I've been tasked to submit a wish list for some new training room (or rooms) that my company are building. They will be built in a completely new building so I have the chance to influence the layout and contents of the room(s). So things like the layout of the room(s), size of the room, desk layout, audio visual equipment, even down to the color of the walls.

The majority of the training that will take place in there will be on either software or on mechanical equipment that will be no more than 6 feet tall by 4 feet wide. The average class size is 12 to 14 but occasionally we do get up to 20.

The students could be from just about any country in the world, but recently we have been receiving a lot of students from China and Muslim countries.

So any ideas regarding best practice, what you guys have seen that you think would be good in a training room, what have you used yourself as trainers that you found to be very beneficial, any cultural needs that you think are important for students from different parts of the world.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Nagger:

One of the best references on classroom design may be found in the Handbook of Research for Educational Communications and Technology, David H, Jonassen Editor.
See chapter 36, Ergonomics and the Learning Environment by G.F. McVery.

You can find it on Amazom.com. IMHO, it is worth the investment.

Good Luck!

Cj

Usual disclaimer. I am not affiliated with the authors, the editor or Amazon.