This article explores the characteristics of a successful transition of a school from traditional classrooms to an innovative learning environment. Many schools today are converting traditional classrooms into spaces which are flexible, supporting a wide array of teaching and learning possibilities (i.e. an ‘innovative learning environment’). These schools envision a future in which teaching, culture and space align to result in engaged students achieving deep learning. Many of these schools, however, fail to align teaching practices, organisational structures and leadership with their design’s intended vision. This results in a misalignment between the pedagogical goals of the building and its subsequent use. Through case studies of four schools in Australia and New Zealand, this study identifies the commonalities between the schools’ independent transitions resulting in four shared characteristics of a successful transition from traditional to innovative learning environments – Culture, Nudges, Structure and Expectations. Within each characteristic, specific strategies are provided to enable alignment between the design and use of a school building.

Our team consisting of researchers, designers and a statistician are working to establish statistically reliable and valid survey instruments for use in post building occupancy for schools housing students and educators in grades nine to twelve. Two indexes are being created, a Student Engagement Index© and a Teachers Engagement Index©. Our research question is, “Can we demonstrate that the design of the built environment for grades 9-12 impacts student academic engagement levels?” The sample for this survey was four high schools in the USA, in fall 2017. A time-honored Post- Occupancy methodology was used. Findings had strong indicators showing the buildings’ design makes a statistically significant difference regarding student academic engagement levels. Results were excellent on reliability and have convergent validity, with the exception of the last two questions. Statistical evidence from students and educators across all schools, grades, and genders that the buildings’ designs impact their academic engagement levels (p<.0001). When active learning is used students recognize the impact. Concluded that for educators, the overall “culture” of the school is a far more important factor for teacher engagement than the physical layout. Seen as a real effect, all respondents acknowledged that the physical environment impacted engagement in their teaching and learning practices (p<.0001), significant result indicating that space makes a difference and increases student academic engagement levels.

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Our research question was, ‘Can we demonstrate that the design of the built environment for grades 9-12 impacts student academic engagement levels?’ A pilot study was conducted using a convenience sample, a high school (grades 9-12) in the USA’s mid-west with a four-year old design solution. To answer the question we designed two online survey instruments, one for students and one for educators, enabling us to construct engagement indexes for each. We then correlated the level of self-reported engagement, as measured by our indexes, with the perceptions of the built environment. A mixed-methodology research technique was used for this research project. Focused interviews used K-12 architects (n=6), administrators (n=3), teachers (n=35), students (n=25). A fifteen (15) question ‘Alpha’/pilot survey was then designed, developed, pre-tested and then submitted to the full membership of the school. Findings revealed that both students and educators agreed that the design of the built environment makes a difference relative to their engagement at both the macro (i.e., Overall) and micro (i.e., Classrooms) at a high level of significance (p<.0001); spatial design makes a difference. The survey proved to be both reliable and valid. Finally, we pay particular attention to questions relating to “movement” and learning.