This chapter introduces the research context and outlines the problem it looks to address here. The context is the Folkeskole— Denmark’s institutions for primary and lower secondary education, where in 2014 a reform provided for guidelines to improve the indoor quality of these learning environments. The reform explicitly highlighted the need to improve quietness during class. One way to achieve this is to reduce the occurrence of disturbances, of which the dominant cause is found to be the pupils themselves. This chapter outlines the premise that (features of) the physical learning environment could be one of the tools available to manage disruptive pupil behaviours and wherewith attain greater calmness during class as encouraged by the reform.
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LEARNING SPACES AND PUPIL BEHAVIOUR
Figure 1.1. illustrates the two topic-areas, the physical learning environment and pupil behaviour, discussed in this chapter within the context of the Danish Folkeskole learning environment. Learning Spaces and Pupil Behaviour
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FFiigguurree 22..11 Schematic Schematic diagram diagram of of the the research research context context and and topic-areas topic-areas of of interest interest
This chapter is structured in five sections. Section 2.1 outlines the implications of the Folkeskole reform, specifically for school buildings. Section 2.2 presents findings from field studies exploring architectural responses to the reform thus far. Section 2.3 describes what is understood by disruptive pupil behaviour, the main causer of unrest during class. Section 2.4 defines how the physical learning environment could assist with managing these behaviours. Section 2.5 provides for a summary of the chapter and explains how findings discussed in the preceding sections informed the problem this research looks to address.
