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| Click to see my Animoto for the Conference… |
First, if you have time, go back to yesterday’s blog, I’m not Teacher Bashing. What I’m looking for is an image of the teacher, the classroom, learning culture, administration, etc. where the world of new initiatives and models (21st Century Skills, NETS Refreshed), the latest issues of their discipline, and the latest in best practices are a part of the job. David Tuss said that the 21st century teacher is…
- Connected,
- Collaborative, and
- Creative
What does that look like? Please post your comments there.
I spoke at my first state school board association conference yesterday, and I must say that I was more than impressed with the conversations that I had, at least with the folks who came up to me wanted to have conversations. I did an hour and a half workshop during the afternoon, during which I was only able to cover about a third of what I had attended. The audience was quite interactive, they had lots of questions, expected answers, and sincerely had their students’ best interests in a new future at heart. I confess that I was a bit underprepared to address what this new information landscape means to being a school board member, other than the obvious — consider using social networks, blogs, podcasting, wikis, etc. as a way to collaborate with each other and communicate with and engage your constituents.
The one area that disappointed me was in the exhibitors hall. It seemed that just about every other booth was an architectural firm. Now my observation may not be at all fair, because I didn’t talk to all of them, only three. They were very busy booths. But I asked each of the three, how has school design changed in the last ten years, and how do you suspect it will change in the next 10? Perhaps I should have used 20 years or 30. But their answers disappointed me.
- Schools are greener.
- Construction techniques are much more efficient.
- Wiring in the floors, walls, ceiling.
That was it. I asked one of the firm’s representative, what it might mean to the design of a classroom when every student has a laptop. He said that it probably wouldn’t affect the room design in any way. He did say that perhaps schools should have some smaller classrooms for classes with fewer students such as Japanese Language, AP Physics, or legal terminology.
To be fair, I may have been talking with the wrong people. I may have completely missed the truely innovative firms who were in other parts of the hall. There may even be no reason to change the design of schools. I don’t know. It’s the reason I was asking. How do they change? These folks are the experts. Is the answer — they don’t change?
Help me, Christian Long!
When you posed the question regarding classroom design for classes with laptops, I thought about our school’s move toward student laptops. We realized that we would have to totally redesign the classrooms to accomodate the wiring, etc.
What answers were you expecting from the developers? I’d be curious to know…
David,
Come to one of my presentations, “Like Ten Things to Do with a Laptop.” I’d be delighted to discuss how all aspects of the learning environment can/should/will change as the result of a bold approach to using laptops for learning.
Some of the “laptop” schools where I led PD from 1990-1994 found that the use of laptops in constructionist ways led teachers to re-examine pedagogical practices, curriculum, assessment, class size and even architecture.
The difference in approach was critical. Teachers began using computers (with LogoWriter at the time). They learned a great deal about their own learning and the intellectual capacity of their students. This led to thoughtful discussions about the nature of teaching and learning. The teachers were engaged in reflective dialogue with the school administrators who then made the structural changes required to sustain the innovation the teachers led.
In some cases new buildings were erected to take advantage of the more flexible and mobile nature of learning in a school. Teacher Pajama Parties were held off-site for 3 days at a time so that teachers could mess-about with their laptops in the ways we imagined kids would.
The new standards, goals and expectations bubbled up from kids and teachers, with the support of the rest of the school community. Each school created its own vision of “21st Century skills” if you will.
This is VERY different than asking a group of unelected high-tech executives to determine what the future will be for children in America.
I’m curious/intrigued, Gary. Let me know, via e-mail (or through a comment) where you’ll be presenting soon. It seems that we should be at the same conference sometime in the near future. If not, then certainly at NECC.
I guess I’m looking for leverage points, and what teachers, students, and communities learn about teaching and learning and future-ready skills is the ideal. I was just curious as to whether folks who design schools might also be a leverage point. But it appears, from the small sampling that I talked with, that he are lagging a bit behind, as are most other support institutions.
Those early days of laptop classrooms were exciting. I was not involved in much of the staff development, but I followed and visited a number of the programs that were based on using MS Office as the platform of work, and it was amazing what they could make that software do. Nothing like Logo, but incredibly resources, just the same.
I teach in a new elementary school. Last year was the inaugural year. The school was wired for mobile labs and smartboards. The money ran out, so no smartboards. It was built for climate control, so the windows barely open. But they ran out of money and you can’t open the window sufficiently to bring in the fresh air. The school was a green project, but they ran out of money and cut back on utility sinks. Ever try to clean paint brushes in a bathroom sink that keeps shutting off? The toilets are water saver models, and I’ll spare you the details of what that does to ones senses . If folks are leaning toward the green school concept and high tech, ask lots of questions about financing, and alternative or scale back plans. Green is a hot topic, it’s political, it’s something the media is all over. The young architecs are career building on “green”. High Tech is still nerdy and futuristic and not well understood or promoted to the voters. Considered superfluous by many. (Define “many” as people on fixed income who vote.) Everyone here is the choir. We really must figure out how to bring the community along with us. So far, it is politically still correct to declare” Lah! I don’t know how to read my e-mail! Go forth and preach!
I got this very question yesterday, while speaking to the Maryland School Boards Association. “We’re the choir and we have a visionary superintendent. How do we bring the community on board?”
I shared Jennifer James’ model of the new story, that it must…
David – Long overdue response (unless you linked my way as a rhetorical device only, he smiles).
Two suggestions:
1. Go visit the Denver School of Science and Technology, designed by the Denver-based firm, klipp. Or get in touch directly with Sam Miller, the lead designer. I think you’ll be happy with what you find…as ‘leaning forward’ into the future of schools. Here is a hint from an interview I did with Sam a few months back before I left DesignShare: http://www.designshare.com/index.php/articles/dsst/
2. Order a copy of “The Language of School Design” by Randy Fielding and Prakash. Link: http://www.designshare.com/index.php/language-school-design I think you’ll find kindred spirits, although ‘technology’ (per se) is only part of the many-tiered ‘pattern’ approach to redesigning the idea of a ‘learning environment’. And while you’re beginning to become familiar with their ideas, consider their firm, FieldingNair Incorporated (FNI). I think you’ll appreciate a range of projects they’ve designed around the US and beyond. Truly kindred spirits with you, I believe, plus they are buddies with Stephen Heppell and others pushing on the front edge of it all. Here is the link to their firm: http://www.fieldingnair.com/home.aspx
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BTW, the majority of architectural firms are NOT in business to push the client outside of the client’s comfort zone. Given the tremendously traditional approach to ‘school’ that most educators and administrators and school board members and voters maintain, ‘green’ and efficiency and ‘wiring’ is as bold as it gets in most communities. The real problem is that the archetype of ‘school’ is so inherently permanent in most people’s minds — whether they be educator or designer — that creating truly cutting edge solutions is rarely sought.
From the years I spent swimming in the ‘school design’ ocean, I can say that the very second that “school” or “classroom” is uttered by any member of a design committee, 99.9% of the innovation disappears. The image is too strong to stray from. The few cases where true innovation occur — without going outside the US — take place when “learning by any means necessary” is the key phrase.
BTW, you might be interested in the just-published 2007 DesignShare Awards winners. The 4 Honor Award winners? All from OUTSIDE the US. You’ll see them highlighted in a future issue of “Edutopia” soon, but for a sneak peak, go here: http://designshare.com/index.php/awards/2007/
It believe you’ll see a wide range of innovation — some tech based, most not — that will make you smile. If the ‘net’ from Japan doesn’t win you over, or the school in India that cost a hundredth of the cost of a US-based school doesn’t inspire awe, or if the Singapore art school doesn’t make your chin drop…well, you ain’t looking closely enough (he smiles).
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Hope this helped, my friend. Keep on keepin’ on! Perhaps we’ll cross paths one day soon, but in the meantime thanks for the link nod.
Cheers,
Christian
David,
My Superintendent was at the School Board Conference in PA. He has shared information that he heard there about the importance of realizing that the need is more complex than just integrating technology. He heard the messages about the 21st Century Skills and helping students to be wiser consumers. I was very happy to hear this because he has been supportive of the acquisition of technology tools for our district and has encouraged its growth. The message he shared was sounding very familiar and was similar to messages that we have been helping our teaching staff to hear for a couple years. Yesterday at the District Tech Committee meeting, I shared a part of your 2007 k12 Online Conference Keynote and Our Superintendent spoke up and said “That’s the one who addressed us at the School Board Conference” I should have known…So- I just want to say thanks for helping him hear the message, and remember that he had also heard it here in his district. A new realization and validation of the message will help it to continue to be heard, and hopefully embraced, for our students and staff.