Abstract:

The education system in the United States has evolved since its inception. Lesson plans and the expectations of students are different now than they were in the past. Learning environments too have changed, specifically the design of the learning spaces. There are many characteristics of the learning spaces that have been researched, but the impact of natural and artificial lighting on students’ learning is one of the neglected aspects of design. In the past, it was believed that lighting needed to be abundant within a learning environment to make the space successful. Today, the lighting design need to support recent increase of technology in schools. Thus, it is important to have a variety of lighting options within learning environments and provide the users the ability to control the amount and intensity of the lighting. Previously published literature has focused on how lighting affects students in the learning environment, specifically test scores, focus, and productivity. This literature did not provide analysis of how pedagogical changes of the 21st Century can impact how lighting is used in a learning environment.

Therefore, the purpose of this research study was to assess:
1) how lighting impact high school students’ learning,
2) what type of lighting is appropriate for high school teaching and learning environments.

A thriving learning environment consists of students actively participating throughout the class period, focusing on the information being shared, and working diligently to understand the subject matter being taught. Learning can be measured in many ways, including examining students’ productivity in class, and whether they are successfully retaining the information.

The main goal of this study was to understand how designers can provide successful lighting options to assist high school students. This research team reviewed many published case studies that examined how lighting affects students. During the 2017 fall semester, the research team observed variety of high school learning environments. This research team also observed students in their learning spaces during the school day while they participated in normal, everyday activities, including the use of technology. The research team also documented students’ facial expressions and body language as well as their moods during their classroom observations. This research team also surveyed the high school students. This paper reports the findings of the team’s survey results and observations and discusses how balance between natural lighting and artificial lighting can create both a stimulating and inspiring environment for learning.

Keywords:

Artificial lighting, natural lighting, high school design, day lighting, 21st century pedagogical changes.