Can variations in the strength and colour of light enhance the concentration, behaviour, comfort and motivation of primary-school children? Philips teamed up with the University of Twente to explore ways in which lighting can contribute to learning processes in primary schools. The project consisted of two parts: a field experiment and an experimental laboratory study. The results indicated that pupils who were exposed to the SchoolVision light system scored, on average, eighteen percent higher in concentration tests, were more motivated in the longer term, and were more appreciative of their learning environment in the long and short term.
The first part of the project, the field experiment, was held in Wintelre, near Eindhoven, where the SchoolVision light system was installed in groups 6 and 8 at Disselboom primary school in November 2009. A second primary school in the neighbourhood (De Rank in Veldhoven), which had no SchoolVision, served as a control school. A total of 98 pupils from four groups in the two schools took part in the project. For a nine-month period (from December 2009 till September 2010) they all sat concentration tests and filled in questionnaires.
The second part of the research, an experimental laboratory study, was conducted at the University of Twente, where SchoolVision was installed in a mock classroom. Over one hundred schoolchildren (n = 114) from eight schools in the region of Enschede were invited to participate in the experiment at the university. These pupils also sat concentration tests and filled in questionnaires. This made it possible to find out the effects of the individual light scenes in a laboratory setting (without windows or other 'distractions').
The aim of the project was to gain more insight into the under-researched relationship between light and learning. The research question was: 'Can variations in the strength and colour of light enhance the concentration, behaviour, comfort and motivation of primary-school children?
Conclusions
The results of the field experiment from December 2009 till September 2010 led to the following conclusions:
•Children with SchoolVision score, on average,18 % higher in concentration tests.
•Children with SchoolVision are more motivated in the longer term.
•Children with SchoolVision appreciate their learning environment more in the long and short term.
The results of the experimental laboratory study led to the following conclusions:
•SchoolVision influences the enthusiasm of children: pupils felt more alert in the 'Rest' and 'Energy' settings than the 'Concentration' setting.
•SchoolVision influences the capacity for cooperative learning: children solved a group puzzle faster in the 'Rest' setting than in the 'Standard' setting.
•SchoolVision influences communication among children: in the 'Energy' setting children talked 95% more with each other when solving the puzzles than in the 'Standard' setting.
The final results of the project correspond with the experience of the school managers. Jane van der Heijden, head teacher at Disselboom primary school in Wintelre: "During the past school year our initial impression that the light system enhances comfort and well-being was confirmed. The children are wildly enthusiastic about the system and its support for the classroom routine. They ask for it. The lighting also appears to have a positive effect on the teachers; it makes for a pleasanter working environment."
How does the light system work?
SchoolVision is an innovative light system in which the strength and colour temperature of the light (warm or cold) can be adjusted. The settings for the different light moods are pre-programmed and can be regulated by a button on the control panel. There are four settings to choose from: 'Energy', 'Rest', 'Standard' and 'Concentration'. 'Energy' is equivalent to the light on a clear, cloudless summer day at around noon and 'Rest' is equivalent to a gentle evening sun in summer.
