: To keep students awake and engaged in classroom activities, I plan to design the classroom with bright colors. When students are surrounded by lively colors, the are more likely to enjoy the classroom and be more active.

REPETITION: Having repetition allows patterns and unity. It makes the students feel more active and incorporated in the lesson. Repetition emphasises main points, making students remember them easier.

RHYTHM: Regular rhythms create a natural flow for students. Maintaining a steady rhythm will make the students feel more in control, more relaxed, and less stressed.

DraftsScale: 1’ : ¼”

PHASE 3: DEVELOP A SOLUTIONAs the final step of our project, we developed a floorplan on Autodesk Homestyler, using all the information and research from Phases 1 and 2.

OFFICIAL PROPOSAL● Tables instead of aisles to eliminate unneeded space● Multiple boards around the room, rather than one

board in the front● Interesting form and colors to make the classroom feel

lively● Closet space to save room for work

Tables, not rows!● Having rows does not allow for active discussion, but having round tables

encourages students to engage in socratic seminars and presentations.● In addition, teachers can easily walk around the class when there are

tables rather than aisles. ● This fulfills the students’ want for open space around the classroom

because tables do not take up excessive space.

Multiple Boards!● We plan to design the classroom with three different boards. ● This allows students to view the teacher easily without obstacles.● Teachers will have an advanced view of the students, making it easier to

teach. ● Students will feel incorporated in the lesson and can see the board

regardless of their seat.

Interesting Form!● Having interesting shapes and colors keeps both students and teachers

engaged.● Bright colors allows variety from boring colors and regular shapes. ● Incorporating a diverse range of forms engages students and keeps them

attentive.

BORING

Closets!● The space between pillars are currently not in use. We can maximize this

space by adding closets for jackets and bookbags. ● Without clutter caused by jackets and bookbags, there is more space for

students to work.● Teachers can walk around the room without excess clutter.

FloorplanSCALE: 1’ :¼”

DOOR

STUDENT TABLES

BOARDS

The Teacher’s Area.(w/ Computer)

CLOSETS

WINDOWS

LIGHTING/ WALL LAMPS

3D View

Furniture UsedBased on the student polls, many students would agree

that there is little space to move around. In addition, there desks and chairs are not comfortable,

hindering the students’ learning experience.

By having boards which are around the classroom, students would have to

adjust themselves to where the board is. By having round tables, students can have alternate perspectives and modify

themselves easily to the switching boards.

This chair is unique and unlike the typical school desks. Many of the students feel they learn best

when comfortable, so by incorporating interesting furniture, students will feel engaged

and interested in the lesson.

Students often complain about having no room in the classroom. To remedy this, space can be added by moving the bookbags and jackets to a

separate area of the room. This allows more space for walking and accessing the classroom

effectively.

These built in shelves are not only aesthetic, but also save space and can hold storage. Because they are staggered, they have a

larger space capacity. These shelves can hold supplies, textbooks, and other classroom

needs.

The projection screen will be placed around the room. There will be 3 screens in order to give everyone a fair chance to see what is on the board. Usually if there is only one smartboard in the front of the room, then

those in the back can’t see and are discouraged from learning.

In this picture, the classroom is designed with boards on two different walls. As a result, no

student is left behind and everyone is included. All the students have a chance to be near the board,

instead of having only one board.

ConclusionWe learned that many factors go into making a perfect classroom. More space can be added to make it more comfortable, and maximize the room’s features for the students’ and teachers’ benefits.