Designing New Learning Environments to Support 21st Century Skills

Emerging Themes About School Facilities Design  Facility designs impact learning.  Facility designs impact students and others who work in the building.  There have been few innovations in school facility designs.

New Skills and Pedagogy for 21 st Learning Students working independently with a guiding teacher. Learning knowledge and skills will take place through inquiry structured around complex authentic questions. Greater use of technology tools. Emphasis on communication skill development. Emphasis on creative thinking and problem solving. Interpersonal and self-direction skills development. Project based learning. Authentic assessments using rubrics with just-in- time transparent feedback to students.

Translating 21 st Century Learning Into Facilities Design Questions: 1.What do we want Brown Deer students to know and be able to do? 2.What pedagogy, curriculum, activities, and experiences do we want for our students? 3.What assessments will be used to foster student learning outcomes, and promote student engagement, and self- direction? 4.What technology will be needed to support our 21 st century learning plan? 5.What physical learning environments will be needed to carry out our 21 st century learning plan?

The Learning Studio The new interactive learning environment will be designed to allow for continuous reconfiguration of space to accommodate a variety of student learning activities. Learning spaces will be needed for student home base, collaborative student project work, teacher-led learning seminars, presentations, whole- school or cluster meetings, and self- directed individual student work. Every student will have access to a desktop or laptop computer. The workroom will be designed for 24/7/360 use.

Technology in the 21 ST Century Schools Use of the Internet, communication, blogs, wikis, and Skype video interviews to research projects. Use of technology to construct produce models, booklets, videos, podcasts, websites, Power Points, digital portfolios, etc. Use of computers, cameras, and interactive whiteboards. 24/7 student access to project information, project calendars, assessment rubrics, journals, collaboration tools, and just-in-time assessments.

21 st Century Studios Columbus Signature Academy, Columbus, Indiana Program features project – based learning, collaborative team work, authentic assessment, and one-to-one computing. The 21st Century Skills are central to Project-Based Learning at CSA. CSA Lincoln and CSA Fodrea staff members recently collaborated to create rubrics for the "big 3" 21st Century Skills at CSA Elementary: Teamwork and Collaboration Productive and Innovative Use of Technology Oral Communication These rubrics will be printed on the back of the traditional report cards at the end of each quarter. This will allow parents and students to get an accurate picture of how well students are developing the skills they desperately need as they enter the "real world!"

JACOB ON PBL

New Coppell, Coppell, Texas Unique features include: doubled-sized classrooms, housing a double group of students in a two-teacher team taught interdisciplinary class in a double-blocked schedule; no wall or glass walls separating classrooms from corridors. Learning Outcomes Collaboration Content Literacy Global Citizenship Innovation and Evaluation Oral Communication Professional Ethics Written Communication

The Metropolitan Regional Center and Technical Center Provides personalized student learning designed to support internships; personalized learning plans; Learning Through Interest Internships. State funded public school district and local education agency, which serves 690 high school students in six small schools across three campuses in Rhode Island. To date, the MET has inspired an international network of over 80 similar schools, all founded by Big Picture Learning.

High Tech High - San Diego California Our K-12 schools High Tech High now operates eleven schools in San Diego County: two elementary schools, four middle schools, and five high schools. All of these schools serve a diverse, lottery-selected student population; all embody the High Tech High design principles of personalization, adult world connection, common intellectual mission, and teacher as designer.

Team-Taught Interdisciplinary Studios at New Tech HS Global Issues: English and Geography World Studies: English and World History American Studies: English and US History Political Science: English, U.S. Government, Economics Science Studies: Physics and Algebra BioLit: Biology and Literature Environmental Studies: Environmental Science and Environmental Issues Biotechnology Ethics: Biology and Psychology

Flexible Learning Environments Soft cushioned chairs. Chairs with up and down movement and sled or glider bottoms. Modular tables. Removal walls. Lighting to enhance work spaces. State-of-the-art computers. Presentation technology. Project making tools.

New Learning Environment Design