About

Imagine making this scenario true for both existing and new schools:
 

1. Teachers do not spend their day in a traditional classroom
2. The number of students any teacher works with varies throughout the school day
3. Students are not grouped only by age or grade level
4. Hands-on student work dominates activities in learning spaces as opposed to teacher instruction
5. Teachers work in interdisciplinary teams and belong to a small, manageable community of students
6. True differentiation and personalization is possible so every student can succeed
7. There is focus not only on content but developing essential soft skills like problem solving, critical thinking and creativity
8. The school provides creative, real-world experiences that students need to be fully prepared for the new world into which they will graduate 

This workshop will take attendees systematically through the process of rethinking and redesigning learning spaces to facilitate all eight of the above design criteria for today and tomorrow’s schools. This Masterclass applies both to the design of new schools and additions as well as small and large school renovation projects.
 

Who Should Attend?

• Principals / Executive Teams
• Directors / Business Managers
• Deputies / Assistant Principals
• Future focused educators / curriculum leads / head of department
• Architects
• Facilities Managers
• Construction Companies
   

Why Attend?

• A majority of the learning that happens in schools is pre-determined by a design best suited for an industrial, mass-production model. In short, “school hardware” severely limits the “educational software” it can run
• Learn how to move away from the rigidity of a static building to the agility of a Learning Building. Well-designed school buildings are ever-changing to accommodate the learning that is going on at any given time
• This masterclass will offer clear and immediately usable strategies for educators to adapt their practice to maximize the benefits of new learning environments
• Find out how to design the future of learning for your school, and accommodate many more learning modalities, by breaking down classroom-based schools into learning, community-based schools
• By reshaping schools to represent true Learning Buildings, we have an opportunity to physically manifest new and more powerful philosophies of learning
• Benefit from specific and immediately usable ideas to transform the learning environment for all students and, by extension, education itself

Attendance at EduTECH counts towards PD/professional learning activities which you can record with your relevant state teacher registration board.
 

What to Bring?

Please BYO laptop device, not just a tablet or iPad. Wireless Internet is provided.
 

Agenda

9:00 | Arrival

9:30 | Commencement and Group Introduction

9:45 | Session 1

Presentation and discussion about how to define effective schools in today’s context and what constitutes a student-centered learning space. Discuss differences between student-centered and student-directed learning. Participants will do a mini-exercise that demonstrates connections between learning spaces, the school schedule, the curriculum, pedagogy and the way in which teachers and students are grouped throughout the school day.

10:00 | Morning Tea & Networking 
 

11:00 | Session 2:

This session will focus on Design Patterns and a common “Language of School Design.” It will conclude with an actual design exercise where participants will be given the opportunity to redesign a traditional school so that it can function more effectively for today’s and tomorrow’s needs.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will learn how to critically analyse school spaces and be given an opportunity to utilize their new design vocabulary in order to redesign an existing school space so that it can function effectively for student-centered learning. By the end of this session, attendees will be using actual design tools to create viable designs for innovative learning spaces.

12:45 | Lunch Break 
 

1:45 | Session 3:

Each team will present their design ideas to the group at large and at the conclusion of the session, there will be a general discussion about what was learned from the design exercise. They will also begin the design of an “Education Ecosystem” for a school type of their preference. Attendees will learn how to determine what learning spaces and processes are “antiquated” and need to be phased out, what are “classical” and need to be preserved and what are “contemporary” and need to be added.

Learning Outcomes: Attendees will learn from their colleagues about the various ways in which traditional school spaces can be altered or new ones created to better serve today’s and tomorrow’s educational needs. They will also understand how innovative learning spaces can serve as a catalyst to redesign the entire school model.

2:44 | Networking Break
 

3:00 | Session 4:

Teams will continue to develop their ideas and then present them to the group at large. There will also be a general description of the day’s activities and learning.

Learning Outcomes: Each participant will learn that the way in which learning spaces are designed is a critical component in the way education itself can be redesigned to meet the needs of a changing world. They will also be able to understand the challenges presented by existing school buildings and campuses and how these can be overcome to design student-centered spaces and student-led learning.
 

4:00 | Conclusion.

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