#schoolarcitecture
Joost Vaesen Marina Berbel
Jo Tondeur Maruxa Touceda
Lisa Herman
Elise De Clercq
It is widely recognised that the material landscape
can impact the teaching and learning process
Historical research about the material learning environment (eg. Hermans et al., 2012; Van Den Driessche, 2009)
"The space should reflect the pedagogy"
- Myers, 1993 -
Classroom biographies: Teaching & learning in evolving material landscapes
The jury is still out on how the learning environment can be associated to 21st Century Learning!
Voogt & Pareja Roblin, 2012
What about the 21st Century?
Architects
School policy
Teachers
Pupils
Macro level
Parents
Culture
Structures ...
A classroom
- The grammar of schooling -
"With so many students
I can only put them in rows"
- Teacher Primary Education -
School policy
Teachers
Pupils
Culture
Structures ...
The social agency can be exercised relative to things and social agency can be exercised by things
A. Gell, ‘Art and Agency. An anthropological theory’ in: Oxford: Oxford University Press
Interaction between architecture and education
What are important (f)actors
to design powerful physical learning environments?
Design of the study
Review of the literature
Expert interviews
Analysis of the environment
Selection of the schools
Observations
Stimulated recall interviews
Focus groups
Design scenario, incl. evaluation
Inspiration guide
In-depth interviews with pupils
Experts? To illustrate:
Art Basics for children
Future Classroom Lab
Analysis of the environment
Analysis of graphical documents (e.g. maps, diagrams, photographs, etc.) Observations (school tour, photos, notes, etc.) + interview with management
Observations
Perspective of the pupils
Pupils take pictures in their school
Interview
Based on the pictures
Based on their sketch: Ideal school
Primary education
Het Reuzenhuis - Tielt
Innovative design (2003)
Sample schools (selection)
Primary education
Hippo's Hof - Gent
Renovation, Jenaplan (2015-2018)
Original building 1914
Primary education
KBO College het Sleutelbos - Oudenaarde
CV of each of the schools
Primary & secondary education
New trend: De Tienerschool - Anderlecht
Secundair onderwijs
RHIZO Lyceum OLV Vlaanderen - Kortrijk
Future Classroom Lab in an old school building (1930)
Secondary education
Talentenschool - Turnhout
Campus Boomgaard: ASO, TSO, BSO
Secundair onderwijs
Talentenschool - Turnhout (GO!)
Modern design in lign with their pedagogical vision
Secondary education
Talentenschool - Turnhout (GO!)
Future classroom & multimedia room
Results: design of a powerful
physical learning environment
From vision to space: a process
Preparation, transformation and implementation, evaluation and again
Pedagogy and space: inseparably connected
"You have to know how a school wants to live, work, before you can make a building for it.
If you believe in the importance of nature, you can't have a concrete playground, do you?
If you believe that children from different ages should play together, you can't let them play separately, right?
We have animals at school, some children have behavioral problems, but let them care for animals and they open up.
We don't do this to 'be fun'. It all comes from vision.
(Schoolteam, 19/04/2018).
Connecting expertise
Every step we came together with the schoolteam to ask and receive feedback. We designed in consultation. Involvement is of big importance during the construction process. Unfortunately, this often isn't the case: a school is assigned to you and you build it. Here we were involved in the pedagogical aspect. That was amazing. (Architect, 21/02/2018).
Connecting expertise
We did a lot of research and looked for support. First we explored and looked at good practices: what shapes exist, and which of them can we use to translate our vision? Next we could get to work, always in collaboration. We talked to experts. All actors were constantly involved again. Collaboration and involvement, this is the key message you must always remember. (Schoolteam, 21/02/2018).
What do the pupils think?
What is the ideal classroom in relation to the 21st century skills?
What is the ideal classroom according to the pupils, with the 21st century skills in mind?
What are the perceptions of students about their current school design?
How are the 21st century skills stimulated in the current class design?
Research questions
21st CS
"I think working with computers but also groupworks with the computer. Communicating from home and sending documents thanks to the computer, is really from this century."
(Student RHIZO Kortrijk)
Sports and games | Peaceful and cosy |
---|
"My favourite place at school"
"My least favourite place at school"
Work | Privacy |
---|
"The most innovative place at school"
"The angry corner because you can box, smash the doors and scream without getting disturbed."
(Student Reuzenhuis Tielt)
"The place that every school should have"
"The place that stimulates the 21st CS"
Sports and games | Laptop/technology |
---|
"Good wifi and a place to put the cables together instead of cables everywhere on the ground, that would be very practical.”
(Student Talentenschool Turnhout)
“Enough plugs to charge the laptops are important.”
(Student RHIZO Kortrijk)
Technology
Ideal classroom
Ideal classroom
Sports and games
Laptops in the classroom
“This is the extreme corner if you are really sad.”
“Here you can go swearing. You swear in the jar and then you close it and your bad words can never leave.”
“In this corner they can draw for the children they have hurt.”
A place for emotions
“I think it's important that every class has it's own theme. For example, our teacher likes owls so our class is full with pictures of owls.”
Ideal classroom
Decoration
- Technology society: visible at schools
- Ideal classroom? positive aspects from the current classroom!
Conclusion
Results: 21st Century Skills &
the physical learning environment
Pedagogical axis
Six starting points
And a non-exhaustive list of activities/approaches for each (based on observations)
21st century skills
Architectural axis
Five design options and examples of possible application
Combination axes
Innovative spatial solutions: with their own detailed fiches
> Scenarios based on school visits, interviews with experts and literature
Innovative spatial solutions
24 scenarios
Combination axes
Example
Combination axes
Innovative spatial solutions
Het Reuzenhuis - Tielt
Experts and literature
24 scenarios
containing innovative spatial solutions
Conclusion?
Ten commandments!
Don't be afraid to start:
they deserve a powerful learning environment
Start with a clear vision about good education
Linking pedagogy & architecture
It's a marathon, not a sprint. Make sure you are well prepared
Involve all stakeholders
Communication is the key
Ask for help
Don't forget the technical issues
Transformation is a cyclic process
Every school is different!
Moving forward
Build your own scenario
@jotondeur
jo.tondeur@vub.be
Feel free to contact us
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“More than a brick in the wall” - Creating Europe’s innovative learning environments, connecting policy, pedagogy and investment
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