Collaboration is a buzz word that we will be talking more and more about because of the fundamental shift in the nature of work. Educators should consider these tips when redesigning their classrooms.
- Involve students in the design process
- Educators should talk with students about where they like to learn and why.
- Think about student experiences, not furniture
- Start with a few classrooms and measure the success
- Avoid groupthink by focusing solely on your space
- Educators should cater their classroom to their needs – not all classrooms will look the same
- Make removing the front of the classroom priority
- Instead of having an interactive display at the front of the classroom, implement a station layout where students can work together in groups
- Understand the meaning of space vocabulary
- Flexibility: The space can be reshaped
- Agile: The space can be reshaped quickly
- Intentional: The space is designed to support the student learning experience
- Adaptive: The space adapts to changes in the expectations of student learning experience
- Technological: The space supports a variety of technologies
- Interconnected: The physical and digital spaces for learning are connected
- Declutter the classroom and use invigorating colors
- Remove wall hangings to eliminate distractions
- Ditch traditional teacher spaces
- Teachers can free up space by eliminating filing cabinets and keeping files on the cloud
DSC will continue to share information about collaborative classrooms to keep you up-to-date on what’s changing. If you have any tips and tricks for redesigning classrooms from conversations you’ve had, share them in the comments below.
