The Broader Professional Context Week 27
Trend influencing education in New Zealand or internationally
References
Redesigning Learning Spaces - a trend influencing education in New Zealand and internationally
I have been implementing a 21st century pedagogy for the last three years in a physical environment that is not cohesive with the philosophy of modern learning. Last year this involved sixty-seven students and three teachers working collaboratively using the philosophy of Ako and our school focus of visible learning. This year we still have three teachers, the same space but have nearly twenty more students. With a student-centric pedagogy now firmly established it is now obvious with this extra number of students why redesigning learning spaces has become a long-term trend both nationally and internationally as it has the potential to significantly impact classroom practices and learning in ways that my current space cannot.
I have been implementing a 21st century pedagogy for the last three years in a physical environment that is not cohesive with the philosophy of modern learning. Last year this involved sixty-seven students and three teachers working collaboratively using the philosophy of Ako and our school focus of visible learning. This year we still have three teachers, the same space but have nearly twenty more students. With a student-centric pedagogy now firmly established it is now obvious with this extra number of students why redesigning learning spaces has become a long-term trend both nationally and internationally as it has the potential to significantly impact classroom practices and learning in ways that my current space cannot.
The Ministry of Education is embracing policy changes as seen in their draft vision for education in 2025 Lifelong Learners in a Connected World. This shows a highly connected, interdependent education system that equips students with the skills for the future, fosters students’ identity, language and culture, and prepares students to participate as successful citizens in the 21st century, Ministry of Education (2015). They are currently embracing policy changes in an effort to transform the country’s school spaces based on the finding that student learning is maximised when it is self-led, collaborative, and social, as learning is in my class. All schools are required now to incorporate flexible learning spaces into their ten-year property plans, Becker et al, (2016). The redesign of physical learning spaces has been highlighted as an international long-term trend crucial for nurturing 21st-century learning opportunities. The layout of the classroom has proven to impact student engagement and performance.
Benade, (2017) states that a well designed flexible space can support single teacher whole ‘class’ teaching practice and can adapt to a broader range of teaching and learning practices and groupings as a school’s education practices evolve over time thus meeting the needs of learners requiring a range of teaching approaches, a range of spaces. Flexible learning spaces should also allow teachers to structure multiple learning areas and activities so students can learn at a level appropriate to their own development. This is what the current design of my class is missing. Breakout spaces for children to innovatively construct their learning using the likes of robotics, green screening, stop motion and GarageBand. Interestingly enough this has always been a part of my practice (for the last 15 years) but I have never had so many children crammed into such a small space that it is presently impossible to accommodate this type of innovative practice. These spaces to innovate need to be connected to the classroom so monitoring and feedback can be still given whilst children work independently. A decade ago I was invited numerous times to be a facilitator at kidz@conference at the University of Otago as I used innovative technological practices as part of my everyday practice in class. My classroom environment wasn’t modern but it was spacious enough to allow what is called today flexible teaching spaces and breakout areas to allow learning to be self-led. I initiated the introduction of the children facilitating at these conferences supported by the teacher which we now call tuakana-teina.
Since I have started writing this post the Ministry of Education has committed $5M for new classrooms for Cromwell and Queenstown primary schools. "This new investment will provide space to accommodate both current and future growth. We're committed to ensuring that children learn in environments that support them to achieve to the best of their abilities." (McKenzie-McLean, 2017). This is in line with the ministry's other announcement this week that there will be a major shift toward digital literacy in what the government is calling the biggest changes to the education curriculum in a decade. “Children need to be confident digital technology users and creators if they're to succeed,” says Education Minister Nikki Kaye "Digital fluency is now an essential life skill for our young people, so we must ensure they have the skills and knowledge they need to engage in an increasingly digital world," she said.
I am experiencing first hand why this trend is driving educational change as when the conditions for learning are in place such as the right acoustics, lighting, technology, heating and space to support learning the children are motivated learners as learning is relevant, current, meaningful and exciting for both myself and my students. Many stresses and distractions such as negative behaviours, bored and disengaged students disappear like magic.
Benade, (2017) states that a well designed flexible space can support single teacher whole ‘class’ teaching practice and can adapt to a broader range of teaching and learning practices and groupings as a school’s education practices evolve over time thus meeting the needs of learners requiring a range of teaching approaches, a range of spaces. Flexible learning spaces should also allow teachers to structure multiple learning areas and activities so students can learn at a level appropriate to their own development. This is what the current design of my class is missing. Breakout spaces for children to innovatively construct their learning using the likes of robotics, green screening, stop motion and GarageBand. Interestingly enough this has always been a part of my practice (for the last 15 years) but I have never had so many children crammed into such a small space that it is presently impossible to accommodate this type of innovative practice. These spaces to innovate need to be connected to the classroom so monitoring and feedback can be still given whilst children work independently. A decade ago I was invited numerous times to be a facilitator at kidz@conference at the University of Otago as I used innovative technological practices as part of my everyday practice in class. My classroom environment wasn’t modern but it was spacious enough to allow what is called today flexible teaching spaces and breakout areas to allow learning to be self-led. I initiated the introduction of the children facilitating at these conferences supported by the teacher which we now call tuakana-teina.
Since I have started writing this post the Ministry of Education has committed $5M for new classrooms for Cromwell and Queenstown primary schools. "This new investment will provide space to accommodate both current and future growth. We're committed to ensuring that children learn in environments that support them to achieve to the best of their abilities." (McKenzie-McLean, 2017). This is in line with the ministry's other announcement this week that there will be a major shift toward digital literacy in what the government is calling the biggest changes to the education curriculum in a decade. “Children need to be confident digital technology users and creators if they're to succeed,” says Education Minister Nikki Kaye "Digital fluency is now an essential life skill for our young people, so we must ensure they have the skills and knowledge they need to engage in an increasingly digital world," she said.
I am experiencing first hand why this trend is driving educational change as when the conditions for learning are in place such as the right acoustics, lighting, technology, heating and space to support learning the children are motivated learners as learning is relevant, current, meaningful and exciting for both myself and my students. Many stresses and distractions such as negative behaviours, bored and disengaged students disappear like magic.
References
Adams Becker, S., Freeman, A., Giesinger Hall, C., Cummins, M.,and Yuhnke, B. (2016). NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2016 K-12Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2016-nmc-cosn-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf
Benade L, (2017) .REFLECTIONS ON FLEXIBLE LEARNING SPACES. retrieved from https://nzareblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/flexible-learning-spaces/
Ministry of Education ( 2016 ). Flexible learning spaces: how infrastructure can support innovative learning. Retrieved from http://ile.education.govt.nz/flexible-learning-spaces/
Ministry of Education. (2015). NEW ZEALAND EDUCATION IN 2025: LIFELONG LEARNERS IN A CONNECTED WORLDS. Retrieved from https://education.govt.nz/ministry-of-education/specific-initiatives/digital-technologies-for-teaching-and-learning
McKenzie-McLean, Jo (2017). CROMWELL, QUEENSTOWN PRIMARY SCHOOLS GET $5M FOR NEW CLASSROOMS. Retrieved from https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/94169426/cromwell-queenstown-primary-schools-get-5m-for-new-classrooms
Practising teacher criteria
4(iii). initiate learning opportunities to advance personal professional knowledge and skills
4(iii). initiate learning opportunities to advance personal professional knowledge and skills
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