Skip to main content

Next Generation Learning Spaces & Meaningful Learning Experiences


"The classroom remains a location of possibility."

The HipHopEd Manifesto


Does this learning space facilitate meaningful learning experiences? 

How many of our learning spaces resemble this Philadelphia classroom from 1897? 

Yesterday, David Jakes, a highly respected educational thought change leader, led a three-hour session to help us stretch and validate our thinking in creating "next-generation" learning spaces. 

"Why do you want to change your learning spaces?", asked Mr. Jakes.

Our district has made a strong commitment to 1:1 enhanced learning. Teachers and students are realizing that many aspects of the traditional classroom "container" no longer provide the "flexibility, agility, and adaptability" offered in digital learning spaces.

During his introduction, Mr. Jakes referred to the book, The Third Teacher. The authors state children learn and develop through their interactions with adults, peers, and their environment. (1) 

Are we designing and creating future-ready environments supportive of personal, connected learning? Are we providing a third teacher worthy of our next-gen learners?  


"How can we include students in these modernization processes?"





Mr. Jakes then asked the critical question... 


"What do you want the learning experiences at your school to be?" 

While school missions and vision statements can sound rather generic. Learning spaces can impact school climate and student empowerment profoundly. Learning, it was said, is a series of stories. The collection and sharing of these stories contribute to the school's culture. School climate was described as a tone or feel of the environment while school culture is made up of norms, beliefs, and values. We acknowledged simply moving, or removing, existing furniture influences classroom climate. It seems safe to assume that improved climate yields better stories, and meaningful learning experiences.

"The first step in redesigning the classroom is to discard the notion that it has to be a classroom..." - David Jakes



Following the introductory comments, teams of educators wrote descriptors of ideal learning experiences on sticky notes. These were posted around the meeting room. The large group identified trends to help focus discussions of classroom design. Our trending descriptors included; capacity for connecting, space for movement, space for building and creating, and a space that is inviting, comfortable, and welcoming.




Nine boards containing a variety of learning spaces were posted around the meeting room. For our second activity, we were asked to put stickers (green, yellow, and red) on the pictures. The colored dots indicated a degree of personal preference of the pictured learning space. Once again, common trends were identified and discussed. The follow-up conversation reinforced common language while adding perspective to the discussion. David helped focus our terms to technological. interconnected, and intentional use of physical space supportive of increasingly virtual learning. This exercise helped us visualize the creative possibilities for our learning spaces.


With time winding down, we discussed potential goals and metrics to help us identify and measure the impact of innovative spaces on our learners. Mr. Jakes shared slides showing how schools creatively used levels, corners, and surfaces to influence engagement, empowerment, and climate. If we had more time, I would have liked to work with my team in creating a map of an innovative classroom based upon our identified trends and preferences.


Our session with David Jakes proved to be a valuable use of time as we were able to identify reasons for changing our learning spaces, we acknowledged the role of climate and culture in designing learning spaces, and we were able to use a common language in describing key criteria for moving forward from ideation to planning. Our plans include bringing more teachers and students into the conversation of designing prototype classrooms. We will also do our own "space inventory" with the intention of converting non-instructional areas into next-generation learning spaces.

The key takeaway, it's difficult to expect innovative instruction and learning without innovating the learning environment, as well. Our thanks to David Jakes for stretching our thinking and listening to our ideas. It's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Are you updating your classroom or school to accommodate next generation learning? Please accept this invitation to share your ideas, plans, and examples of creative and innovative learning spaces.

Related Resources & Reading


Active Learning Spaces; Insights, Applications, & Solutions - Steelcase Education

2014 Classroom Cribs Finalists - AJ Juliani, Erin Klein, Tom Murray



(1) The Third Teacher; CannonDesign, VS Furniture, & Bruce Mau, 2010


Photo (1) By John Trevor Custis [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Photo (2) Whitiora School, Flexible Learning Spaces (CC Image)
Photo (5) credit: mleiboff via photopin cc

Comments

Joy Kirr said…
Bob, there is so much information here, I'm going to have to read it again! I saw this article this morning as well - same premise - http://www.fastcoexist.com/3038207/5-ways-classroom-design-can-improve-what-we-learn-and-who-learns-it

And this yesterday, from Arin Kress - a grant offer from Steelcase!! http://www.steelcase.com/en/products/Category/Educational/Pages/active-learning-center-grant.aspx I have a "snow/cold" day today... I might get started writing a grant! Thanks for this post - very intriguing!
Happy New Year Joy - I hope you are keeping warm on this frigid day. Thank you for reading and sharing these resources. Steelcase grant - I'm with you on this! Thanks again for contributing to our learning. Bob
Ashley said…
All learning experiences at schools should be fun so that kids can fall in love with the learning process. It creates a habit for life.

Popular posts from this blog

Self-Directed vs. Self-Determined Learning; What's the Difference?

"We need to move beyond the idea that an education is something that is provided for us, and toward the idea that an education is something that we create for ourselves." - Stephen Downes In this age of abundance of information, shifting classroom pedagogy isn't nearly enough to make learning in school more relevant and authentic for the learner. Self-directed learning ( andragogy ), and self-determined learning ( heutagogy ) are the ideals necessary in making students " future ready " to live and learn in a web-connected world. While original research applied these concepts to mature learners, it has become apparent that even young children have an abundant capacity for recognizing and directing their learning. Anyone who has observed toddlers learning how to walk and talk understand the motivation and skill development that quickly develops during these processes. Considered by some to be on a learning continuum, self-directed learning, and self-determined

Board Games in the School Library: 3 Reasons Why It's a Winning Play

"Play is the highest form of research."  - Albert Einstein “Play is the work of the child.”  – Maria Montessori In our recently remodeled school media center, we have a space dedicated to active engagement in fun learning activities. Part maker space, part literacy lounge, board games are being incorporated to promote a culture of joyful learning. Whether it's a game of Rummy , Yahtzee , or Scrabble , family game night serves as a communication elixir and solidifies our domestic climate of togetherness. Shouldn't similar opportunities for interaction, challenge, and fun exist somewhere in our schools? Broken families, cultural fragmentation, and poverty are impacting opportunities for children to play. As we unpacked and tagged our new media center games, I was more disappointed than shocked by the number of students who had never played Monopoly , Boggle , or Sorry . One skeptical teacher commented, "Oh great, now we're letting students pl

The Classroom Experiment - Strategies to Promote Engagement and Learning

Dylan Wiliam is a prominent educator in the United Kingdom. His ideas and strategies are consistently mentioned in education reform circles. On an uncharacteristically quiet evening at home, I stumbled across these BBC videos, The Classroom Experiment . Although it took nearly two hours to get through the videos, I came away thinking that the teacher is certainly the most important factor in student learning, and that student learning can be improved with persistence and a willingness to become better at failure. For those folks that feel that teachers can be replaced by technology, these videos suggest otherwise. The Classroom Experiment - part 1 (58:00) The Classroom Experiment - part 2 (59:00) Dylan Wiliam at The Schools Network Conference (38:00) Here is a summary of the strategies and changes that Dylan Wiliam instituted to increase student engagement and advance student learning. No raising of hands - use Popsicle sticks, or some other mechanism to randomize th