Lighting and discomfort in the classroom

Aspects of classroom lighting and décor that can promote discomfort and impair task performance through glare, and imperceptible 100 Hz flicker from fluorescent lighting, were examined in a sample of UK schools. In 90 classrooms, across eleven secondary schools and six local education authorities variables measured included flicker, illuminance at desks, and luminance of whiteboards. Results showed that 80% of classrooms are lit with 100 Hz fluorescent lighting that can cause headaches and impair visual performance. Mean illuminance (from excessive day- and artificial lighting) was in excess of recommended design illuminance in 88% of classrooms, and in 84% exceeded levels beyond which visual comfort decreases. Lighting could not be adequately controlled due to classroom design and infrastructure. Ceiling-mounted data-projectors directed at whiteboards mounted vertically on the wall resulted in specular reflection from the whiteboard, visible as a glare spot with luminance high enough to cause discomfort and disability glare. The intensity of the glare spot varied between different brands of whiteboard. Ambient lighting, needed for close work at pupils' desks, reduced image contrast. Venetian blinds in 23% of classrooms had spatial characteristics appropriate for inducing pattern glare. There was significant variation between schools and local authorities. These findings may provide insights into small-scale reports linking pupils' attainment, behaviour and learning to classroom lighting, and may also help explain some of the benefits of coloured overlays for pupils' reading.     

Local sustainability at school: a political reorientation>

My main purpose in this paper is to consider ways to reorient the school community towards a culture of sustainability. Education for sustainability (EfS) is generally regarded as learning how to make decisions and take action that consider the long-term future of the environment, economy and social justice of communities (UNESCO, Education for Sustainability. From Rio to Johannesburg: lessons learnt from a decade of commitment, 2002). Education for sustainability is usually and was historically applied in schools through an environmental education approach. My research is significant because the goal of transformation towards sustainability is considered from the perspective of school governance. In this paper I present three case studies: Forest School, a small independent rural school; Riverdale School, a small independent regional city school; and Oakfield School, a large government school situated in a regional city (all school names are pseudonyms). The research has concluded in the small schools and is in progress at Oakfield. In the literature, it is generally accepted that small schools have the potential for sustainability (for example, Sterling, Sustainable Education: re-visioning learning and change, Green Books, 2001, pp. 48, 69; Carnie, 'Educating on a Human Scale', Resurgence, 204, 2001). In the literature, there is no consensus on the potential for sustainability of medium or large schools. The ongoing Oakfield School project is particularly significant because of the issue of school size. In the Oakfield project, the intention is to document progress towards a culture of sustainability in a large school. In this paper, I conclude that a focus on the development of a participative democracy is conducive to cultural change for sustainability in a small school. I suggest that this will also be the case in a larger school, but that more complex structures for decision making as the basis for transformative learning are required.     

Indoor air quality investigation according to age of the school buildings in Korea

Since the majority of schools are housed in buildings dating from the 1960s and 1970s, a comprehensive construction and renovation program of school buildings has been carried out to improve the educational conditions in Korea. However, classrooms and computer rooms, with pressed wood desks, chairs and furnishings, as well as construction materials, might have negative effects on the indoor air quality. Furthermore, most schools have naturally ventilated classrooms. The purpose of this study was to characterize the concentrations of different indoor air pollutants within Korean schools and to compare their indoor levels within schools according to the age of school buildings. Indoor and outdoor air samples of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO(2)), particulate matter (PM(10)), total microbial count (TBC), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO) were obtained during summer, autumn and winter from three sites; a classroom, a laboratory and a computer classroom at 55 different schools. The selection of the schools was based on the number of years since the schools had been constructed. The problems causing indoor air pollution at the schools were chemicals emitted by building materials or furnishings, and insufficient ventilation rates. The I/O ratio for HCHO was 6.32 during the autumn, and the indoor HCHO concentrations (mean = 0.16 ppm) in schools constructed within 1 year were significantly higher than the Korean Indoor Air Standard, indicating that schools have indoor sources of HCHO. Therefore, increasing the ventilation rate by means of a mechanical system and the use of low-emission furnishings can play key roles in improving the indoor air quality within schools.     

Fifth-, sixth-, and seventh- grade students’ use of non-classroom spaces during recess: The case of three private schools in Izmir, Turkey

This study investigates fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students’ place preferences between indoor and outdoor non-classroom spaces during recess and their activity patterns in these spaces in three private elementary schools. The study explores whether differences in the variety and organization of the spaces of school facilities have an impact on the place preferences of students and whether students are aware of the reasons for their preferences. Students’ place preferences and their activities were determined with field observations and a 30-item questionnaire with Yes/No and open-ended questions. A total of 173 students (n = 51 School 1; n = 70 School 2; and n = 52 School 3) participated in the questionnaire. The Chi-Square test, a non-parametric statistical analysis test, was used to analyze the students’ answers to the questionnaire. The results indicate that students prefer places which offer variety and which are large enough to avoid congestion and that, in general, students are aware of the spatial features of their environments and make choices accordingly. When students are given a choice of outdoors or indoors, they tend to choose according to which is more conducive to their activities. If both outdoor and indoor spaces are conducive, students tend to use both. If neither is conducive to their activities, students either alter their behavior patterns, for example, developing a preference for stationary activities or staying inside the classroom, or they convert available spaces to accommodate their activities. It is concluded that students are good sources of information in the design and planning of the environments they occupy.     

Pointing accuracy in children is dependent on age, sex and experience

We investigated the influence of age, sex and familiarity on spatial performance assessed with a pointing task in 84 children: 21 kindergartners, 21 first-graders, 21 fifth-graders and 21 sixth-graders. Spatial performance was assessed in the children's natural environment, their respective school or kindergarten. The children had to indicate the direction of prominent landmarks on the school campus while sitting in their classroom, drawing an arrow on a sheet of paper. Since the children had spent different amounts of time at their respective schools, experience with the environment was regarded as a covariate.Data analysis revealed significant effects for age, sex and experience. Fifth-graders aged around 10 years outperformed the younger children. Sex differences revealed male superiority at all ages. Experience with the environment was also shown to play a vital role. Children who had spent a longer time at the school were able to demonstrate better spatial knowledge by pointing more accurately towards unseen landmarks.     

Place experience, gestalt, and the human–nature relationship

This paper explores some ways in which differing views about the human–nature relationship reflect and are reflected in people's experiences of the places and environments they encounter in their lives. I first describe how ideas of humans being “part of” versus “apart from” nature have appeared in discussions of environmental ethics and management, and suggest how these contrasting views might relate to people's actual experiences of the natural and human aspects of places. Using qualitative survey responses about outdoor places in the midwestern USA to illustrate ideas from phenomenological and gestalt psychology, I show how a sense of the human–nature relationship is conveyed in the gestalt qualities of places and how this may give rise to a feeling of moral responsibility toward nature. I conclude that the experience of human and natural aspects of real places points toward a dialectical view of the human–nature relationship, in which humans can be seen as simultaneously “part of” and “apart from” nature.     

The impact of sensory learning modalities on children’s sensitivity to sensory cues in the perception of their school environment

Learning style models recognised that individuals differ in the sense learning modality of stimuli from which they best absorb, retain and process new information. The effect of sensory learning modalities on individual children’s sensitivity to sensory cues has so far been neglected. This paper reports on a study that sought to establish whether individual differences in children’s sensitivity to sensory cues in their perception of their school environmental features is influenced by their sensory learning modalities. Participants included Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils (N = 151) from four primary schools in South Gloucestershire, UK. The study used a child-friendly Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic questionnaire to establish children’s learning style modality. All children, independent of their learning style category, were exposed to three types of sensory cues, consisting of photo-safari, speech frequency and Global Positioning System. The analysis revealed that children’s sensitivity to sensory cues in their perception of school environmental features varied significantly between the three sensory learning modalities: visual, auditory and kinaesthetic. The implications of these findings on research, policy and practice are discussed.     

An exploration of place as a process: The case of Jackson Hole, WY

A variety of theoretical positions and frameworks have been advanced to account for how places become “places”—in other words, how places become meaningful. Most existing frameworks share the idea that a place is a complex concept, given life by people attaching meaning to a physical setting in a variety of ways. This paper explores how places evolve as ever-shifting points of meaning that mark changes in people's lives in response to a variety of influences. Data collected from in-depth personal interviews in and around Jackson, Wyoming, are used to explore the conceptualization of place as a process, rather than a static entity. Three key themes or dimensions that were frequently described by interviewees are examined: (1) life stage/course, (2) searching for a feeling, and (3) commitment to a place. Not only did some respondents describe what made places important to them (the components, such as social ties, or favorite activities), they also described how these attributes worked together to create and maintain place meanings over the course of their lives. During the interviews, it was noted that these dimensions and processes were expressed explicitly as well as implicitly.     

信息技术与高职英语教学整合应用探析

把信息技术融入高职英语教学已经成为高职院校英语教学的普遍现象。从高职英语教学现状分析入手,结合学习的联结理论和建构主义理论,论述了信息技术是高职英语教学改革的必然性。详细分析了信息技术在高职英语教学中具有的显著特点和优势,以及信息技术与高职英语教学的整合模式,即情景教学模式、学生主体模式和交互学习模式。在此基础上分别从教师、学生两个角度深入探讨了在英语教学中应用信息技术应该注意的一些问题。通过这些深入的探讨应该看到随着更先进的信息技术引入教育领域,高职英语课堂将更具有吸引力,教师的教学空间将更加开放和富有创意,学生的自主学习将更加宽广和富有弹性。     

Determinants of noise annoyance in teachers from schools with different classroom reverberation times

A high proportion of school teachers report that they are disturbed by noise during teaching. The aim of the study was therefore to identify determinants of self-reported noise exposure and disturbance attributed to noise among secondary school teachers (n = 419) in 10 schools in Copenhagen, Denmark. The schools were selected to show contrasts in classroom reverberation times (RT), and were classified as “Short RT” (3 schools, mean RT 0.41–0.45 s), “Medium RT” (3 schools, mean RT 0.51–0.55 s) and “Long RT” (4 schools, mean RT 0.62–0.73 s). Significant determinants of self-reported noise exposure were a high number of children in the class, young age of the children, and low teacher seniority. “Long RT” classification was of borderline significance. Significant determinants of disturbance attributed to noise from children in the class were teacher seniority and “Long RT” acoustic classification of the school. The associations between work characteristics and noise disturbance measures were attenuated by low self-rated work capacity, suggesting that the consequences of noise and poor acoustics may not be limited to disturbance attributed to noise, but may have a wide negative impact on the perceived working environment.     

THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE PRACTICE OF TEACHERS

This study concerns the design of classroom environments and the impact of these environments on the practice of teachers. It involves data gathered from primary and secondary schools, using lesson observations and teacher interviews. Behavioural mapping instruments were developed for the school-based data collection, and subsequent analysis is both qualitative and quantitative. A number of constructs have been developed, defined and used to evaluate what happens within classrooms. Some of these constructs are physical (modes of layout), some are pedagogic (child-centred), and some involve combinations of data. The findings from the analysis of teachers’ classroom behaviour have been related to the issues emerging from their interviews. This enabled examination of behaviour alongside statements of attitudes and beliefs about the role of the classroom environment. These data inform questions about teachers’ awareness of their surroundings; the extent to which this awareness impacts on their teaching, and the extent to which teachers feel they have control over the features of their classrooms. The article concludes by making the case for the importance of environmental awareness in the training and retraining of teachers. Environmental competence is an important constituent of the skilled teacher.     

Environmental personalization and elementary school children's self-esteem

Prior research indicates that the physical classroom environment has the potential to affect children's behaviors, academic performance, and cognitive development. However, less is understood about the effect on the socio-emotional development of children. This study investigates the potential role of one aspect of the classroom's physical environment, personalization displays, on children's self-esteem. The study employed a classroom intervention in a quasi-experiment to examine the effects of increasing environmental personalization on children's self-esteem. Thirty-eight kindergarteners and first graders in six classrooms of two elementary schools in a rural community of a north-eastern state were assessed on pretests and post-tests of the Self-Esteem Index (SEI) scale and the Children's Inventory of Self-Esteem (CISE) scale. The findings were mixed but encouraging. On both measures of self-esteem, there was a significant positive effect of classroom personalization for first graders. However, for kindergarteners there was a significant positive effect for only one measure, the CISE. Although there are limitations with the study design, the findings suggest that young children's self-esteem may be influenced and enhanced by specific aspects of the classroom's physical environment.     

Privacy-seeking behavior in an elementary classroom

This study observed privacy-seeking behavior in an elementary classroom, investigated individual differences in privacy seeking, and compared preferences for private spaces varying in degree of enclosure. Four privacy booths were placed in a fourth-grade classroom. A ticket system was used to assess booth use. Information on personality and background variables was obtained with self-report, peer, teacher, and parent questionnaires. After an initial period of enthusiasm, overall booth use declined sharply. However, analysis revealed substantial individual variation in booth use that remained consistent throughout the study. For boys, booth use was significantly correlated with teachers' ratings of sociability, aggressiveness, and distractibility. For girls, a significant positive relationship was found between privacy seeking at home and in school. Self-reported desire for privacy was uncorrelated with actual privacy-seeking behavior in the classroom. No significant differences in the use of the various booths were found, although self-reported preferences clearly favored the booth that allowed visual access to the rest of the classroom when desired.     

群众路线指导下高职课堂教学改革研究

针对高职课堂教学中出现的重理论教学、轻实践教学、忽视学生学习需求的多样性和个体差异性等现实问题,以党的群众路线为指导,提出高职课堂教学改革应遵循"以学生需求为根本、以课堂教学质量为基础"的基本原则,坚持走学生路线,学会站在学生的立场看问题的教学方法,大力倡导"相信学生,依靠学生,从学生中来,到学生中去"的基本教学途径,努力提高学生对教学工作的认可度、满意度,争取更加良好的课堂教学效果。     

The behavioral component in the meaning of places

How do people think about the physical setting in the world around them? Part of the answer to this question may be in terms of the behaviors that occur there. To explore people's knowledge of behavior—place associations, twenty places (shown via color photographs) were assessed in five ways: (a) ratings of the place's suitability for each of eleven behaviors, (b) ratings of the expected frequency of occurrence of the eleven behaviors, (c) free listings of reasons for going to each place, (d) free listings of activities-while-there and (e) free listings of activities associated with the place. Results showed that people can distinguish places on the basis of behaviors, that the behavioral component of place meaning is composed of distinct aspects, and that knowledge of behavior is related to a global, overall representation of a place.     

英语分级教学中大班授课的问题与思考

英语大班授课存在诸如认识学生困难,纪律难以维持,因材施教原则难以实施,课堂互动困难等问题.通过教学实践发现,抓好课堂常规尤为重要;尽快认识学生,了解学生个性特点有利于教师与学生的情感交流、课堂的互动和因材施教原则的实施;利用信息时代的网络教学平台建立适合个性化发展的课程体系和新教学模式来实现学生自主学习,引进网络系统下的视听说课的“五步式“教学法来强化学生学习英语效果,从而英语分级教学中大班授课问题会迎刃而解,教学质量得到不断提升.     

英语课堂内的口语教学

如何进行英语口语的教学已成为教学界一个非常重要的问题。当前口语教学面临着诸多困难和问题。论文中提及了与口语教学有关的教学法一交际教学法，两个影响口语教学的重要因素，即教与学之间的互动作用和课堂气氛对口语教学的影响。     

Innovation and Environmental Voluntary Approaches

Criteria have been developed in general terms for evaluating voluntary approaches. Nevertheless, there still remains limited assessment regarding the performance of environmental voluntary approaches as there is a general dearth of empirical information. In relation to innovation and voluntary approaches there are two main schools of thought, namely, the no innovation scenario and innovation through collective learning. This paper outlines the arguments regarding environmental voluntary approaches and innovation and reports on an empirical study of an Irish packaging voluntary agreement. Its findings would indicate that the no innovation scenario is applicable to the Irish packaging voluntary agreement.     

Global localism: Recentering the research agenda for biodiversity conservation

Global environmental crisis narratives about biodiversity loss promote conservation research on how human activities impact natural resources and link scientific findings to protectionist policies. This paper critiques how local knowledge, over space and through time, is constructed for these studies and integrated with ecological measures and qualitative interpretations of biodiversity conditions. As a case example, we describe how ethnoecological research at Mt. Kasigau, a biodiversity hot spot in Southeastern Kenya, changes ‘scientific’ views on human–resource relations. Species richness in woody plants and local knowledge about trees show resource continua on the mountain that question the designation of diverse undisturbed forests and degraded human‐utilized lands. Local narratives document spatially dynamic and adaptive relationships between the Kasigau Taita and their plant resources as they moved up and down the mountain in response to environmental conditions and extra local forces. We argue that greater ‘local learning’ about local places is important to hypothesizing and potentially guiding ‘global action’ for biodiversity conservation.     

高等职业院校教学模式探讨

教学模式是将多种教学方法有机地加以"整合"。从教学模式的角度来研究课堂教学为教学研究提供了新的思路,为教学理论与实践架起了一座桥梁。本文介绍了教学模式的概念、作用、发展及分类,分析了高职教学模式现状并对模式的构建提出了建议。