It might seem overwhelming, tedious, or like you're in over your head, but, I can assure you, resigning your classroom to create an innovative learning space is the coolest thing since sliced bread! Okay...well, at least it's up there.
Recently, I was challenged to resign my classroom to create an innovative learning space. As our school's Library was transformed into our, now, Innovation Center (where I work), I decided to reflect on my classroom environment from last year and brainstorm ways to enhance and modify that environment.
Initially, my classroom kept the tables in rows didn't allow for much movement or support when it comes to active learning. In Figure 1, you can see a representation of my current classroom layout. The walls (4) are white. I have large windows (3) facing the school parking lot. My desk was at the front of the room as I would project my slides for the day, while students took notes or talked to their table partner. What kind of collaborative environment is that? Offering more active learning opportunities can increase academic outcomes (Murphy & Gardner, 2019), but I wasn't offering much of that, yet.
As a proud Indiana University (IU) graduate, I'm honored to speak on behalf of Murphy and Gardner's exploration regarding an initiative both IU and University of Central Florida (UCF) pushed for a few years ago in regards to classroom design. These two universities believe "...flexible and adaptive form will unlock needed changes in the teaching and learning function (Murphy & Gardner, 2019, p. 6)." Our classrooms were filled with flexible seating and working options. Our libraries were transformed into collaboration spaces. In most of my courses, no one could identify the "front of the room" which enabled and enhanced our freedom for active learning.
Last year, I moved my classroom tables around a few times, but nothing felt like the collaborative, flexible, adaptive learning environment I thrived in as a student. So, why should my students suffer?
Redesigning the classroom was quite a challenge. I've never had a knitch for interior design, let alone the experience to create my vision using design software. After plenty of hours tinkering, rethinking decisions, and reflecting on my students' needs, I decided to modify the furniture, wall colors, organization of presentation space, and opportunities for collaboration. In Figure 2, you will see my 'final' classroom design I created using Roomstyler. Barrett et al. (2013) explains the importance of color,
choice, connection, complexity, flexibility and light in the classroom. From experience, I know I'm more focused and engaged in rooms with natural light. Additionally, a pop of color helps brighten up the room and feel more like an active learning environment and less like a warehouse. Figure 3 is a 3D photo of how the inside of my classroom might look, post remodeling. Here are a list of modifications I made redesigning my innovative learning space:
Painting the white walls, 2 light blue (school color), 2 beige (calming color)
Rearranging desks to outline the classroom with collaboration cluster in the middle of the U-shaped outline of desks
Adding flexible seating in the back
Shifting the teacher's desk to the side of the room to allow more movement during presentations, discussions, etc.
Replacing the collaboration cluster chairs with bean bags for more comfortable, casual seating meeting the needs of some students with learning disabilities
In the end, I'm very grateful and eager to amplify my classroom and other classrooms throughout my school with the mindset focused around active learning environments. Our traditional, old-school classrooms can easily transform into the innovative learning spaces students need to collaborate, innovate, and meet academic learning outcomes.
Resources:
Barrett, P., Zhang, Y., Moffat, J., & Kobbacy, K. (2013). A holistic, multi-level analysis identifying the impact of classroom design on on pupils' learning. Building and Environment, 59, 678-689.
Murphy, D., & Gardner, G. (2019). Function Follows Form: How Two Colleges Redesigned the Classroom for Active Learning. EdSurge.