Middle school facilities for the twenty-first century : an identification of critical design elements by selected architects, administrators and teachers

Abstract

Research continues to document that children learn more rapidly in environments that are stimulating to all senses, varied in form and size, and meet basic needs for comfort. These qualities are especially essential for pre-adolescent and adolescent students in the most critical developmental period termed "middle school." School facilities across the nation are in decline, and this need for replacement and renovation of school buildings presents the opportunity to develop educational environments that enhance teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of selected architects, administrators, and teachers regarding the essential design elements for new middle schools. Professionals from 14 south and southeastern states were identified as having been involved in planning and design of a middle school since 1990. The professionals ranked statements in 5 categories: Planning, Design, Site Selections; Environmental Factors; Space Utilization; Technology; and School and Community Service on a scale from not applicable to essential for future middle schools. Four of 42 statements were agreed to be essential by the population groups. Proactive planning, user-friendly facilities, exploratory spaces, and safe environments were confirmed as essential elements. The study revealed a disparity among these professionals with regard to items deemed essential. Architects identified significantly fewer essential criteria than administrators or teachers and exhibited a greater amount of variance in response. This examination confirmed the perception that those who use schools are not providing significant design input, are being ignored in the process, or the data is being filtered. Recommendations for further study include additional regional studies, examination of facilities study programs in higher education professional programs, and additional study of the linkage between learning and environment at the middle school level.