Air-Conditioned Classrooms - A Perfect Choice for Students?

Environmental factors may have a significant impact on students of all ages when it comes to learning. Having air conditioners in classrooms is a very controversial topic. While some people are in favour of having air conditioning classrooms, many people are against it as well. Since we didn't have an air conditioner in our schools, but was fortunate enough to have air conditioning classes in our university, we can confidently say that it has a huge impact on the learning process. It helps students concentrate more on what is going on in the classroom. This is because the brain focuses less on cooling the body down and more on understanding the new concepts that are explained.

The temperature of an educational environment directly impacts students’ capacity to concentrate, absorb and retain information. Students tend to be less cooperative in situations where it is really hot and when there is no air conditioning available, especially during summers. It makes them grouchier, less attentive and also causes them distractions by the heat and other related factors. In situations like these students get easily distracted as well as become listless.

High humidity is frequently associated with high temperatures. Students may become tired and sleepy when the humidity level rises. In hot and humid conditions, the focus and concentration tend to be lower. When the students are exposed to hot temperatures, it can affect their focus as well as their problem-solving, social, and other skills and apart from that, it can also develop a lack of motivation and interest towards the tasks assigned. It is necessary for learning to take place in a pleasant classroom atmosphere.

In a cool classroom environment, teachers can focus more on complex topics, and students will be able to understand the concepts in more depth. It is also due to the fact that the teacher is more relaxed as well; they may explain topics and concepts more clearly in a comfortable and cooling environment. Both the teachers and students will be more comfortable on the whole and there will be fewer disruptions and distractions during sessions.

Hot temperatures can create health problems such as heat strokes, headaches or severe dehydration which can lead to students missing out on their valuable class times. This is the reason why many schools and colleges have already implemented air conditioners in classrooms and in certain common areas.

While studying at XIM University, we have never really faced this problem. Air conditioners are available in all classrooms, laboratories, library, studios which was also a great relief for all of us, especially during the summer season. The presence of an air conditioner made it much easier for us to deal with the heat and that is why we personally believe that it is a necessity for students. It should be available and utilized at least during the summers and in situations where it is difficult for students to learn to the best of their abilities. Air conditioning systems are especially essential in rural and regional schools, colleges and universities because they allow teachers to deliver more important and difficult lessons during the hottest period of the day, which was previously a challenge.