IEQ Know It, Improve It

Issue

As the Covid-19 pandemic showed us, the entire school community – educators, leaders, operations staff, parents – are interested in school indoor air quality. However, many have limited knowledge of the implications of poor environmental quality for student well being and learning, and of the actions available at the individual, school, and community levels. 

Communications Solutions

This research project will develop a communication campaign for Boston Public Schools (BPS), tailored to teachers. We will design useful and accessible informational materials co-designed through a series of workshops that will bring together teachers, environmental health researchers, communication specialists, and graphic designers. The goal of the campaign is to increase awareness of the impact indoor environmental quality has on student health and learning. A second goal is to increase teacher knowledge of local and other resources that improve classroom environmental conditions, such as real-time indoor environmental data, air purifier units, and actions in the Boston Public Schools Indoor Air Quality Management Plan. Led by Dr. Pilar Botana, funded by a University-Community Partnership Research Award from Wheelock College of Education at Boston University.