Page 32 - School Planning & Management, November 2017

WANT TO IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING?
rethink the classroom, not just the curriculum.
by Rod Bohm
EDUCATORS know that to reach — and teach — every student, they must make learning engaging and exciting. Consequently, lesson plans are growing more creative, and collaboration among students and teachers alike is now the rule.
But the classroom hasn’t kept up with these rapid changes in pedagogy. It’s about time that changed. Teachers need the ability to create physical learning environments that adapt to different learn- ing styles. Their students deserve nothing less.
Adaptiveclassroomsaretheproductofahuman-centeredapproach to design. Under this rubric, learning spaces prioritize the needs of, well, humans — students, teachers and administrators.
“We all see the world in dif- ferent ways, and students are no exception,” said Jonathan Matta, vice president of Educa- tion at global furniture manu- facturer KI. “Human-centered learning spaces are dynamic and fluid, so that they can ac- commodate a variety of learn-
ing and teaching styles.”
What does a human-centered
classroomlooklike?Itvaries.
It could be a classroom where one student can read independently, two others can grapple with the newest math concept, and a group can do a hands-on science project — all
simultaneously.
It could be one with floor-to-
ceiling windows to let students and teachers take advantage of the well-documented health and cognitive benefits of natural light.
It could be decorated in vivid colors and palpable textures to stimulate the minds of its students.
In today’s ever-connected world, human-centered class- rooms also have to keep up with technology — and support tech- inspired learning. That could mean providing students with convenient access to power, maintaining wireless networks throughout the school, or build- ing classrooms that can be adapt- ed and reconfigured as new tech- nologies are incorporated into the curriculum.
INTERIORS
IMAGES COURTESY OF KI
32 SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / NOVEMBER 2017
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