Common Design Elements – Part 3

Resource Title:
Common Design Elements – Part 3

Pencil Sharpener

  • Every classroom should have a manual pencil sharpener mounted with tamper resistant screws (Allen et al., 1996).

Room Capacity

  • The following formula has been devised for calculating room capacity (Allen et al., 1996):
    (Total square footage of room minus 50 sq. ft. for teaching area) / station size
    Recommended station sizes vary by seating type (Allen et al., 1996):
Movable Tablet Arm Chairs 15 sq. ft.
Tables and Chairs 20 sq. ft.
Fixed Seating with Folding Tablet Arms 15 sq. ft.
Theater Fixed Seating w / Folding Tablet Arms 13-15 sq. ft.

Room Dimension

  • Classroom size should follow a 2:3 width–to–length ratio and be arranged with the teaching area along the shorter wall (Allen et al., 1996).

Seating

  • Seating should be flexible enough to accommodate students who are between 5’4” and 105 pounds to 6’2” and 215 pounds (Allen et al., 1996).
  • Armless seating and extra-wide chairs should be considered (Allen et al., 1996).

Windows

  • If windows are present, they should only be on the sides of the rooms and should not open inward. Skylights are discouraged (Allen et al., 1996).
  • Appropriate window coverings should be in place to allow for adequate media projection (Cornell University, 1998; Emmons & Wilkinson, 2001.
  • Proximity to exterior noise sources should be taken into consideration when considering window placement in new classroom space (Allen et al., 1996).

  window coverings

Retractable window coverings allow for adequate projection.

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Source URL: https://crlt.umich.edu/learningspaceguidelines/generalclassroom3