Index of Innovative Learning Environments (Index of ILE) is the name of an efficient autodidactical tool, that helps teacher teams to improve the spatial use of their learning environment by themselves. A set of materials is developed to guide schools through a process of spatial development.
The tool can also be used for existing schoolbuildings that are in many places capable of being renovated. So far there are no binding indicators to assess the quality or suitability of the premises for learning and teaching. Thus, to assess the quality of classrooms on the basis of objective and subjective perception of the users the reflection process encourages pedagogical, planning and building experts to develop the classrooms not only in the direction of quantitative (size, light, acoustics), but also in the direction of a quantitative analysis (multifunctionality, flexibility, atmosphere etc.) as well as on the basis of pedagogical-social criteria working and social conditions (social forms, cooperative learning etc.).
Schools can use the Index of ILE material freely to adopt a selfreview approach to analyse their spatial cultures, organisation and practices; also barriers of flexibility that may occur within each of these areas will be identified. Schools decide their own priorities for change and to evaluate their progress in their own time.
By using the learning dimensions „formal, informal and nonformal learning“- different aspect of school culture and school life e.g. experiencing community, healthy movement, creative use of multi-functionality, inclusion etc. will be in focus under spatial-pedagogical efficiency and creativity.