Zhang and colleagues link air temperature and perceived indoor air quality in university classrooms; it seems likely that their findings are also relevant in other contexts. The researchers found that “Perceived air quality was reduced significantly as indoor temperature increased. . . . Higher outdoor air supply rate is recommended when indoor temperature rises. . . .
A team from UCLA has confirmed that, to some extent, our knowledge is linked to place; their work is published in Science of Learning. A UCLA press release reports that “Wearing VR headsets, participants explored one of two environments — a fantasy fairyland or a science fiction landscape — where they could click to learn the Swahili or Chinyanja names for the objects they encountered. Some participants learned both languages in the same VR environment; others learned one language in each environment. . .
Bhat and associates evaluated the effects of standing on cognitive performance. They report that “The present study investigated the effects of attending lectures in sitting and standing postures on executive function of young adults. . . . Attending a lecture in a standing posture was found to improve executive function (response inhibition) measured with reaction times (for incongruent stimuli) and ERPs [event related potentials]. . . Standing might improve executive function compared to sitting among young adults in a simulated lecture environment.”
Van der Groen and colleagues link sensory experiences and learning outcomes. They share that “Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) is a non-invasive electrical brain stimulation method that is increasingly employed in studies of human brain function and behavior, in health and disease. tRNS is effective in modulating perception acutely and can improve learning. . . .
Spaces for learning need to be carefully designed and managed—our brains perform much better in some places that others and our tired heads need opportunities to refresh if they’re going to continue to develop knowledge and skills. Applying what neuroscientists have learned about design-learning connections makes “lessons” more productive and positive experiences more likely.
Llinares and colleagues studied how classroom wall color hue influences student performance. They determined via a virtual reality project that “Cold hues improve attention and memory performance. . . . The objective of the present study is to analyse the impact that warm and cold hue coloured classroom walls have on the cognitive attention and memory functions of university students. . . .
Professors' inputs
"Balancing" experiences
Prospect and refuge a plus
Devlin and colleagues evaluated how classroom images seen by prospective college students influence their opinions of colleges and universities.