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The aim of this study is to understand the effect of class configurations in an active learning classroom (ALC) on students' self-perception of experiences and learning outcomes, namely participation, performance, motivation and creativity.

A self-administered survey (N = 131) was conducted in seven classes from the varied disciplines of communication, interior design and architecture. During the first half of the semester, all selected courses were conducted in traditional classrooms, whereas those in the second half were conducted in an ALC. ALC was designed to be used with several furniture configurations which could be easily set up by members of the learning community themselves. The survey was conducted at the end of semester before final exams, when students have a clear idea of the experiences in both the traditional and the new (ALC) classrooms, having spent equal time in each of these learning environments.

The main finding of the study is that students were eager to have future classes in the ALC rather than in traditional settings since the students experienced better learning outcomes in the ALC. During the second half of the semester, students who were in classes conducted following active learning (AL) pedagogies, with its supportive spatial configurations, were more aware of the learning outcomes facilitated by the physical environment. Further, the authors found that the increase in the number of furniture configurations has a statistically significant positive impact on learning outcomes.

AL pedagogy is often studied as a way of teaching and rarely with its associated classroom environments. In most of the existing studies, the configuration of furniture has often been overlooked within an AL environment by a learning community. This study fills the gap in emphasising the spatial aspects of the ALC by focusing on the specific pedagogy being followed.

The aim of this study is to understand classroom settings desired by high school students and teachers in an active learning classroom. The research question is whether students and teachers will differ from each other when designing an active learning classroom.

In an effort to design a learning environment for an advanced placement programme, action research methodology was followed by conducting a participatory workshop in a real active learning classroom with future users. Working in isolation from one another, students and teachers designed their own classrooms by forming different learning centres. During the study, two groups, made up of ten high school students and seven teachers, respectively, were asked to arrange the furniture in an active learning classroom. The groups were free to form as many furniture arrangement configurations as they wished and were asked to write about their workshop experiences afterwards. Once they had completed both tasks, their plan layouts were examined.

All of the plan layouts were found to fall into one of three categories: a traditional layout, a small group layout or a single large group layout. The written texts were also analysed, which revealed different perspectives of each participating group. As students and teachers explore different learning opportunities, they appear to be driven by different kinds of experiences when they endeavour to organize their classrooms.

Never before has an active learning classroom been the site for a participatory furniture arrangement workshop that employs teachers and students.

This study investigates the relationships between the built environments of learning commons and user productivity, such as collaborative and individual work productivity and overall environmental satisfaction.

A case study was conducted in a learning commons building at a higher education campus in the USA. The data collection and analysis were conducted with the survey responses of satisfaction with indoor environments and perceived productivity as well as the objective indoor environmental quality (IEQ) measurements. Statistical analysis was performed, including descriptive analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), regression analysis and ANOVA test.

The study presents that satisfaction with noise level is positively associated with individual productivity. The results imply that the spatial properties of open-plan commons, such as visibility and accessibility, are associated with space users' interactions and collaborative productivity. Overall satisfaction is in a positive relationship with lighting satisfaction, study supporting artifacts and furniture configuration. The results of this study reveal the importance of meeting the standards in IEQ factors on individual productivity and the spatial features preferred by space users that facilitate tasks and activities.

The mixed-method approach, including subjective and objective data collection of IEQ, is rarely utilized to show the relationships with perceived productivity. This study investigates a unique building design feature such as step seats in relation to space use and perceived productivity. The findings inform library leadership about environmental characteristics related to the user experience in learning commons, a new format of academic libraries.

Safari and travel outfitters know that, while appropriate and high quality gear is essential, it is merely a tool to facilitate the primary goal – a great adventure. Similarly, in outfitting the Lied Library Collaborative Learning Center (CLC), we chose appropriate and high quality technologies, furniture, and equipment to facilitate the primary goal of enhancing learning. In particular we wanted to build in opportunities for increased flexibility, interactivity and collaboration. This article details the rationale and processes that shaped the development of the CLC and shares our initial reactions to the resulting environment.

THE WIDE RANGE AND HIGH STANDARD OF ENTRANTS FOR THESE AWARDS GIVE INDICATIONS OF TRENDS IN OFFICE DESIGN AND PERCEPTIONS OF REQUIREMENTS BY USERS. CONCENTRATING ON USABILITY, THEY REFLECT PARTICULARLY ON FACILITIES MANAGEMENT.

Innovative workplace solutions have been known as “workplace of the future”or “alternative fficing.” Today these concepts are being adopted by a cadre of forward‐thinking companies of all sizes, across industries. These companies have begun to tailor their workplace to meet their particular needs. They are seeking ways to use their investments in space and technology to enable rather than inhibit progress toward their objectives. While still far from being universally embraced, these changes in workplace conceptualization and implementation are worth a closer look. This paper identifies key trends, discusses the forces driving them, debunks some myths that have arisen, outlines the potential benefits of these approaches, and discusses the need for an integrated approach to achieve successful implementation. Several examples are provided to demonstrate the appeal of workplace strategy across industries and suggest lessons that can be applied by the reader to their own unique situations. Primary workplace research conducted by the author as well as her corporate and consulting experience informs the points made throughout this article.

In the premium price range, retailer collaboration and showroom decoration as well as information dissemination play an important role in the consumer sector, particularly in furniture sales. The purpose of this research is to report findings from Swedish wholesaler and its process to improve sales of order driven furniture business.

A large case study including 26 companies follows in longitudinal manner the retailers' contribution to value creation based on a value gaps model. Both qualitative and quantitative data are used. Approach was chosen as wholesaler needed to change its business strategy due to high competition.

Innovative products may lose consumer perceived value, if information of the product is distorted by the retailers. It is of course so that the number of display pieces in retailer outlets play important role, but actually the way these are presented is most critical. Only one retailer in this study followed wholesaler's guidance, but again this retailer was able to show best sales. In turn, some retailers performed much lower than expected, as they were not interested from new sales concept implemented due to strategy change at wholesaler.

The service quality gaps model has been adjusted and is presented as a value gaps model that may be used to understand, how value creation is not limited to a single company in a supply chain. However, the authors would like to emphasize that the observations are not necessarily enough as only one wholesale company and its retailer network in Sweden was followed.

The common practice for wholesalers to focus on display pieces is not sufficient. The retailers' ability to contribute to value creation needs to be considered, and this starts from collaboration at showroom level. This particularly concerns items in other than low cost product groups.

The research introduces information distortion as a concept to understand, how consumer perceived value might be reduced by value gaps in a supply chain. Research is also unique in a way that it reports business strategy in other than low end segment (lowest costs), but still wholesaler procures products from Asia (China), and develops models in Sweden.

The purpose of this paper is to assist a manufacturing firm in designing the closed-loop supply chain network under risks that are affecting its supply quality and logistics operations. The modeling approach adopted aims at the embedding supply chain risks in a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) network design process and suggests optimal supply chain configuration and risk mitigation strategies.

The method proposes a closed-loop supply chain network and identifies the network parameter and variables required for closing the loop. Mixed-integer-linear-programming-based mathematical modeling approach is used to formulate the research problem. The solutions and test results are obtained from CPLEX solver.

The outcomes of the proposed model were demonstrated through a case study conducted in an Indian hospital furniture manufacturing firm. The modern supply chain is mapped to make it closed loop, and potential risks in its supply chain are identified. The supply chain network of the firm is redesigned through embedding risk in the modeling process. It was found that companies can be in great profit if they follow closed-loop practices and simultaneously keep a check on risks as well. The cost of making the supply chain risk averse was found to be insignificant.

Although the study was conducted in a practical case situation, the obtained results are not indiscriminate to the other circumstances. However, the approach followed and proposed methodology can be applied to many industries once a firm decides to redesign its supply chain for closing its loop or model under risks.

By using the identified CLSC parameters and applying the proposed network design methodology, a firm can design/redesign their supply chain network to counter the risk and accordingly come up with planned mitigation strategies to achieve a certain degree of robustness.

Academic libraries that are replacing the traditional card catalog with the online public access catalog (OPAC) are faced with a number of complex and difficult decisions regarding the shape and design of the OPAC workstation. This article provides guidelines and recommendations for an OPAC workstation that will support the terminal, printer, and other peripherals. Emphasis is placed on the library's commitment to flexibility when designing a workstation that will serve the needs of users for several years.