From Uniformity to Sustainable Diversity: Exploring the Design Attributes of Renovating Standardized Classrooms in Korea

Kyung Sun Lee, Hye Jeong Kim and Jieun Kang
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Kyung Sun Lee: School of Architecture, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Korea
Hye Jeong Kim: Department of Education, Graduate School of Education, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea
Jieun Kang: Department of Urban Design and Planning, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Korea

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 20, 1-17

Abstract: Modern school buildings in South Korea, which were until the 1990s typically designed with standardized and monotonous features based on drawings provided by the government, are shifting to more well-designed spaces under a student-centered approach in this more creative and imaginative era. The purpose of this study is to examine the renovation priorities of design features based on the preferences of architects and educators, paying particular attention to classroom design for enhancing students’ spatial and aesthetic experiences. For this unusual approach, architects and school educator groups, who jointly plan the renovation of traditional classrooms, were surveyed on classroom design features and the spatial and aesthetic experiences of students. Forty-nine responses were analyzed using an importance–satisfaction analysis (ISA). The gap analysis for all respondents showed significant differences—a significance level of 0.05 between importance and satisfaction—in 31 design attributes in traditional and standardized classrooms. Both the architects and the school educator groups designated five attributes as being of the highest priority for the classroom renovations: ventilation, overall classroom shape, shape of furniture, floor material, and furniture material. Results of these analyses could become considerations for future classroom renovations by local governments to enhance educational environments. In addition, policy recommendations for applying the results of this study to be sustainable classroom renovation throughout South Korea could be an important topic of discussion.

Keywords: classroom design; school design; classroom renovation; indoor school environments; importance–satisfaction analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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