Using colors on the educational materials has played a crucial role in capturing the attention of the learners and creating various emotional reactions.
The goal of this article is to determine the effects of color on learning and behavior. According to scientific evidence, colors can have a direct impact on our attentiveness and motivation.
The right color that you will choose in the learning area will depend whether the room should evoke a peaceful or an active ambiance.
Table of Contents
Understanding the Effects of Color on Learning and Behavior
Experts have discovered that there is a connection between colors and the development of the brain of kids. Due to this fact, it is necessary to support the learning of attention of the kids by introducing the right colors. Colors should not be used for ornamental purposes only.
Ways to Introduce Colors on Learning Environment
Colors can affect the mood and attention of individuals. For instance, it was proven that pink can reduce aggressive behavior thus it has been used on the walls of the prison to reduce violence.
There are also some studies that state that color can be a powerful tool that protects eyesight. It can also support mental and physical health and our working environment. When using the colors in learning environment, there are simple ways to achieve it.
Avoiding Bright Colors
Classroom can be used for a variety of purposes. However, the main goal of the students is to learn what is being taught. Therefore, you need to look for a color that can maximize the retention of the information and encourage the students to participate.
The perfect way to achieve the goal is to avoid colors that may overwhelm the learners. Adding a lot of bright colors like yellow, red, and orange, would be too much for them. Green and blue would be the better option. They are associated with happiness, comfort, and calmness.
Furniture and Walls
If your sets of furniture are colorful, your walls should be coated with a neutral shade. It is common to see colorful furniture on a kindergarten setting. You should consider using yellow as a uniformed color since the color will not put too much strain in the eye of the kids.
Capturing the Attention of the Students
Yellow and red would be helpful in drawing the interest of the kids to a particular detail. If the chairs, tables, and desks do not have a bright shade, instead of using bright colors on the walls, you may hang learning materials on the walls that have bright colors. Your walls should still be coated with beige, blue, or green.
Keep Away from Monotonous Colors
Monotonous and single colors will have a negative effect on the learning capacity of the kids. In a study that involves gorilla, they realized that those who were kept in the area that is surrounded with white walls have stopped communicating and become introverted. Supplemental studies showed that humans will also experience the same effect.
Using Colors on Libraries
Our library has similarity with our classroom in a range of ways. They are the extension of our learning area. The color that you should use in your libraries should align the student’s behavior and emotions.
For the reading area, try to choose a color that is meant to calm them. For the lounging and conversing area of the library, the color needs to provide a higher level of excitement.
How Color Affects the Learning Behavior of Students
During our younger years, we tend to relate colors on our developing memory. For instance, we know that a green mango is not ripe.
By understanding the spectrum of colors, we will be able to identify the colors and its effect. If you are an educator, you can help motivate your students by using colors in efficient manners.
Colors Can Help Kids Understand Direction
The average kids will learn to recognize and match the colors once they reach 2.5-3 years old. Separating different areas in the school by using colors can help the children improve their skills to recognize colors.
Apart from this, they can also help them understand direction and identify space based on their colors. For instance, you can instruct the kids that a space with yellow walls are specifically intended for the preschoolers.
Colors and the Memory
Memory is divided into three types; long-term, short-term, and sensory memory. Once the information has been processed by our sensory memory, it will simply analyze the sensory and physical characteristic before it will be passed to our short-term memory.
Upon further analysis, the information will then be sent to long-term memory. Attention is necessary when our mind is scanning the details; and colors can help us increase our level of attentiveness.
The amount of information that will be processed by our short-term and long-term memory will improve that enhances the probability of retaining the information.
Colors can have a direct impact on our recall. For instance, using blue paint on the walls of the classroom can improve the probability that the information conveyed to the learners will be remembered.
Audience that are exposed on the blue background has a higher information recall compared to the students introduced in a room with yellow walls.
Colors Can Ease Our Mind and Eyes
Blinking your eyes continuously and iris enlargement are signs of eye strain. When our eyes are tired, this can reduce our capacity to focus on the object. This will make it difficult to identify the differences between two tiny objects.
Choosing colors that will comfort the tired eyes of the students will enable them to focus their attention on the object.
According to studies, you should never opt for a dark color on the walls that the students will usually stare. This has also been proven to stimulate the mind of the students that will improve their learning ability.
In addition, this method can also be effective on teachers. By protecting the mind and the eyes of the teachers, we can guarantee the development of the learning skills, and attention of the kids.
With the positive energy that is being stimulated by these colors, we can ensure that the teachers and students will remain efficient during class hours.
Colors Can Invite Attention
Colors are essential in enhancing the performance of our memory. By using colors to emphasize a work or an object, you will be able to improve the attention span of each student.
It has also been proven to reduce the redundancy and boredom inside the classroom. However, excessive use of certain color will not be inspiring but can instead over-stimulate.
Warm colors can grab attention, but careless use of colors can overwhelm your students. The cooler colors on the other hand can improve the concentration and thinking of the learners.
Special Needs
Colors will have different impact towards kids. There are kids that have poor vision and there are those that are quite sensitive with colors.
Kids with the ASD condition (Autism Spectrum Disorder) can experience stress and anxiety when exposed to patterns and colors. When choosing colors, understand that it will affect the behavior of kids with special needs.
It is important that you develop a warm and comfortable environment for them. You should also try to control the level of stimulation due to their over sensitivity towards sensory stimulation.
Different Colors and How It Can Affect the Student’s Learning Ability
In this section, we will discuss how the different colors can affect the memory and the learning ability of the kids.
Orange
A lot of learning institutions will utilize orange since it can improve the memory and critical thinking. If the test rooms are covered with orange walls, it can enhance the student’s performance during exams.
Purple
This is the best color for kids since this grabs the attention of the students.
Pink
If you want to keep the place calm, pink is an ideal color. It can also reduce the heart rate with its relaxing effect.
Green
This is the color of nature and abundance. It will not only keep the ambiance relaxed but it can also enhance the health of the kids.
Yellow
It represents the sunshine and the happiness of the kids. Yellow can stimulate the wisdom of the kids and can be ideal in introducing on playroom, study room, and kid’s room. However, you should be cautious in using too much yellow since it can overwhelm the kids.
Red
This color represents passion, and powerful emotions such as love, threat and excessive stimulus. When introducing this on the school rooms, this should be combined with other colors to avoid the children from feeling stressed.
Blue
The blue can help in promoting a relaxing and cool environment and it also facilitates creativity. You need to keep the blue colors in check since it can also promote sorrow and depression if used excessively.
Brown
It offers a sense of safety and security that allows the students to focus more on their learning. It even has the power to eliminate stress and fatigue.
Off-White
This color invites positive energy that encourages the kids to maintain their attention.
Conclusion
Using the effects of color on learning and behavior can be treated as an interactive process. It should also be implemented frequently inside the class.
Nonetheless, you should still blend colors in a strategic manner. Too many colors can create a place of confusion and chaos. When properly used, colors can provide benefits not only to the students but also to the teachers.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article !
