Technology-based learning environments
R. Raisi; K. Fattahi; S.M. Zakeri; S. Daneshmand
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The learning environment refers to different settings in which students partake in their studies or learning. In recent years, there has been a focus on implementing diverse research to analyze physical settings to improve students' performance in educational settings. ...
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Background and Objectives: The learning environment refers to different settings in which students partake in their studies or learning. In recent years, there has been a focus on implementing diverse research to analyze physical settings to improve students' performance in educational settings. The emergence of Neuro-architecture, a growing field that integrates neuroscience principles into architectural design, has gained popularity in optimizing student engagement and learning outcomes. By understanding the neural mechanisms that influence interactions with the built environment, neuro-architecture provides novel avenues for developing learning spaces that support optimal students’ performance. Previous Neuro-architecture research has explored various physical aspects within educational settings, including classroom size, color palettes, lighting, acoustics, and indoor air quality, revealing their impacts on memory, attention, emotional reactions, cognitive abilities, and learning advancement. However, limited attention has been given to stress-induced arousal, as well as the influence of classroom ceiling slope on students' stress levels and cognitive abilities. This study seeks to fill this gap by examining how the classroom ceiling slope relates to students' stress levels and cognitive function. Employing Virtual Reality (VR) simulations, cognitive assessments, and physiological measures, the study aims to answer the research question: How do varying ceiling slope orientations affect physiological responses linked to stress-induced arousal and cognitive function? The findings of this study will enhance the realm of research on learning environments by providing insight into the influence of physical features, such as the slope angle of classroom ceilings, on student wellness and academic performance.Materials and Methods: The research employed a quasi-experimental design to explore the effects of various Ceiling Slope Variations (CSV) on stress-induced arousal and cognitive performance. A total of 18 participants, comprising nine males and nine females, participated in the experiment, selected based on five inclusion criteria established to maintain study consistency and reliability. In the first phase, participants' stress levels were evaluated through the utilization of an Emotibit bio-data logger and Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) test for measuring and mapping psychological responses. This involved monitoring heart rate variability (HRV) and electrodermal activity (EDA) in the surveyed individuals, with the objective of understanding how various ceiling slope orientations affected stress levels. The subsequent phase focused on assessing participants' cognitive abilities by utilizing the N-back test, a well-established task for gauging working memory and attention. The aim was to investigate how different CSV configurations influenced cognitive performance. In the final phase, the relationship between participants' psychological and physiological responses was analyzed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. This examination aimed to uncover the connection between stress-induced arousal and cognitive performance in relation to the diverse ceiling slope orientations.Findings: The findings highlight the important role of ceiling slope orientation in impacting stress levels and cognitive performance among students. Specifically, the research emphasizes that a backward-sloping ceiling design, particularly in relation to the class board, is associated with enhanced cognitive abilities, including higher accuracy rates and reduced instances of incorrect answers, compared to traditional classroom layouts. Conversely, the conventional classroom design results in the lowest cognitive performance levels. Furthermore, the study indicates that variations in ceiling slope can also trigger physiological responses in students, such as changes in heart rate and skin conductance, leading to diverse stress levels. The results suggest that integrating a backward sloping ceiling design can significantly alleviate stress levels in the surveyed participants, showcasing the potential benefits of such ceilings in educational environments.Conclusions: This research highlights the critical importance of educational space design in alleviating stress and enhancing cognitive abilities among students. Through the utilization of VR simulations and the assessment of physiological and cognitive reactions, the study offers valuable insights into how variations in ceiling slope can impact stress levels and cognitive performance. The results indicate that integrating a backward sloping ceiling design can play a significant role in reducing stress and boosting cognitive functions in students. These findings underscore the importance of developing educational environments that prioritize neuro-architectural principles to promote optimal learning outcomes and student welfare. It is imperative for educational institutions to take into account these considerations when structuring classrooms, ensuring the creation of spaces that nurture students' cognitive processes and overall well-being.
Technology-based learning environments
M. Arghiani; M. Saffar; M. Mahvash
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Today, learning various sciences has become one of the basic needs of humans, and there are many obstacles that reduce the speed of learning; among these obstacles, we can mention stress. Stress is a kind of response to emotional or physical changes created in the environment ...
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Background and Objectives: Today, learning various sciences has become one of the basic needs of humans, and there are many obstacles that reduce the speed of learning; among these obstacles, we can mention stress. Stress is a kind of response to emotional or physical changes created in the environment and living conditions of students, which can appear in different ways according to their age, life situation, and personality. If the learning space is designed properly, it can eliminate a lot of stress in students. Reducing stress in students can lead to discovering their hidden talents, increasing self-confidence and making the most of their potential, which will increase learning. Also, various studies have been conducted in western and other countries about the effect of architecture on reducing the stress of users, a limited number of which have been conducted on the effect of the architecture of the educational space on reducing stress with different research methods and approaches, each of which has research problems and flaws in two areas. They are thematic and methodological knowledge. The research showed that various studies have been conducted in the three fields of environmental psychology, psychology and architecture of educational spaces, but no sufficient and accurate studies were found about the interrelationship of these three topics. With quantitative and qualitative approaches, this research aims to deal with the subject in the two scientific fields of psychology (stress, stress theories) and architecture (psychology of the environment of educational spaces, architecture of educational spaces, health and architecture, etc.). The purpose of the present research is to identify the physical factors that are effective in reducing the stress of students in the educational spaces of the school, which is a factor for the scientific progress and improvement of the country and is associated with increasing the productivity of schools. This research aims to evaluate the effect of physical and non-physical dimensions of stress reduction on stress reduction in combined research (description of the survey type and logical reasoning).Methods: With the help of the Delphi method, the experts in the field of architecture were asked to categorize the practical physical factors of stress reduction. Then, the test analysis was done with the help of hierarchical analysis (AHP).Findings: After the complete hierarchical analysis, at first, the main criteria were ranked according to the goal, and then the sub-criteria were ranked in details, and the percentage of importance of each was determined. Among the main criteria, the combination of nature and environment gained the most weight, with a weight of 0.534, so it was the most important among the main criteria. The criteria for modeling nature and the spatial characteristics of the environment were also in the following ranks. A pairwise comparison of the sub-criteria of the integration of nature and the environment and their order of importance was discussed, and it could be seen that the sub-criteria of light with a weight of 0.541 took the first place, and the sub-criteria of plants and natural landscapes and ecosystems were in the following ranks.Conclusion: In designing a conservatory with the approach of reducing stress through biophilic architecture, light is the most critical design factor, and then the plants inside and outside the environment, natural landscapes, and ecosystems should be observed in the design.
Technology-based learning environments
F. Imani; Kh. Movahed
Abstract
Background and Objectives: One of the effective educational factors in the new education is the architecture of the educational spaces. In the new education, the physical space of the school is not only a strict and soulless environment in the learning process, but also plays a role as a living and dynamic ...
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Background and Objectives: One of the effective educational factors in the new education is the architecture of the educational spaces. In the new education, the physical space of the school is not only a strict and soulless environment in the learning process, but also plays a role as a living and dynamic factor in the quality of students' educational activities. In learning environments, paying attention to design features is not only in order to improve the quality of the environment but also as a tool to increase the impact of the environment on behavioral characteristics. In some recent research, the physical environment is referred to as the "hidden subject in the curriculum." In this interpretation, the meaning of "hidden subject" is anything that, in addition to the common curriculum, by emotionally organizing the educational space, affects the adolescent emotionally and psychologically. This is "hidden" because it does not necessarily have objective and tangible effects or is often overlooked by everyone. Life stresses play a crucial role in mental and physical health and are especially associated with various psychological and social harms. Identifying student stress is the basic basis for designing and developing various preventive programs. In the meantime, school is a special place as a place where teenagers spend a lot of time and should play a role in reducing students' stress with proper design. Stress is a special relationship between a person and the environment in which the person evaluates the environment beyond his or her resources or threatens his or her health. Various factors play a role in stress. One of these factors is environmental factors. The current study has been done with the aim of investigating the effect of natural daylight on students’ stress reduction in the classroom. Methods: This research is a correlational study and in terms of purpose is an applied research. The research method is survey and the data collection instrument includes the standard questionnaire for measuring stress, anxiety, and depression (DASS-21). The reliability of the questionnaire was approved with the Cronbach’s alpha of 0.897. The questionnaires were analyzed by SPSS software version 22. Findings: Hypothesis testing was done by t-statistic, Pearson correlation coefficient, and regression. The Levin test was also used to verify the research hypotheses. The results of this study indicate that there is a relationship between daylight and stress, anxiety, and depression with correlation coefficients of 0.634, 0.742, and 0.698 have been found respectively (p < 0.01) Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that in environments with unfavorable light, the rate of depression, anxiety and stress is higher than in environments with favorable light. In general, it can be said that due to the effect of daylight in reducing stress, anxiety and depression of students and their better performance, the importance of paying attention to the effects that school design has on building users becomes more clear. Architects have a major role in designing educational spaces and with proper design and tailored to the physical and mental needs of students can improve the level of education in society. In order to properly use daylight in educational spaces, the following should be considered: height of windows (with increasing window height, depth and amount of daylight increases), type of canopy (indoor, outdoor canopy or direct beam control) and the properties of glass are effective factors in the amount of daylight that must be designed correctly. Also, in addition to the right amount of light and natural light, direct sunlight should be controlled so as not to dazzle the eyes and disturb the thermal balance of the spaces.
