FEATURE: BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT
How school design is keeping pace with social and technological change
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illiam Tonkinson, CEO of education furniture and fitout specialists, Deanestor, looks at how school design is evolving to reflect the pace of social and technological change.
Research has shown how children excel in stimulating, inspiring learning environments. Every inch of our schools are now scoured for the capacity to contribute to learning. Corridors are being widened to become extensions to the classrooms; stairs can provide seating space; learning plazas encourage social interaction to replace under-used foyers; and previously single-use spaces such as dining halls and libraries are being designed to have multiple functions, accommodating performances and group learning hubs.
Social spaces to develop knowledge Secondary schools are moving towards a campus style of design which is closer to a college or work environment to better prepare young people for higher education or the world of work. Students now have more ownership of their learning and there is a move away from the teacher being the focal point at the front of the class. This is a significant shift driven by the curriculum and facilitated by new technology. A range of different spaces such as learning plazas and hubs encourage collaborative learning and a more fluid approach to teaching with a
higher level of social integration. Furniture has to be more agile, mobile and easy to reconfigure to reflect this transformation.
Classrooms were typically separated by walls and doors. Open layouts now have glass partitions and uninterrupted lines of sight, utilising design ideas from cutting edge workplaces such as Google and Apple campuses.
The importance of flexibility The pace of social and technological change means modern learning environments have to rapidly evolve. Fundamental to making educational spaces work is incorporating long- term flexibility so that as technology, curriculum and pedagogies continue to develop, those changes can be supported and not hindered. Teaching staff need to be able to tailor the learning environment to allow for short-term changes of layout and use – and for long-term expansion and contraction as capacity fluctuates in line with local demographics. This means movable or modular furniture that allows spaces to be rearranged with ease.
Furniture often has multiple functions. A bookcase would now be mobile and could have an integrated white board so it can be both a room divider and a teaching aid. Lockers can have integrated booth seating or workstations, encouraging social interaction.
We often have to configure furniture to work both in individual classrooms and in a large double classroom which can be opened up using
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www.education-today.co.uk July/August 2024
movable or retractable walls. Super science laboratories can now accommodate two large classes working simultaneously on practical and written work.
The impact of technology
Technology in schools today is invisible, personal and mobile. This reduces students’ dependence on the teacher, promoting peer-to-peer collaboration and widening the sphere of learning beyond the confines of the classroom to the whole school campus.
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