Promoting engagement in active-learning classroom design

Abstract

While the interior design of classroom spaces has evolved to support active learning methods, few studies have isolated environment changes from curriculum changes to understand the impact of space on behavior (Brooks, Walker, & Baepler, 2014).  Adapting an observation instrument from the Brooks (2012) study, “Space and Consequences”, this research  extends previous work in a unique circumstance that allowed the observation of a course which alternated class meetings between two differently designed spaces.  We gathered perspectives from 296 students and 9 instructors along with classroom observations which highlighted eye contact as important to both instructors and students in promoting engagement.