4 Research-Backed Ideas to Upgrade Your Classroom

A growing body of evidence shows that the design of a classroom can have a significant impact on the learning within. While some factors are out of teachers’ control, there are a handful of simple but effective ways teachers can make their classroom environments more conducive to learning. From trying more flexible seating to setting up zones for different functions or introducing potted plants and being more intentional about what’s on the walls, these inexpensive solutions help set up a classroom for success—before students even come back through the door.  

To learn more about the research cited in the video, check out the resources below.

• Peter Barrett, Fay Davies, Yufan Zhang, and Lucinda Barrett’s study of the effects of classroom design on students’ learning (2015)
• Karrie E. Godwin, Audrey J. Jeroux, Peter Scupelli, and Anna V. Fisher’s observational study of the effects of classroom visual environments on students’ ability to stay on task (2022)
• Kiesa Kelly and Kesha Patrice’s pilot study demonstrating an approach to teaching that includes “Black imagery“ (2019)
• Petra Lindemann-Matthies, Dorothee Benkowitz, and Felix Hellinger’s findings that natural window views in classrooms were associated with less stress and more attention in students (2021)
• Nicole van den Bogerd, S. Coosje Dijkstra, Karin Tanja-Dijkstra, Michiel R. de Boer, Jacob C. Seidell, Sander L. Koole, Jolanda Maas’s field experiments on the effects of indoor nature on students’ well-being (2020)
• Eleanor Fulbeck, Drew Atchison, Jessica Giffin, Dorothy Seidel, and Megan Eccleston’s review of the research literature on station rotation and personalized learning (2020)

Find more evidence-based ideas in Youki Terada’s Edutopia article “The Science of Classroom Design” and even more resources on the Classroom Design Essentials for Educators collection page.