What should a classroom be like to ensure that pupils and teachers feel comfortable in it? In his new book, Klaus Zierer, an educationalist from Oldenburg, addresses a fundamental – and hitherto largely overlooked – question.
QUESTION: Mr Zierer, can you still remember the classrooms from your school days?
ZIERER: The first thing that springs to mind is that the classrooms were dominated by a seating arrangement with rigid rows. There were virtually no group tables, and consequently no group work. What’s more, the classrooms felt sterile. We pupils had hardly any say in the design of the rooms.
QUESTION: Now, one might think: that was a long time ago; a lot has changed in the design of classrooms since then.
ZIERER: That’s only partly true: particularly in primary schools, I’ve seen many classrooms that are far more welcoming than they were in my day. But unfortunately, there’s been no fundamental change in the situation. In many cases, classrooms still look much the same as they did when I was at school. And even when they are designed to be more welcoming, it is the lecturers’ personal touch that dominates – rather than that of the children. What you often see are modern technologies, such as computers and whiteboards. But that alone is not enough, of course.
QUESTION: The question of how a classroom should be designed so that it at least does not hinder good teaching has so far been ignored – in the introduction to your book, you even speak of an ‘educational resistance to questions of architecture’. How is it possible that such a fundamental issue has gone unnoticed for so long?
ZIERER: Essentially, I see two reasons: Firstly, the issue of space is largely dominated by architects and engineers. Educational science has traditionally focused more on concrete actions and on the interactions within the teaching and learning process. The external framework conditions, such as the spatial structure, are often overlooked. Incidentally, this also applies to issues of lesson duration: the 45-minute cycle is arguably the best example in this context. If we are to seriously address questions of space and time, we must adopt an interdisciplinary approach. Collaboration between educational scientists, psychologists, philosophers, architects and many others is therefore essential and requires looking beyond the boundaries of one’s own subject. Secondly, classrooms are not constantly being refurbished, but usually only when a new school building is being constructed or an existing one is being renovated. And that’s when architects come into their own! The classrooms created in this way must then serve their purpose for 20 or 30 years. The design options available to each lecturer and their class are then often regarded as a pastime and a private pleasure – as a bit of fun that need not be taken too seriously. Incidentally, this also applies to university seminar rooms: spaces that were fitted out once and are now used year after year without any changes. And it is often even forbidden to adapt the room to suit the learning group.
QUESTION: Rooms are experienced differently; the experience of a space also depends on the age of the occupants. What specific factors in interior design create a supportive atmosphere – and cater to different needs?
ZIERER: What is interesting about the findings of the authors of this volume is that, whichever perspective I take when looking at school classrooms – whether from the point of view of philosophy, sociology, psychology or other fields – I arrive at the same conclusions. The most important thing in classroom design is that pupils feel comfortable and safe. This addresses something subjective: a feeling. From an educational perspective, the question then arises: how can these feelings be evoked in pupils? And one key to this undoubtedly lies in giving them the opportunity to help design the spaces. Furthermore, we now know from many related disciplines that lighting, acoustics, wall colours, indoor climate and furniture are also important factors in creating a good classroom. It is precisely in this area that there is still much room for improvement, both in theory and in practice.
QUESTION: Are there already exemplary approaches to modern classroom design in schools in Germany?
ZIERER: Yes, there are. In the book, we have highlighted a number of examples which are described in more detail by architects and educators. However, it should also be noted here that these are often new builds or renovation projects. It therefore remains to be seen, even in these cases, whether the classrooms will adapt to their learning groups over time. That is ultimately what matters.
QUESTION: Is there a chance that these examples will set a precedent?
ZIERER: I hope so! One problem, of course, is once again that many changes cost money – particularly technical factors such as acoustics, lighting, ventilation and so on. Nevertheless, change is possible. And one approach is to raise awareness of spatial issues among all those involved. If, for example, the school administration has realised the need to invest in spatial structures, then a great deal can be achieved. In the same way, individual lecturers have the opportunity to change the classrooms and let the pupils help shape them. Here is an example: rather than the teacher hanging the same environmentally unsound laminated word cards on the wall year after year, they could display notes redesigned by the pupils each year.
------------------
Joachim Kahlert, Kai Nitsche, Klaus Zierer (eds.):
Spaces for Learning and Teaching.
Perspectives on Contemporary School Space Design.
Julius Klinkhardt Publishers, 296 pages
ISBN 978-3-7815-1927-5