LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Getting in The Zone The changing structures of education When public schools were established, they were designed to train students for the labor force of the time: primarily factory work performing a minimal number of tasks. Today, we are seeing automation take over these jobs, resulting in a return to the renaissance principles of innovation and collaboration in the workspace. Entrepreneurs and employees alike are expected to perform multiple tasks using multiple sets of tools, whether working in the physical or digital space. This has driven a major change in the mission of public education.
ENCOURAGING MOBILITY This shift in desired outcomes has caused districts to rethink the classroom structure and operations of the past. Instead of remaining seated and facing the chalkboard, students are encouraged to move about the classroom for a portion of the day. Educators have found that establishing zones within the classroom–as within the modern work space–teaches students to segment their workload and delegate activities to appropriate areas. Often, collaboration is encouraged with group zones and cooperation areas. Real-world collaboration encourages us to go to the people we believe are the right fit for a particular issue we are facing. Work often begins alone when the needs of a project suit it, and this continues to be a staple of contemporary classrooms. However, it is common to seek out someone or some people who can help us move past later phases of the project. Successful innovation is not contained by arbitrary parameters like time limits or numbers of people or individual workspaces.
ENGAGING THE WHOLE CHILD Flexible classrooms go hand in hand with a change in the methods or practices of teaching and learning. Flexible spaces alter the fundamental dynamics of teaching and learning: giving students more control and responsibility to increase academic engagement. It is this agency along with a dynamic use of the space by the teacher and students where we see postive results.
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