Designing Learning Environments for

Children

An Affordance-Based Approach to Providing Developmentally Appropriate

Settings

Janet LoebachMasters of Environmental Design Studies

Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Inspiration

Play Activities in Learning Environments

Designing Environments

for Children

Need to understand Perception of the physical environment Patterns of behaviour & interests Motivation for environmental interaction

The Physical Environment as Instrument

Features and settings that are congruent with children’s environmental perception, behaviour and intentions

Children’s Functional Perspective

Affordances

Affordances of Children’s Environments

Gaps in

Affordance Framework

Attached object: affords sitting-on affords jumping - on, over,

down - from

Graspable/detached object: affords drawing, scratching affords throwing, digging,

cutting affords building of structures

Shelter: affords microclimate affords prospect / refuge affords privacy

1. Focus on active pursuits2. Few affordances related

to social interaction3. Little recognition for

affordance conditions or combinations

4. Little consideration for role of development in either perception or motivation

Developmentally Motivated

Behaviour

Development goalsinfluence children’sinterest and

capability to engage in variousplay activities

A Developmental – Affordance Design Approach

Providing features and conditions that are both

functionally significant

and

congruent with developmental goals and capabilities

Environmental Competence

“the knowledge, skill and confidence to use the

environment to carry out one’s own goals and

to enrich one’s experience”

~ Hart

Building EC: Younger

Children

Building EC:

Older Children

A Manageable Environment

Balance between challengeand security

Changes with developmentalinterests and capabilities:

Degree of definition & enclosure Degree of visual & acoustic

separation Scale Location

… for Younger Children

Defined space within contact distance

Small scale Partial enclosure or

implied boundaries

Low dividers, cabinets, walls Transparent screens, railings Bounded by columns, curbs Changes in floor level or mtl Lowered ceiling Scaled for 1 to 5 children

Supportive School Settings

Vensterschool Yeshiva Elementary

The Netherlands Milwaulkee, WI

Supportive School Settings

Bombeck Early Learning Centre Dayton, OH

… for Older Children

Well defined space Partial to full enclosure Control & Choice Visual and/or acoustic

barriers Scaled to child or group

Full walls, enclosed nooks Small apertures Out of circulation path Distant ‘places’, ‘Outposts’ Opportunity to create own

place

Supportive School Settings

Wildwood School Gatewood Academy

Supportive School Settings

Apollo Schools The Vensterschool The Netherlands The Netherlands

Loose Environments

Suggestive qualities Multiple affordances Can be interpreted

according to needs or interests of the child

Implications

Value of the framework Limitations Where to go from here?

Thank You!