How to Improve the Construction and Layout of Smart Classrooms for Teaching English

Abstract

The goal of this study is to ascertain the most important factors in effectively using smart classrooms. The Korean government has announced that it intends to build at least one smart classroom in every school by 2015. The Ministry of Education in Korea had built at least one English smart classroom already. Therefore, all the schools have smart English classrooms (technology based IT classroom). This study can also apply to the general design of smart classrooms for other subjects as well. To investigate this, we conducted a survey of 41 secondary school teachers and 144 high school students. Those students used the smart-classroom for English at least 2 in a week. These students used the classroom for learning communication skills primarily. The questionnaire consisted of fifteen questions covering such topics as: strong and weak points of the smart classroom, and the ways that can make teachers and students teach and learn English more effectively in a smart classroom. The data, which was measured with cross-tabs, the T-test and ANOVA, and frequency analysis using the statistical software, SPSS 12.0, showed that teachers and students are in agreement about the necessity of the smart classroom and agree on the need for more diverse teaching methods in the classroom. Teachers especially wanted more variation in smart classroom construction methods. As such, we conclude it is better to make 2 or 3 on low-budget smart classrooms with different designs if the school has over 24 classes. Based on the data analysis, more research should be followed about the possible designs for smart classrooms.