Abstract

The thesis work aims at improving the learning environments of the Kindergarten classrooms in the United States by taking inspiration from a very simple and popular play element namely the ‘blocks’. The classroom environments and learning methods have not seen a significant change since the time of the Industrial Revolution. The essence of school education remains the same, which is expected to be a closed classroom, conventional furniture and the teacher determining the learning activities. With the changing times, as new studies on multiple styles of learning and brain functions emerge, there is a need to customize education and cater to every individual’s need as everyone learns differently.

Classroom learning is heavily dependent on the furniture being used, and if the furniture is big and bulky, the teachers and students become restricted in their movement, which also confines learning. The thesis aims at reversing this effect. Rather than furniture dictating the classroom education, the thesis looks at making the furniture flexible enough to accommodate all kinds of activities and support multiple learning styles. Furniture integrated with play blocks makes the environment playful, exciting, provides for flexible learning and free movement; and in the process, accommodate different learning styles.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Kindergarten facilities--Design; Schools--Furniture, equipment, etc.--Design; Blocks (Toys)

Publication Date

9-22-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Industrial Design (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

School of Design (CIAS)

Advisor

Alex Lobos

Advisor/Committee Member

Stan Rickel

Advisor/Committee Member

Susan Northup

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

IDDE-MFA

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