EdunovaSpace

Pedagogy and Space, transitions at Plymouth School of Creative Arts

Terry WhiteEdunovaSpace & Chair A4LE, United Kingdom

E: terry.white@edunovaspace.co.ukW: www.a4le.co.uk

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This presentation is a summary based on a learning-lead design approach working with staff at Plymouth School of Creative Arts in Plymouth, UK.

This is a collaborative action research project to re-design the learning spaces on the existing Humanities floor of this building. As the staff have begun to develop collaborative and project based approaches to learning, the existing outline design of the spaces and furnishings on this floor arenot meeting the intended learning outcomes. A process of observation and research has been taking place to determine the new range of learning spaces and activities and the appropriate furnishings and acoustic treatments to improve the learning environment.

This is a school self-funded project to prototype the new configurations for the use of learning spaces at low cost to develop a more informed final solution.

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4-16 school

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Our school is different to support you. Some key differences include:

• We are a learning village, not a school. This means we all have a part to play to support each others learning and wellbeing. We recognise we are all different and unique and that we are part of our community. All adults and children use each others first names.

• In our village we have studios and connected learning spaces. In these spaces students and staff work in teams and across different age ranges.

• In our school we celebrate voice, choice, advocacy and help you to take responsibility for yourself and others.

• Making happens in all subjects by making you curious about learning.

• We use enquiry and project based learning to deliver a 21st Century curriculum.

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Engaging the community

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Primary double size spaces

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Learning zones over 3 floors for secondary learning

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Studio spaces connected to open areas

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CONTEXTA forward thinking learning spaces design of studio and breakout spaces to deliver project based learning in a 4-16 all-through school

CHALLENGEA range of connected and open spaces working well in the primary phase within shared learning spaces for 60 to 90 learners. Secondary phase challenged by year groups following project and enquiry approaches in learning spaces that require improved acoustics and more definition of learning activities in “fixed” and “loose” learning settings within the more open areas such as floor two.

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Learning Led Design. Phased Transitions (4-16 years)

To design spaces that are “fit for purpose” you first have to understand what that purpose is. THE WHY.

1. The Learners

2. The Learning Process

3. Support of the Learner

4. Learning opportunities – variety & authenticity

5. Social and emotional environment

6. Celebration and value of learning

7. Community Engagement

8. Physical environment and how it impacts on learning

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ICT

infrastructure

and usage

Vision and Aspirations

Diversity of

Learning

Activities

Organisation and

Delivery of

Learning Activities

Diversity of

Learning

Activities

Organisation

and Delivery of

Learning Activities

Existing Practice Future Learning

The Learners The Learners

Community

Engagement

Learning

Environments

Organisation

and staff

structure

Other critical factors Other critical factors

Learning

Partnerships

Learning Outcomes

Learning Led Design – A process

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Pedagogy – Defined with staff

• Individualised Learning

• Reflective of learning styles

• Self Directed Learning

• Skill and Competency oriented Learning

• Active and Interactive Learning

• Collaborative Learning

• Project Based Learning

• Process Based Learning

• Progression when ready to succeed

• Life long, life wide and life deep

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Re-thinking Pedagogy and Space – Floor 2 –Humanities

• Years 7.8.9 (first three years of secondary phase)• Project based learning for each year group -120 students.• Project based learning -150 (additional groups working on this floor)• Review and observations of use of all spaces.• Dialogue with students, staff and community• Two full weeks observations with individual and group feedback .

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PRIMARY –SECONDARY TRANSITIONS IN STUDIO AND OPEN LEARNING LANDSCAPES – MEETING THE EXISTING CHALLENGES

• Year groups and larger cohorts of students learning together • Project based learning and subject teaching at the same time• Greater range of learning activities required in spaces• Building occupancy based on old model• Multiple class group teaching in open areas• Acoustic challenges• Improving collaborative learning• Access and location of resources more teacher than learner focused• Professional learning support for staff to transition in to open spaces• Support spaces for staff limited• Student choice of where, when and how to learn often constrained• Students and staff working well through good established relationships but the

spaces were working against them and the learning gains in the primary phase not being fully replicated

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Original plan for floor 2 Humanities

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Heavy tables and chairs dominate the current FF&E

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Organisation of Future Learning Defined by Staff

•Will change over time

•Fewer but longer periods of time

•Integration of subject areas to improve depth and coverage

•Applied and relevant learning enhanced by digital technology

•Less didactic teaching and learning, more individualised activities

•More practical application – vocational, relevant

•More self directed – student choice both around content and nature of activity

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Range of Activities Observed Across Floor 2.

• Individual work – focused study

• 2-3 structured learning activity with a teacher or other learner(s)

• 2-3 people – semi formal learning activity

• Small groups – informal learning activities

• Guided groups

• Team structured activities

• Trading learning spaces to meet day to day learning needs.

• Class structured activities

• Multiple class structured activities, breaking into groups.

• Years.7,8.9 when together limited diversification or re-grouping.

• Applied and practical applications limited.

• Technology limiting learning capacity.

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Range of Spaces Required to be designed to support learning approach

•Quiet study areas

•Small meeting, coaching rooms, staff support spaces.

•Break out areas with learning resources adjacent to more formal learning and teaching area

•Soft seating, casual tables café style areas

•Half learning space size areas, furniture configurations and technology to enable collaboration, teacher directed ,visual and noise challenges.

•Learning Spaces – closed and semi-open

•Studio spaces – specialist spaces

•Connected spaces

•Formal and Informal learning areas

•Resource areas for student access.

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Staff/Student feedback on Nature of Learning Activities Required

•Ease of movement and navigation

•Convenient access to a variety of people, resources and facilities to support learning

•Multi sensory, stimulating

•Resource rich – hands on learning

•Physiologically friendly

•Technology rich

•Appropriate for multiple age groups

•Appropriate for concurrent use by multiple learners engaged in multiple activities

•Learning celebrated and on display

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Staff adopt a PBL approach to prototype and re-design their learning spaces as part of this project

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Re-think use of studio

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Create shared media studio

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Establish shared resource area

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Resource and group area

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Defining spaces for group working

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Defining spaces for group working

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Improve range of furniture and writable surfaces, with use of mobile wall unit

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Improve range of furniture and writable surfaces, with use of mobile wall unit

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Develop practical work area in open floor two area

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Prototype quiet alcove spaces and potential locations

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OUTCOMES TO DATE:

September –October 2018.

•Range of learning spaces better defined and supported.

•Staff working as teams to improve use of more diverse spaces.

•Collaborative planning and review each day.

•Students “check in for learning ”on arrival floor two.

•Students and staff move between studio and open spaces.

•Technology better deployed across the Humanities floor.

•Resource area improving access and making spaces adaptable.

•Acoustics and sight lines being addressed.

•Wider range of furniture being tested to improve student choice.

•Staff and students more relaxed and more movement.

•Agreement on greater clarity on “behaviors for learning”

Creating a learning culture –defining learning with students, staff and community:(Define new behaviours for learning)

• Vision • Dominant Culture, (community and partnerships).• Personalising Learning • Organisation of learning.• Student Responsibility• Voice and Choice • Collaboration and team work. • Professional Learning • Leading Learning • Real World applied learning.

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Professional Learning

The Principle

Professional learning is an entitlement, expectation and responsibility for all staff

The Principle Defined (examples)

Research and evidenced based practice are used to guide thinking and development alongside practice based evidence of genuine innovation where research is limited or not developed.

Individual learning is connected to teams via space, transparency and digital processes to promote new learning.

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What you will see at our school (examples)

All staff are encouraged to challenge their thinking, assumptions and practices.

Assessment and feedback from staff, students and parents is used to inform professional learning

Teams of staff work together ‘real time’ with students to review and plan learning experiences on a day by day basis

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MAKE DISCOVER PERFORM.

PHASE TWO, January 2019 onwards

Review, evidence collection and data on improved learning outcomes and definition of learning spaces

and acoustic interventions.