Designing Classroom
I have to wonder some times about the people who design classrooms. In a previous post – 21st C learning Spaces i talked about the need for spaces to be flexible to suit the needs of the 21st Century learner. i.e.
21st Century Learners are:
- Technology literate and adept
- Media savvy
- Flexible and dynamic
- multitasking
- communicators and collaborators
- interactive and networked
- reflective and critical
- instant
- creative and adaptive
- student centric, life long learners & anywhere anytime learners
- have Multimodal learning styles
However, having seen some new classrooms I suspect that some of the fundementals are missed before we even get to a flexible learning space.
I have often written and spoken about VARK – the sensory learning styles – Visual, Auditory, Read/write and Kinesthetic. Predominently as teachers we use the visual and auditory mediums to convey meaning to our students. This is not to ignore the kinesthetic elements or to underrate them in any way, but most teachers work using vision and sound.
How many classrooms are designed to support and enhance these two mediums (or for that matter have the space to allow kinesthetic learning)?
Do your classrooms have?
- Blinds, curtains and sun filters to adjust light levels?
- controllable lighting systems that enable different areas of the classrooms to be lit independently at various levels – highlighting perhaps the front of the room in one situation and the center in another?
- Suitable whiteboards, and displayboards through out the room
- Sound proofing insulating material in the walls and room? Can you hear the students in the next class? what about road or aircraft noise?
- Does your classroom have sound reinforcement? Built in speakers and wireless microphone to reinforce your voice and provide uniform coverage through out the room?
- Do you have AV gear that can be clearly seen and heard through out the space in all conditions. Is your screen large enough to see detail from the back of the classroom? Is the sound system suitable to be heard clearly through out the room with all the students in the room?
When you consider the cost of building a classroom, making consideration for these elements is a minor cost, but one I suspect is overlooked by designers and architects.
How many classrooms have been designed by teachers? or have had the input of the input of the students.
