INF536

Assessment Item 1

4/8/2019

The Problem Space

The Year 5 learning space has undergone some significant changes this year. Originally 3 separate classrooms, the teachers of these classes decided to remove the walls between the rooms in an attempt to enable a new pedagogic approach. The classrooms were separated by solid wall partitions on tracks that locked together to create a wall. In previous years, these partitions remained closed. The teachers wanted to develop a more flexible learning space and facilitate team teaching models and enable new types of learning.

Removing the walls was only the first step. Utilising the existing classroom furniture represented further challenges. To enable the type of learning teachers were planning, students needed a variety of seating arrangements. This proved hard to achieve with individual student desks. To assist in the trial, several group tables were swapped in from other locations around the school and some of the individual desks were removed. The only furniture purchased were shelves of trays to provide students with a place to keep their personal equipment and remove the need for individual tidy-trays in desks. One of the teachers supplied an old couch of her own for the space.

Observations

The lesson observed began with all students gathered for approximately 10 minutes of direct instruction. They then broke off into different groupings to work with particular teachers or independently. The teachers later explained their desire to keep explicit instruction included in their approach. This style of teaching is of notable importance according to Hattie (2012). During the observation, noise level was initially noted. With so many children occupying the one open space, all sounds and voices compounded. The start of the lesson also presented volume challenges. With all students gathered and a single teacher giving the instructions, it was unclear if all students could see or hear the teacher. During the main part of the lesson, all three teachers instructing their groups could be heard at different times.

The lack of space in general appeared to cause issue and was a second point of note. A number of students worked on the floor or other soft furnishing while the students in groups with teachers made use of the larger desks in front of the boards, the location of which ultimately dictated this layout. The 3 classes occupying the space presented almost 90 students in total. The space felt very full. Ensuring every student had a place to be productive seemed like a challenge as several of the seating arrangements didn’t seem suitable for extended periods of time.

Opportunities for Change

The wall partitions seem like they could be utilised more to help segment the space and perhaps block noise. By creating a half wall, the teachers could then section off part of the classroom into a smaller group working space. Furniture options that partition off areas and provide students with low distraction working spaces may also be helpful.

Some of the furniture in the middle classroom could be removed so that all students can fit and see during times when all 3 classes are together for direct instruction. A teacher microphone that plugs into the classroom AV system might also help students hear instruction during this time.

It appeared that all 3 classrooms were trying to suit every purpose – from whole class teaching, to group work and individual work. Perhaps separating the roles of the 3 spaces might help them achieve what the teachers are hoping, using 1 whole classroom for the group instruction and using the other 2 spaces for groups and individual work. As stated by Razzouk (2012) design is an iterative process, solutions may be modified or new solutions may be developed until an optimal solution is found. This could be a second iteration of a possible solution.

There was an impression that there were a lot of unknowns about what the desired result really looks like. As Eris' (2004) definition of "the brief" explains, “we don’t know what we don’t know” and would like the design process to unearth that. It is possible that as the teachers continue to work in this space, they will learn more about what they are looking for. This "fuzzy" problem (Melles, 2010) has the opportunity for unexpected solutions.

References

Eris, O. (2004). Effective inquiry for innovative engineering design. Springer Publications

Hattie, J. & Yates G. C. R. (2013). Visible learning and the science of how we learn. Routledge.

Melles, G. (2010). Curriculum design thinking: a new name for old ways of thinking and practice? Sydney: Proceedings of the DTRS8 Conference 299-308.

Razzouk, R., Shute, V. (2012). What is design thinking and why is it important? Review of Educational Research, September, 82 (3), 330–348

4 Comments

Starting Change with Design

22/7/2019

0 Comments

Changemakers and leaders contstantly throw around the word innovation. Innovation is powerful, but it does not always result in progress. Producing the kinds of innovations that change the world requires starting with the right design philosophy. To make an innovation that is also an improvement you need a healthy dose of design thinking. This process emphasises fluidity, brings people together and keeps its focus on the real-world application and implications of the idea.

To be an effective design thinker, you need an integrative approach to projects. An integrative approach can involve working through a process similar to the following:

inspiration - considering the problem or opportunity
ideation - development of ideas or theories, then putting them to the test
implementation - introducing the idea or solution

Balancing feasibility, viability and desirably are important to the process at each stage. An effective designer brings together these aspects into one harmonious solution.

Source: https://designthinking.ideo.com/

Most importantly, design thinkers keep the people they are designing for at the centre of the process. This human-centred approach helps you arrive at an optimal solution that meets needs. Implementing and managing change with a well-designed product will be easier in the long run.

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Design Matters: The Importance of Space

19/7/2019

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Doorley & Witthoft (2012 p.30) impress upon us that space is something that can create an impact on the way we learn, work and play immediately. With so many schools making the move toward contemporising learning spaces, questions arise about the considerations that have been given toward these changes. There are great risks, but also potentially great gains when it comes to changing learning spaces.

When you research modern, contemporary or flexible learning spaces, you are bombarded with images of brightly coloured, oddly shaped furniture. While it looks visually appealing, does it meet the pedagogical needs of the space? Furniture can support new approaches to teaching and learning, but it shouldn’t dictate it. Just as all desks facing the front of a classroom promote a certain pedagogy, so too do modern furniture arrangements. When working through a design process, you always start with the needs or goal of the solution. In this case it shouldn’t be to look more modern or trendy.

When spaces are redesigned with the needs of teaching and learning in mind, different pedagogical approaches can be explored. The addition of technological tools may allow teachers to step away from direct teaching models and explore opportunities for collaboration, conferencing and self-paced learning. When the approaches and therefore needs of a classroom change, the way spaces are designed can then respond to accommodate this.

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Assessment Item 1

Starting Change with Design

Design Matters: The Importance of Space

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