Week #10 - Learning Spaces

Learning spaces have a huge impact on student learning. Education and technology have evolved considerably over the last 50 years, but it seems as if our classroom layouts are often stuck in the past. The days of 30 desks facing a chalk board should be left in the dust, but unfortunately, many of our classrooms still resemble this rigid and outdated model of a learning environment. Larry Rosenstock, CEO of High Tech High School, does an excellent job of showing how essential a considered environment is to an educational setting here. By creating classrooms where collaboration and displaying student work are the primary focus, students become more motivated to succeed. Rosenstock doesn't just talk about physical spaces, however. He also talks about the social environment at his school, and how peer motivation is an incredibly empowering tool that High Tech High utilizes to keep students motivated and focused on their goals.

Now, of course, not every school has the finances and know-how to pull off a learning space as stunning as High Tech High, however, there are many things that any teacher should take into consideration when organizing an effective learning space. I thought that Briget McCrea did an excellent job of hi lighting a few techniques in her blog post here. Below, I will discuss a few points that I thought were particularly important from her post.

Classroom furniture should be able to be configured in a fashion that supports both collaborative learning as well as independent activities such as testing. Ideally, furniture should be able to be moved easily so that desk configuration can alter easily from class to class depending on what sort of activity the educator has planned.

Many classrooms are supported by technological devices such as iPads and Chromebooks, and we can't always assume that children are going to have their devices charged before class. Ample electrical outlets are a must have for a modern, connected classroom. Charge stations help keep classrooms moving and productive, even when batteries are low.

Classrooms should be technologically integrated in a way that is easy for teachers to access. Computers should be hooked up to smart boards or projectors and have easy ways for teachers to share content from the computer with the classroom.

Throughout my time at the University of Akron, I have been impressed with the accessibility of the learning spaces and consider them to be an ideal model for my own classrooms. Of course, every classroom's needs are different, and what may work well for collegiate and graduate students may not work well for children with various needs and disabilities, however, I do admire the flexibility and connectivity of the classrooms on Akron's campus and have found them to be effective places to study and learn.