Ewan Macintosh is a Scottish gentleman who advises whole countries on digital strategies. A few years ago he put together a video about seven different types of spaces that might be incorporated into a school (http://vimeo.com/15945912). These seven spaces are a wonderful place to start brainstorming what technology you might like to include into a new look learning space. They are a good starting point because you begin by thinking about the purpose of the space and the type of learning that you want to achieve and then you add in the technology, so the decisions are pedagogically-led rather than technology driven.
The first of his spaces is the secret space. He has two takes on this. Firstly it enables students to interact with each other privately or secondly to be alone without distraction. The former can be met by flexible furniture that allows students to swivel around and easily communicate one on one or, in terms of technology; it could be access to an instant messaging platform, monitored or not depending on school policy. This kind of communication is possible through Google apps for example. The latter is being catered for with niches or booths where students can withdraw for some quite time or to concentrate. Technology needs here are minimal – a tablet or an iPad that can be taken into the secret space to read an e-book or conduct research, produce and create work.
The next space to consider is group spaces. When he talks about group spaces he poses the challenge to leave the space as wide open as possible and to have the hanging walls, the furniture, the objects and the lights required on the side and students drag over what they need and create their space. This an extreme take on a flexible learning space but schools should aim for display solutions to be adaptable to ensure it can be used for as many learning “purposes” as possible. There are many different forms of learning that take place in groups. So a mobile touch screen for example could be rolled into a “group space,” a nest where small teams can interact with a decent sized screen instead of crowding around an iPad. Or a teacher running a mini-lesson in a “check-in” or seminar space might use it whilst the students relax on couches and they have a discussion. Then the groups can come together and students can share their findings, again using the same display, perhaps divided into four using a connectivity solution that allows multiple devices to connect at once.
These kinds of display solutions could also support another of Ewan’s spaces, the “publishing space”. Publishing spaces can take many forms such as simply putting a poster on a wall. However, in the digital age, students also want to show their work to the world and become part of a community, maybe through a blog, maybe as part of a social network. A mobile display device might allow students to use digital signage software and broadcast their work across the school or into public spaces for parents and visitors to share too.
A “participation space” is interesting too. This is a space where “theory is made practice”. We liken it to what Suzie Boss in Edutopia magazine refers to as a “Tinker Station” or a “Maker Station” and have frequently found that a science trolley or something along those lines hits the mark. All the equipment that you need for experiments and ICT such as digital microscopes and data loggers to explore, measure and reach conclusions. Visualisers linked to a display in these spaces make all the difference too, allowing for “visible thinking”, again a quote from Suzie Boss. Students on the other side of the room from the tinker station can see what a group of students are doing and can watch, make suggestions and get involved. The recording function on the visualiser also means that the students can video their tinkering and keep it for reference, comparison or to share with other groups.
The “performance space” requires an area where students can be something they are not, where they can act out, role play and explore but in a different way to that above. A green screen area immediately springs to mind. Students can literally be who they want and where they want. It should be set up so that students can easily capture and edit their performance.
A “watching space” is where ICT has historically been found in schools but much of the talk around modern learning environments pushes the sage on the stage to the side lines. Ewan Macintosh urges that schools value that lecture moment just as in the TED Talks: “create genial spaces for lectures, spaces that thrill and delight and celebrate those occasional moments of lone insight that only a real, living, flesh and blood teacher or visitor or student can offer.” Areas with powerful audio, the option to record video and opportunities for the audience to engage should be available. When there are no talks taking place this could be (two of Suzie’s other ideas) the Skype On space where students can call outside for input which is left up and running so that students can respond to pings , or the Video Booth where students can quickly and easily video their thoughts and conversations. Such a space would also lend itself naturally to being the performance space too.
Lastly, “data spaces” is a curious one that would be interesting to see in action here in New Zealand. He encourages the continuous provision of raw data for students to interpret and use. Sharing school data such as power use is Ewan’s suggestion, broadcasting it around the school to inspire students to save power. It would certainly be possible with the data logging elements of the science trolley in the participation space, or perhaps by fixing a weather station outside. Digital signage could make sharing this information possible or schools could choose to share data that is of interest to the current inquiry – weather statistics from around the globe, share prices or pollution levels for example.
Making these kinds of spaces in your new modern learning environments, even in your traditional four walled classroom is not difficult and again Ewan Macintosh has ideas on how to do it cheaply and cheerfully (a wigwam for your secret space!). Hopefully the above gives you some ideas for how to integrate your existing or new technology and online learning environments into these spaces.