Helping to make a good and healthy school

 Germany, German

The design and furnishing of classrooms are important factors for successful learning and teaching and therefore also for the safety and health of schoolchildren and teaching staff. The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) and its member institutions support the concept of the „good and healthy school“. In close co-operation with the responsible German Social Accident Insurance Institutions for the public sector, two model classrooms, one in a secondary school in North Rhine-Westphalia, the other in a primary school in Saxony, were therefore each optimized with regard to the ergonomic aspects of room climate and room air quality, acoustics, lighting and colour, furniture and flooring. A detailed evaluation was performed, comprising measurements prior to and following implementation of the redesign measures and surveys of the schoolchildren and the teachers. The evaluation showed that the ergonomic design of the classrooms was able to improve the working and learning conditions. Ergonomic design therefore constitutes an essential element of a classroom that is conducive to learning and to good health. This element should be given the greatest possible consideration during the planning and construction of new school buildings and the redevelopment of older buildings.

Level of Education: School

Lead Organisation: DGUV

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