Building as Learning Aid

This educational infrastructure program transforms the architectural elements of schools into assets for playful learning resources.

The intervention increases the opportunities of learning through built environment resources, improving pupil and teacher motivation and engagement with the learning environment.

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Location India

Organisation VINYÃS Centre for Architectural Research & Design

Partner organisations

UNICEF

Beneficiary Students and caregivers

Scale of catchment Neighbourhood

Built environment component Educational infrastructure

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INTERVENTION DESIGN LEARNINGS

Spatial/physical

Ordinary elements of infrastructures (i.e. school buildings, windows, doors and stairs) can be given a second stimulation or educational purpose.

Visual/Aesthetic

An equilibrium between spaces being loaded with stimuli yet not oversaturated.

Technology

Low tech approach with low cost interventions on already existing educational infrastructures can achieve relevant impacts.

Process

Flexible open-ended design approach allows for easy replication in other schools and scaling up.

Implementation learnings

(1) Targeting the needs and demands of both students and teachers makes the same intervention design twice as effective.

(2) Piloting and later getting support from governments and international agencies can contribute to an effectively scale up process.

Source:

http://www.teacherplus.org/bala-%e2%80%93-its-roots-and-the-spread/

https://adirajan.wordpress.com/2016/10/29/building-as-a-learning-aid-bala-frugal-edtech/