A Systematic Literature Review of Design Considerations, Challenges and Guidelines in Primary School Physical Learning Space Design

Many countries are keen to enhance existing learning spaces beyond the status quo, as non-traditional learning spaces can be leveraged to cultivate talent and ability in the 21st century. Recently, many primary schools have begun to practice planning and constructing non-traditional learning. This review highlights the available evidence on the considerations, challenges, and existing learning space design guidelines based on primary-school research conducted from 2000 to January 2024. The Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases are intensively searched for research conducted in primary school settings in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The finding shows optimism regarding non-traditional learning spaces fostering more flexible, innovative, and open learning environments that support and assist student-centred pedagogical approaches, and it summarises the three results from the seven aspects. The primary considerations are physical space and pedagogical organisational design, challenges from users and designers and current research and guidelines for users and designers. Based on the three study results, this research proposes suggestions for physical learning spaces. There is an urgent need to design guidelines to promote primary school learning efficiency and create an environment that students and teachers like.