FAST-NEPAL: Regionally Calibrated Spectral Method for Reinforced Concrete With Masonry Infills

Reinforced concrete (RC) with masonry infill is one of the most common structural typologies in Nepal, especially in the Kathmandu Valley. Masonry infills are typically made of solid clay bricks produced locally in Nepal. This study aims to calibrate the spectral-based analytical method, namely, FAST, for Nepalese RC-infilled buildings. The FAST method has been initially conceived for Southern European RC buildings with hollow clay brick infills. The calibration is achieved by reviewing code prescriptions and construction practices for RC masonry infills in Nepal and updating the FAST method. The variables of FAST method are calibrated using different information sources and a Bayesian updating procedure to consider the global and local material properties for solid clay bricks. The FAST-NEPAL method obtained is then verified, considering a single school design, for which a detailed state-of-the-art vulnerability assessment is available. Being particularly suitable for large-scale assessment, the method is further validated using data from Ward-35 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (in the vicinity of Tribhuvan International Airport) obtained from photographic documentation included in a geo-referenced database of buildings collected after the 2015 Nepal earthquake and prepared for census purposes. The comparisons show that the FAST-NEPAL method can be conservative relative to the other data sources for vulnerability and is more accurate at capturing low-level damage. This makes the approach suitable for large-scale preliminary assessment of vulnerability for prioritisation purposes.

Future-Proof Transformational School Design for the New Era

The ‘New Era' defined as post pandemic has opened up a conversation for more opportunities to transform school design in order to create a more functional, engaged democratic society premised on a social responsibility reflecting a multicultural, empowered workforce. This chapter is a product of the collaboration of a UK and a US educator looking at two case studies of secondary education and one higher education that serve as examples of success for transforming schools. Using Bolman and Deal's Four Frames for Organizational Design, the authors make the case for school designs that take into account diverse learner groups and diverse pathways leading to an educated and skilled workforce. A result from this analysis includes a specific, short list of components to consider for transforming schools.

Traffic noise attenuation solutions for naturally ventilated classrooms in South Africa

Traffic noise transmission through the open windows of naturally-ventilated classrooms can reduce speech intelligibility and can negatively impact academic performance. The findings of a numerical study are presented. Software was used to assess effective noise attenuation solutions for naturally-ventilated classrooms exposed to traffic noise. A typical situation in urban schools in Gauteng, South Africa, is considered in which classrooms are ventilated by large open windows in accordance with national building regulations and norms and standards for school design. The aim of the study was to establish a heuristic framework for early design decisions regarding how far from the road a classroom building should be set, and the effective height and position of a solid noise barrier to ensure a suitable ambient noise level inside a classroom with open windows. Efficacy was measured with reference to an indoor ambient sound level of 40 dBA. The findings show that with the insertion of barriers, the required ambient level was achieved for a classroom at least 68 m from the road, if the barrier is at least 3.5 m high. However, it was found that a significant insertion loss (>6 dB) and an improved signal to noise ratio could be achieved for classrooms as close as 17 m from the road with a barrier of at least 2 m high. Though not broadly generalizable, the findings provide a heuristic guide applicable for designing new schools or selecting attenuation interventions in existing city schools that are similar to those used in the study.

Designing an Inclusive School_ICIE conference Presentation_Mridul Chowdhury Konok

The Paper was presented in the International Conference on Inclusive Education, Dhaka, in 2013. The Researcher outlined the blue print of an Inclusive School that is accessible to all students regardless of their physical barriers. The school design was contemplated by the Researcher in the context of a developing country, which indicates that it is possible to build this school with all the described facilities with a small budget. Thus, making the school a cost saving one.

STEAM Course Development and Design based on Design Thinking: A Case Study on “Self-induction Demonstrator”

STEAM education is a new direction of education reform in the 21st century. It can cultivate students’ ability to creatively solve practical problems, integrate and apply interdisciplinary knowledge. It is an effective way to help students master the 21st century’s abilities. All countries spare no effort to let it be local Take root. The integration of design thinking and STEAM education provides a good opportunity for students' comprehensive and creative development. Therefore, we use the D. School design thinking model developed by Stanford University to develop a STEAM course based on design thinking to improve students' STEAM literacy and the skills and abilities that company needs for high-quality development. This STEAM course takes "Self-induction Demonstrator" as the project theme, including five steps: Empathize, Define, Ideal, Prototype, and Test. It aims to provide a reference paradigm for the design and implementation of the K-12 STEAM course, and promote the deep integration of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and art.

Learning Communities in the City: Social Constructivism, Spaces and Connections in the New Urban Primary School

<p>The main intention of the research is to develop a model for an inner city primary school building which is responsive to the urban context and reflects the educational theory of Social Constructivism. The underlying demand for an inner city primary school was identified as a result of a recent demographic shift which involves more families living in the centres of New Zealand’s cities. Schools are an important part of a city’s infrastructure, where quality schools can help to develop quality cities. There should be a close fit between current educational theory and contemporary school design. Social Constructivism views learning as the construction of knowledge through social interaction with peers, adults and the environment. The design case study proposes a vertical school that is capable of supporting strong links with the community through developing a ‘public living room’ alongside retail outlets. While the vertical nature of the school limits some contact it is possible to develop a ‘learning street’ and other meeting places within the school. The plan also provides flexible classroom spaces and workrooms to meet curriculum objectives. A variety of indoor and outdoor spaces can be provided but it is proposed that the children also access the city’s public open spaces and amenities. The city can be viewed as an extended classroom, as suggested in Strickland’s ‘City of Learning’ model. The site for the proposed school was selected to ensure easy access to amenities and resources. Overall the research suggests an inner-city primary school building is possible and even desirable for those living and working in the city.</p>

Learning Communities in the City: Social Constructivism, Spaces and Connections in the New Urban Primary School

<p>The main intention of the research is to develop a model for an inner city primary school building which is responsive to the urban context and reflects the educational theory of Social Constructivism. The underlying demand for an inner city primary school was identified as a result of a recent demographic shift which involves more families living in the centres of New Zealand’s cities. Schools are an important part of a city’s infrastructure, where quality schools can help to develop quality cities. There should be a close fit between current educational theory and contemporary school design. Social Constructivism views learning as the construction of knowledge through social interaction with peers, adults and the environment. The design case study proposes a vertical school that is capable of supporting strong links with the community through developing a ‘public living room’ alongside retail outlets. While the vertical nature of the school limits some contact it is possible to develop a ‘learning street’ and other meeting places within the school. The plan also provides flexible classroom spaces and workrooms to meet curriculum objectives. A variety of indoor and outdoor spaces can be provided but it is proposed that the children also access the city’s public open spaces and amenities. The city can be viewed as an extended classroom, as suggested in Strickland’s ‘City of Learning’ model. The site for the proposed school was selected to ensure easy access to amenities and resources. Overall the research suggests an inner-city primary school building is possible and even desirable for those living and working in the city.</p>

Biophilic Design Patterns for Primary Schools

Existing frameworks for biophilic design have similar strategies and attributes as useful checklists for designers; however, the focus has been on adults rather than children, and there remains the need for more guidance related to school design by extension. The application of biophilia would be a design resolution in schools because of its impact on children’s health and well-being, which has been more important since the pandemic started; however, it remains quite unexplored in school design in many countries, including the UK. Biophilic design patterns can be used in school buildings and grounds for greater connectivity between spaces and nature in order to promote children’s well-being. This paper focuses on ten biophilic design patterns under two categories of ‘nature in the space’ and ‘natural analogues.’ This study presents the findings of case studies in various countries. The analysis focuses on the manifestations of biophilia to inform the application of biophilic design patterns for primary schools. Finally, this paper suggests how primary school children could be involved in a co-design process in order to evaluate biophilic design patterns.

The High School Student Protagonism through a Research with the Projects Methodology

Background: Developing autonomy, the ability to solve problem situations, make decisions and act for the benefit of your social environment are modern life skills and can be developed in the school environment, along with mathematical content, and can be viable through the methodology of project projects, using active methodologies and the resources of digital technologies. Objectives: Discuss the Mathematics Curriculum or the work projects as a pedagogical proposition based on the development of three projects with the thematic Cryptography, Music, and Project launching applicable to the High School. Design: Qualitative research that sought to investigate work with projects in High School was used. Setting and Participants: Experiments developed with two classes of high school students in the Rio Grande do Sul state. Data collection and analysis: Data collection took place during the development of the project stages through students' written records and questionnaires. Results: It is considered that the Work Projects developed constituted a possibility to modify the role of the student and the teacher, allowing students to become active, participative, and committed to the development of their knowledge. Conclusions: It is understood that students, their learning and development must be the focus of the educational process. Therefore, the school curriculum must enable students to assume the role and responsibility for their learning.

Hygienic requirements for school buildings’ modern architectural and planning solutions

Introduction. In the last decade, it has become evident that the school is not ready to provide the material and technical capabilities for the modern educational process. The school design strategy is changing, but these innovations are hardly reflected in the research of hygienists. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the hygienic requirements for modern architectural and planning solutions of school buildings. Materials and methods. Expert-analytical research was carried out. The object of the study: documents regulating the sanitary and epidemiological wellbeing of the population, the development of school education infrastructure, documents and publications that reveal the prospects for designing schools. Results. Most functioning school buildings do not meet the requirements for modern school infrastructure. Fewer and fewer students report that they “really like school”, which negatively affects their academic performance and psychological wellbeing. The need for fundamental changes in the construction of school buildings is recorded in the National Educational Initiative “Our New School” (2010). The design decisions of school buildings should take into account the experience of quarantine measures that had to be faced in the context of the spread of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Hygienic requirements for modern architectural and planning solutions for school buildings are: taking into account climatic and geographical conditions; ensuring the psychological wellbeing of children, primarily due to the optimal number of classes and placement of educational premises for different age groups on separate floors, in blocks, buildings; convenient functional connections with the site; the possibility of transforming beliefs, protection from the effects of physical factors and the penetration of pollution from the environment, safe use of digital learning tools, optimal lighting and air-heat regime; sufficient area of educational premises for one student; optimal conditions for physical activity and physical education, regular healthy nutrition, meeting the needs of students in primary health care. Conclusion. Hygienic requirements for the spatial characteristics of school buildings should take into account the new risks to children’s health.