thesis about school facilities

• The Importance of School Facilities in Improving Student Outcomes

Introduction

 A growing body of research has found that school facilities can have a profound impact on both teacher and student outcomes. With respect to teachers, school facilities affect teacher recruitment, retention, commitment, and effort. With respect to students, school facilities affect health, behavior, engagement, learning, and growth in achievement. Thus, researchers generally conclude that without adequate facilities and resources, it is extremely difficult to serve large numbers of children with complex needs.

According to the US General Accounting Office (GAO) almost three-fourths of existing US schools in 1996 was constructed before 1970. Of these schools, about one-third of schools had need of extensive repair or replacement and almost two-thirds had at least one inadequate building feature such as substandard plumbing, roofing, or electrical systems. Moreover, 58-percent had at least one unsatisfactory environmental condition such as inadequate ventilation, acoustics, or physical security.

Besides general maintenance and construction issues, researchers have found most schools lack 21st century facilities in the form of infrastructure, laboratories, and instructional space. More than half do not have sufficiently flexible instructional space for effective teaching to take place.

Thus, facility quality is an important predictor of teacher retention and student learning. The physical and emotional health of students and teachers depend on the quality of the physical location, which makes establishing safe, healthy buildings essential.

The Impact of Facilities

Improving the quality of school facilities is an expensive undertaking. However, when the positive impacts of facility improvement on teachers and students are translated into dollar figures, the rewards of such investments far outstrip the cost of the investments. There are five primary facets of school facilities: acoustics/noise, air quality, lighting, temperature, and space. These are addressed below.

Acoustics and Noise

Noise levels greatly affect teacher and student performance. In fact, excessive noise causes dis-satisfaction and stress in both teachers and students. Research has found that schools that have classrooms with less external noise are positively associated with greater student engagement and achievement compared to schools with classrooms that have noisier environments. Thus, building schools that buffer external noise from classrooms can improve student outcomes.

Air Quality

Indoor air quality is also a concern because poor air quality is a major contributor to absenteeism for students with asthma. Research also indicates that many schools suffer from “sick building syndrome” which affects the absenteeism and performance of all students. Moreover, bacteria, viruses, and allergens that contribute to childhood disease are commonly found in schools with poor ventilation systems.

Indoor pollutants are also emitted from office equipment, flooring materials, paints, adhesives, cleaning products, pesticides, and insects. All of these environmental hazards can negatively affect children, particularly in schools with poor ventilation systems.

Before the advent of cheap electricity, schools often relied on natural lighting. As electric power costs declined, the amount of artificial light used in schools increased. Research has shown that artificial lighting has negative impacts on those in schools while natural lighting has positive impacts. In fact, research has shown that not only does classroom lighting boost the morale of teachers and students, appropriate amounts of natural lighting also reduces off-task behavior and improves test scores. One study found that students with the most exposure to natural daylight progressed 20% faster in in math and 26% faster in reading than students who were taught in environments with the least amount of natural light.

Proper Temperature and Control of Temperature

One consistent research finding across individuals of all ages is that the temperature in which a person works affects engagement levels and overall productivity—including student achievement. Anyone that has worked in a classroom or office that is too hot or too cold knows how difficult it can be when trying to work when the temperature is uncomfortable. According to the best analyses, the ideal temperature range for effective learning in reading and mathematics is between 68º and 74º.

To maintain such a temperature in every classroom within a school, teachers typically need to be able to control the temperature in their own classroom. At the very least, teachers should be able to control the temperature of small blocks of classrooms that receive the same amount of sunlight and have similar exposures to outside temperatures.

Classroom Size and Space

Overcrowded classrooms—and schools—have consistently been linked to increased levels of aggression in students. Overcrowded classrooms are also associated with decreased levels of student engagement and, therefore, decreased levels of learning.

Alternatively, classrooms with ample space are more conducive to providing appropriate learning environments for students and associated with increased student engagement and learning. Classroom space is particularly relevant with the current emphasis on 21 st century learning such as ensuring students can work in teams, problem solve, and communicate effectively. Classrooms with adequate space to reconfigure seating arrangements facilitate the use of different teaching methods that are aligned to 21 st century skills. Creating private study areas as well as smaller learning centers reduces visual and auditory interruptions, and is positively related to student development and achievement.

Twenty-First Century Learning

Policymakers, educators, and business people are now focused on the need to ensure that students learn 21 st century skills such as teamwork, collaboration, effective communication, and other skills. As noted above, older buildings simply are not conducive to the teaching of 21 st century skills. This is particularly true with the respect to reconfiguring seating arrangements to facilitate various modes of teaching and learning and the use of technology in the classroom as a mode of teaching and learning.

Conclusions

A large body of research over the past century has consistently found that school facilities impact teaching and learning in profound ways. Yet state and local policymakers often overlook the impact facilities can play in improving outcomes for both teachers and students. While improving facilities comes at a financial cost, the benefits of such investments often surpass the initial fiscal costs. Policymakers, thus, should focus greater attention on the impacts of facilities and adopt a long-term cost-benefit perspective on efforts to improve school facilities.

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School Facility Conditions and Student Academic Achievement

• Earthman, Glen I.

This paper shows that the condition of school facilities has an important impact on student performance and teacher effectiveness. In particular, research demonstrates that comfortable classroom temperature and noise level are very important to efficient student performance. The age of school buildings is a useful proxy in this regard, since older facilities often have problems with thermal environment and noise level. A number of studies have measured overall building condition and its connection to student performance; these have consistently shown that students attending schools in better condition outperform students in substandard buildings by several percentage points. School building conditions also influence teacher effectiveness. Teachers report that physical improvements greatly enhance the teaching environment. Finally, school overcrowding also makes it harder for students to learn; this effect is greater for students from families of low socioeconomic status. Analyses show that class size reduction leads to higher student achievement.

Enter the password to open this PDF file:

Assessment of School Facilities and its Relation to the Academic Performance of the Senior High School Student

• Marry Jean S. Bindoy

INTRODUCTION

School facilities can have a profound impact on both teacher and student outcomes. With respect to teachers, school facilities affect teachers' commitment and effort. With respect to students, school facilities affect health, behavior, engagement, learning, and growth in achievement. Thus, researchers generally conclude that without adequate facilities and resources, teaching and learning will be compromised. This study aimed to assess the school facilities and its relation to the academic performance of senior high school students.

The Simple Random Sampling was used on the survey questionnaire while Stratified Sampling was used on the interview protocol. To achieve this, the Quantitative and Qualitative method was utilized. Survey Questionnaire and Interview Protocol were used to collect data from the respondents. This research design is appropriate because it enables to generate the data and information needed for knowing the relationship of the school facilities to the academic performance of the senior high school students in Calamba Integrated School.

From the findings, school facilities such as the library, canteen, computer, and food laboratory are not properly maintained, resulting in being the lowest in the ranking. These facilities need to be improved to provide a pleasant environment for both teachers and students. The school also needs to take into account the SPED students. In addition, the facilities must prioritize the safety of students and teachers.

DISCUSSIONS

School facilities should be adequately provided in the school. The condition and provision of the school facilities and infrastructure can be improved with the financial allocation from the government as well as from the MOOE. In the future, there should be an allocation for financial support to expand the physical structure and to increase the school’s capacity. However, the development and improvement should be done by following the guidelines that have been noted by the authority. An adequate number of school facilities is important in creating a productive learning and teaching environment for students and teachers.

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School Facilities on Technology and Livelihood Education Its Effect on 3rd year Students Performance

This study attempts to determine the effects of school facilities on students’ performance of the third year students in Technology and Livelihood Education in Zamboanga National High School West in school year 2012 – 2013.

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The purpose of this study was to establish the impact of school facilities on the academic performance of secondary students in Kaduna state, Nigeria. The study was guided by two objectives which included: the impact of school facilities on academic performance of students, identification that school building in poor shape lead to reduced learning. Descriptive survey design was used and the sample was 100 students which were selected from the population of 10 secondary schools from Kaduna state Nigeria. A questionnaire was used in the collection of the data for this study and descriptive statistical tool such as frequency, simple percentage and mean was used to process the data. The study found out that the inadequate or poor school facilities affects the academic performance of secondary school students and teachers negatively. The study also revealed that maintenance culture of available facilities is a major problem. Conclusion and Recommendation were also made.

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The paper examined the impact school facilities have on academic achievement of students in Senior Secondary Schools in Bauchi State Nigeria. The total population of the study comprises all the principals of Senior Secondary Schools in Bauchi State, numbering eighty-four (84), as of (2011). Employing simple random sampling technique, sixty-two principals were selected to represent the entire population as pointed out by Krejcie and Mogan, (1970). The instrument used for the study was Total Learning Environment Assessment (TLEA) consisting of 42 items completed by the principals, to ascertain the condition of the school facilities in public Senior Secondary Schools in Bauchi State. Data on result for students? academic achievement, (SSCE results) 2007-2011 were collected through the Bauchi State Ministry of Education. The TLEA instrument was adapted from the study of O?Neil (2000) redesigned by the researcher. A reliability tested through split-half pilot study of calculated = 0.958 and r- critical value = 0.765 at α 0.05 levels for Total Learning Environment Assessment for secondary school was sought to ascertain the usability of the instrument. Based on the analysis, the result shows that, the instrument has appreciable measures of validity and reliability. The data collected was analyzed using inferential statistics where the frequencies of the participants? responses were tabulated using percentages and Spearman Rank Order Correlation. Major research finding of the study did not find statistically significant relationship in the areas of school plant and facilities and students? academic achievement as measured by the TLEA at 0.05 levels. The researcher?s recommendations based upon this study include the followings: Educational administrators, planners and other stake-holders should supplement the government effort by maintaining the school facilities and improvise these items locally from the immediate community where the schools are situated. An area of achievement and failure in the students? academic career needs to be evaluated in order to foster improvement and make full use of learning process.

Miriam Elegonye

The study examined the impact of teaching and learning facilities on students’ academic performances in public secondary schools in Giwa and Zaria Education zones. Two objectives and two research questions guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study and a random sampling technique was used in selecting 628 respondents from a population of 2092. Twenty items in a structured questionnaire with the use of five (5) Likert scale of Strongly Agreed, Agreed, Undecided, Disagreed and Strongly Disagreed was adopted to collect data from participants. The response to the research questions were analyzed using mean scores, percentage and standard deviation. A mean score of 3.0 and above indicate positive response (accepted) while less than 3.0 is a negative response to the research questions (rejected). The findings of the study reveal that despite the fact that some teaching and learning facilities are inadequate, but the one readily available have great ...

Mimbar Sekolah Dasar

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edwin ireri

In 2011, the Kenya government made efforts to improve access to quality secondary education by increasing the number of national schools from 17 to 114. This was done by elevating two provincial schools in each county to national schools. This study sought to establish influence of infrastructural facilities and staffing on academic performance in national examinations in young national schools in Samburu, Marsabit, and Isiolo counties, Kenya. Correlation research design was used. The study population was 5 principals, 150 teachers, 3 examinations officers, and 3 staffing officers. The sample size was composed of 5 principals, 60 teachers, 3 examinations officers, and 3 staffing officers. The study established that infrastructural facilities and staffing had a positive and statistically significant relationship with academic performance in all the schools in the three counties as follows: Infrastructural facilities (r=0.495, p-value =0.000), Staffing (r=0.372, p-value =0.05), all at...

International Journal for Research in Social Science and Humanities Research

Bijaya Nepal , Bijaya Nepal

The present study was analysed with the relationship between the condition of school's infrastructure facilities, learning environment and students' outcomes. The data were collected from the respondents to know the measure of schools' practices; management, utilization and planning of infrastructure facilities and its' effect on students' outcome. This study was conducted between Februarys to July 2014; close ended questionnaire was designed to expose the results. The sample size was taken proportionately from 3125 numbers of secondary school. The selected districts were Sindhupalchok, Kavre, Makwanpur, Kathmandu and Chitwan. From the universe, 40 schools were taken by using proportionate stratified random sampling. Respondents were taken equally from community and institutional schools. Respondents i.e. 4 students and 4 teachers were selected from each school. As whole 320 respondents were selected from 40 schools. Analysis of data was done by using the SPSS version 20. The multi regression test was applied to analyse the data. Keywords: Relationship, school, infrastructure facilities, learning environment and students' outcome 1 BACKGROUND A good Infrastructure facility always supported the educational enterprise. Research had shown that clean and good air quality, good light, a small, comfortable, safe environment, building age and condition, quality of maintenance, temperature, and colour, could affect student health, safety as well as a sense of self and psychological state. Policymakers should be concerned about the relationship between school Infrastructure facilities and student learning and achievement, not

ABDULLAHI ALI

Abdullahi Ali

Nigeria, having realized the effectiveness of education as a powerful instrument for national progress and development, adjusted her secondary school educational system to encompass diversified Infrastructure that improve in the achievements of Academic Performances of seconday Schools Students, However, the educational system does not seem to achieve its purpose as majority of secondary school leavers are not equipped with necessary skills to empower themselves. Consequently they cannot raise their socio-economic standard and therefore cannot contribute to nation building; hence, the need for this study.The broad aim of the study was to Examine the importance of infrastructure on the students academic performance, Examine the impact of poor infrastructure on the students academic performance, Ascertain the factors that hinders the students academic performance, And Examine the extent the Government effort to provide or put in place the school Infrastructure which affect Academic Performances of the secondary school students with a view to identifying the root cause of the problem. Following the objectives, five research questions were formulated. Adopting the descriptive survey research design. The research work adopted cognitive theory in Relationships to Academic Performances of Students, The research work was conducted in Billiri L.G.A Gombe metropolis, two thausand seven hundred and fifty nine Students were selected for the research. In choosing the student-subjects, random sampling technique is used adopting Sample Size Determination Using Krejci and Morgan Table. Data collected were subjected to appropriate quantitative and qualitative analyses using Descriptive statistics is used to summarize data collected using questionnaire, which was analyzed using mean method for each item of the questionnaire for easy interpretation, findings, The findings shoes that infrastructure plays a crucial role in students' academic performance in secondary schools. Poor infrastructure negatively impacts productivity, learner interest, and overall academic outcomes. Adequate availability of facilities, textbooks, classrooms, and instructional materials contributes to effective teaching and learning.

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Ukraine war latest: Russia takes 'strategically important' town - as it creeps towards major population centres

Russia claims to have taken control of the Donetsk town of Niu-York, calling it a strategically important logistics hub. It comes as civilians are fleeing the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk amid heightened attacks. Leave a question for our military analysts in the box below.

Tuesday 20 August 2024 18:40, UK

• Zelenskyy says situation in the east is 'difficult'
• Russia claims to have taken control of Donetsk town of Niu-York - and say it's strategically important
• Civilians flee Ukrainian city as Russian attacks intensify
• Firefighters in Ternopil grapple with blaze after strike
• Michael Clarke : Battle of bridges is about to begin
• Putin 'in a position he never dreamt of in his worst nightmares'  
• Your questions answered: What is Ukraine hoping to achieve with invasion of Russia?
• Live reporting by Kieren Williams 

Ask a question or make a comment

Later this week military analysts Sean Bell and Michael Clarke will answer your questions on Ukraine's invasion of the Russian region of Kursk - and the wider war.

What does the incursion mean for the conflict and, on the opposite side, how quickly is Russia advancing inside Ukraine?

Submit your question in the box at the top of this page.

That's all our live coverage on the war in Ukraine for now.

We will be back if there are any major developments this evening. 

If not, we'll be back tomorrow with all the latest updates.

Before we go, here's a reminder of today's key events:

• Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the situation in the east is 'difficult' as Ukraine warns Russia has redirected troops into the region to continue their advance there;
• Moscow claims to have taken the strategically important town of Niu-York as it attempts to continue across the region;
• While Ukraine is ceding ground to Russia in the east, it has an opportunity in Kursk to seize more territory, Sky News' military analyst Professor Michael Clarke has said;
• A fire continues to rage for a third day at a Russian oil depot hit by a Ukrainian drone attack;
• Meanwhile, firefighters in the Ukrainian city of Ternopil are also battling a fire after a fuel reservoir was hit;
• The US are insisting their policy on the use of American weapons in Russia has "not changed" - even in light of recent pressure from Mr Zelenskyy.

Ukraine is said to be making "marginal advances" in the Kursk region as fighting continues, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said.

We've brought you news on Ukraine's struggles in the east of Ukraine (see 14.35 post) but further north, Kyiv's incursion into Russia continues.

On 6 August, Ukraine threw a surprise counterpunch that saw their troops surge across the border into Russia.

Ukraine has previously claimed to have captured 1,250sq/km (480 square miles) and 92 settlements in Kursk, forcing tens of thousands to flee (see 12.53 post).

Today, Ukraine's army chief said that its forces had advanced 28-35km (17-21 miles) into Kursk.

But the US-based thinktank said that, while still making progress, Ukraine was no longer eating up Russian territory as fast as it once was.

Using geolocated footage from 19 August, Ukrainian forces were confirmed to be in Vishnevka, the ISW said, around 14km (8.5 miles) from the border.

The Russian defence ministry said that they had struck forces operating in that area - potentially tacitly acknowledging the progress Kyiv had made.

It is known that Ukraine has targeted bridges in the region, perhaps as an effort to stifle Russian attempts to counter their incursion.

But Kyiv's army chief said that Russia was moving troops from other directions to Kursk, to strengthen its positions there.

Even facing losses further east, Sky News' military analyst Professor Michael Clarke said there were still opportunities from Kyiv in Kursk nonetheless (see 12.39 post).

These pictures show Kyiv's forces on the frontline in the Donetsk region.

Russian forces have been advancing in recent days and threaten to seize key settlements, including Pokrovsk.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the situation in the east as "difficult".

Vladimir Putin's recent trip to Azerbaijan was an "effort to shift focus away" from Ukraine's Kursk attack, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said.

The Russian president recently spent two days in the country where he tried to present himself as an "effective diplomat", the research group said.

The content and presentation of the visit did not stray beyond the usual, but...

"The timing of this visit is noteworthy given the ongoing situation in Kursk Oblast and the Kremlin's continued efforts to downplay the Ukrainian incursion's magnitude and impact," ISW said.

They added: "Russian state media focused on Putin's trip to Azerbaijan, amplifying minute details, likely in part to divert attention from the uncomfortable situation in Russia by saturating the information space with a showcase of the Kremlin's global diplomatic engagement and alleged successes."

Away from the battlefield, Ukraine has passed a law paving the way to ban the Russia-linked minority Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in the country.

Kyiv has cast the UOC as complicit in the Kremlin's invasion.

They have accused it of aiding Moscow's 30-month assault by spreading pro-Russian propaganda and housing spies.

A new bill passed in parliament bans the Russian Orthodox Church and the government will assemble a list of "affiliated" groups who will face similar treatment.

Russian security services (FSB) have detained a scientist over suspected treason, according to reports.

A scientist in Moscow allegedly carried out suspected cyberattacks on behalf of Ukraine, Interfax news agency has said.

The distributed denial-of-service attacks were said to have been carried out on critical infrastructure on behalf of Ukrainian security services, it quoted the FSB as saying.

It was added that the scientist sent money to the Ukrainian military, as well as gathering information on Russian armed forces.

The suspect, the FSB claimed, had confessed, although it was not immediately clear when the arrest was made.

Russian media outlets published what they claimed was footage of the scientist's detention.

Footage also shows a man arrested in a snow-covered city, suggesting they had been detained some time ago.

 Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the situation in the east, near Toretsk, is "difficult", amid Russian advances in the region.

There have been 14 combat clashes reported in the Toretsk area and 34 in the Pokrovsk sector since the start of the day, Ukraine's general staff said.

Russia has sent more troops to Pokrovsk today, according to the Ukrainian army, to support the offensive there - seemingly in an effort to capitalise on momentum.

In our 13.37 post we mentioned that Russia had taken Niu-York, which is less than six miles (10km) from Toretsk, and this morning we reported on the evacuation of the nearby Pokrovsk (8.05am post).

Despite successes in its Kursk invasion, Kyiv has struggled in its east, losing ground to Russian forces.

"The Ukrainians have been under tremendous pressure [there] for several months, but it's becoming intolerable now at Toretsk - which is quite a small place but it's important because it's close to Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar," Sky News' military analyst Professor Michael Clarke said.

The latter, Prof Clarke said, is important because it is high ground that controls movement towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, and Pokrovsk is important because it is a transport hub and controls movements north and westwards.

Prof Clarke added: "They're struggling to maintain their hold on the area. 

"And that's the problem here... Kramatorsk and Sloviansk are the really important places, if Russia gets them, it gets the whole of the Donbas."

Russia has summoned a senior US diplomat to protest the presence of American journalists in Kursk.

Moscow has complained about the "provocative actions" of journalists in the region.

On 6 August, Ukraine launched an incursion into Russia, taking many by surprise.

Now, the Russian foreign ministry has said it told US Charge d'Affaires Stephanie Holmes that reporters had illegally crossed into the region too.

It added that Russia intended to prosecute them.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was recently freed in a historic prison swap - after being jailed on alleged espionage charges.

Russia has claimed to have taken control of the Donetsk town of Niu-York.

Moscow described the town as a strategically important logistics hub, in eastern Ukraine.

While Russia refers to Niu-York as Novgorodskoye - the Russian spelling of the settlement's Soviet-era name - Ukraine gave it back its original name in 2021.

In a statement, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have "liberated" the town.

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian military said that heavy fighting was under way in the Toretsk sector, including in Niu-York.

Sky News has not verified Russia's claims, but if true it would show Moscow is creeping ever closer to the larger population centres in the region.

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