Module 4: Developing learner-centered indoor and outdoor environments
- involve learners into designing their learning environment;
- understand what learners really need and adjust teaching to that;
- be playful and relaxed during the development process.
Recommended sources
The CREATE Framework: Learning Environments to Develop Creativity.
Center for Childhood Creativity, 2018.
CREATE stands for Child-Directed, Risk-Friendly, Exploratory and Active environments providing Time for Imagination and enhancing the Exchange of Ideas. We especially recommend the chapter "Related and Notable Studies" (pages 15–19) which explain the foundations of the framework.
The video Indoor Environment Program at the University of Jyväskylä (4 min 5 sec) shows how a student cafeteria was transformed into a multi-purpose learning and recreational space for students.
We also recommend the following short articles:
- Jo Earp: Classroom layout – what does the research say? Teacher, 16 March 2017.
- Brooke Markle: Reflections on Shifting to a Flexible Classroom. Edutopia, 20 Aug 2018.
- The A to Z of Flexible Classrooms. Edutopia, 16 Aug 2018.
- O’Sullivan, F. Why Finland Is Embracing Open-Plan School Design. Citylab, 18 August 2017.
Stories of (re)designing learning environments
Design Thinking for Educators
is a toolkit that makes teachers, students and other actors of school communities and municipalities aware of their role in renewing learning environments. The below video explains the main elements of the Design Thinking mindset (source, product of IDEO).Read the post What is Design Thinking? and watch the following videos about the design process:
- What does being a “designer” mean to you?
- Discovery: How do you get inspired?
- Ideation: How do you generate new ideas?
- Experimentation: How do you bring your ideas to life?
- Next steps: How might you use the design process?
Further, watch three short videos about different challenges and solutions presented by teachers: Maggie, Michael and Patrick.
What would be your pedagogical challenge that you would like to share? Have you found a solution? Are you experimenting with something new? Do you plan to change something?
Try to tell it in a short (30–60 second long) video.
You can record your video with very simple tools, e.g. with the selfie camera of your phone or the in-built camera of your laptop.
Consider to upload your video on youtube and share it in an online teachers community. Your video is much welcome in the Everyday Creativity social media community too.
