EDUO 9789: Learning Spaces: Reshape Your Classroom

Course Overview

The Common Core State Standards and the focus on 21st century skills require learning spaces that promote collaboration and innovation. Yet most of our elementary schools were built in the 1950’s and are filled with desks, bookcases, storage, and basic materials. How can you bridge that gap? How can you re-imagine your classroom and turn it into a learning space that better meets learners’ needs? Let’s work together and reshape
your learning space.

Course Objectives

• Explore the conflict between traditional classroom design and current pedagogy
• Understand the connection between space and pedagogy
• Analyze your classroom and how it could better serve learning and learners
• Redesign your classroom and implement the plan

Course Assignments:

Each lesson includes articles to read and/or an instructor presentation. Guided exploration and practice work follows. Participants use discussion forums to share their ideas, thinking, and redesign plans.
Key areas include:

• Gaining background on the connection between learning and classroom design
• Analyzing classroom designs based on course concepts
• Evaluating your own classroom design, its advantages and challenges
• Redesigning your classroom and implementing the new plan
• Getting feedback from colleagues and your students
• Posting to our class forums throughout the course, including classroom photos