Committee on Architecture for Education

I've followed the discussion and have a couple question for Charles Graham.  You state, "Studies across five states show that admitting daylight into classrooms increases performance, without doing anything else."

The wording in your last phrase implies that this is problematic.  If daylight increases performance (and I'm familiar with the Heshong daylighting study, which this may reference), what's wrong with that?

And if by "performance" one only means "test-taking," isn't it possible to extrapolate to project-centered learning and other forms of education?

Let the sun shine in!
Thanks.
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Kurt Hunker AIA
NewSchool of Architecture and Design
San Diego CA
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Here again, I worry about the use of the word "learning." There are many ways to learn, and the ones that are most interesting for me are the ones that don't necessarily include teaching for the regurgitation of knowledge, recently gained, to a test sheet!

"Project-Centered" also bothers me a little, though I think the process of managing "projects," no matter what kind, is something worth knowing - as long as it is taught as being flexible.

I love the absorption of knowledge by observation. Kids who have an open mind (not closed by too many set processes) can observe natural and previously created phenomena and create their own "projects," goals, and objectives. In such a situation, a "teacher" can explain what a student doesn't understand in what he/she observes. But the student is the leader!

This offers the potential for learning to be refreshing as opposed to mundane. And the learning can be advantageous for an observant instructor - they can better understand the student, from which they might learn something themselves!

Let the light shine on all of that, and also find out what you can see in the dark! Life learning is a 24 hour process.   

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George Jennings AIA
G Booker 3
Tappahannock VA
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I will have to find the study again to be specific. However, the study included all public schools in each state, regardless of teaching and measuring methods. Also, daylighting was defined as any method of allowing sunlight in the classroom either directly or indirectly, and with or without vision to the outside.

The study did not make assumptions about teacher quality, teaching methods, or any other classroom influence.

That is all I remember.

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Charles Graham AIA
Architect
O'Neal, Inc.
Greenville SC
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