From physical comfort and a sense of safety to ease of collaboration, many factors create a positive learning environment in the classroom. If any of these needs aren’t met, it could be detrimental to student learning. Luckily, there are window film and surface refinishing solutions that can address these factors and create a space where students can focus on what matters most: furthering their education. 

What Creates a Positive Learning Environment?

A Sense of Safety

Unfortunately, our country is all too familiar with the importance of school safety, given the tragic school shootings of the past several decades. Students attend school to learn and socialize with their peers, yet many are concerned about whether they could be entering a life-threatening situation when they walk through the school doors. 

A Solution: Safety & Security Window Film

Windows are the most vulnerable point of a building’s envelope, making your space easily accessible to unwanted intruders. 3M Safety and Security Window Film adds a layer of protection to glass windows and doors. A window without safety and security window film would simply break when struck, allowing intruders to enter quickly and with ease. However, 3M Safety and Security Window Film is specifically designed to stretch rather than tear. If the glass is shattered, 3M Safety and Security Film will help hold it in place, forming a protective barrier. This enhanced protection can not only buy extra time to react in the event of an emergency by slowing the intruder’s ability to gain entry, but it can also protect those inside from flying shards of glass. 

Physical Comfort

Maintaining focus while sitting at a desk for the whole day is difficult as it is. When you throw bothersome glare and uncomfortable temperatures into the mix, students’ ability to focus on learning can diminish further. While windows in the classroom welcome natural lighting and views of the outdoors, they also come with overwhelming brightness and heat. There’s nothing more frustrating than when the sun casts glare across technology screens or the board, making it difficult for students and teachers to see comfortably. 

Not to mention, on a warm, sunny day, the sunlight through windows can heat interiors, causing occupant discomfort. While curtains and blinds are an option, these solutions eliminate natural light, which can drastically impact student wellbeing and success. A study conducted by the Heschong Mahone Group found that students who received high levels of natural light in the classroom achieved test scores 18% higher than those who received minimal natural light. As a result, the troubling decision to either eliminate natural light or bothersome glare seems to be a lose-lose situation — until now.

A Solution: Sun Control Window Film

3M Sun Control Window Film allows you to welcome natural light into the classroom without the irritating side effects like glare and uncomfortable temperatures. Window film rejects up to 99% of ultraviolet rays and up to 97% of infrared heat (900-1,000nm), leading to increased protection against fading and improved energy efficiency. Not to mention, 3M Sun Control Window Film can reduce glare and enhance indoor comfort, allowing you to let in the light without the side effects that can disrupt the students’ ability to focus. 

Aesthetically Pleasing Interiors

When our surroundings are outdated, damaged, or visually unappealing, it can be hard to get in the mindset to study, learn, or focus. White cement walls, chipped tile floors, and an overall lack of colors and creativity can contribute to a dull, uninspiring environment. Having a beautifully decorated classroom creates a more welcoming learning environment for students, potentially boosting their engagement and desire to be at school. While renovating and remodeling isn’t always an option due to the cost and level of disruption it requires, there is a simple, cost-effective solution that helps to update and improve interiors.

A Solution: 3M DI-NOC Architectural Finishes

3M DI-NOC Architectural Finishes can refresh and renew outdated or unattractive surfaces, completely transforming them to mimic different materials. From dark and light wood to sleek metal, 3M DI-NOC Architectural Finishes modernize surfaces and boost interior aesthetics at a fraction of the cost of renovating and remodeling. Not to mention, these finishes can be applied to virtually any non-porous surface, allowing for endless design options. 

The Ability to Collaborate

Collaboration in the classroom can create a positive, interactive learning experience for students of all ages. Research shows that collaborative learning can help develop higher-thinking skills, improve understanding of differing perspectives, and increase student retention and responsibility. With this in mind, having students write directly onto surfaces like whiteboards can increase student engagement and foster collaboration. 

A Solution: 3M Post-It Flex Write Surface

Take collaboration to the next level with 3M Post-It Flex Write Surface. This adhesive film can transform existing whiteboards, desks, tables, and walls into a fresh whiteboard surface, allowing for collaboration throughout the classroom. One of the downsides of traditional whiteboards is this common mistake: writing on the surface with a permanent marker, causing irreversible damage. With 3M Post-It Flex Write Surface, you can write with a permanent marker without the fear of damage. Simply wipe off the surface with a damp cloth! The use of the 3M Post-It Flex Write Surface allows students to collaborate with ease, improving their overall learning environment and outcomes.

3M Window Film & Surface Refinishing products enhance the classroom environment, allowing students to feel safe, comfortable, inspired, and connected. Find your local 3M Authorized Window Film Dealer to begin implementing the changes required to equip students for success.