E-Series: Designing Learner-Centered Classrooms
E-Series: Designing Learner-Centered Classrooms
By Susan M. Rundle & Irene Nigaglioni, AIA, REFP
We just concluded our first E-Series for 2008 on designing classrooms based on individual learning styles. Susan M. Rundle, president of Performance Concepts International (PCI) elaborated on designing classrooms that out-perform conventionally designed classrooms. Learner-centered classrooms blend planning and design skills with teaching skills, each focused on how each individual child learns best.
Susan Rundle presentation
Irene Nigaglioni presentation
Susan Rundle and Irene Nigaglioni are interested in your feedback so that we can develop this conversation further. Please share your views about designing learner-centered classrooms through this blog.
I wish everyone could take Susan's course that we took as part of the CEFPI/SDSUcertificate . The topic and the textbook SMART MOVES are fascinating
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Patrick,
Thank you so much Patrick. I am glad you were able to join us yesterday.
I hope you are doing well and I look forward to our paths crossing again.
Best wishes,
Susan
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Patrick,
I wholeheartedly agree with you. Susan and Andrea's class was so exciting to me, and I learned a bunch. Since the class, I have continued to study the subject as I find it so relevant to what we do everyday.
Irene
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This was one of the most informative E-conferences I think. Incorporating how students learn into the space planning process is a great idea. We have been on the fringes of this but this changes my perspective of how I will plan our next school. The only down side I would have is some of the design features in the schools could not be used in our state based on local interpretations of NFPA.
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Dear David,
Thank you for your positive comments. I am pleased to hear that some of the information between our two presentations may be useful. I would love to know if you are able to incorporate how students learn into the space planning process.
Best wishes, Susan
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I was very pleased with the quality of this presentation and it's relevance to school design. It really made a connection between the learning environment and the student's ability to learn real to me. It is just as important to understand a student's learning style and preference as it is their level of knowledge. I will be asking our curriculum staff a lot of questions about how they are applying learning styles within our school district. The examples that Irene shared were very helpful in beginning to adopt this information. I just loved the learning loft!
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Dear Margaret,
We appreciate your comments. I especially found your thoughts about making a connection between the learning environment and the student's ability to learn real to you.
You will find a great deal of useful information at: www.learningstyles.net. Much of it is free. I too love the learning loft!
Best wishes, Susan
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Thanks Margaret. This was a fun topic to work on, and it is nice to hear that the informnation was helpful.
I loved that loft as well!!
Take care,
Irene
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Very interesting presentation. In our design work today we are dealing with flexible learning spaces. This just helps clarify why we and the teachers we are working with are always trying to squeeze different areas for formal and informal learning activities.
I would be interested to know if research is being done on most appropriate size of learning space to accommodate the various learning styles. The biggest obstacle facing us today in implementing flexible learning space is tightening budgets, Department of Treasury standards and administrators not familiar with these factors and resisting larger instructional space.
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Dear Dennis,
I think it would be most useful to know about most appropriate size of learning space to accommodate the diversity of learning styles in the classroom.
The Dunn and Dunn Model has been in use for more than 40 years, which is how long we have been taking many good and not so good spaces and turning them into classrooms that support diversity of learning. Irene pointed out her slide that identified the different areas one could design and plan for in a classroom.
I have to believe research is being done somewhere. Perhaps Irene is aware of that research.
Thanks and best wishes, Susan
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Dennis - I have not heard of any research on size of rooms. However, I agree with Susan that it may be underway, as so many folks are using learning styles in their instructional delivery. I know furniture companies have spent a considerable amount of effort in designing new furniture to respond to this, but I have not heard about anyone taking it to the size of rooms. This may be a great topic for a CEFPI funded research project.
Irene
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This was good reinforcement of our SDSU class. The topic was one of my favorite in the program and I had a teacher trainer from our District join me for the presentation. This I hope will be the beginning of a new approach to integrating our facilities and ed specs as we begin our next new comprehensive high school.
Following the presentation we had the opportunity to discuss the SW region research projects, CEFPI and the impact of facilities on learning.It certainly helped to spark the conversation by having you both here in my office for 1 1/2 hours.
CG
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Chris,
That is great. I agree with you that this was one my favorite classes at SDSU. I am eager to get going on the last two.
Take care, Irene
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