Creating Inclusive Spaces Through Biophilic Classroom Design: A Phenomenological Exploration of Filipino Kindergarten and Special Education Teachers’ Experiences in Thailand

Authors

  • Manuel Gaper University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64358/sih.v2i1.62

Keywords:

Biophilic classroom design, inclusive education , Filipino teachers , phenomenology, GAPER Framework, multicultural classrooms

Abstract

This study explores how Filipino kindergarten and special education teachers in Thailand construct inclusive classroom environments through biophilic design. Anchored in phenomenology, the research examines teachers’ lived experiences in integrating natural elements such as light, plants, and spatial aesthetics into pedagogical practice. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis involving eight co-participants. Using reflexive thematic analysis, five core dimensions emerged: grounding in biophilic inclusivity, adaptive cultural integration, practical resourcefulness and teacher agency, engaged collaboration and community synergy, and responsive flexibility in pedagogy. These dimensions were synthesized into the GAPER Framework, a contextually grounded model of inclusive and aesthetic classroom practice. Findings reveal that biophilic design extends beyond visual enhancement, functioning as a medium for emotional regulation, cultural belonging, and inclusive engagement. Teachers demonstrated resilience and creativity in navigating structural constraints, emphasizing the role of agency and cultural negotiation in shaping learning environments. The study contributes to inclusive education discourse by foregrounding teacher experiences in transnational contexts and proposing a framework adaptable to multicultural educational settings.

References

Cerna, L., Mezzanotte, C., Rutigliano, A., Brussino, O., Santiago, P., Borgonovi, F., ​& Guthrie, C. (2021). Promoting inclusive education for diverse societies: A ​conceptual framework (OECD Education Working Paper No. 260). ​Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. ​https://doi.org/10.1787/94ab68c6-en

Cheng, Y., Liu, X., & Zhang, Y. (2020). The impact of classroom aesthetics on student ​engagement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(4), 567–579. ​https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000408

Costa, A. R. (2025). Homing into school to create the ideal classroom: Young people ​want to combine the best of home and school learning environments. ​CoDesign, 21(1), 74–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/15710882.2024.2363925

Debasu, H., & Yitayew, A. (2024). Examining elements of designing and managing ​inclusive learning environments: A systematic literature review. International ​Journal of Special Education, 39(1), 33–43. ​https://doi.org/10.52291/ijse.2024.39.4

Demirel, A. E. (2022). Towards more inclusive engagements: Mapping the ​experiential realities of inclusivity in architectural education (Master’s thesis, ​Middle East Technical University). CORE. https://core.ac.uk

Detyna, M., Ogunbase, A., & Briffa, H. (2025). A socio-material approach to ​investigating classrooms: Student engagement in an innovative learning ​environment. Learning Environments Research. Advance online publication. ​https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-025-09529-0

Elsafty, A., & Oraby, M. (2022). The impact of training on employee retention: An ​empirical study of the private sector in Egypt. International Journal of Business ​and Management, 17(5), 58–75. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v17n5p58

Fahmi, R. A., Ahmad, M. S., Putra, M. A., & Anuwar, M. S. (2024). Beyond aesthetics: ​Reviews on industrial design students’ creative processes in developing ​culture-oriented products. In R. Khamis & A. Buallay (Eds.), Board diversity ​and corporate governance (pp. 467–482). Springer Nature Switzerland. ​https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-53877-3_36

Finkelstein, S., Sharma, U., & Furlonger, B. (2021). The inclusive practices of ​classroom teachers: A scoping review and thematic analysis. International ​Journal of Inclusive Education, 25(6), 735–762. ​https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2019.1572232

Focacci, C. N., & Perez, C. (2022). The importance of education and training policies ​in supporting technological revolutions: A comparative and historical analysis ​of the UK, US, Germany, and Sweden (1830–1970). Technology in Society, ​70, Article 102000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.102000

Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ​ed.). Teachers College Press.

Gregersen, T., Mercer, S., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2021). Language teacher perspectives ​on stress and coping. Foreign Language Annals, 54(4), 1145–1163. ​https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12544

Gislason, N. (2010). Architectural design and the learning environment: A framework ​for school design research. Learning Environments Research, 13(2), 127–​145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-010-9071-x

Gunn, T. M., & McRae, P. A. (2021). Better understanding the professional and ​personal factors that influence beginning teacher retention in one Canadian ​province. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 2, Article ​100073. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2021.100073

Hamerman, E. J., Aggarwal, A., & Martins, C. (2025). An investigation of generative ​AI in the classroom and its implications for university policy. Quality Assurance ​in Education, 33(2), 253–266. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-08-2024-0149

Hartwell, R., Macmillan, S., & Overend, M. (2021). Circular economy of façades: ​Real-world challenges and opportunities. Resources, Conservation and ​Recycling, 175, Article 105827. ​https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105827

Healey-Benson, F. J. (2022). A hermeneutic phenomenological investigation of the ​lived experiences of educators facilitating higher-order thinking skills in higher ​education (Doctoral dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. ​https://www.proquest.com

Hernández-Torrano, D., Somerton, M., & Helmer, J. (2020). Mapping research on ​inclusive education since the Salamanca Statement: A bibliometric review of ​the literature over 25 years. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(9), ​893–912. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1747555

Hernandez, L. M. (2023). Teachers’ perceptions and experiences on classroom ​design for inclusive education (Doctoral dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations ​Publishing. https://www.proquest.com

Hussein, B. (2021). Addressing collaboration challenges in project-based learning: ​The student’s perspective. Education Sciences, 11(8), Article 434. ​https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11080434

Khawaji, F. A. (2022). Characteristics of culturally inclusive art education pedagogy: ​A historical document analysis study (Doctoral dissertation, Virginia ​Commonwealth University). VCU Scholars Compass. ​https://doi.org/10.25772/P0B0-P167

Kilbourn, E. (2021). Teacher identity development through growth mindset, coping, ​and meaning-making (Doctoral dissertation, Western Connecticut State ​University). https://repository.wcsu.edu/dissertations/28

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that’s just good teaching! The case for culturally ​relevant pedagogy. Theory Into Practice, 34(3), 159–165. ​https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849509543675

Larios, R. J., & Zetlin, A. (2023). Challenges to preparing teachers to instruct all ​students in inclusive classrooms. Teaching and Teacher Education, 121, ​Article 103945. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103945

Le Chat, C. V. (2021). Lived experiences of teachers teaching in a language that is ​not their mother tongue (Master’s thesis, Stellenbosch University). ​https://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/123617

Lariosa, E. J. I., Diendo, M. P., & Espinosa, F. (2022). Lived experiences of teachers ​in far-flung schools: A phenomenological hermeneutics study. International ​Journal of Novel Research in Education and Learning, 9(5), 27–41. ​https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7083128

Li, L., Yu, F., & Zhang, E. (2024). A systematic review of learning task design for K–​12 AI education: Trends, challenges, and opportunities. Computers and ​Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, Article 100217. ​https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100217

Long, K. L. (2024). A teacher’s perception of the influence of principal leadership ​qualities on teachers’ decisions to remain in the classroom (Doctoral ​dissertation). Texas A&M University–Commerce. ​https://digitalcommons.tamuc.edu/etd/1231

Downloads

Published

2026-05-23

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026): Studies in Interdisciplinary Horizons

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Studies in Interdisciplinary Horizons

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. Under this license, you may not use the material for any commercial purposes.

The images or other third-party material in this article are included under the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material.