How can teachers move from traditional to innovative learning environments?

13 Apr 201726 Apr 2017 / Alastair Blyth / Leave a comment

What do we really know about how teachers can use the wonderful innovative learning environments being created for schools around the world?

Stonefields School, Auckland, New Zealand

Graduate researchers (architects, designers, educationalists) around the world are tackling issues such as this, but often in isolation. The ‘Innovative Learning Environments and Teacher Change’ (ILETC) project, based at the University of Melbourne, Australia, aims to bring this thinking together through its series of one-day ‘transitions’ symposia which this year will also be held outside Australia – in the UK (London) on 7th September and in the US (Grand Rapids, Michigan) on 14th September. The symposium in Melbourne will be on 2nd June. It will be interesting to learn where the research on this is at. Continue reading →

Future Learning Spaces: The shape of things to come…

28 May 20151 Jun 2015 / Alastair Blyth / Leave a comment

The first in a series of forums by UK Learning for this year focuses on International and UK trends that are demonstrating through research and evidence-based practice the need to rethink approaches to preparing young people for 21st century learning. (Programme here)

The forum is bringing together the shared practical experience of teachers, researchers, design professionals and architects to share the new and developing perspectives and their implications for the design and delivery of new spaces to improve learning outcomes.

It will explore the global trends in education, latest research in school buildings, and how to design learning spaces to support users.

Contributors and delegates from national and international partners will present their views alongside
evidence-based case studies to support, encourage, enable and equip change.

*UK Learning is a membership organisation focused on developing effective, sustainable and stimulating future educational facilities. This is underpinned by the belief that the way to do this is to bring together teachers, educators, design professionals, researchers – indeed – all those who value the importance of improving learning opportunities and life chances for young people. UK Learning is also the UK chapter for cefpi.

University of The Future: Connected Environments

14 May 201216 Sep 2012 / Alastair Blyth / Leave a comment

Why is the physical environment for higher education still important when arguably with the emergence of online learning and digital access, students do not need to leave their own homes?

Creating spaces that make connections

We are, as is so often pointed out, in a world where the focus is increasingly on personalisation. In healthcare gene therapy is tailored to treat specific conditions unique to a specific person; people can order cars or computers with specific features determined before production; and of course education where students expect that educators will meet their own specific needs at a time that suits them. Continue reading →

Education – Where is the Soul?

5 Jan 20127 Jan 2012 / Alastair Blyth / Leave a comment

We can measure student outcomes and teaching performance. With feedback these can be improved. What about the soul of the school?

Searching for a soul. The caption at the top reads: “Creativity produces innovation through connecting things not previously connected”, Sir Ken Robinson

Image above: A collage by primary students at CEFPI 11, Marketplace for Learning under the watchful eye of Claire Gibb Global Co-ordinator of Room 13.

There are things about a learning environment that no-one can quite put their finger on, yet have a powerful influence over the success of the school or college. There is an ingredient ‘X’. The soul? Without ingredient ‘X’ a school or college in both the physical and conceptual sense must surely be a hollow shell. Continue reading →