FIGURE 6-2 Laboratory classroom set up for small-group investigations at central benches and individual activities at side benches.

SOURCE: Lidsky (2004).

ogy Education Association members, who taught drafting, technology education, and manufacturing courses, just under half taught in a combined laboratory-classroom and one-quarter taught in a combined laboratory–production classroom (LabPlan, 2004).

Because laboratories require space for student activities, shared teacher planning, teacher demonstrations, student discussions, and safe storage of chemicals, along with specialized furnishings (e.g., sinks, benches) and utilities (e.g., water, gas), they are more expensive to build and maintain than other types of school space. One recent guide to school science facilities indicates that “laboratory space is approximately twice as expensive to build