Classrooms' indoor environmental conditions affecting the academic achievement of students and teachers in higher education: A systematic literature review

Abstract

This study reports the outcomes of a systematic literature review, which aims to determine the influence of four indoor environmental parameters — indoor air, thermal, acoustic, and lighting conditions —on the quality of teaching and learning and on students' academic achievement in schools for higher education, defined as education at a college or university. By applying the Cochrane Collaboration Method, relevant scientific evidence was identified by systematically searching in multiple databases. After the screening process, 21 publications of high relevance and quality were included. The collected evidence showed that the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) can contribute positively to the quality of learning and short‐term academic performance of students. However, the influence of all parameters on the quality of teaching and the long‐term academic performance could not be determined yet. Students perform at their best in different IEQ conditions, and these conditions are task‐dependent, suggesting that classrooms which provide multiple IEQ classroom conditions facilitate different learning tasks optimally. In addition, the presented evidence illuminates how to examine the influence of the IEQ on users. Finally, this information supports decision‐makers in facility management and building systems engineering to improve the IEQ, and by doing so, allow teachers and students to perform optimally.

Reopening higher education buildings in post‐epidemic COVID‐19 scenario: monitoring and assessment of indoor environmental quality after implementing ventilation protocols in Spain and Portugal

“…This study analyzed the impact of post‐epidemic protocols implemented in higher education buildings through a sensor monitoring campaign that has been conducted simultaneously with a questionnaire survey to examine the perceived impact of indoor environment on students. Although environment surveys are tools widely used to evaluate the sensation and satisfaction of occupants, they also have shortcomings when assessing some aspects such as the emotional state of the occupants 40 . Future research should consider the development of new methodologies that will focus on analyzing the possible influence of these circumstances on students’ behavior, emotion, and IEQ satisfaction, including the assessment of the impact on learning performance using the objective test (e.g., mathematical calculations, concentration ability tests).…”

Factors Influencing the Quality of Academic Performance in Higher and Middle Secondary Schools of Trashi Yangtse Dzongkhag

“…Accordingly, during the covid-19, ICT based teacher training program on pedagogical methodologies immensely foster a high quality learning environment especially in primary education by decreasing anxiety, fatigue, skepticism, and inefficacy in using ICT knowledge in their work field [15]. Further, the quality of academic performance is determined by the level of comfort, mental and physical health of the individual teachers [16]. Comfort needs, healthy mindsets and physical fitness of the teachers contributes towards improvement of quality of academic performance.…”

Translation and adaptation of the Indoor Environmental Quality questionnaire to Brazilian Portuguese

“…Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is a composition of several factors (e.g., lighting, air quality, temperature, noise) and has an impact on well-being 6 , performance 7 , and mental and physical health 5,[8][9][10] . A questionnaire focused on assessing IEQ was developed as part of the European collaborative project "OFFICAIR" (on the reduction of health effects from combined exposure to indoor air pollutants in modern offices) 11 .…”