Red Light Has Value (05-03-13)
Researchers at Rensselaer’s Lighting Research Center have found that exposing people to reddish light during the “post-lunch dip” can be advantageous. The “dip” is generally from 2 to 4 in the afternoon or 16-18 hours after bedtime the previous night. Mariana Figueiro and Levent Sahin conducted a study whose “results suggest that red light positively affects measures of alertness not only at night, but also during the day . . .
- Airport/ Transit Hub
- College/University
- Commercial Place
- Healthcare
- Judicial Space/Prison
- Library
- Mass Transit
- Public Planning Site
- Workplace
- School
- Enhance Teacher Satisfaction/Efficacy
- Increase Productivity/Performance
- Optimize Learning Outcomes
- Light
- Framework for Reaction to Place
- architecture psychology
- design psychology
- design research
- design science
- environment behavior
- environmental psychology
- interior design psychology
- place advantage
- place science
- sensory science
Flexible Classroom Design for Writing Classes (02-06-13)
Miller-Cochran and Gierdowski have learned that flexible classroom design cost-effectively supports composition (writing) classes. More specifically, when students are using their own laptop computers during class “in a flexible classroom, which included mobile furnishings, mobile whiteboards, and multiple LCD screens for projection . . . .
Star Trek Classrooms (11-30-12)
Researchers at Durham University explored the learning repercussions of multi—touch, multi-user desks. Their findings, derived “from a 3-year project working with over 400 pupils, mostly 8-10 year olds, show that collaborative learning increases both fluency and flexibility in maths. It also shows that using an interactive ‘smart’ desk can have benefits over doing mathematics on paper. Using multi-touch desks in the new classroom, the children were able to work together in new ways to solve and answer questions and problems using inventive solutions.
Designing Schools That Support New Learning Methods
New studies in school design research are particularly applicable as teachers adapt more active forms of learning.
Student Perceptions of School Building Quality (07-27-12)
Maxwell and Schectman comprehensively evaluated student perceptions of school building quality and the educational repercussions of those assessments.
- Blogs 2012
- Blog Article
- School
- Enhance Satisfaction/Quality of Life
- Enhance Teacher Satisfaction/Efficacy
- Follow Behavioral Norms
- Increase Security-Safely/Perceived Security-Safety
- Optimize Learning Outcomes
- Children
- architecture psychology
- design psychology
- design research
- design science
- environment behavior
- environmental psychology
- interior design psychology
- place advantage
- place science
- sensory science
School Design: Lighting and Offices
Can artificial light help students learn? Do professors prefer open-plan offices?
Hydration and Cognitive Performance (04-20-12)
Research presented by Chris Pawson, Sarah Doherty, Laura Martin, Ruth Soares, Caroline Edmonds, and Mark Gardner on April 18 at the British Psychological Society’s annual conference indicates that human cognitive performance is influenced by hydration.
- Blogs 2012
- Blog Article
- Any Designed Environment
- Enhance Experience
- Enhance Teacher Satisfaction/Efficacy
- Support Mental Restoration/Ease Stress
- Framework for Reaction to Place
- architecture psychology
- design psychology
- design research
- design science
- environment behavior
- environmental psychology
- interior design psychology
- place advantage
- place science
- sensory science
School Design Literature Review
Appropriate school design has a significant influence on learning and the satisfaction of teachers and students with educational environments.
Physical Activity and School Performance (12-29-11)
Singh and colleagues reviewed the existing research on adolescent physical activity and academic performance.
- Blogs 2011
- Blog Article
- College/University
- School
- Enhance Teacher Satisfaction/Efficacy
- Increase Physical Activity
- Increase Productivity/Performance
- Optimize Learning Outcomes
- architecture psychology
- design psychology
- design research
- design science
- environment behavior
- environmental psychology
- interior design psychology
- place advantage
- place science
- sensory science
Noise: Still Unwanted Sound (06-29-11)
Novotney reviews recent research on the psychological experience of noise.
- Blogs 2011
- Blog Article
- Any Designed Environment
- Enhance Satisfaction/Quality of Life
- Enhance Teacher Satisfaction/Efficacy
- Optimize Learning Outcomes
- Support Childhood Development
- Support Mental Restoration/Ease Stress
- Acoustics/Sound
- architecture psychology
- design psychology
- design research
- design science
- environment behavior
- environmental psychology
- interior design psychology
- place advantage
- place science
- sensory science



