With the year 2018 slowing approaching, students working in single rows and seated in a desk should start to become obsolete and schools should start to incorporate better learning spaces for their students.
Classrooms need to be better learning spaces to accommodate for the variety of learners. For example, for the hands on learners who learn better with movement the classroom needs to be big enough to allow that movement to occur. Or for the visual learner there needs to be plenty of writing space for students to see their work.
In order to provide such learning spaces educators need to take these things into consideration:
A good example of learning spaces on campus would be the newer buildings on campus such as Zook or the Law building. Along with the Student Union and library. What makes them good spaces is because they each approach the informal learning spaces by having:
When creating learning spaces you need to make sure all of your students are comfortable. When you are comfortable, you are going to be more relaxed and better learning will take place. Remember, if you are uncomfortable in a classroom than most likely your students are too.
Classrooms need to be better learning spaces to accommodate for the variety of learners. For example, for the hands on learners who learn better with movement the classroom needs to be big enough to allow that movement to occur. Or for the visual learner there needs to be plenty of writing space for students to see their work.
In order to provide such learning spaces educators need to take these things into consideration:
- Learning spaces should be comfortable
- Lighting affects your mood
- Allow different seating patterns
- Have playful spaces
- Technology accessibility
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| Example of play spaces |
Having a good learning space encourages better learning. By allowing students to move furniture, sit wherever during reading and move around creates a welcoming environment. By having this type of environment for your students allows them to:
- Have chances to recharge their body
- Create independence
- Invest in their learning
All of this is capable because they are not held down by the structure of being forced to sit still and be quiet.
- Desks/furniture that support collaboration
- This means that the furniture is moveable to suit the needs of any class that steps into the room
- There are plenty of outlets in the room (both in the walls and floors)
- Since technology is a big part of classrooms, it is good to have enough outlets to support the many students who bring their laptops to class
- Smart lectern
- Easy control lightning
- Like I stated earlier light affects your mood so being able to control the lighting is a great development to have in a classroom
When developing new learning spaces in schools Google Apps are good things to incorporate in a classroom as well. By using apps such as Google forms students are able to get immediate feedback instead of waiting to get a paper handed back to them. Google Apps keeps up with the high paced learning that new learning spaces hold.
Although the only building I have classes in is Zook I think that overall it aligns with the needs of its learners. The classroom that I am in has furniture that is easily moveable, a white board, SmartBoard and projector/screen. It also has ample amount of space to move the furniture in any arrangement depending on the class. And the teacher also has control of the lighting and operation of the blinds. The one thing that I would change would be the chairs, they are very uncomfortable. I like that they are wheels but I wish they were adjustable and had arms on them.
When creating learning spaces you need to make sure all of your students are comfortable. When you are comfortable, you are going to be more relaxed and better learning will take place. Remember, if you are uncomfortable in a classroom than most likely your students are too.
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