Impact of Classroom Design on College Students’ Creativity, Innovation & Productivity
- Katie Howe
- Feb 10
- 14 min read
Kate Drahzal, Katie Howe, and Madi Patton
Miami University, College of Creative Arts
ART 227: Design Research Methods Basics
Dilge Dilsiz
December 6th, 2024
Abstract
There is a strong correlation between student learning and the learning environment (Oblinger, 2006). In the current study, the research team observed Miami University Oxford campus classroom environments and Miami students’ responses to them. Aiming to find what affects students’ creativity, productivity, and innovation skills, and if there are ways colleges could design their classrooms to optimize these spaces. The research team looked into factors such as population, student and professor relationships, decor, lighting, sound, etc. By conducting field observations, surveys, and interviews, data was collected on students’ and professors’ preferences to create an ideal classroom with the main focus on physical elements.
Keywords: Classroom, Creativity, Productivity, Innovation, Student, Education
Introduction
The classroom environment could be extremely formative in one’s lifetime. Perhaps, in this space, life lessons are learned, friendships are created, and a love (or hate) for learning is born. This idea prompted the research team to ask: how could students make the most of their classroom experience, and how could universities provide the best learning environment for their students?
Puteh (2015) stated, “the comfort level of teaching and learning could be a contributing factor to someone’s failure or success” (p. 239). The idea of comfort can be seen from various perspectives. Some might conceptualize comfort from the physical sense, such as being at a good temperature or sitting in a relaxing position. On the other hand, comfort could be seen from a psychological perspective, feeling as though one is accepted by those around them. For the purpose of this study, the research team focused on physical comfort and design, due to lack of the resources and time needed to sufficiently research psychological comfort.
Existing literature on optimal classroom design focuses on various environmental aspects. For instance, an article on Frontiers in Psychology measures the environments according to perceived naturalness (Yeh, et al., 2022). The study relies on the idea of Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1989), which explains how mental fatigue and concentration could be improved by time spent in, or looking at nature. The researchers concluded that access to natural environments stimulated curiosity, and fostered flexibility and imagination. This theory gave great insight into the posed research question, however, it was not considered in the final prototype design.
Another theory studied was Ecological Theory. This theory explains how children adjust to new environments and how various factors affect learning and growth (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Through an educational lens, this theory could discuss students' ability to learn and then connect these findings to outside factors. Ecological Theory was more closely related to psychological impacts on learning, as this report focuses on environmental impacts on learning, more specifically, classroom design.
The Creativity Research Journal reported on the findings of two studies related to environmental impacts. The first study conducted a focus group to determine what elements of a photograph impacted participants' ability to feel creative. The study identified five different characteristics that positively impacted participants’ creativity: complexity of visual detail, view of the natural environment, use of natural materials, fewer cool colors used, and less use of manufactured materials (Evans & McCoy, 2002). Based on these results, study two created two environments: one said to be rated highly creative, and the other lowly creative. Study Two compared creativity in both environments and again found greater creative performance in the higher-rated environment, as predicted by Study One. These results were used to guide the research team’s survey questions
Helwan University measured improvements in productivity of 2.8% to 9.5% due to improved environmental conditions (Abdou, et al., 2006). Better lighting increases productivity and working conditions are generally better when windows are provided. Acoustics, thermal, and olfactory aspects as well as humidity levels and ventilation rates seem to have correlations to worker performance as measured by factory outputs and industrial accidents.
The learning environment directly affects the learning ability of the students (Cayubit, 2022). There were many factors in an environment that contributed to supporting or harming learning, and those became more difficult to control at the college level, specifically large class sizes. Factors that should be promoted included the physical setup of the classroom, the relationships between classmates and professors, and the value of the work done in class. They concluded that the most important factors to college students are personalization, involvement, student cohesiveness, satisfaction, and task orientation.
Furthermore, physical design elements should include flexible, movable furniture, simple layouts, and distinct spaces that allow for healthy movement (Chaples, 2022). The arrangement of the classroom could send a message about independence and creativity, influencing how students feel and engage with their surroundings. Proximity among students could enhance collaboration, promoting a sense of community. Overall, a creative space should be adaptable and welcoming, with informal meeting areas that support diverse learning needs and match students' preferences for effective learning.
The current study examines undergraduate classrooms on Miami University’s Oxford campus. The study started with the idea of achieving the “optimal learning environment”, however, the research team concluded that there are unique factors to each student’s circumstances hence the focus was too broad. The ideal environment was defined as promoting creativity, productivity, and innovation. This led to the following research question: How could classroom design be optimized to promote student creativity, productivity, and innovation?
Methodology
This research aimed to explore the potential impacts of classroom design on students' creativity, innovation, and productivity. To gather meaningful insights, the study investigated various populations and utilized a range of research methods, ultimately contributing to the development of an effective prototype addressing the research question.
Research Population
Data was collected on Miami University’s Oxford campus with undergraduate students ranging from 18-22 years old. Students could live on or off campus and have any major. Although the research aimed to benefit students, this was not the only population relevant to the study. Professors also provided valuable insight, supplying the study with new perspectives and options. Survey results indicated that 94% of 34 students and 93% of 15 professors identified as caucasian, generally aligning with the greater Miami University demographic.
The research question at hand required various methods of research and data collection. Doing so provided a deeper and more thorough understanding of how classroom design truly affected students' abilities at the institution.
Field Observations
The team then began conducting new research, utilizing field observations. Field observations were essential, as they allowed the team to collect data first-hand by observing how students interacted with classrooms on a day-to-day basis. This consisted of first identifying a variety of different classroom spaces, commonly used by students. Selecting spaces with diverse features and atmospheres was crucial, as classroom designs vary significantly and all elements must be considered. 12 classrooms were chosen for observation, all from 12 different buildings, including:
Farmer School of Business
Laws Hall
Heistand Hall
Pearson Hall
Alumni Hall
McGuffey Hall
Upham Hall
Bachelor Hall
Boyd Hall
Art Building
Presser Hall
Center for the Performing Arts
These spaces were specifically chosen as each building holds its own sense of design, some being renovated, not renovated, modern, old, big, small, and so on. Half of the classrooms chosen are considered lecture halls seating 100s of students, while the other half are small classrooms seating under 40 students on average.
Seeing the difference between these spaces was optimal, as considering every factor was necessary for this step. Each team member was tasked with observing and taking notes for 4 of these classrooms for 30 minutes. Photographs of the spaces were also taken at this time and later codified. Coding consisted of finding common elements across the different spaces and analyzing how students interacted with the space. Refer to Figure 3 below:
Figure 1: Coding Observations of Classrooms
Surveys
Two separate surveys were sent out to receive feedback from Miami students and Miami professors with the goal of learning their preferences and thoughts on classroom design. The following describes the results:
There are many aspects that create an ideal classroom environment. The first is controlled lighting, dim or adjustable lights to create a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. This also helps with eye strain while working and the visibility of projector screen presentations. Visual aids are important to students in their classrooms according to our surveys. Other classroom conditions that facilitate comfortability are temperature control and spaciousness. Open setups that avoid cramped conditions could be achieved with flexible furniture, which is another preference found in surveys. Flexible desk arrangements allow for group or individual space. This facilitates class functions such as professor engagement and a balanced work structure. In an ideal classroom, our surveys showed that an enthusiastic professor who respects student time encourages participation, and creates an inclusive, welcoming class culture is preferred. A balanced work structure comes from space and time for both individual and group work, with the option to work independently if desired. Students also value a supportive, collaborative, and mentally comfortable atmosphere. This would involve a non-distracting environment for student focus, and discussion-based learning for consistent collaboration opportunities.
Figure 2: Student Preferences of Furniture Arrangements
After going through their responses, the team summarized what an ideal classroom would include. In Figure 2, tables in groups of four are preferred. Flexible furniture was a recurring preference between students and professors. This includes tables and chairs that could be rearranged for different layouts and collaborative work or, desks with wheels for alternative setups allowing for individual work or group work as needed.
Figure 2: Student Preferences of Furniture Arrangements
As seen in Figure 3, cushioned chairs were the majority choice, with swivel chairs a second. It is preferred that seating is comfortable and mobile. A solution is chairs that have wheels and cushions and are not attached to desks with enough space to move.
Target Audience Personas
Figure 4: Persona 1, Sophie
Figure 5: Persona 2, Micheal
Interviews
Each member of the research team conducted two interviews, totaling six interviews total.
Two interviewees were professors, one working in the College of Creative Arts and the other in the Farmer School of Business. Two outside experts were interviewed, one a current Miami University employee who specializes in classroom design and the other an early education principal. Finally, two Miami students were interviewed from various departments of the university.
Key takeaways emphasize the importance of adaptable classrooms with mobile, light furniture that could be easily rearranged for various teaching needs, ensuring flexibility within the space. Classrooms should be spacious enough to create designated work areas and offer individual desk space, enhancing both creativity and productivity. Group tables of four create a sense of community and collaboration. Organized and clutter-free rooms contribute to an open and inviting environment. Comfortable seating, various seating options, and natural and adjustable lighting for flexibility are critical for a welcoming space that promotes focus. Reliable technology minimizes disruptions, and outdoor access or large windows that open provide a “refreshed” feel. Inspiring decor, such as blue walls for a calming effect, subject-specific posters, and displays of student work, enhances the classroom atmosphere. Allowing students choice in seating and study spaces also supports engagement and innovation. Overall, these elements allowed us to identify key features we want to include in our prototype. These include spacious, mobile desks and chairs, adaptive/natural lighting, student work displays, comfortable seating options, and organized storage solutions.
Prototype Testing and Recommendations
After the research team gathered data using strategies of literature review, observations, surveys, and interviews, the prototype was constructed. The majority of the gathered feedback was relevant to space and movability within a classroom, as it was found that this was the most relevant factor preventing students from being creative, innovative, and productive. Due to this, the research team created a prototype aimed directly at tackling these needs.
The prototype consisted of designing and constructing a suitable table and chair setup based on the collected data. This setup would allow for maximum use of space, movability, organization, and collaborative work among students. The process of designing this prototype began with analyzing the research, finding which aspects of chairs and desks students both disliked and favored. From this, it was found that a majority of the population preferred a setup with a large amount of workspace, easy movability, comfortable seating, and a slight amount of organization space. With these aspects in mind, the research team began sketching a variety of suitable setups, researching different table and chair configurations along the way.
Figure 6: Prototype Sketch
From there, a small-scale version of the final design was brought to life using materials such as foam core, paper, fabric, and metal pieces. Alongside this mockup a simple life-sized scale of the table was created out of paper, allowing future testers to gather an understanding of its real proportions. To gather more clear feedback on the prototype, the research team also developed a survey for testers to answer as they viewed the design. This survey consisted of various desk and chair designs, asking participants to pick their favorite features from each setup. This allowed the team to test elements that could not be built into the small prototype, giving more accurate results. The testing of this prototype was quite simple but very efficient. The team showed 16 students at Miami University the design and asked for their feedback on its elements. The testers were then asked to complete the survey, giving more detailed and statistical feedback. Three examples of questions from the survey are, which desk shape do you prefer? What type of storage do you find most practical? Which chair back shape do you prefer?
Figure 7: Final Prototype Design
Figure 8: Intended True Size of Desk
The implementation of this prototype among students could greatly improve their learning abilities within classroom settings. These desks would be suitable for all kinds of college students, as this age range needs less organization and more adaptability in working spaces compared to lower-level schooling. These factors are particularly relevant in college settings, where students frequently engage in collaborative work and lack a single designated classroom or desk. As a result, the flexibility and adaptability of the setup take priority over traditional organizational features. Figure 6 shows the final prototype design.
Results & Conclusions
Throughout the research process, the research team explored how classroom design affects undergraduate students' creativity, productivity, and innovation at Miami University. Focusing on the relationship between learning and the physical environment, the study aimed to identify the key elements of an optimal learning space and suggest ways to improve classroom design.
Through extensive research using a variety of different methods, the team hypothesized that the key correlation between classroom design and learning abilities in students was most prevalent in desk and chair design. Numerous findings supported this conclusion, first gathered from the research team's analysis of written and verbal responses when we asked students and professors to describe their ideal classroom setup in the survey, with anonymous responses such as:
“The desk setup is ideally not a small table attached to a chair, those are often small and hard to manage multiple resources.”
“Open, with reasonably-sized desks. It shouldn’t feel cramped.”
“I like to be able to collaborate with other students if need be but also have the opportunity to work alone (i.e. swivel desk and chairs with wheels) that isn’t overly crowded”.
The team then found a similar theme when moving into interviews. In 5 out of 6 interviews conducted, the mention of desk space was a very large topic. Participants expressed frustration about desk setup and how negatively it affected their own or their student's learning abilities. Participants also described their version of the most practical desk setups, expressing how it very positively affects work efficiency. A few quotes from these interviews are as follows:
“Laws Hall, Lecture Hall. I have organic chemistry there right now, and the desks are so tiny. I said this 3 times already. You cannot fit anything on them. I find it very frustrating during tests.” - Anna Wolf, 2024
“One of the things that makes students productive is the grouped tables and chairs. Part of my teaching really focuses on social engagement and kind of that interactive capacity. So in those rooms where they're clustered a little bit more and easily moveable, that's super helpful.” - Joel Armor, 2024
“What makes classrooms most productive is definitely physically flexible desks like on wheels so that you could move them around in different groups because we want kids to be able to work with other learners to learn best.” - Brooke Phillips, 2024
After analyzing these findings, the research team constructed and tested the desk prototype based on the developed hypothesis. The verbal feedback from the prototype was overall quite positive, with many students agreeing that its implementation into classrooms would greatly improve their creativity, innovation, and productivity skills. When analyzing the survey, it was prevalent that most students favored features that were implemented into our desk models, such as elements from the chair and the wheel attachments. However, there were a handful of features students didn’t prefer in the desk design, such as the desk's shape and the implementation of a backpack holder. The results from these questions can be seen below:
Figure 9: Prototype Testing Results on Chair Shape
Figure 10: Prototype Testing Results on Wheel Features
Figure 11: Prototype Testing Results on Desk Shape
Figure 12: Prototype Testing Results on Backpack Holder Feature
Limitations & Future Directions
As discussed earlier, the scope of this topic was larger than the available resources could handle. This idea could have been viewed from a variety of standpoints, such as physiologically, physically, socially, etc. Accounting for all of these perspectives would not be realistic. Realizing this, the team narrowed down the research question to a more manageable size: one that only accounted for one perspective, on an accessible population. More specifically, they tackled this topic from a physical design perspective, focusing on undergraduate students at Miami University Oxford Campus. While this limitation might cause the research to lack variability, it ensured its integrity.
Another limitation the team faced was a lack of materials while developing the physical prototype. MU’s College of Creative Arts offered a decent variety of excess materials open to students, however, some aspects, such as wheels and fabrics, caused the team to delve into their personal staches. With a little elbow grease and a lot of creativity, the team was able to create a miniature physical prototype. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the prototype utilized Kate’s old beads for the wheels, Madi’s leftover fabric for the chair, and a variety of other unconventional uses. Despite the small size, they were able to show a decent amount of details in the prototype, such as the cupholder on the desktop, the backpack rack on the chair, and the coat hook on the backrest.
With such time and attention dedicated to the physical prototype, it was important for all of these details to be seen during prototyping. However, the prototype's delicacy, and simultaneous awkwardness, made it hard to transport. The team resorted to carefully curated photos and videos to show around in order to receive feedback. For details that were unable to be compared on the physical prototype, a written survey was used to gather preferences. While both methods were successful in gathering information, the team’s classmates would concur that witnessing the model in person would be the preferred method.
If circumstances had allowed, the next step would have been to synthesize all the prototype findings and create a 3D-modeled prototype. (This also would have served as a limitation, as none of the team members knew how to code a 3D model.) The team could have gone to the Maker’s Space, located in Miami University’s King Library to utilize their 3D printers. The next step would have been another round of prototyping feedback, followed by a final physical model, ideally lifesize.
Process
To begin this project, the research team learned what makes a good research question so that they could each workshop multiple research questions, collaborate on their ideas, and decide on a final direction. They conducted literary research to gain a better understanding of the topic of classroom design and the effects design has on students. After this, they conducted primary research with field observations and surveys only after going through training to understand the legal responsibilities researchers have when dealing with human participants. Field observations took each team member to four classrooms to observe how students and professors interacted with the environment. Recurring elements in these classrooms were further questioned in the surveys. All survey questions and formatting were critiqued and revised twice. Once the survey results were received, they were carefully reviewed to find trends in what students and professors valued in classroom design. These trends were recorded in summarized writing and in visual graphs. With these results, more developed questions were formulated for in-depth interviews. The results of the interviews provided the research team with the thoughts and feelings of students, professors, and outside professionals on classroom design. This was an important step because otherwise, the team would have been inferring this information based on observations.
Once all research was concluded, the team took this information to design a potential solution. Referring to the most common issues in surveys and interviews, the team decided on designing a chair and desk combination fit for the average classroom. Prototyping this design required the team to decide on what elements to include and sketch out options to communicate ideas visually. With these decisions made, the team built a miniature desk prototype as well as a set of questions. The physical prototype included a chair, a desk, and a representation of the literal dimensions of the desk. This way, participants could critique the design and feel what it would feel like to sit at this desk. The questions, along with the prototype, asked participants about more variations that they would prefer in desk setups. The physical prototype and questions went through critique and refinement to make sure they could optimize results from participants. After hearing from participants, results were collected to form conclusions on the work of the research team.
Comments