YELIZ KARADAYI
JACOB RUSSO
BRIDGING THE GAP space and curriculum art and science collaboration and technology Conceptual Inquiry Physical and Theoritical Precedents
Observations and Proposal What the kids said:
What the teachers said:
What we observed:
-iPhones should be used to communicate outside of the classroom -Use tace paper to improve drawing skills -Compare and conrast -Posters
-Technology is not incorporated in outdoor teaching right now (plans in the making) -Technology is not thought of as a third teacher like space is, but as a tool -Hi-tech is lacking at the moment -Technology has not been integrated holistically in the classroom -Bad weather can hinder lesson plans (i.e.movie days) -Teachers act as guides -Teachers are conscious of the physical classroom space -Teachers condition students to understand the implications of various spaces in the school -Outdoor learning is associated
-Flourescent lights are used predominantly throughout the school -Classrooms are maintained identifyable as classrooms but not as specific environments based on each lesson -Students tend to be more excited when outdoors -Students are excited indoors when introduced to extraordinary circumstances
-Powerpoints
with exploration
OPTIMIZE: MAKE THE SPACE THE BEST IT CAN BE FOR EACH LESSON INTEGRATE: INCLUDE IMPLEMENTS INTO THE CLASSROOM THAT ARE NOT NORMALLY CONSIDERED EXPLORE: INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO NEW SETTINGS IN THE CONTEXT OF LESSONS TO GET THEM TO THINK IN UNIQUE WAYS
Summary of Prototyping Results
Recomendations for Future Development Major Findings: strategies of the school, pedagogical preferences/ ideas of various teachers, classroom methodologies, technology plan for next year Recomendations: the next team should try to get on site a lot more and understand and bit better the inner workings of the school and how the teachers think of their roles in relation to technology and space
integrate optimize
explore
Interactive Display HOW: by using an all-purpose display space that becomes a part of the classroom, students begin to understand their process and product as one.
WHY: this allows for them to realize endless possibilities and not just see an assigment as something to complete, but instead as something to continuously explore.
By using multifunctional objects such as multi-purpose display systems which double as workspaces or seating, students will not simply be “putting work away� but consistently referencing it for future works.
Students do not yet seem to have a space where they can simultaneously reflect and produce. They see their projects as something to be completed and then move on. However, it is possible to make their learning process seem more continuous by allowing them to reflect on previous projects and lessons by keeping them out in an organized way.
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Full-Time Technology HOW: keep technology out and let it become something that students can interact with, even if it is not being used for its regular functions.
WHY: by allowing technology to become a visible part of the day, students are given more opportunities to learn from it.
Carnegie Mellon uses TV’s throughout the school to continuously display updated information about the school or projects that students have done. This is inspiring for students to see other’s work and to also strive to have their work put up there.
Technology is becoming more and more a part of daily human life and it is getting more difficult to ignore it when it is not being directly used. Thus, it should be taken advantage of when it is not in direct use.
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Incorporate Situational Phenomena HOW: think about how uncontrollable aspects of life can become a part of or influence the classroom, and come up with positive ways to take advantage of it.
WHY: by highlighting familiar phenomena, students will understand the lesson in a way that relates to something they have observed before. this enhances personal interest in a topic and also gives students a personal memory to associate a lesson with.
When the weather affects the original lesson plan that day, be prepared to have a backup plan. Furthermore, try taking advantage of the weather to teach a lesson. For example, having students identify the clouds during their cloud unit, or having students incorporate rain into their art projects could be a way to get students more involved with the world around them.
“It’s raining...it’s movie day.” By avoiding the phenomena going on outside, the children are also learning to ignore what is happening around them. Instead, embrace the haptic qualities of unexpected situations and allow the students to understand and appreciate it through the lense of their lesson.
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Naturally Lit HOW: change the lights in the room to feel more relaxed and less stressful.
WHY: softer looking bright lights are known to enhance student performance and ability to absorb information.
By simply avoiding fluorescent lights and favoring softer bright lights, the room will feel more open and calming for a student.
Studies show that fluorescent lights can cause anxiety, bodily stress, and shorter attention.
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Change HOW: use simple ways to change the feel of the classroom according to the next lesson to make the classroom a more exciting space for the students.
WHY: small changes in the classroom will let the kids know physically that there is a new lesson, and they will in turn be more aware of the new subject and maintain interest in the changing topic of each lesson.
During the fossil study lesson, organize a scavenger hunt, relating qualities of specific locations in the classroom to the lesson. This can be a quick and fun activity to introduce the students to a new lesson in a fun and exciting way, optimizing their interest and memory.
By keeping the classroom as a classroom all the time, students may find each lesson to become monotonous inside and feel more interested in the activities than in the lesson learned. Memory is strongly associated with space, and so with an unchanging space less vivid memories.
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Explore with Technology HOW: take advantage of different technologies to incorporate it into the explorational aspect of any given lesson in an interactive and immersive way. WHY: students can learn how to use technology, but they cannot fully appreciate what it has to offer unless they actually put it into practice with a real, physical outcome that offers room for reflection. more technology also means more tools with which a student can learn with less limitations.
When learning any lesson, a student can be asked to take a camera along with them during their outdoor exploration and learn how to use a camera to document. This exercise will help them develop as photographers and documenters, and also gives them an entirely new way to learn.
Teachers mentioned that they use technology occasionally as tools to teach lessons. We believe that it can fully cooperate with space and experience to teach lessons. To explore the outdoors without tools is limiting. For example, an artist should not be limited to just a pencil. The artist requires multiple tools to learn. This applies to any type of learning, including technology with outdoor exploration.