DEFERENCE OF OPEN-SPACE UTILIZATION BY THE LOCATION OF CLASSROOM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

Classrooms at open-plan schools in Japan are often lined up side by side. At one end of linear plan is entrance and the other side is wall and dead-end. This creates difference of positional relation in classrooms; entrance side, central, or back. The aim of this study is to analyze and find out the characteristics of classroom position through class activities and open-space utilization.
The results of this study are summarized as follows:
1) At an entrance-side classroom, pupils and teachers tend to avoid traffic line toward entrance when they use open-space.
2) At classrooms in the center, when adjacent classrooms are used pupils tend to stay in their classroom especially when they do activities with noise such as group discussion. Some pupils come out and use open-space when adjacent classrooms are vacant.
3) At classroom in the back, pupils often use open-space for various activities. Teachers also utilize open-space actively with putting educational tools, or creating smaller spaces by furniture.