The Educational Ecosystem
New ideas to diversify older schools
Roel Krabbendam
B.Arch M.Ed Doctoral Candidate
Fielding Graduate University
When existing schools are re-organized as Communities of Practice, and teachers are supported with the space to build supportive communities and collaborate with like-minded peers, then existing classrooms are liberated from conformity. They can be radically diversified to support a far greater variety of learning experiences.
To understand the importance of this, consider the rat.
“Learning abilities are developed by access to rich experiences that stimulate the brain.
One of the earliest studies on the effect of the environment on brain development was the work of William Greenough and his colleagues (1987), who compared the brains of rats raised in “complex environments” containing toys and obstacles with those housed individually or in small cages without toys. They found that rats raised in complex environments performed better on learning tasks, liked learning to run mazes, and had 20–25% more synapses per neuron in the visual cortex. Many studies since have shown that brain development is experience-dependent.
(Darling-Hammond et al., 2020, p. 112)
WhyDon’t teachers already re-arrange their private classrooms in order to offer a variety of powerful experiences?
The problem is, they don’t.
How, then, to spatially afford and support a diversity of powerful learning experiences?
“Learning spaces...remained rigid and unchanging despite the opportunity for spatial reorganization. The type of learning space did not make any difference to this rigidity as the lack of flexibility occurred in traditional classrooms, double portable spaces, open learning spaces, and in a new senior building designed with flexibility in mind.
Woodman, 2016, p.63
Consider the many ways that spaces allow and engage and affect learning experiences:
with affordances: immersion: transporting to another world. inquiry: encouraging curiosity & questions. inspiration: offering new perspectives & possibilities. instruction: efficiently delivering information. interaction: shaping communications. introspection: encouraging contemplation. invention: linking imagination to creation. and characteristics: itinerant: spaces that attract attention by moving. intersections: multiple uses add meaning & economy. context: the surroundings can also be rich in meaning.
Now, consider the types of spaces that are possible under each of these categories.
Instead of a static array of identical classrooms assigned to teachers as their private domain, consider transforming these spaces using a diverse menu of possible alternatives. This is the Educational Ecosystem.
This idea is not new to K-12 schools, but it supports the athletic curriculum, not the academic curriculum. Consider the variety of athletic venues available here:
gymnasiums, baseball fields, soccer fields, field hockey fields, lacrosse fields, football fields and stadiums, tennis courts, basketball courts, handball courts, squash courts, volleyball courts, badminton courts, swimming pools, weight rooms, cross-training rooms, climbing walls, running tracks, and playgrounds in all sorts of configurations.
Should the academic environment not be as rich, supportive, and engaging as the athletic environment? Consider these space types in greater detail:
Could these ideas be of service to your community?
Would you be interested in hosting a study that will radically re-imagine your existing school facility?
Could a creative and collaborative workshop engage and inspire your school community?
A number of research projects are available for participation. Visit https://www.futureofschools.com/research for more information or contact the Principle Researcher at hkrabbendam@fielding.edu
Principle Researcher: Roel Krabbendam hkrabbendam@fielding.edu
Dissertation Committee Chair: Dr. J. Edwards jedwards@fielding.edu
A doctoral study reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Fielding Graduate University.
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