DOES YOUR CLASSROOM HELP CHILDREN LEARN ?
BY : KATHERINE FORSEY
and control that environment ? Are there other opportunities to support children ’ s learning beyond the heavily constrained classroom environment ?
What a year we are having ! Our classrooms , which were once a place of safety and stability , have changed , in ways we could never have imagined . They have been deep cleaned , rearranged , closed , re-opened and in many cases , moved online and many now only exist virtually . For those teaching pupils in classrooms , the view looks very different . Some children may be absent , classes may be smaller , faces may be masked , screens may have been put up and there may be tape on the floor over which the teacher is not able to step . Collaborative hubs and table clusters may have been swapped for rows facing the front , mixing is no longer allowed and seating plans are fixed for weeks at a time .
For those teaching younger pupils who cannot be expected to socially distance , classrooms may feel more normal but resources that cannot easily be cleaned and sanitised may have been removed . We work knowing that at any moment we could receive news of a positive test result , and either close contacts , a full class or an entire year group bubble sent home to isolate and teaching immediately moved online . The global coronavirus pandemic has had a massive impact on our classrooms , it is arguable that it is the biggest disruptor of education many teachers have ever experienced .
With increasing amounts of evidence that the virus is airborne , now , more than ever , the classroom environment is being scrutinised . We need to find a balance between effective ventilation and ensuring the classroom environment remains conducive to learning . One of the most common recommendations to reduce the risk of viral transmission in classrooms is to ensure good ventilation and maximise air flow by opening windows and doors . In addition , we are being asked to turn off recirculating air conditioning systems and use only fresh air intake systems . Problems may arise when the temperature outside makes for an uncomfortable learning environment .
But just how does the classroom environment impact on pupil ’ s health , wellbeing and ability to learn ? What can we do to monitor
The impact of the classroom environment
Ground-breaking research by Professor Stephen Heppell and his team at the University of Bristol in the UK is shining a light on the impact of classroom environmental factors on student performance . These factors are often overlooked when attempts are being made to improve outcomes for students . Getting to grips with them has never been more important . Professor Heppell ’ s research focuses on the seven key factors that influence learning . By understanding and monitoring these key factors , we can identify simple remedies for classrooms that can be implemented immediately ( Table 1 ).
This research is particularly important in light of the COVID-19 pandemic , where factors such as airflow , temperature and humidity all play a role in disease transmission , and more generally , under every school ’ s responsibility to provide a safe and effective learning environment .
You ’ ll be happy to hear that if you can monitor these factors and optimise the classroom environment for learning , you will also reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission .
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