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Learning Rooms USA
Enhancing the learning environment Learning Rooms USA
Gratnells 4500 140th Avenue North Suite 101 Clearwater, Florida 33762 USA T: 727-325-2904 F: 727-538-4237 E: mail@learning-rooms.com W: gratnells.com W: learning-rooms.com
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Enhancing the learning environment Learning Rooms USA
“School is a building which has four walls with tomorrow inside.” Photo credit: British Thornton ESF Ltd
Lon Watters – US Artist
Contents Introduction by Murray Hudson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Makerspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
0-5 years Pre-school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Digital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Learning Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Digital technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Color and mood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Inspiring spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Exploration and discovery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Keeping mobile naturally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
0-5 years Pre-school Elementary
Learning Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Our partners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Middle and High School
Jumbo tray
Elementary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The design of a classroom does make a difference to Stimulation – Individualization – Naturalness. . . . . . 22 Primary focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
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Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Everything in its place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
student learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
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Extra deep tray
Focus on learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
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Makerspace
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Digital
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The child’s expanding world. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Organization and storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Art, creativity & performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Middle and High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Inspirational learning spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Future rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Creating Inspirational environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 The design of spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Deep tray
Plan for the unknown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Store and prepare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Shallow tray with lid
Learning Rooms
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Introduction Gratnells is a family business that has manufactured school storage systems for nearly 50 years. While taking great pride in the design and quality of the products, I am nonetheless very conscious that the most important role we play is in helping to create the environment in which our children learn.
It is generally acknowledged that we need change to the current system; anyone lucky enough to have heard Sir Ken Robinson speak will have been inspired by his passionate belief that the existing educational systems stifle creativity.
School is a significant developmental stepping stone in a child’s life. It is here they are equipped to face the world. Our contribution to this crucial time in our children’s lives means that we have a responsibility to understand the significance of the physical space in which they learn.
Gratnells created the Learning Rooms project in 2012 to recognize and celebrate the benefits and advantages of different learning environments.
We’re not the first to recognize how important the physical place of learning is to a child’s development, well-being, safety and sense of belonging. The inspirational work of the team behind ‘ The Third Teacher’ is well documented so we spoke directly to co-author Trung Le about the impact his work has had and his vision for the future of education and design. Gratnells products are already a key component within the classroom, but we want to help shape the places where our children are being educated. We want to create the best possible learning environments.
We are working with teachers at every level because we know that they, more than anyone, know what is needed to create the ideal learning environment. Additionally, as we are an international business, we can collaborate and work with educators in 68 countries around the world in addition to those in the US. Gratnells is privileged to be part of a sector which has an opportunity to shape the future. We’re looking forward to it.
To do this, we are working with a wide range of partners to develop new ideas in the application of class design, digital technologies, in the performing arts, in outdoor learning, in all the places where teachers teach and children learn. We have been working with leading experts in school furniture design including Fleetwood Furniture, Paragon and Whitney Bros and we have also enlisted the views of Professor Peter Barrett, whose academic work clearly recognizes the impact of the classroom design on learning. We know that the learning environment has to meet the needs of all children, whatever their interests, skills and abilities. We know that we have to take into account the immense diversity of children that are in our schools.
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit: VS Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabriken GmbH & Co. KG.
Murray Hudson Gratnells Managing Director & Chairman.
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0-5 years
““Young children have a ready appetite to explore whatever draws their interest. When this curiosity is engaged they will learn from themselves, from each other and from any source they can lay their hands on.”
Every child’s introduction to the world of education is shaped and defined by the physical environment. Each child needs to share space for play, to own space for personal belongings and to feel welcome in the space to learn. Engaging with designers enables proper recognition to be given to the learning room space and the importance of storage systems, layout, color, resources and functionality
Creative Schools Revolutionizing Education from the Ground Up Sir Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
of the learning process for the youngest learners.
Photo credit: British Thornton ESF Ltd
Pre-school
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Children will spend more time in school than anywhere else except at home. For years, the
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importance of the first learning environment has been considered as a major factor in how they grow, flourish and excel.
Color and mood The importance and use of color to create a vibrant and stimulating
Now this is supported by published research and adds objective weight to the inspiration of designers, architects and systems providers in pursuit of stimulating, successful learning spaces. These principles apply equally to all key areas of activity from the classroom to the playground, the book corner to the art area, the school garden to the assembly hall.
“Let the sunshine in... increasing daylight in classrooms has been shown to cut down on absenteeism and improve test scores.”
learning environment for both teachers and pupils is universally accepted. Working alongside designers and collaborating with brands such as Dulux, Lego and Fischertechnik underlines the importance of a broad color palette which helps to deliver a diversity of mood. Colors may be used to provide background consistency, outstanding contrast or color coding as required.
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“ Color is the most immediate form of non-verbal communication… Color has the power to influence the performance of the occupants. Whether you specify bright, attention-getting colors or mild, calming colors depends a lot on the function of the space.” The Third Teacher
The Third Teacher
Learning Rooms Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit: British Thornton ESF Ltd
0-5 years - pre-school
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Inspiring spaces
“Everything is where it is supposed to be, conveying a sense of harmony and order that both comforts and inspires.”
Montessori
Case Study
The size of the classroom is also valuable for allowing space
Montessori classrooms are characterized by an inviting and uncluttered use of space,
for tidiness. A tidy room and organization of the classroom
designed to foster a calm and focused learning environment with sensitive use of color
shows time spent obtaining order and that the teacher pays
and lighting.
attention to detail. Mess and an untidy classroom projects
Partnering with globally resourced design consultants as one of just three Montessori
chaos and this, of course, can affect the perception of a
approved suppliers of furniture, confirms that the teaching philosophy and the teaching
department or school.
environment are an integral part of one holistic approach.
American Montessori Society Website ‘Education That Transforms Lives’
A typical example of the ethos at work is to be found just a few miles from Gratnells head office where the outcomes for nursery school children are described as ‘independence’, ‘self-confidence’, and ‘developing a positive self-image’. Gratnells has worked with Nienhuis Montessori, a Heutink brand, to create interiors which match the aspirations of the Montessori method, using what they describe as “awardwinning educational trays renowned for their quality, safety, strength and durability. This type of storage is effective and looks good too”.
Dr. Maria Montessori Pho to cre dit : Spa cer igh t
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit: Spaceright
0-5 years - pre-school
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“There are three teachers of children: adults, other children and the physical environment.” Loris Malaguzzi
Exploration and discovery
Reggio Emilia
Case Study
In thinking about the school environment list a few things
The Reggio Emilia concept originated in the town of that name in Italy and
that are not working well for the children. List five adjectives
has become associated with a progressive and co-operative approach to early
that describe the environment – then write down five words
childhood education. Among its fundamental principles are the precepts that
that describe what it should be like. After reflecting on the
children are capable of constructing their own learning, that they are natural
responses, make the changes and look carefully at the vision
communicators and that the adult is a mentor and guide.
expressed at the beginning and revise if necessary.
For example, in the design of new learning spaces the relationship between the classroom and the rest of the school must be examined, so that there is harmony and integration. These new initiatives and approaches are also expanding the horizons and boundaries of space planning for schools. Complementary resources such as modular staging, digital storage and syncing and mobile storage units open up more alternatives for the learning room and maximize the teaching potential of the space available.
Reggio Emilia
Loris Malaguzzi, founder of Reggio Emilia’s educational philosophy
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
0-5 years - pre-school
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Keeping mobile, naturally
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“For some of the most progressive trends, we look to folks like Montessori and Waldorf. With Montessori they’re organised and clutter free -- things are brought out to be played with then put away and the next subject is brought out. Waldorf don’t like rectangles, they like rounded corners for a more naturalistic effect.”
A trend in early childhood furniture is naturalism—more of the colors you might see outdoors whether the brown of a tree, green of a plant, or blue of the ocean. Educators are trying to create more of a naturalist environment indoors, making their environment exciting yet functional. A tree or a pastoral scene used as a room divider, for instance, makes a naturalistic background that’s full of wonder and a great way to talk to children about the environment.
David Stabler, Whitney Bros, Keene, New Hampshire
P h o to cr e d it : W h it n
e y B ro s
W hi tn ey Ph ot o cr ed it:
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit: Whitney Bros
Br os
0-5 years - pre-school
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Everything in its place The value of a well-planned and stimulating classroom
Flexibility, adaptability and mobility are key attributes in helping to create the range of different work spaces needed to foster children’s creativity while ensuring an efficient system of storage,
“Learning can be improved through accessible storage with resources readily available to help learners develop independence.”
Case Study
Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational
transcends language and culture. From areas of the world
philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. Its pedagogy emphasizes the role of imagination in learning,
where organized education is in its infancy to those where
striving to integrate holistically the intellectual, practical, and artistic development of pupils.
it is being developed with innovative ideas and techniques,
A focus on real rather than virtual experiences to support the child in forming a healthy
infrastructure and environment are key.
relationship to the world. Artistic activities such as storytelling, music, drawing and painting,
“Let us pick up our books and our pens… one child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.”
resource and individual ownership.
rhythmic games, and modeling that foster the healthy development of imagination and creativity. Flexible furniture to support this teaching is always required.
Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Prize winner
Rudolf Steiner, Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect and esotericist.
The Design of Learning Spaces Pamela Woolmer (Quoting Loughlin & Suina 1982)
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Steiner Waldorf education
Photo credit:
Presikhaaf Schoolmeubelen BV
0-5 years - pre-school
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““There is clear evidence that the physical characteristics of primary schools do impact on pupils’ learning progress in reading, writing and mathematics.” Clever Classrooms, Summary Report of the HEAD Project
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Elementary Making best use of space is an important element in children’s development as their individual skills, likes and talents begin to emerge. With an expanding range of media available to them and schoolwork taking on a more formal aspect, school pupils need boundaries between storage and activity areas with a clear distinction between individual and shared spaces. Empirical data points to the holistic impact of classroom spaces on learning in specific subjects.
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The design of a classroom does make a difference to student learning
“ There are rarely good or bad schools, rather there are more or less effective classrooms.”
Professor Peter Barrett of the University of Salford
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Professor Peter Barrett of the University of Salford explains his ground-breaking research. Although everyone knows it instinctively, it has been surprisingly difficult to actually prove
In addition, the HEAD study takes an
that the design of a classroom impacts on the learning rates of pupils. It took eight years of
approach that places the pupil at the center
effort by a team of researchers at the University of Salford, Manchester to provide a provable
of analysis. This includes everything (as
link between the physical space and learning outcomes. A survey which included 3766
far as possible) that impacts on the pupil
children in 137 classrooms from 27 very different schools provided firm evidence that the
through their senses and is interpreted by
physical characteristics of the classroom accounted for 16% of the variation in the learning
their brain. Discussions with colleagues in
progress of these children. Details of our large study are given in a peer reviewed journal [1]
the A.N.F.A.(Academy of Neuroscience for
and in an illustrated guide for designers and teachers, entitled “Clever Classrooms”[2].These
Architecture) and others led to the development of the, much broader than usual,
are freely available.
“SIN” framework of factors to be considered. These are as follows.
To attack the difficulty of separating the impact of the space itself from other factors the HEAD (Holistic Evidence and Design) study did two things. First, it focused on primary schools, as the pupils are mainly in the same classroom for the whole year. This means that any possible impact would be maximized and also that there would be strong metrics of
Stimulation: visual complexity and color. Individualization: ownership (personalization and distinctiveness), the flexibility of the layout and connection (or way-finding). Naturalness: light, temperature, air quality, sound and links to nature.
their academic progress. Second, multilevel statistical modeling was used to differentiate the
It can be seen that the naturalness factors are fairly familiar and it turns out that these are very
impacts of the classroom itself, from variations owing to individual pupil differences or whole
important, collectively accounting for about half of the impact of the classroom on learning.
school effects.
More novel and surprising is the clear finding that the individualization and stimulation factors, taken together, are equally important. They each drive about a quarter of the impact on learning.
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
elementary
Stimulation – Individualization – Naturalness Academic
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Pupils in classroom for year
pupils need classroom spaces that are healthy (naturalness), distinctive,
Behaviour
Pupils’ Progress over Year
s Cla
s
m roo
e Le v
f lo
u stim
lors o c onal i t c Fun Ind
Teachers School Built Environment (BE)
Non-BE school environment
N
So the picture is clear. To learn optimally,
io lat
S
n
ter t u l C
izati l a u d i iv
Flexibility
ion Personalizat
12% 17%
stimulation. This last factor is the result of
I
11%
16%
first time that in practice a mid-level of boring or too chaotic.
I
Dayl ig
htin
Natu
g
The figure here summarizes the impacts associated with the seven design parameters found to be statistically significant.
Fres h Pupils’ starting performance
on display boards on the wall, their names on trays, etc. Additionally, the classroom furniture should be age-appropriate and of good quality. At one level this seems to send a message to the children that they are valued, while at a practical level a child sitting on a chair, and at a desk that are too big for them is not going to be comfortable. In contrast to the UK, in Norway, for example, it is absolutely normal for all pupils to have height-adjustable chairs. The aim in relation to “individualization” is get to the point where the pupils are comfortable ergonomically and clearly
from the shape and form of the room that can be addressed through the basic structure, or via learning zones as mentioned above. It can also be strongly driven by the extent and coherence of displays. So there can be a tension here with individualization as the level of ambient visual
Considerable effort was taken to include school-level factors, such as the layout of the school
stimulation can become chaotic. This is not good for learning, but equally too bland is not
and outside play facilities, but the variation between classrooms within each school tended
good either. A moderate level of visual complexity should be sought and can be balanced out
to be greater than the aggregate differences between schools. In short, in terms of learning
to a degree by the other element contributing to stimulation, namely the colors used in the
progress, the primary school pupil’s classroom is their world and as such is where effort needs
classroom. These again should, taken together, avoid extremes of brightness and dullness. Walls,
to be focused when investing in the infrastructure. This does not mean that other broader
floors, furniture, blinds, etc all contribute, but for walls, typically a light, calm color generally, plus
factors should be ignored, but it argues strongly for making sure that each (existing or proposed)
an area of brighter color, maybe on the “teaching wall” can work well.
classroom works in its own right and from there to build out to a broader picture. This could be styled “inside-out” design and is captured by the thought that there are rarely good or bad is needed to bring about improvements that will impact on the educational progress of pupils.
ralne
interesting and engaging way. Ownership can come from visible signs of the pupils – their work
The other novel area concerns the appropriate level of stimulation. Visual complexity can come
schools, rather there are more or less effective classrooms. That is the detailed level of analysis that
Ethos etc
of furniture. Without this infrastructure it is hard for teachers to deliver the curriculum in an
feel that “this is our classroom”.
The HEAD study clearly showed for the
on
scale Inappropriate
17%
an appropriate level of ambient
stimulation is ideal for learning, not too
density e c a p s w o L
21%
(individualization), and that present
of the space and of the color scheme.
ope e c n Bala
11%
allow ownership and personalization
a combination of the visual complexity
ate v i r n /p
S
Complexity Color Ownership Flexibility L ight Temperature Air Quality
Overall, what is suggested is that the HEAD findings mean that it is now a practical proposition for teachers and designers to look at classrooms as an active contributor to the learning process. We have an extra set of levers to be pulled as appropriate to assist as we strive for excellence in education!
The naturalness design parameters of good (day) lighting, control over temperature and
ss
ventilation are all important in relation to learning. So windows should not be covered with display material, individual classrooms should have local thermostats, and windows should be
air
opened when rooms are getting stuffy (which they often are).These are all quite obvious in one
Nois e
way, but in practice are often not given the high priority their connection to learning demands. In
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this case, as with the following factors, there is much that can be done in existing spaces, as well as at the design stage.
Professor Peter Barrett Emeritus professor, University of Salford Honorary Research Fellow, University of Oxford Email peter.x.barrett@gmail.com
The more novel individualization design parameters of flexibility and ownership are, respectively, about offering options to pupils and teachers and the opportunity to create a personal connection with their classroom. Some of this is about the spaces created within and adjacent to
Ability
Gender
the classroom. These can support a variety of activities, which is especially important for younger children where the teaching methods are typically more play-based. So, even in a rectangular
Socioeconomic Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
room, learning zones (eg for reading, art, role-play) can be established with the creative use
References 1. B arrett P S, et al., The impact of classroom design on pupils’ learning: Final results of a holistic, multi-level analysis. Building and Environment, 2015.89: p.118-33.Weblink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.02.013 2. Barrett P S, et al., Clever Classrooms: Summary Report of the HEAD Project 2015, University of Salford: Salford.Weblink: http://ow.ly/Jz2vV
elementary
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Primary focus Like homes, classrooms have a personality. In the best of schools, you feel this as you walk into a classroom. The room that lacks any personality, or individuality feels colder and less
Callero Library Unit
welcoming. The room that celebrates learning has posters, students’ work, plants etc is the room
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that is more attractive to be in and, would suggest, is as a result, more conducive to learning.
“Four studies across a range of countries provide reasonable evidence that creative learning environments can enhance the creative thinking of students, leading to a greater level of originality on open tasks.” Report published by Elsevier quoting from Cremin et al 2006, Webster & Campbell 2006, Haigh 2007, Whitbread et al 2006
ch d it : M o n ar P h o to cr e
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit:
Willowbrook KubbyClass
Photo credit: Monarch
elementary
Focus on learning The role of the learning room in the physical environment in which teachers teach and children learn – as explained in the concept of the third teacher – embodies a number of
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principles which designers can use to inform their work. Children will learn through sensory experience; they must be able to influence the direction of their learning; they should be encouraged to explore; they must be offered ways to express themselves.
“There are many other models for redesigning the school environment to embody different and more innovative concepts of curriculum and learning.” Creative Schools Revolutionizing Education from the Ground Up Sir Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica
5 Top Tips 1. The learning environment is ‘The Third Teacher’. 2. Clever use of color can transform a learning room. 3. Use mobility and flexibility to alter the learning landscape. 4. Aim for balance between excitement and good order. 5. Make outdoor spaces every bit as important as the classroom.
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
elementary
The child’s expanding world Study area
Space, color, quality, shape, inspiration, flexibility and interaction are keywords
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Quiet corner
Quiet corner
Study area
Junior
ICT area Middle
when designing the ideal environment for younger children. The use of trays integrated with furniture, storage systems and docking stations in areas such as creative and reading zones is fundamental to this ever expanding world.
ICT area
Teacher’s area
Teacher’s area Reading corner
Welcome area
Play pen
“ Children learn by interacting with the furniture, knowing where things are stored, preparing the room and tidying away after use.” Trudy, Imaginative School Furniture, British Thornton ESP Ltd
Easy access storage Teacher’s area
Color boxes
Elementary
Pre-school
Display boxes Art easel
Role play area
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Play table
Easy access storage
Creative area
Picture credit: British Thornton ESF Ltd
Role play area
Group working
Creative area
elementary
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Organization and storage The emergence of a more flexible approach to classroom layout and of teaching methods has changed the landscape for learners and teachers alike.
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The Clever Classrooms report talks of an optimum balance for the learning environment as ‘neither chaotic nor boring but somewhere in the middle!’ By developing integrated systems for storage and organization of materials which offer versatility of application and a degree of mobility this can be achieved. J. Greenman, in a 2003 report ‘Are we losing ground?’ for the Child Care Information Exchange, defines good storage as ‘safe, located at the point of use, child accessible, clear, understandable and aesthetically pleasing’.
Picture credit: Learning space designed by zioxi
When asked “Which physical factors would improve the learning environment of your school?” storage space received the highest rating at 67%. School Learning Environments, Teacher Perception and Future Priorities, Smarter Spaces Coalition 2016
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
elementary
Art, creativity & performance Designing and resourcing the school for creative activities are among the greatest challenges. Making the space work
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to stimulate artistic and performance activities requires an
Callero Art Trolley with drying racks
Recessed top for no-spill transportation
Callero Art Trolley with trays
Creative and performance expression offers children a way to express their individuality and to contribute to group work. The learning environment must facilitate both.
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insight into the range of materials involved, safety of use and the need for children’s work to be archived and displayed.
Step-Up
“Key characteristics that are most effective in promoting creative skills in children… include the physical environment and the availability of resources/materials.” Clever Classrooms, Summary Report of the Head Project
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Stage Mobile
Podium
elementary
Middle and High School The quantum leap from primary to secondary education marks a transition in the learning environment where greater responsibilities are faced by pupils and teachers as the intrinsic values of education are impacted by examination processes.
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Each child needs an environment which supports their progress and designers have a privileged task when helping to create the future.
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
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Inspirational learning spaces The very best teachers want to inspire their students and to create and foster a culture and atmosphere of respect, innovation and trust. The environment they are in must support these aims, providing learning spaces that are refreshing, but not too busy, exciting, but not too distracting, and comfortable with the firm underlying message that great learning takes place in this room.
“From the kitchen to the school yard, the auditorium to the library, there are myriad opportunities to integrate… light, color and material into the learning landscape.”
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The Third Teacher
Ph ot o cr ed it: ne d by zio xi sig de e Le ar ni ng sp ac
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit: Flexilearn Interior by HOHENLOHER.
Photo credit: Flexilearn Interior by HOHENLOHER.
middle and high school
When it came to designing schools there were dogmas he wanted to challenge -- one was the self-contained classroom linked by endless corridors. He challenged me to design a school without corridors. This wasn’t driven by any architectural need, it was driven by schools having been designed the same way for so long that it baked in behaviours and attitudes about how to behave and act in school. It baked in a norm because of the physical environment.
Future rooms 38
What is your vision for the perfect classroom?
Nearly a decade after the seminal book The Third Teacher shook the learning world with design-led ways to transform education, we meet co-author and architect Trung Le at one of his favorite learning rooms, the Art Institute of Chicago.
My perfect vision of a classroom is that there are no classrooms and that we never refer to a classroom again. It opens up many things, like the place we are today – The Art Institute of Chicago. It’s funny that we create places of learning like this and only once in a while do we take our kids there. Ninety percent of the time they sit in a square room. Is the classroom really destined for the dustbin? True, I do think that a sense of place is important and the institution we call ‘school’ is still important. Starbucks, for example, keeps data on the flow of traffic through their stores and saw there was a spike the day after 9-11 -- people needed to be with others to discuss things. Maybe we can go back to the idea of sacred spaces like churches and plazas that connect people together. Imagine if a school is not a series of self-contained closed classrooms but a place of exploration and wonder. We create these spaces all the time, we just don’t call them schools. The title of the book, The Third Teacher, comes from an Italian educator’s premise that children learn not just from adults and peers but their environment as well. Increasingly technology plays a role -- what about the negative aspects of technology?
What impact did The Third Teacher have? Our work validated that there was a serious conversation happening about education, that there was a subtle but powerful shift -- not about teaching, but more about learning. It’s interesting how you can walk into a school and see when their attitude is more about teaching than it is about kids and learning. It has permeated adults’ way of being, their way of interacting with each other and certainly their way with the kids. We just amplified what was already happening.
I asked my son about the other day. When you go to a playground there are many things to play with, to swing, bat or ball, he told me. In our generation, he said, the virtual world is our playground. I’m not worrying about time they spend online, it’s what they’re doing online. It is pretty amazing you have access to the entire sweep of human knowledge -- that’s super powerful. Yet there’s bad stuff on there too. We need to teach them skills to navigate this world. We adults are having a problem with the alternative facts out there as well. That’s the era were all entering, not just our kids.
When you began work on The Third Teacher you were strongly influenced by Professor Stephen Heppell. What was so radical about his ideas for classroom design?
How do you measure success when it comes to education?
Now that I’m looking back, it was quite extraordinary how he was challenging how we perceive the way we learn. That the way we set up a classroom dictates the way we learn and is more about the way teachers want to teach than about the way we learn.
Eck en
a hoff S
: c r e d it P h o t o it e c t s h s Arc under
Pho to cre dit : Eck enh off Sau nde rs Arc hit ect s
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit: Leslie Woit
That’s an ongoing conversation. There obviously needs to be assessment but more and more there’s an observation that testing students is not the best way to do that. It’s very static and it measures only one thing—the success of learning and ultimately the success of the institution. I don’t think that’s been resolved yet but there’s some conclusion that over-testing results in disengaged kids. There are examples of this, in South Korea they are academically highly successful when it comes to testing but you also see higher rate of depression and suicides. In the US, there are kids going through the same thing.
Are we approaching a crisis in education? I think we’re on the tip of a dynamic and turbulent conversation. There has to be something to take its place. There are certain patterns I see happening that will advance the deconstruction of that. One is the cost of higher education. The 20th century norm of starting kindergarten when you’re 5, until you’re 21 or 22 coming out of college and ready for a career is coming to an end. Educators know that. The entire population is not being elevated, it’s only a certain portion of society and that gap is starting to widen. At some point I think young people and more informed parents will question whether college is the only path to success. When I visit incubator places and see young people starting tech businesses, I see this is possibly another path to making a living. I think there is a new emerging path starting to take root. Most private schools are struggling with their value proposition -- 40K to send your kids to kindergarten, 60K if you go to Northwestern or University of Chicago. Spending that kind of money to leave higher education with such debt, especially in the States? As a parent I’m saying either I’m going to invest 50K in your education or why don’t I take that money and we start a business together, or I’ll fund that business. I think we’re hitting the third way. The other thing is the impact of technology: we’re a few years away from artificial intelligence and there won’t be enough jobs to support college graduates. I see the intersection of those two trends already happening. Tell us about artificial intelligence? Machine learning will be able to do things that are repetitious so much better than human beings. Anything you can codify can be replaced -- that’s not just the welder being replaced by a robot. That’s doctors looking at x-rays, lawyers reading pages of pages of text, accountants looking at sheets and sheets of numbers. All those patterns that machines can do faster, more efficiently and better than us.
“An environment rich in evocative objects – whether it’s a classroom or a museum – triggers active learning by letting students pick what to engage with.” The Third Teacher p67
middle and high school
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Creating inspirational environments There is no more front of the classroom -- a teacher on his or her feet is worth two in the seat. Schools want teachers interacting with students and moving around different spaces. There’s also a strong desire for standing height desks. Sitting is the new smoking. Project-based learning is blending disciplines together. We’re beginning to see an increase in the Flipped Classroom -- one that focuses on learning and study at home, followed with homework and collaborative projects at school. F le e t w
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P h o to c re d it : o o d Fu rn it u re
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“If you’re a parent trying to teach your child something, you see that as soon as they watch another kid do it they learn immediately. The question is how do you support that behavior?” Alan Rheault, chief furniture designer Fleetwood Furniture, Holland, MI
Photo credit: Fleetwood Furniture
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photography credit: Fleetwood Furniture
middle and high school
The design of spaces The interdependence of school architecture with teaching methods, the use of digital media and the smart use of available space, not merely to facilitate the learning process but to stimulate it, is now an accepted fact. As far back as 1987, Canter and Donald are quoted in ‘ The Design of Learning Spaces’ observing that what was essential were the school’s educational philosophy AND physical layout.
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“A lot of people forget the students. Very few people ask them anything. Students know how they like to learn. And they learn when they’re not in school.” Gareth Long, educational consultant.
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit: VS Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabriken GmbH & Co. KG.
Photo credit: Learning space designed by zioxi
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Plan for the unknown New technology brings with it new teaching opportunities– design a learning environment that will allow teachers to modify their methods and expectations as technology changes.
Hutto Independent School District, Texas. Paragon, TX.
Hutto Independent School District (ISD) in Hutto, Texas is one of the fastest-growing
“The classroom environment in the new school needed to be conducive to open
school districts in the US. Over the last decade student enrollment increased from 1000
communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking,” said Brandy Baker,
to more than 7000 at 10 elementary, middle and high schools. Enrollment continues to
assistant superintendent of school support for Hutto ISD. “We knew that could not
grow by nearly 300 students each year.
be done if students were sitting in rows of desks all day. We sought to redesign our
“As the city of Austin expands, so does the suburb of Hutto,” explains Todd Robison, director of communications and community relations for Hutto ISD. “Because of this
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Case Study
classrooms to allow us to create our ‘portrait of a graduate’, the student we want to walk out of our doors after high school.”
rapid growth, it became necessary to add a sixth elementary school to our district for
Hutto ISD outfitted the school with Paragon furniture products for classrooms, common
the 2016/2017 school year.”
areas, main office, media center and more. Chairs and tables were ordered in four sizes
As plans were underway for the new Howard Norman Elementary School (HNES), Hutto ISD staff worked diligently on a multi-year Project Based Learning plan. The goal of the plan? To give students the ability to gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem or challenge.
to accommodate students in every grade. Desks were customized to have only two front casters. “This allows our students to pick up a desk and ‘wheelbarrow’ it across the room or out into the hallway to fit the needs of the subject or project. Additionally, the teacher desks are mobile so they can be moved around the room or into another room by the teacher,” explained Baker.
it : Pa ra go n Ph ot o cr ed
Ph oto cre dit : Pa rag on
on d it : Par ag P h o to cr e
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit: Paragon
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Science
As a first principle, learning spaces need to be designed with the specific functions of the area in mind, and nowhere is this more important than in secondary science education. From the handling and storage of materials to the delivery of utilities and the requirements of health and safety, there is a unique set of demands on the architect and designer. Functionality and form need to work together so that the teaching and learning of science offer the prize of discovery with the means of getting there. Flexibility of layout and mobility of equipment and materials are major considerations.
“Imagination and creativity, properly conceived, are as much a part of science as the arts. The great discoveries and theories that have driven science forward depend on profound leaps of imagination and practical ingenuity in the design and interpretation of experiments.�
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Creative Schools Revolutionizing Education from the Ground Up Sir Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
science
Store and prepare Science teachers cannot work without a good prep room and any design needs to take account of changes in the way science is taught and supported. Separate zones may be needed to cope with the range of activities involved, including handling of dangerous chemicals, maintenance and testing, equipment and sample storage, even washing up.
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Software-based planning tools exist to facilitate the design process, along with integral frames, trolleys, trays and inserts, to create good order for learners and a lesson-ready infrastructure for teachers.
“Communication between architects, designers and manufacturers on the one hand and science teachers on the other is essential for developing science provision for the highest standards of teaching and learning’.�
Ja c k ie G sc ie n c e te ra h a m , c h n ic ia n
The Association for Science Education
Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
science
Makerspace A makerspace is a collaborative workspace inside a school or library for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses high-tech to no-tech tools. These spaces have a variety of maker equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, soldering irons and appropriate storage solutions. The space helps to prepare those who need the critical 21st century skills in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). They provide hands-on learning, help with critical thinking skills and even boost self-confidence.
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Improving the learning environment
Digital “The pace at which students are adopting new technologies is extraordinary. A third of the nation’s high school students pursue online courses, and millions of people are enrolled in Web-based college classes… The vital human connection between educator and learner will always be the crucial spark in education. Technology can enhance that spark by helping teachers to use their time and talents more effectively and to personalize the learning experience to the needs and interests of individual students.”
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Arne Duncun, US Secretary of Education 2013 in Scientific American
Improving the learning environment
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“Tensions between traditional methods of schooling and the affordances of digital media were noted, while the promise of these technologies for shaping a new system of education was reviewed.�
Digital technology The launch of the iPad in 2010 enabled students and teachers to create unique opportunities for personal learning at every level. Children are immersed in the world of digital technology and even where the technical skills of learners often surpass those of teachers, there remains a need to manage, control, identify and safeguard the learning media. The new technologies present fresh challenges for educational practice, particularly at secondary level.
Summary of The Second Educational Revolution: Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology Collins, Halverson 2010
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Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
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digital
Learning Rooms Learning Rooms is an all embracing concept which seeks to harmonize the teaching ethos of schools with the learning environment. This applies equally to the outdoors as it does to the classroom, to the shared spaces of the school and to all of its creative, performance and academic aspirations. Learning Rooms is at the same time practical and visionary, aiming to provide common cause for educators, designers, architects, learners and teachers.
“Learning Rooms offers a mix of ideas, advice and content for classrooms, social space and the great outdoors to empower teachers and enrich the lives of children. Its ambition is to engage, challenge, inspire, discover and transform.� 56
ch d it : M o n ar P h o to cr e
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Murray Hudson, Gratnells Managing Director & Chairman
www.learning-rooms.com Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
Photo credit: James Clarke
Learning Rooms
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Bibliography SCHOOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS: TEACHER PERCEPTIONS AND FUTURE PRIORITIES SMARTER SPACES COALITION 2016 SPACES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, second edition Mark Dudek 2012, NCB WORKING IN THE REGGIO WAY Julianne P. Wurm 2005 Redleaf Press THE THIRD TEACHER Cannon Design/VS Furniture/Bruce Mau Design Abrams Books 2010 LORIS MALAGUZZI AND THE SCHOOLS OF REGGIO EMILIA Edited by Paola Cagliari, Marina Castagnetti, Claudia Giudici, Carlina Rinaldi, Vea Vecchi and Peter Moss Routledge 2016 THE DESIGN OF LEARNING SPACES Pamela Woolner Continuum International Publishing Group 2010 THE HUNDRED LANGUAGES OF CHILDREN Carolyn Edwards, Lella Gandini and George Forman in collaboration with Reggio Children and Innovations in Early Education: The International Reggio Exchange PRAEGER 2012
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CREATIVE SCHOOLS REVOLUTIONIZING EDUCATION FROM THE GROUND UP Sir Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica ALLEN LANE; Penguin Random House 2015
THE HOLISTIC IMPACT OF CLASSROOM SPACES ON LEARNING IN SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS Professor Peter Barrett, Fay Davies, Dr Yufan Zhang and Dr Lucinda Barrett ENVIRONMENT AND BEHAVIOUR SAGE PUBLICATIONS 2016
ARE WE LOSING GROUND REPORT Child Care Information Exchange 2003
THE ASSOCIATION FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION Website 2016
CLEVER CLASSROOMS SUMMARY REPORT OF THE HEAD PROJECT Professor Peter Barrett, Dr Yufan Zhang, Dr Fay Davies, Dr Lucinda Barrett University of Salford 2015
INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS: TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE DIGITAL ERA Directorate General for Internal Policies European Parliament 2015
CREATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN EDUCATION Dan Davies, Divya Jindah-Snape, Chris Collier, Rebecca Digby, Penny Hay and Alan Howe ELSEVIER 2012
JONES AND QUINNELL REPORT ON JOINT SURVEY by the Gatsby Foundation FUTURE SCHOOLS RIBA publishing
BETTER SPACES FOR LEARNING TopMarkSchools RIBA 2016 CLASSROOM SPACE ENVIRONMENT & IMPACTS ON PUPILS’ PERFORMANCE Professor Peter Barrett University of Salford
Gratnells UK manufacturing centre
ABOUT GRATNELLS Gratnells is the world’s leading manufacturer of tray storage systems for the education sector. Based in the United Kingdom, we have a state-of-the-art factory making our extensive range of storage systems which are sent to 68 countries around the globe. We work with education furniture manufacturers, equipment distributors and international schools. Our products range from nursery and early learning storage through to specialized storage for school laboratories and preparation areas. Enhancing the learning environment: Learning Rooms
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Photo credit: British Thornton ESF Ltd