"A great deal of attention is focused on the aesthetics and design of the space with little (or no) attention directed to understanding its actual use,"Dr Byers said.
"Given the considerable amount of public money spent on school architecture,it is important that the focus is directed towards understanding how the facilities will be used,not just the aesthetics and design."
Dr Byers completed a PhD measuring how different school environments influenced teacher practice and student learning outcomes.
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Any evidence supporting the efficacy of new flexible,innovative and open-plan learning environments is limited,he said.
"The assumptions that these new flexible or innovative environments are somehow better than traditional classrooms are yet to be proven or disproven. As a result,many assumptions about the potential impact of different learning environments remains unchallenged.”
There has been a huge shift in recent years towards dynamic spaces in schools - not just open areas,but malleable ones,enabling for collaboration between teachers. New public schools such as Lindfield Learning Village and Inner Sydney High have highlighted their innovative design.