Learning Spaces

As children progress into intermediate grades their independence, ability and range of interests becomes increasingly diverse. Creating learning environments that can support this diversity, while considering necessary financial and space limitations provides educators with unique challenges. Learning environments function “best when students are able to take ownership of their learning, work with some autonomy and interact directly and indirectly with peers, teachers, technologies and the physical environment” (Cleveland, 2011). The underlying socio-cultural learning theories supporting makerspaces and inquiry-based learning can manifest in countless ways. Designing flexible spaces that can facilitate collaboration and hands-on opportunities to design, explore, build and create within an interdisciplinary framework requires many elements. Classroom designs characterized “by a fixed, more static, more traditional classroom layout is becoming obsolete. It just can’t support those new behaviors and activities and, in fact, gets in the way of them” (Winske, 2015, p. 1). The design of more flexible learning spaces that enable active styles of engagement requires many considerations. Questions regarding mobility, accessibility, customization and functionality in relation to the resources and spaces that make up a physical classroom environment are essential. Continue below to explore just some of the ways space can act as a partner with pedagogy and support 21st century learning.