Presentation by Dave Thomson at the Futurelab rethinking Learning Spaces workshop

1. What if…. Rethinking Learning Spaces

2. 45 schools in Wyre Forest will close at the end of the academic year 2006/7 and 30 new schools will open in September 2007. In place of the existing First, Middle and High Schools, there will be 25 new 4-11 age primary schools and 5 new 11-18 age secondary schools.

4. 1 What if... ...classes had learners of any age? Lifelong learning itself is now a familiar concept, but is applied mostly to the need to refresh or learn new skills for a particular career path. Currently children and adults are segregated in the learning process, but do they need to be so in all cases? Adult learners in one curriculum area might be a resource in another, so are there potentially more innovative ways of encouraging intergenerational learning? The ability to link to other ‘experts’, mentors or learners using new technologies opens up further possibilities that could have a significant impact on our perceptions about age-stage approaches to learning. 9 What if... ...we focused on developing an environment learners would feel comfortable in? Research suggests that learners want a school or learning space that is a size they can relate to; that is safe and welcoming rather than austere and intimidating; that gives them a sense of belonging not just to the school itself but also to a ‘family’ or community grouping with which they can identify; and a place in which their views and needs are valued, listened to and acted upon so that they feel empowered. Learners may also want to have a fixed base and want an area that they can customise and make their own. Would it be possible to create a flexible and responsive environment that allowed learners to manipulate it and which responded to their needs? 9 1 Card 9 The idea of a fixed base and flexibility of accomodation appear to be at odds – that said it would be desirable What if ……… Activity Things that are not relevant to state/formal education Things we could do with major changes to accommodation, curriculum or staff development Things that could be done without major change

5. Trans-porta cabin Augmented reality Disused place, new space Mobile production hubs Old space, New Space Learning Landscape Zoned workflow spaces Personalised Pod Ubiquitous, ambient and pervasive Personalised Pod Personalised Pod Personalised Pod Zoned workflow spaces Zoned workflow spaces Learning Landscape Learning Landscape Learning Landscape Old space, New Space Old space, New Space Mobile production hubs Disused place, new space Disused place, new space Augmented reality Augmented reality Virtual Reality Trans-porta cabin Trans-porta cabin Ubiquitous, ambient and pervasive Ubiquitous, ambient and pervasive Ubiquitous, ambient and pervasive