Since free secondary school for all was established in 1944, classrooms have pretty much remained unchanged. For over 60 years the scene has been almost exactly the same: the teacher stands at the front of the class, writing on a blackboard and rows of children pay varying degrees of attention to what is being taught. There’s a good chance that your parents and your grandparents all have very similar memories to you about what it means to be in school.
The Learning Environment of the Future
The school of the future, however, will be a totally different learning environment. Advances in technology and the recognition of various learning styles have led to huge changes in the education system. New schools are being designed to reflect that need for an altogether more creative approach to learning which will ensure that more kids get the maximum benefit from those all-important school years.
Advances in technology have already made learning much more fun. Interactive apps that allow you to explore the world and programs and games to introduce new topics in an engaging and creative way have opened up a whole new approach to education. Schools have already started incorporating technology into the classroom environment and recent school refurbishments have included the installation of interactive write boards and Wi-Fi connectivity throughout their premises.
An Engaging Space
This is only the beginning, though. The whole layout and design of schools is changing to create an environment which is not only more engaging, but will also allow students to become more self-directed in their studies by enhancing their learning environment.
Increasingly, schools design is acknowledging that the key to providing a stimulating environment is to create a space that students want to feel a part of. Bright colours, natural lighting and a warm and welcoming atmosphere are integral components of the school of tomorrow. The creation of modular spaces which are flexible depending on a class’s needs will allow a variety of different learning experiences within the same space. The introduction of breakout rooms to allow smaller groups to work on projects will create the feel of a small school for every size of class.
Technology to Revolutionise the Lesson Plan
Technology is an essential part of this transition to child-centred learning environments and the school of the future will be designed to ensure that computer access is available in all parts of the building. Laptops stored in portable trolleys will make it easy for teachers to ensure that no child is without a computer.
The fact that learning will become more centred on electronic devices will cut down on paper waste as well as planning time. Lessons will be uploaded on to the school’s network and resources will be easily accessible via the internet to ensure that parents can have a clear understanding of the day’s classes and provide maximum support from home. Classes could be recorded through integrated video cameras, allowing students to revisit any parts of the topic that they need to spend extra time on and parents can keep up to date with everything that is on the curriculum.
All this technology doesn’t mean that there will be no time to play. Increasingly, research suggests that even for older children, play and the ability to spend time in the fresh air has a dramatic effect on how well they do at school. Covered outdoor areas will allow lessons to take place outside and open up a whole new world of experiences for children of all ages.