2: Leveraging Student Voice to Inform Learning Environment Design: A Case Study of the Middle School at Singapore American School

Students have a unique perspective on how learning space design impacts their school experience (Cook-Sather, 2006). As a result, schools need to be intentional about capturing student voice and feedback throughout the design process. For learning environments to be responsive to the needs of students, schools must enact an inclusive, inquiry-based approach to design.

In this chapter, the authors describe the role that student voice played in an inquiry-driven, iterative process of designing and implementing innovative learning environments in the Middle School at Singapore American School. Through sharing three concrete examples of different data collection methodologies and the changes that emerged as a result of the feedback, the authors outline the power of intentionally centering student voice and experience in designing learning environments. School leaders will learn practical tools to use and a roadmap to follow to create a more inclusive, responsive process of learning environment design, whether engaging in small-scale renovations or planning a whole school. While this chapter focuses on applying this inquiry cycle to learning environments, the process described can equally be used to center student voice in other school change initiatives.