Rethinking Our Educational Environments: Designing Modern Learning Spaces Written March 2021
SYNOPSIS Schools must be considered holistically as physical systems that support a multitude of student educational and emotional needs. The spaces are as much about supporting measurable student outcomes as they are about supporting subjective successes such as creativity, emotional maturity, and empathy. Modern learning focuses on student-centered learning rather than the traditional teacher-centered model the United States has utilized for nearly the last century (Nair, 2014). A student-centered school is designed to “get out of the way” of teaching and learning so students and staff can more freely engage with each other and the opportunities for discovery. Unfortunately, the majority of our educational facilities were designed and built for a different age and different way of working. They often-times get in the way. Districts balance many choices as they consider reconfiguring space for this new paradigm. In Blueprint for Tomorrow (Nair, 2014), educational planner and author Prakash Nair offers four design principles for schools that should be kept front of mind as decisions are made. FOUR DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR SCHOOLS: 1. Be welcoming (safe, nurturing, encouraging good citizenship) 2. Be versatile (agile and personalized) 3. Support varying and specific learning activities (multiple learning settings) 4. Send positive message (about identity and behavior) Rethinking Our Educational Environments
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