It used to be that prior to the age of 18, young people would spend half their lives in school. These days, classrooms have become bedrooms, kitchens, a parent’s office or anywhere with a strong WIFI connection. While traditional classrooms haven’t disappeared, they stand in contrast to the needs of today’s students.
The physical and digital spaces where education takes place have long term psychological impacts on students’ ability to feel safe, welcome and absorb knowledge, as well as how they behave, learn and relate to one another.
“We must reconsider and rebuild educational spaces to be accessible to all; to meet students where they are and easily flex to new and changing needs,” said Russell Devenish, CDI President.
In a time when education has undergone tremendous change, how can schools best move forward?
Teachers already have a big job in managing a classroom, the question becomes, “How can I help my students learn the way that they learn best?”
Enter the flexible classroom…
A flexible classroom is a space that is dedicated to enabling student choice. This gives students the autonomy to choose how they learn, demonstrate knowledge and collaborate and engage with others. Flexible learning environments are becoming a priority in schools as they enable teachers to create unique environments that emphasize individual learning styles.
In the last few years, flexible classroom design has become a hot topic in education. As researchers and teachers learn about the different ways in which students learn, they have determined that a one-size-fits-all approach to education does not result in the best outcomes.
The impact of flexible classroom design is hard to quantify because there are many factors to consider including lighting, air quality, layout and noise. But some of the reasons why flexible classroom design benefit teachers and students include:
When isolated from other measured factors, classroom flexibility is about as important as air quality, lighting or temperature in boosting academic performance and driving better student outcomes.
Classrooms today are evolving to meet students’ needs and adapt to their learning experience. As students look to school not just as places of learning, but as places to feel safe, engaged and included – there will be an ongoing emphasis on educating and nurturing the whole student and their well-being.
Today’s flexible learning spaces must incorporate these three design principles to meet the needs of learners and educators:
Inclusivity. Flexible learning spaces must break down the barriers that separate remote and in-room participants. It’s important to ensure that everyone is seen, heard and has equal ability to contribute. Some things to consider:
Engagement. Flexible learning spaces should be designed across a range of settings which are inviting, comfortable and make collaboration easy. This includes:
Flexibility: Flexible learning spaces should be designed for a variety of intuitive, easy-to-navigate virtual and physical experiences. Some things to consider:
Today’s students require environments that encourage discovery and deeper learning. Flexible design is fundamental to the next generation of teaching and learning. Providing options for students to choose where they feel they learn best gives them a voice and an active role in their education, resulting in significantly increased engagement.
As we look to the future, we must reconsider and rebuild educational spaces to be accessible to all; to meet students where they are and easily flex to new and changing needs.