The Learning Environment as the Third Teacher

Great session at Mind Lab last night. We used the Flip Learning model with different stations to choose from to activate discussions, collaboration, learning and reflection in regards to ILS or ILE or MLE or whatever environment is outside of the 'rows of desks' model.

This is very much on everyone's minds as it's something being pushed in the Christchurch rebuild and any new school redesign.

Here is the meme we designed. Great way to be concise to deliver a message!

In essence, even if the environment is modern, if the teaching approach does't match it's just window dressing. Our conversations highlighted, again, the chasm building between the old industrial teaching mindset and the new one, which is still in it's infancy really as we grapple with so much research, information and possibilities.

Despite all that I have seen and experienced of #ILE, in the back of my mind is the Best Evidence Synthesis (MoE) and Hattie's research about what makes learning effective: My approach, my skills, my intentional episodes of teaching.

Best learning: Using Tinkercad to create 3D designs. A quiet space, a collaborative hub, a recording studio. Pod of Dreams.. I need you!

Worry about the inside not the outside when looking at school design! The Pod of Dreams was inspired by this school with no 'walls':

My preferred learning environment? Always.

Useful Readings:

Fraser, K (2014) The Future of Learning and Teaching in Next Generation Learning Spaces

(International Perspectives on Higher Education Research). Here's some important points from it: