Today’s education landscape has changed, and research is leading to even more importance being placed on the environment in which students learn.
“Since the arrival of COVID, the need for greater flexibility for the postgraduate world has become evident with online learning and working, mobile workspaces and working from home,” says Dr Peter Griffiths , award winner. technology and Learning Innovative Leader Award and Associate Superintendent of Wichita Falls ISD, which will open two new secondary schools in 2024. “Schools must be designed to prepare students for that new world. “That includes a different approach to building schools, delivering lessons and managing classrooms.”
Griffiths discusses the benefits of flexible learning spaces and what districts need to know to create an ideal environment for academic success.
Flexible learning space, which means
The concept of a flexible learning space is more than just a static physical design change to the traditional four-wall, one-door classroom.
“What makes the new design interesting is that you can have spaces with a ‘lab’ in the middle of two classrooms, allowing it to be used as one large classroom or as two separate classrooms. Collapse one wall and now you have a larger space, or keep the wall closed and you have two divided classrooms,” says Griffiths. “A teacher with a standard ELA 3 class with 25 students has different needs than the same teacher with an Advanced Placement class with only 12 students, so a smaller collaboration space can be used instead of a classroom.” larger. “Flexibility allows for better utilization of the campus.”
Budget saver or budget buster?
One might wonder if this type of cutting-edge design is only available to districts with deep pockets, but more efficient utilization can reduce pressures on the school budget while improving the student experience.
“The entire building is built with 30% of students off campus at different times of the day, which reduces the cost of the building footprint and the cost of construction,” says Griffiths. “WFISD has a Career Education Center, which can attract about 20% of the students, while another 9% will be at the two universities working on Dual Credit courses, and the remaining 1% will be off campus working online” .
technology is another consideration. Common spaces can be designed for students to work online during certain times of the day instead of taking up valuable classroom space. Classrooms equipped with mobile interactive displays can be moved anywhere in that room or hallway, instead of the static LCD projector and screen. This allows for greater flexibility and better use by students, and can reduce the systems needed while offering the same access to technology.
Three practical steps to create ideal flexible learning spaces
- To create a learning environment that is flexible and capable of change, conversations about the purpose of the building must revolve around adaptability and growth.
- Furniture must meet flexibility needs. This includes rolling desks/tables and chairs where appropriate, to allow for changes to the appearance of the classroom. Desks/tables should also have the ability to nest and stack easily for out of the way or storage.
- It is necessary to provide training for participatory classroom management that allows teachers to develop different ways of teaching. This would include allowing teachers to take calculated risks in the classroom and allowing controlled chaos and movement.
Convince stakeholders, success in practice
A big argument for creating unique learning spaces for high school students is to add excitement to the learning day. Burnout and disengagement have become common challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Griffiths notes that students with more freedom over how their instruction is delivered, including the different spaces and opportunities they are provided, enjoy a more personalized and motivating learning environment.
“When you create ‘structured’ flexibility, you can allow compromise to occur within boundaries. You can create stations,” says Griffiths. “’You three work as a group in this corner, you five can bring the pen display closer to your group, you ten go out to the Collab Space to finish the project and the rest follow me to the lab. We have 10 minutes at each station.’ Now you have just created an attractive environment for all children with movement and changes of atmosphere that make it more exciting. The days of sitting down and getting to work will have to change.”
Flexibility in design changes over time
The fundamental purpose of education is to develop productive members of society. Therefore, schools must adapt to the needs of a constantly changing world. Creating campuses that allow for that flexibility is key.
“Gone are the days when a district could expect all students who lived near the school to attend school,” Griffiths says. “Parents and students have more options, whether it is a charter, private, home or online school, to educate their children. What we must do is ensure that the experiences students have in our schools are exciting and engaging. “We want them to develop positive memories and prepare them to be ready for a world focused on adaptability as a necessary skill for success.”